This cartridge is superb for the money and in short supply. The price of the Grade 1 (lower grade and the only one currently available) is $949. The list price of the Grade 2 when available from Zu (currently, but I believe going up) is $1249.This cartridge has less than 20 hours on it and is "Grade 2" (above standard and Grade 1).
This is from Zu Audio: The Zu/DL-103R Mk.II is a high performance 2-channel stereo moving coil phonograph pickup. The R version has revised coil winding and wire, resulting in lower internal impedance and slightly less output. Each pickup is comprehensively tested and graded, the better the grade the better the stereophony, but even the standard is pretty damn fine. Standard ≤ 3% | Grade 1 ≤ 1.0% | Grade 2 ≤ 0.5% | Grade 2 PRIME ≤ 0.1% The Mk.II update is significant, both in performance and handling usage. The body is machined from 6061-T6 and hard anodized to aid in the matching of tonearm-mount properties and further reduce pickup stored energy. The shape of the housing has also been refined to reduce resonance and stress risers resulting in a much stronger design that better supports the motor assembly. We have also changed the epoxy matrix formulation that binds the assembly further reducing mechanical noise and positions increased stability to the stylus. In short we have been able to keep the great tone of the original Zu/DL-103R but give significantly improved transparency. Handling usage has also been considered and improved, with design elements to help safeguard the stylus from accidental damage, stylus guard being the most obvious feature. Grade indicates stereophony performance much more so than tone. Zu performs extensive final testing and then grades them. Tolerance is measured between left and right internal impedance, full bandwidth phase, time-domain, and full bandwidth output curves. Tolerance spec’ is not an average of measures but accounts for the lowest of any measurement, thus giving a true tolerance perspective. Final grade is referenced to serial number, marked on the tests and measures sheet and box label. 103R Cartridges continue to be in short supply due to very low production from Denon.
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