Shure Cartridge Hierarchy - best to worst - your opinions

131east23

131east23

...near Frank's Pizza!
Wondering how other folks here rate classic and new Shure carts. Not really interested in debates as I am in peoples opinions based on experience. Interested to see if there are any sleepers that keep popping up in peoples responses. Just wanting a nice list to work from where I might be able to pair up some nice older Shure carts with vintage 60's and 70's TT's.

Anyone that can offer comparisons of Shure carts to other vintage carts, like Empire or Pickering, surely welcome.

I searched the threads for a similar topic, and thought I had seen one years ago, but could not find it based on my search terms.

Thanks!
 
I have a M75 (-MB or -MG don't remember), came with my Dual 1019. I'm running it with a EVG n75ed stylus (supposedly from JICO) and I really like it very much, on all of my tables. It's a very lively sound, all there.

I prefer it over my M111HE and over my Audio-Technica AT-11E

Anybody using a SC39EJ (-ED) ? any good?
 
I presently have a V15-III, a V15-II, and a M97xE.

I like them in the order listed.

I had an M91ED as a teenager back in the 70s. The V-15 type 2 reminds me of it, which is good. :music:

Cheers, Bob
 
I have a Shure M91ED that I didn't care for until I loaded it properly. It surprised me how good it sounds.
 
Around '73/4 the M91ED was the go-to cartridge and was pretty decent. If you stayed in the Shure line you saved your money and bought the V15-III, at least that's what I did.
 
Completely subjective, but my favorites are the conicals and wider ellipticals. The M44E/44-7, M93E, M3D & M7D. Fun carts with huge sound that will track anything and sound great on new and old records.
 
sberger said:
Completely subjective, but my favorites are the conicals and wider ellipticals. The M44E/44-7, M93E, M3D & M7D. Fun carts with huge sound that will track anything and sound great on new and old records.
Click to expand...

Just picked up a new M44-7 awhile back, so impressed with its huge sound and trackability, it's now my "transfer" table for making cds.

Also have the M3D and M7DN21, and both are as sberger says, "Huge sound that will track anything and sound great on new and old records."

My M95EJ is another great sounding cart. Like to get some JICO's on a few of these.

While we're at it, are there any aftermarket stylus options for the M44-7? I've racked up some hours on it transferring, and was curious.
 
onwardjames said:
Just picked up a new M44-7 awhile back, so impressed with its huge sound and trackability, it's now my "transfer" table for making cds.

Also have the M3D and M7DN21, and both are as sberger says, "Huge sound that will track anything and sound great on new and old records."

My M95EJ is another great sounding cart. Like to get some JICO's on a few of these.

While we're at it, are there any aftermarket stylus options for the M44-7? I've racked up some hours on it transferring, and was curious.
Click to expand...

They still produce the 44-7. You can buy them online or at Guitar Center. But I like the original versions better than the new ones, and Stereoneedles.com says they still have them. I have a couple of these and they sound amazing.

http://www.stereoneedles.com/Shure.html
 
ConradH said:
Around '73/4 the M91ED was the go-to cartridge and was pretty decent. If you stayed in the Shure line you saved your money and bought the V15-III, at least that's what I did.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I did same time frame. My M91ED came with the BIC 960 turntable I bought. The V15-III was a big step up.
 
onwardjames said:
Just picked up a new M44-7 awhile back, so impressed with its huge sound and trackability, it's now my "transfer" table for making cds.

Also have the M3D and M7DN21, and both are as sberger says, "Huge sound that will track anything and sound great on new and old records."

My M95EJ is another great sounding cart. Like to get some JICO's on a few of these.

While we're at it, are there any aftermarket stylus options for the M44-7? I've racked up some hours on it transferring, and was curious.
Click to expand...
The Shure 5X is a perfect fit (just tried it), and has numerous options all the way up to Jico SAS. The problem is the angle at which it enters the body doesn't yield the correct VTA, so the body would have to shimmed down at the front to raise the back up.

I haven't listened to it though, so I can't comment on SQ.
 
My 1st Shure was an M91ED, mounted on a 1229Q. This was a dramatic improvement over a BSR with ceramic cartridge. When I broke the stylus, I bought an M95ED. This improved my little Bogen system more than I could believe. Day and night difference that makes me want to replace that long-misplaced gem of a cartridge.
My present favorites are the ML140HE, then the M3D/M7D/M21D, then the V15III. The V15II fits in right after the Type III, but reminds me of the M91ED just a bit too much.
Proper loading is extremely important, and proper matching to an arm of similar vintage seems to matter a whole lot as well.
 
Picked up a Dual 504 recently with an M95ED on it. Haven't given it a serious evaluation yet.
 
Well, let me put things together...
Here I have a M55E, a M44 with -E, -G- and -7 needles, a bunch of M71s and M75 with -MB -G and -EJ, M91GD and -ED, the all-time value for money champ M95 with -G, EJ and -ED needles.

And my beloved Shure V15III with VN35Es in different incarnations - also they all have the imprinted "Shure"-label, they all look quite different.

The ED and nude spharicals sound great, the bonded ellipticals and "biradial" EJ
also are very good, and the bonded sphericals are very well suited for "casual" listening.

And the somewhat...boooring M97xe. In my ears it's a low point in Shures history...
 
NoTransistors said:
My 1st Shure was an M91ED, mounted on a 1229Q. This was a dramatic improvement over a BSR with ceramic cartridge. When I broke the stylus, I bought an M95ED. This improved my little Bogen system more than I could believe. Day and night difference that makes me want to replace that long-misplaced gem of a cartridge.
My present favorites are the ML140HE, then the M3D/M7D/M21D, then the V15III. The V15II fits in right after the Type III, but reminds me of the M91ED just a bit too much.
Proper loading is extremely important, and proper matching to an arm of similar vintage seems to matter a whole lot as well.
Click to expand...

Which Shure carts are you referring to that need proper loading? For M44 group, the M91ED and M3D/M7D I'm using 47K, with total capacitance about 400-500pF.
 
I've been very happy with my M97xE body/EVG M95ED stylus combo lately. Better than the M97xE with the stylus it came with.

I also had a M93ED body/EVG M91ED stylus that I enjoyed. A bit more "rock n roll" if that makes sense.
 
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