Denon DL-110 MC Cartridge (High Output), Red

The Denon DL-110 is a high-output moving-coil cartridge that delivers enough voltage at 1.6 mV to run directly into a standard MM phono input.

Here Denon lifts an MC cartridge's output voltage to MM level. You get the transparency and liveliness of a moving-coil cartridge without needing an MC phono stage or a transformer: 47 kOhm loading, exactly what every standard phono input offers, and that's it. The special elliptical stylus tracks finely, and the light 4.8 g body suits most tonearms. In Swiss and European distribution it runs under the order code DL-110EM.

Why the DL-110?

Because it makes the most demanding part of an MC system unnecessary: the search for the right MC phono stage. Plug it into the MM input, set the tracking force, done – and it still sounds like moving coil: open, agile, detailed. It's handmade at Denon's Shirakawa Audio Works in Japan.

What you hear

The DL-110 brings the typical MC liveliness: open, airy treble, an agile base tone and a fine elliptical tracing that draws out details cleanly. Despite the high-output principle, it doesn't sound like a compromise but like genuine moving coil – just without extra electronics in front of it. The two-piece aluminium cantilever keeps moving mass low, which you can hear in its tracking ability.

Who is the DL-110 suited to?

Plain talk: A low-output MC can, in theory, resolve a touch finer – but then you also need the electronics to go with it, and those rarely play in the same league as the cartridge in front of them. With a compliance of 8 × 10⁻⁶ cm/dyn and 4.8 g of weight, the DL-110 suits light to medium-mass tonearms; on a very heavy arm it's not the first choice. If you have an MM input and want MC sound without rebuilding half your chain, this is exactly right.

Our verdict

The DL-110 is the most uncomplicated route to genuine MC sound: handmade in Japan, ready to go straight on an MM input, and still open and dynamic. Anyone who wants MC tone without a dedicated phono stage can't go wrong here – and saves themselves the cost of an MC stage too. HD Zürisee in Wädenswil will help you work out whether it suits your tonearm and how to get it sitting properly.

Technical data

• Type: Moving Coil (MC), High Output – suitable for MM phono inputs
• Output voltage: 1.6 mV (1 kHz, 50 mm/s)
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 45,000 Hz
• Internal resistance (coil impedance): 160 ohms
• Recommended load resistance: 47 kOhm or more (standard MM input)
• Channel separation: at least 25 dB (1 kHz)
• Channel balance: max. 1 dB (1 kHz)
• Stylus tip: special elliptical stylus, solid diamond, 0.1 × 0.2 mm
• Cantilever: aluminium, two-piece (dual construction)
• Stylus compliance: 8 × 10⁻⁶ cm/dyn
• Recommended tracking force: 1.8 g (± 0.3 g), range 1.5–2.1 g
• Weight: 4.8 g
• Mounting: standard 1/2-inch spacing, 4-pin connection
• Colour: Red

Frequently asked questions

Does the DL-110 run on a standard MM phono input?
Yes. With an output voltage of 1.6 mV and a load resistance of 47 kOhm, it's built exactly for that: you plug it into the same phono input as an MM cartridge. An MC phono stage or a step-up transformer is neither necessary nor useful.

Is the DL-110EM the same model as the DL-110?
Yes. "EM" is the order code under which European and Swiss distribution lists the Denon DL-110. The cartridge behind it is identical – same stylus, same technical data, same handmade production in Japan.

High output or low output – which is better?
Both have their appeal. A low-output MC can, in theory, resolve more finely, but demands a high-gain MC stage or a transformer. High output like the DL-110 brings MC sound straight to an MM input – the more uncomplicated solution for most systems.

Will it suit my tonearm?
With a weight of 4.8 g and a compliance of 8 × 10⁻⁶ cm/dyn, it suits light to medium-mass tonearms – in other words, the great majority of common turntables. On very heavy arms, the resonance frequency drops too far.

Why buy the Denon DL-110 from HD Zürisee?
Because even an uncomplicated cartridge needs to sit properly to deliver what it promises. At HD Zürisee in Wädenswil, we mount it, align overhang and azimuth, and tell you honestly whether it suits your arm. Message us or call (044 680 22 00).

Goes well with

You'll find more cartridges under Cartridges and turntables under Turntables. If your amplifier has no phono input at all, you'll find what you need under Phono Preamplifiers. The whole brand is in the Denon overview.