+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 14

Thread: Shure SC35C

  1. #1
    Join Date: Mar 2018

    Location: Battle, East Sussex

    Posts: 162
    I'm Lee.

    Default Shure SC35C

    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?

    It’s about the music
    70s Retro Yamaha YP800TT, CA1000Mk2, CT1010

  2. #2
    montesquieu Guest

    Default

    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.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Aug 2017

    Location: Hertfordshire, U.K.

    Posts: 298
    I'm Graham.

    Default

    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?
    GrahamS - It's not what you hear that counts, it's what you think you hear........

    Present Kit: NAD 326BEE, NAD C515BEE CD player, JVC QL-7 DD turntable, JVC Tonearm, Shure M97Ve, Audio Technica AT95EX, Pickering V15, JVC Z1E, Wharfedale Diamond 230s, Visual Rio interconnects and My Ears.

  4. #4
    montesquieu Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by GrahamS View Post
    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?

  5. #5
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,850
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

    Default

    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.
    Barry

  6. #6
    Join Date: Aug 2010

    Location: East Midlands

    Posts: 426
    I'm Hugh.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by GrahamS View Post
    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/...-3-shure-sc35c

  7. #7
    Join Date: Dec 2014

    Location: UK, inactive

    Posts: 1,570
    I'm inactive.

    Default

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

    Steve Hoffman

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

  8. #8
    Join Date: Aug 2017

    Location: Hertfordshire, U.K.

    Posts: 298
    I'm Graham.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by narabdela View Post
    The fact that it's an extremely well regarded combo?

    https://www.stereophile.com/content/...-3-shure-sc35c
    Thanks for the link, I learn more every day!
    GrahamS - It's not what you hear that counts, it's what you think you hear........

    Present Kit: NAD 326BEE, NAD C515BEE CD player, JVC QL-7 DD turntable, JVC Tonearm, Shure M97Ve, Audio Technica AT95EX, Pickering V15, JVC Z1E, Wharfedale Diamond 230s, Visual Rio interconnects and My Ears.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Aug 2017

    Location: Hertfordshire, U.K.

    Posts: 298
    I'm Graham.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by montesquieu View Post
    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.
    GrahamS - It's not what you hear that counts, it's what you think you hear........

    Present Kit: NAD 326BEE, NAD C515BEE CD player, JVC QL-7 DD turntable, JVC Tonearm, Shure M97Ve, Audio Technica AT95EX, Pickering V15, JVC Z1E, Wharfedale Diamond 230s, Visual Rio interconnects and My Ears.

  10. #10
    Join Date: Mar 2018

    Location: Battle, East Sussex

    Posts: 162
    I'm Lee.

    Default

    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?
    It’s about the music
    70s Retro Yamaha YP800TT, CA1000Mk2, CT1010

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •