Original US model Shure SC35C

[Barry]

I've still got it, Barry - why?

Marco.

You need only have bought a new stylus.

Cheers

[DSJR]

Yeah, but it wouldn't be a "proper" Shure stylus, would it?

I think Jico do one though..

[DSJR]

OOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!

I WONDER

http://stylus.export-japan.com/produ...oducts_id=1495

[Marco]

Well, curiosity got the better of me, so I fitted the SC35C into my medium-mass NOS Sansui headshell, added a 2g headshell weight (as a starting point in terms of optimising mass), set azimuth and VTA, dialled in 3g VTF, and cued-up a 12" single of ABC's 'The Look of Love', chosen because I know how it sounds inside out.

Recently, for cartridge and T/T evaluation purposes, I've been using Nick Gorham's utterly superb OTL tube headphone amp, in conjunction with my Koss Pro4AA headphones. I find that you can hear the sonic differences of minute adjustments to VTA, VTF, etc, much easier that way than listening externally through main speakers, so I set my 'normal' listening level (for MM cartridges) and let the needle hit the groove....

Well, I got the shock of my life, as the sound nearly blew my head off!!

This US model SC35C is rather 'juicy', in terms of output; it certainly pushes out more level than the G800 (and from memory the 'ordinary' SC35C), so I had to turn the volume down significantly to hear exactly what was going on, and when I did, BLOODY HELL, what was going on was seriously good!!

It's early days yet, as I need to get a proper handle on its sonic abilities, but at this stage I can say with confidence that this original US model is a totally different animal from the SC35C's Shure are currently producing, such as to make the any comparison ridiculous, and it is most likely up there with the best cartridges I've ever heard. VJ was right!

More later...

Marco.

[Marco]

You need only have bought a new stylus.

Cheers

When I get a chance, I'll try one the NOS Shure styli in the cartridge you gave me and see whether the HUGE difference in performance is down to the stylus or the 'USA made' cartridge itself, or both

Marco.

[Reid Malenfant]

I don't see how a change in stylus could increase the cartridge output... If it's louder then i'd suspect there are other differences, but what do i know

[WOStantonCS100]

I don't see how a change in stylus could increase the cartridge output... If it's louder then i'd suspect there are other differences, but what do i know

Wouldn't it be (in a MM cart) the differences in the strength/type of the magnet glued to the end of the cantilever? Even if the same magnet is used, depending on the diameter of the cantilever, I'm assuming the distance of the magnet to the coil would change as well as cause an increase or decrease in the "magnetic field" (right term?). I'm sure these differences are microscopic; but... ...it's a cartridge right? I'm no expert; just guessing.

When I got my Stanton modded by Soundsmith with a new cantilever and stylus it worked in reverse. The output dropped. Since the output was really high, it was no big deal. It also seems to make sense to me as the diameter of the ruby cantilever is considerably smaller than the original tree trunk cantilever, thus, the magnets would be further away from the coils (EDIT: Perhaps I should have said "the gap between magnet and coils would be 'larger' ")?

[Reid Malenfant]

Ah, cheers Biff That makes rather a lot of sense chap, i stand corrected...

[kininigin]

Well,i have put a few more hours on it and it simply gets better and better.

It's really addictive,and playing some super cleanly produced drum and bass,is quite frankly scary the control on bass lines,well i nearly creamed my pants.I can only imagine what it would sound like on marco's system

Ever since marco sold me his 'modern' SC35C and i'd read the post from vj on vinyl engine,i have been on the lookout for one of these for probaly over a year,im so glad i perserviered as it is the best cart i've heard(which to be fair wouldn't be too hard as i've only heard a few budget ones).

If it sounded as good as vj said it did,it was my intention was to get a jico SAS for it,this will probaly happen in the near future

Incidently,i bought a jico replacement for the modern SC35C and used it for awhile but it was nothing to shout about,so if like vj says,it's as good as a NOS shure,then the two carts are totaly different.

EDIT: Just thought i could just swap the NOS and jico to see if they sound the same.Will have to wait to tomorrow.

[Marco]

Hi Biff,

Wouldn't it be (in a MM cart) the differences in the strength/type of magnet glued to the end of the cantilever? Even if the same magnet is used, depending on the diameter of the cantilever, I assuming the distance of the magnet to coil would change as well cause an increase or decrease in the "magnetic field" (right term?). I'm sure these differences are microscopic; but... ...it's a cartridge right? I'm no expert; just guessing.

When I got my Stanton modded by Soundsmith with a new cantilever and stylus it worked in reverse. The output dropped. Since the output was really high, no big deal. It also seems to make sense to me as the diameter of the ruby cantilever is considerably smaller than the original tree trunk cantilever, thus, the magnets would be further away from the coils?

Sounds feasible to me!

I can definitely confirm that the vintage US model SC35C is significantly 'louder' than the modern version, as I've just installed the latter (the one Barry gave me, fitted with a modern Shure stylus) in another headshell, and have done the comparison. And not only is it 'louder', it makes the modern version sound like a cheap toy!

The difference in performance too is down to both the cartridge itself AND the supplied stylus, as even when swapping the supplied stylus on the modern version, with the NOS US one, it doesn't transform it into the 'giant-killer' that the vintage model is, so what's inside the latter (magnet, generator, or whatever) is definitely of a different level of quality compared to what's used inside the modern SC35C.

Again, like in so many other areas of hi-fi, there is clear evidence of quality standards having significantly dropped since Shure first released the SC35C! It's no coincidence I feel that the modern version lacks the words "Made in the USA" printed on the body, above the cartridge pins, so goodness knows where the cartridges are made these days.... China, perhaps?

Back to sound quality, and this cartridge sounds really rather special, especially since I've increased VTF to 3.5g, which I reckon is where the sweet spot lies, although this will vary a little from system to system. Applying much more downforce than that, results in the sound thickening and becoming 'plummy', so if the BBC tracked their SC35Cs at the recommended 4.5g (or above), it might explain why some of their music broadcasts then sounded distinctly veiled!

When tracking optimally, at around 3.5g, the vintage SC35C sounds anything BUT that!

I need to try it with different types of music, to see if it's capable of subtlety and finesse with more challenging genres, but so far with rock, pop and dance music, it is utterly beguiling, and combines sledgehammer bass, which is sphincter-tight, weighty and massively extended, with a mellifluous, highly communicative midrange, and a detailed, 'airy' sounding top-end, that has a wide-open clarity, yet is never fatiguing. Heady and highly entertaining stuff indeed....

It must be said - this cartridge is a seriously fun listen, and an utter, UNMITIGATED BARGAIN... I have heard £1000 MC cartridges sound worse!!

Right, I'm off to spin more tunes... I will be listening to the vintage US Shure SC35C, probably into the early hours of the morning, with a wide variety of musical genres, and will report tomorrow with more detailed thoughts.

Laters!

Marco.