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Thread: Cartridge:Shure M97xe

  1. #1
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Portugal

    Posts: 265
    I'm Nuno.

    Default Cartridge:Shure M97xe

    Hi,
    I have a Rega Planar 2 with a Rega Carbon cartridge.What you think about the Shure?Is it a worthwhile upgrade?

  2. #2
    Join Date: Oct 2016

    Location: Hampshire

    Posts: 306
    I'm Mel.

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    I have many carts but on my Rega 3 I thought the Rega Elys was great - easy fit with 3 bolts so no adjustments and a nice Rega sound at a bargain price.

    Mel

  3. #3
    Join Date: Aug 2010

    Location: East Midlands

    Posts: 426
    I'm Hugh.

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    The M97xe is an excellent cartridge, though I'm not sure how well it works in the Rega arm.

    Either way, just about anything would be an upgrade from the Carbon.

  4. #4
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex

    Posts: 7,087
    I'm Dave.

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    Most of my customers opt for a Rega cartridge, usually the Elys-2. Great sound and dead easy to fit.

    As an alternative, I would recommend the AT range. Not a fan of the Shure myself.

  5. #5
    Join Date: May 2017

    Location: West Sussex, UK

    Posts: 775
    I'm Steve.

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    Quote Originally Posted by hifi_dave View Post
    Most of my customers opt for a Rega cartridge, usually the Elys-2. Great sound and dead easy to fit.

    As an alternative, I would recommend the AT range. Not a fan of the Shure myself.
    Plus 1
    At carts are very musical !!!
    Turntable; Rega p8
    Cartridge; Alpheta mc
    Phono Stage; Rega Aria, Bigbottle 3 mm/mc
    Amplifier; Rega Elicit
    Speakers; Rega Rx3

  6. #6
    Join Date: Oct 2017

    Location: Ontario, Canada

    Posts: 791
    I'm Svend.

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    Quote Originally Posted by nbaptista View Post
    Hi,
    I have a Rega Planar 2 with a Rega Carbon cartridge.What you think about the Shure?Is it a worthwhile upgrade?
    Hi Nuno,

    I am a big fan of Shure cartridges. I find them very neutral and sweet sounding, natural and somewhat laid back, but not lacking in dynamics.

    If you want to do a quick check to see if the cartridge will match with a Rega arm, then you can use this online tool to see if the cart. compliance will work well with the arm mass wrt. resonance: https://www.vinylengine.com/cartridg..._evaluator.php

    Shure carts tend to be higher compliance, but I don't know the value of the M97 off-hand...probably around 22 to 25. This might work well with the straight, tapered RB-series arms (around 11.5 g mass), but might be a stretch for the original R200 arm (approx. 16 g mass). Plug in the numbers to the tool and you will see... Which arm is on your Planar 2?

    BTW, you will get a million different opinions on what cartridge to buy, as everyone's tastes are different. I would suggest reading some online reviews to get an idea of basic cartridge sound character to see if that fits with what you're looking for. There are hundreds of extended and mini reviews for the M97, it's very popular, and for good reason -- you get great sound for the dollar...one of the sleeper bargains out there. Some say it comes close to the venerable Shure V15 series, but I don't know if that's true or not...maybe if you put a shibata stylus on it(?). I used a Shure M111he for many years, and really liked the sound. I'm a bit regretful that I sold it now....

    BTW, I'm pretty sure an Elys will cost you a lot more, if price is a factor.

    Good luck, and let us know what you end up buying.

    Svend

  7. #7
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Portugal

    Posts: 265
    I'm Nuno.

    Default

    Hi Svend,
    The arm is the RB 220.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Oct 2017

    Location: Ontario, Canada

    Posts: 791
    I'm Svend.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by nbaptista View Post
    Hi Svend,
    The arm is the RB 220.
    Ah, a lighter one then. Effective mass around 11g, I think. Will probably work well with the m97, but plug the values into the calculator and see what comes out. BTW, resonance values aren't the only predictor of good sound, however, so don't put too much emphasis on that as a deciding factor. I've used arm and cart combos that weren't ideal, resonance-wise, and they sounded fantastic together, better than combos that should have been a better fit.

    Cheers,
    Svend

  9. #9
    Join Date: Sep 2010

    Location: Vienna

    Posts: 178
    I'm Michael.

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    Anyway the Shure M97xe has a „dynamic stabilizer“ that‘s extremely effective in damping resonances, helps with warped records and keeps the stylus clean. Personally I haven’t heard the 97 but know the V15VxMR very well and this is a very fine cartridge. I think there’s not a great gap between 97 and V15.

  10. #10
    Join Date: Oct 2017

    Location: Ontario, Canada

    Posts: 791
    I'm Svend.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by krugdoktor View Post
    Anyway the Shure M97xe has a „dynamic stabilizer“ that‘s extremely effective in damping resonances, helps with warped records and keeps the stylus clean. Personally I haven’t heard the 97 but know the V15VxMR very well and this is a very fine cartridge. I think there’s not a great gap between 97 and V15.
    And another one who says so... Good one Michael. I've read that a lot, actually. I will have to try an M97 myself one day. As I said, I miss my old Shure cartridge.

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