Superb tracking, Deep, well-controlled bass...

...bass too much: overall, unbalanced Restrained, if smooth treble, at the expense of ''air'' Coloured upper mid

Beware the audioreview comments: for most components, they are mostly positive. This applies to the latest version of the shure V15, and reading this section is one of the resons I bought one (to replace a dynavector DV10x mk 4). My system ought to be fairly revealing: Xerxes/Origin Live RB250, Michell Delphini, EAR 859 and old LS3/5as, but it does have some idiosyncracies: i) a bit of a 100Khz bass bloom. This is unfortunately exacerbated rather disastrously by the V15: the mid bass (OK, upper!) just intrudes too much; my ears are drawn to it at the expense of everything else. Yes, it''s fast and well defined, but personally, I don''t need seismic bass except when trying to impress people... ii) Althought the delphini is fairly neutral, and I''m using the often ''tizzy'' ls3/5as, and the EAR is not known for being dull, the treble is just too restrained. The air - yes, the ''liquid'' is gone, and a little metallic edge to the upper midrange comes in. This gets rid of the very thing that is so delicious about vinyl, and messes up the imaging a little too I suspect. Cymbals just do not sound like cymbals (and they do on my meridian 200/dac in the box CD, so it''s not upstream from the record player). If the lack of ''air'' is from lack of distortion, then give me distortion any day (vinyl is never going to win in the accuracy stakes, after all) Maybe the V15 would sound better on bright solid state systems and speakers that are a little dry in the bass... I just fitted an ortofon MC25FL, and, guess what, the magic is back! OK, it doesn''t track quite as well, but if set up properly (eg Hi-Fi news test disc), it tracks fine everything except very dodgy wrecked 2nd hand records... So in my opnion, the V15 would not be the right cartridge for a valve / smooth system

Similar Products Used:

Dynavector DV10xmk4 (not bad, but a poor tracker) ATOC9 (too bright) Goldring 1042 (pretty good) Ortofon MC 25FL (seems to get most things right...)

Tracks well at light force

Slow transients, dry

The last review pretty much typifies the mentality of the "if you don't like the product I like then you must be an idiot" crowd. Please write your baseless opinions elsewhere. This forum was supposed to be to review products not call others who have differing opinions names friend.
I do agree that the Shure has some strong points. It certainly is not perfect. I understand what that guy meant when he said that the cartridge lacked liquid and what the other guy meant about it lacking sparkle. I agree. If you have a system that is soft/warm/laidback you would probably do well to look elsewhere for cartridges. It also has a lackluster leading edge that keeps me from believing the "live music" illusion.
No it's not junk, I don't recall anyone saying that. But it's not the cat's ass either and I'm happy for you that you've found your own little audio nirvana. Why you feel the need to criticize those who don't think as much of it as you do is beyond me mister.
The shure gets what it deserves...

I bought a new Shure V15 to replace my old blue point special ($249) after I read some of the reviews but I prefer the blue point special to Shure V15. I agree with the comments from one of the reviewers that the Shure V15 is overly smooth, undynamic, vague and synthetic sounding. My wife also complained of the sound so I have to switch back to my old blue point special. I still have the almost new V15. I may need to listen to the V15 again for a much longer period to really appreciate its strength. I used it with a VPI TNT turntable and VPI JMW arm.

I'm sorry, but I just do not like this cartridge. I'd wanted one simply forever--since I was a kid. So when I recently got a Music Hall MMF-2 (see separate review), I ordered the latest Shure to go with it. I was all set to like it. As always with this hobby, you have to learn again and again that there really is no shortcut for listening...I was shocked to discover that the $60 Goldring Elan that came with the turntable was, in my opinion, _better_ than the $250 Shure. The Shure is overly smooth, undynamic, and synthetic-sounding. It's not _horrible_ in any way, but I really did not like its sound.
I can see how some people would, and I don't have any quarrel with them. I just don't agree.

