Consider the dear old Shure 97xe...it's £70! And it's great.

[Beavis]

Struth, is there any difference between the Turntableneedles Shibata and the one sold by LPGear as their "SA" replacement for the AT95 stylus?

[Kvaal]

My best advise is to get an old Shure, late sixties/early seventies, without plastic on the housing. Then you can fit different styli on it.

Buy this needle, and find it to be all you need:

http://www.jico-stylus.com/product_i...oducts_id=1017

Eats AT 95 for breakfast!

[rubber duck]

I've used the Shure is preference to £4000 cartridges.

Despite Peter's endorsements, I'm afraid the M97xE will remain one of hi-fi's best kept secrets because it's too ugly and as noted, does not have the rising HF response of MCs that appeals to hi-fi buffs. Having previously had (expensive) MCs (Supex, Koetsu, Transfig, Ortofons) I have no desire to return to a LOMC set up, not least because the equally fabulous Croft 25 phono only does MM.

[Floyddroid]

Of all the cartridges i have owned expensive and cheap i can honestly say that i have never heard a bad sounding Shure cartridge. I can see what people see in them. They just play music well and don't require a mortgage.

[Marco]

I would definitely agree with that, Steve. They have a well-judged overall balance, which is unlikely to 'offend'. As such, they're a safe choice. I think that, and their keen pricing, is the reason for their success. Trouble is, IME, they don't really get your 'juices flowing', except for the venerable old M3D, which is a 'ballsy', groovy-sounding bitch!

One Shure cartridge I want to try soon, as a result of applying some lateral thinking, is an M44G. This is billed as being a 'DJ cartridge', but has lower-output and VTF requirements than normal, tracking at 0.75 to 1.5 gram, instead of the usually 'insane' 4-5g of many other such designs.

I read an article about a Japanese audiophile's, circa £30k system, and on his T/T (a Pioneer Exclusive P3a) was a 'lowly' M44G, which he said when mounted on a quality T/T and tonearm sounded wonderful, and was one which often 'escaped' the thinking of audiophiles, because it's dismissed simply as a 'DJ cartridge'. He also mentioned that it responds well to the fitting of 'posh', aftermarket, styli.

Well, as they cost next to nothing, I intend to try one soon and report back on the results!

Marco.

[paskinn]

Despite Peter's endorsements, I'm afraid the M97xE will remain one of hi-fi's best kept secrets because it's too ugly and as noted, does not have the rising HF response of MCs that appeals to hi-fi buffs. Having previously had (expensive) MCs (Supex, Koetsu, Transfig, Ortofons) I have no desire to return to a LOMC set up, not least because the equally fabulous Croft 25 phono only does MM.

Interesting....I use the Croft RIAA and it is rather fine; for £500 it is , in audio terms, exceptionally well priced too. As you say, the Shure is ugly, doesn't sound 'shiny' and only costs £70. That is never the stuff of legend!
Oddly enough, I'm not someone who only likes low-priced stuff. I sometimes fancy quite costly things too. But always, always, I want to feel I have had true value for my money.
As I think we have all learnt (the hard way) there is no obvious correlation between audio quality and price, above a certain basic level.
As for the Shure 44, I can't comment; but another somewhat curious belief among some audio guys is that only old things are any good.....I sometimes use speakers from the 1930s ( Voigt Corner Horns) but I like the best of the modern stuff too. There are no fixed 'rules.'
Anarchy prevails, and long may it remain so.

[Clive197]

I must admit, I do very much regret selling my V15III. It was sitting in the back of a drawer for many years (I was having a love affair with CD at the time). It only had about 50-60 hrs on it. Sold it on e-Bay for 90 sovs about 5-6 yrs ago. Muppet!

[Marco]

As for the Shure 44, I can't comment; but another somewhat curious belief among some audio guys is that only old things are any good.....I sometimes use speakers from the 1930s ( Voigt Corner Horns) but I like the best of the modern stuff too. There are no fixed 'rules.'
Anarchy prevails, and long may it remain so.

Indeed. I think the difference though, amongst discerning audio guys, is that their opinion is not 'only old things are any good', but rather that 'the BEST old things are often better than new things' - and, when suitably fettled (if necessary), that is where lies true 'SPPV'

That's certainly my view (and at the core of the AoS ethos), as there is far more 'old junk' out there, in terms of audio equipment, than genuinely good stuff, but when you discover some of that, then the results are often truly exceptional.

The M44 is an interesting one, and way off the 'radar' of audiophiles, for obvious reasons, but that's what intrigues me about trying it, as I enjoy thinking outside the box and, as a result, often discovering hidden audio gems!

Marco.

[walpurgis]

Have you tried a good ADC Marco?

[Marco]

Not for years, Geoff, but I do rate them [used and optimised in the right set-up]

Marco.