FWIW: 6 old stylus cartridge shootout

[SEAWOLF97]

got the new turntable in...started looking around and found that I have 6 headshells loaded with cartridges.... Sooooo , started swapping them in, playing same track over and over, then laying them out in preference order (havnt found a deal yet on Mac's DL-160)

1. tie
Shure V-15/T3 with orig stylus
Shure M73PED Pacific with 6X stylus

3. Stanton with mismatched needle - not bad/unknown model
4. Shure 2215 with mismatched needle - descending
5. ADC XLM mk2 with worn stock needle - down 2 steps
6. QLM32 mk2 with K7e needle. - cheap sound

the tied number 1 shures had much more definition and bass and I was surprised that the M73 sounded as good as the V-15 :D

[Hoerninger]

Tom,
interesting test result although not surprising for the V15.

My headshell (SME type for BRAUN PS 500) holds perfectly any cartridge as long it is a Shure (M75).
BUT my Shure V15 is prepared for a DUAL head shell :hmm:
__________
Peter

[duaneage]

The V-15 really shines on technically challenging recordings. It may sound similar but when the recording level goes up or there are some really outrageous recordings, the V-15 shows it's meddle.

I went out of my way 3 years ago to get one before they all disappeared. Maybe someday Shure will resume production.