Shure SC35C

[eldarvanyar]

Hi
I bought a Shure SC35C MM Cartridge which I plan to use with a Shure N35X stylus after reading lots of positive articles and threads on the net. I like to experiment and this would not be too expensive to try out, although money is tight.

Well it arrived today and looks all squank and badly made. Is this the infamous Shure poor quality and reason they are stopping manufacturing and selling phono cartridges.

Question is should I send this back or keep it bearing in mind I will be using a different stylus to the stock one and may even change upgrade the body for further improvements?

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180515/1f280bbede0e2a71f36f63eb8abffb96.jpg

[montesquieu]

Gosh I hadn't heard about Shure ending all cartridge production, I'm off to check!

My guess is they are being squeezed, if you look on Alibaba the Chinese are churning out serviceable bottom-end cartridges for a quid apiece, while vinyl being the 'premium' end of the market these days, higher-end cartridges are becoming ever more prevalent.

Though you'd wonder why with top brand recognition they couldn't successfully reposition themselves at the top end?

Anyway it's possible that it's just the plastic that's wonky ... have you taken it out and fitted it? I've found with M44-7 styli that the plastic can look a bit off, but the stylus itself is ok.

I'm a huge fan of the SC35C, though I think you need a heavy arm to get the best out of it, I'm running it in a headshell that with cartridge is about 33g, on a fairly hefty 20g effective mass tonearm. It's not going to give its best in a lightweight arm.

[GrahamS]

May I ask why you would want to mate a SC35C, which is, as far as I know, a DJ cartridge, with a N35X stylus? What am I missing? There was a batch of M97XE carts that suffered from stylus cantilever misalignment in manufacture and which escaped the factory QC. perhaps things were getting a little sloppy towards the end of production?

[montesquieu]

May I ask why you would want to mate a SC35C, which is, as far as I know, a DJ cartridge, with a N35X stylus? What am I missing? There was a batch of M97XE carts that suffered from stylus cantilever misalignment in manufacture and which escaped the factory QC. perhaps things were getting a little sloppy towards the end of production?

Yes it's a cartridge used by DJs but in the right arm at the right tracking weight (4g+) with the standard stylus in a decent arm it can sound pretty good and punch somewhat above its price point. There is also a fad for rebody-ing them which may well have positive results too. I'm assuming the N35X enables a lighter tracking weight (and a more compliant arm) which I guess is what a lot of people want.

What exactly is your objection to this? Am I missing something?

[Barry]

Yes, on some Shure cartridges the stylus/cantilever carrier would often have a gap between it and the cartridge body. And this gap could, depending on sample, "run out" (i.e. be non-parallel), yet the shank of the carrier would fit the cartridge body snugly and securely.

I had a Shure SC35 given to me (it came fitted in an EMT-G headshell), but thought little of it and gave it away (I was far more interested in the headshell). The SC35 was designed for use in broadcast studios, where it would be expected to undergo 'robust' handling and a certain, but inevitable, amount of 'back cueing'.

The BBC used a fair amount of them.


Yes, it's sad to learn that Shure are ceasing cartridge manufacture (I'm sure a lot of us cut our audio teeth at the start with a Shure cartridge - I certainly did with five of them) but AFAIK are continuing with microphone production, which is an audio component that will always be required, regardless of playback medium.

[narabdela]

May I ask why you would want to mate a SC35C, which is, as far as I know, a DJ cartridge, with a N35X stylus? What am I missing?

The fact that it's an extremely well regarded combo?

https://www.stereophile.com/content/gramophone-dreams-3-shure-sc35c

[mikmas]

Great (and lengthy) thread about the SC35C that starts with a post about modding one:

Steve Hoffman (http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/so-i-did-this-to-my-shure-sc35c.489231/)

I did think at the time of trying out the mod on one of my Shure carts but never got around to it ....

[GrahamS]

The fact that it's an extremely well regarded combo?

https://www.stereophile.com/content/gramophone-dreams-3-shure-sc35c

Thanks for the link, I learn more every day!

[GrahamS]

Yes it's a cartridge used by DJs but in the right arm at the right tracking weight (4g+) with the standard stylus in a decent arm it can sound pretty good and punch somewhat above its price point. There is also a fad for rebody-ing them which may well have positive results too. I'm assuming the N35X enables a lighter tracking weight (and a more compliant arm) which I guess is what a lot of people want.

What exactly is your objection to this? Am I missing something?

No objection at all! Just curious.

[eldarvanyar]

I managed to buy two new Shure n35 stylus for the SC35C although I had to wait a few months as they were on back order due to the production ending.
This will enable a lower tracking weight and lighter arm.

I am just pondering as to whether I should rebody the cartridge or not. There are wooden body choices from a man 8n Germany or a metal bodied one from the USA.

Any thoughts, or experiences?

[kininigin]

I managed to buy two new Shure n35 stylus for the SC35C although I had to wait a few months as they were on back order due to the production ending.
This will enable a lower tracking weight and lighter arm.

I am just pondering as to whether I should rebody the cartridge or not. There are wooden body choices from a man 8n Germany or a metal bodied one from the USA.

Any thoughts, or experiences?

Hi Lee,

Another fan of this cart. I have a re-bodied SC35C, i went for the aluminium body. Overall it added extra refinement to everything from top to bottom i found in my set up. So i think it was worth it but i have 2 of these carts so took the risk knowing i would still have a stock one for use if i didn't like it!

[eldarvanyar]

Thanks, that’s very helpful, was it the paradox pulse?

https://www.paradoxpulse.com/#!/~/cart

[kininigin]

Thanks, that’s very helpful, was it the paradox pulse?

https://www.paradoxpulse.com/#!/~/cart

Yes that's the one.

[eldarvanyar]

Can you say how easy it was to do and comment on the quality of the new paradox pulse body?
If you are able to post a picture that would be good.
Thanks