I replaced the Shure with the Goldring Elan's big brother, the Goldring 1042, which costs about the same as the Shure. A much, much better cartridge to my ears--more dynamic by far, richer sounding, more musical in most ways. It's not perfect, but its weaknesses are _much_ less bothersome than the Shure's weaknesses IMO. This is the same cartridge that Audio Note OEM's--I believe they call it the Audio Note IO/1.

Audition the Goldring 1042 and the $300 Grado Reference (the least expensive of their four wooden-bodied moving-iron cartridges) if you are thinking about a Shure. I bet you'll like either of those alternatives better. At least, you will be making up your own mind instead of doing what I almost did, which is to buy the Shure based on a knee-jerk response to their longstanding reputation alone. Times change.

I listen the Shure in Thorens turntable through a Threshold FET ten/pc, Aragon Aurum, Mac MC300 and Paradigm Studio 60 speakers. Room size is 10 x 16. The Shure has provided me with yeoman-like duty for the past eight years. I am always taken by its smooth sound when I occasionaly A-B against considerably more expensive cartridges. To find something to replace it would, no doubt, cost well in excess of $1,000. It is a totally satisfying cartridge with great detail, warmth, and, above all, smoothness. I will probably continue to listen to my Shure until replacement styli are no longer available. Up-grade would include a second turntable to allow me to go back to the Shure as wanted.

Great tracking at low pressure, Dynamic Stabilizer for wavy discs,

Not easy to adjust because of the form of the package

As mentioned below it is not a thrilling system: no boom bass, no vigorous highs. I was a little bit sdisappointed after my change from the Elac to the Shure.

But after some weeks: I don't know if the Shure hides something or if the ELAC had added something, which is not on the discs. The V15V xmr, is no system with claptrap.

If you compare it with moving coils please always think of the price, not only the price of the cartridge but also of a high-quality MC-input.

Because of the Dynamic staiblizer you can use it on heavy and on lightweigt arms.

I listened with:

Thorens TD 147 turntable
Accuphase E-210 amplifier
T&A Criterion TMR 160 speakers

Similar Products Used:

ELAC ESG 796

Tracking, Dynamic Stabilizer/Dust Stylus, Reasonable Hi-End Cost, Wide Compatibility with Various Arms/TT's

Smooth to the point of unexciting (sometimes)

I don't change a lot in my system too often, but upgraded (after 12 years with the Grace) to the new V15VxMR earlier this year.

I have it attached to my modified (lots of mortite caulk, new sorbothane mat, constrained layer damping on tonearm, terminated tonearm cable with WBT RCA jacks)Thorens TD-316 running thru Dynaco PAS-4 (tube) Preamp and Superphon DM-200 (100 x 2 Class A) Amp.

The sound is believeable and conveys a feeling of accuracy. Piano's have a nice 'clank', violins are 'steely', but not overly strident. Decent bass, highs are clean but not extended ('air'?). It sticks like glue to the record (Beryllium Micro Ridge stylus?)and dusts it clean as well.

I seem to remember the Grace to be a little more lively (wobbly aluminum cantilever?), but far less accurate overall. The Shure clearly digs more out of those grooves - and it's not always pleasant!

For $210.00 (great deal from J&R before the price increase) it is a fine value.

Similar Products Used:

Grace F9E

This cart. tracks anything I throw at it. Even the Sheffield Labs 'Drum Record' can't shake it! Great sounding midrange- vocals and percussion jump out at you without sounding overly forward.

Top end extension is a little lacking. Horns and strings can become homogenized, sounding like a mass instead of individual instruments.

I purchased my V15 VMR at Better Music, one of the last oasis stores between Buffalo, NY and Toronto, Canada.

My last cart., A Linn K-9 had finally given up the ghost, and styli were (are) no longer available. At first, it was suggested to replace the stylus with a NOS K-5 stylus. But that jsut wouldn't do! The AT 110E was my backup for the K-9, but its stylus was also toast.

What other options did I have? Well, I could order an Audio Technica OC-9, but it's an MC cart, meaning a step up tranny (expensive for a GOOD one) or MC pre amp (ditto!). I looked at the Dynavector 10X4mkII high output MC- it had the output I needed, and was getting great results on Linn 'tables, but I was cash strapped at the time, at least for the next few months, so spending the $475CDN was a little out of my league then. Besides, I wanted a cart. NOW!

