I was just going to post this when I noticed a post by Brocluno asking about PE cheap stylus replacements for shure carts. Might be a full moon.

Being a tweaker and a cheapskate I came upon a Dual 1218 with a m92mgd for $20. Needed a stylus but table is 9 to 9 1/2 out of 10.
Ordered a m93 replacement which is the same from PE. It's supposed to be eliptical by the description and box it came in. I had purchased another cheap stylus a long time ago from PE and it was pretty crappy so I bitched a little and he said he would send me another. I asked for n44 model which is conical but will fit an M55EM shure I own.

While fooling around this afternoon I decided to try the conical on the M91.
It's not the exact fit and the cart is mounted to the plastic piece inside the headshell so I didn't realign anything. Just adjusted vtf and anti-skate.

Unbeleivable!!!!!!!! I say that with a straight face. Completely open sound with tons of detail and talk about slam-------------......... Guess I just got lucky but thought I'd share this with all especially Brocluno.

I hope you can see the diferences in the styli from my pics. Cantilever is the same but mount is different.

I use their replacement for the m91 elliptical. $13 IIRC.
Love it.

I use their replacement for the m91 elliptical. $13 IIRC.
Love it.

That's the blue one with eliptical. The other is not the right fit and it's conical but on my system it sounds terrific although it's not supposed to.

Id take a m91 any day of the week over the suposedly better v 15III.Id say the m91 errors on the side of warmth.Its not neutral but its very very good.
When i have to send my grado in for a retip im going to use a m91 with a sas stylus.
There was a guy on another site saying that a conical stylus was the best way to go.He got shouted down but was very adament that it was better.

When stereo came out it was not uncomon to sell conical styli. Also, foujnd on some 78s an elliptical did better. In reach case it is a matter that the tip is tracking a part of the grove not otherwise touched and hence may not be as worn.

I'm watching. Let us know how it progresses? Swapping styli between models is one way to effect a different voice as I have found out by mounting my MLa stylus in my AT120e. I'm just not as knowledgeable about Shure's as I am about AT's. There may be any number of combo's that work well. Experimenting is a way cool way to develop info an what makes things work better :)

I'm watching. Let us know how it progresses? Swapping styli between models is one way to effect a different voice as I have found out by mounting my MLa stylus in my AT120e. I'm just not as knowledgeable about Shure's as I am about AT's. There may be any number of combo's that work well. Experimenting is a way cool way to develop info an what makes things work better :)

At first I saw your post and started to laugh as I was just logging on and it was so close to what I was talking about.

My typing was poor on the original post as the cart is an M91mgd.

I guess what I was trying to say is that the PE styli for $8.40 are a deal.

I really like the unlikely combo of n44 conical on the m91. Blows away the eliptical IMHO.
It pays to experiment.

Id take a m91 any day of the week over the suposedly better v 15III.Id say the m91 errors on the side of warmth.Its not neutral but its very very good.
When i have to send my grado in for a retip im going to use a m91 with a sas stylus.
There was a guy on another site saying that a conical stylus was the best way to go.He got shouted down but was very adament that it was better.

In my case I agree with the guy who likes the conical.
It was night and day difference. It just opened the cart up completely and has tons of rythmn and slam.
My opinion may change with some time but so far it's a runaway winner.

Sounds like it's worth a try.

Sounds like it's worth a try.

For the price $8.40 you can experiment alot and can always buy the better stylus.

Conicals and even spherical stylus are the shapes of choice for mono replay. And a lot of that nowadays is guys playing 1950s & 1960s rock. The n44 is sort of a stand-by with some in the mono crowd. Have to keep an eye on this as it may have more places to be tried :)

This types of threads, which Broc has been doing a lot lately, are very helpful, so thanks.