After reading the reviews on the V15 here, I decided to order one from a local music store (Thank you WALLY-O!), and be about $350+taxes lighter in the pocket. It was money I didn't really have, and I hadn't heard the cart., so I was feeling a little apprehensive about the purchase.

Back at Better Music, I mentioned the order I'd made. Gary (the owner) smiled and said, "I've got a used one here for $100CDN" (about $60 US at time of review) I promptly called the music shop, cancelled the order and went home $100 lighter in the wallet instead, but at least I'd get the chance to hear it now. If I didn't like it, well, it was used and there was no return policy, but I didn't mind if it meant I could use it for a month or two whilst getting the cash together for a better (read: more expensive) cart. Luckily the stylus only had minimal wear on it.

My rig presents a challenge to any source components. Its a little like a finicky child who doesn't want dinner- you try to play games to make things work, and in the end it turns out to be a yes or no issue. The V15 changed all this. I had taken into account that the cart was already broken in, so that wouldn't change the sound much. I was wrong!!!

The cart started out sounding dull and lifeless. I first thought, "Gee, only $100 lighter. Damn, shoulda pulled out the Visa and bought the Dynavector!" . But as I played the cart over the next 20 hours or so (of use! not consecutive listening!! hehehe), it became magic in some areas, while not "getting there" in others.

The best quality of this cart. is the midrange. Vocals and percussion sound great. there is a thereness to male voice especially- very 3 dimensional and present. Even acoustic guitars tend to "float free" of the speakers.

Next is the bass, which doesn't offer the best extension, does offer impact and tightness. It gets the drums right on most records (I should know, I am a bassist who has sat next to dozens of drummers!). The very depth of bass (40 to 20hz) tends to be blurry. It IS there, just very hazy and out of focus. My home made subs have a -3dB point of 19hz, so I KNOW what the bottom should do (other carts, K-9, even the AT110E didn't have this bottom octave MIA!).

Perhaps the weakest point of the this cart is the upper midrange to treble transition area. While the cart doesn't mistrack (I've tried everything- only Telarc's first LP pressing of the 1812 Overture caused hiccups- but it does on EVERY cart known to modern man!), it does have the same 'haze' or 'blurr' in the upper reaches. Strings tend to mass into a blob of sound rather than individual players, same with horns, and synthesizers trying to emulate those sounds. Piano as well can sound a little 'blurry' as well, but not as bothersome. This is certainly a ROCK, DANCE and POP cartridge.

Over all, I AM happy with it. While it is not the best I've heard, the ability to track anything outweighs its shortcomings, but JUST SO.

the only reason I would not recommend this cart to someone who needs a great tracker for the above styles of music, is the price of one purchased 'new'. I jsut don't feel there is real value there for the outlay.

HOWEVER, If you can find one used (any price under %50 retail), you have got one helluva deal! Thats what I base my Value rating on.

As for the Overall rating- well, that Bass and Treble 'blurr' thing is still an issue if a person were looking to use this cart. as a "definitive" vinyl playing solution. If that were the case, I'd look at spending the same amount on somewhere else.

Similar Products Used:

Linn K-9, Audio Technica AT110E, on Linn Axis/Akito II turntable and arm.

Nicely balanced sound, great tracking, not too finicky

Lack some audiophile snob appeal

I got a great buy on the Type VxMR from Sam Ash (pro audio store). It's not too touchy to set up. It tracks my toughest cuts with no problem. And, bottom line, it has a nicely balanced, muscial presentation. My Grado Sonata was a touch warmer, but it also had some grounding hum and lacked the tight bass of the Shure. This cartg is a great match with VPI table/Audioquest arm combinations.

Similar Products Used:

Grado Sonata, Benz Micro MC Silver

Has a well balanced smooth sound that is not offensive. Soundstage andimaging are vague. Lacks sparkle and dynamics. For use with mid-fi only.
Price is right. MSRP $250