shure m97xe

hi everyone how's it going can a shure m97xe make your records at home sound like the master tape

 

I don,t know about that, as I have never heard a master tape.
I use a v15 mk3 which , in its day was neutral. I do find it very lifelike, superb in fact. The M97XE is said to be similiar, not quite as deep, and a little warmer.
It has a wonderful feel for the music.
It has also been said that the addition of a Jico stylus enhances its sound quality.
It is maybe old fashioned ,(and none the worse for it) and the opposite tonally to some Audio Technicas.
I loved Audio Technica,s when in my 30,s, now at a some 30 years later prefer the Shure.
I don,t think it will disappoint.

 

I also had audio technica carts but I find them to bright and unnatural

 

No it can´t. But it can still sound ok, if You like its character.

 

I don't think any cartridge can duplicate the sound of a master tape. The noise level of vinyl alone precludes it.
I've been in studios many times in the seventies and eighties and have always found the master tapes to be superior to vinyl cuts. SACD, on the other hand, sounds pretty close.

 

I

this tells me all i need to know.
In this case you will love the shure.
I have used expensive moving coils all my life and when I heard the V15 i fell in love with it. Superior

 

I love my M97xe. Master tape? Who knows. But it makes for great music

 

The M97xE is an exceptionally good cartridge within its class, but two things to be aware of:

1.) It's sensitive to capacitive loading, wanting to see 250-300pF. Too much cap and it will likely sound dull/bloated.
2.) Shure has suffered from poor QC in recent years. If an M97xE doesn't track flawlessly, send it back for a replacement.

 

Thanks for your time

 

I wanted to find an existing thread to post that I removed my M97xe from a Marantz head shell yesterday and put it into a Stanton head shell so I can use it in my Technics 1200 TT. I'm not using the Marantz deck anymore and the head shell is much heavier than other head shells.

I was currently using an AT-440 cart. which I dearly enjoy. As for the sound of the M97xe, I found it to bring out more groove noise than the AT-440. The verdict is still out on whether it sounds better than the AT. All in all, I feel it has much the same sound other than hearing more tics from the groove. I like the brush on the Shure but I also like the AT in that I can see the stylus better when I drop the arm. The AT also seems to just hug the vinyl.

I also wanted to say, I think the Technics 1200 can easily handle probably anything you can throw at it. It sure is capable machine and I sure like how user friendly it is. From the power switch to the way the arm drops, the strong and stable motor and how well it plays, I can see why it's such a loved turntable. I'm glad I picked one up when I had a chance.

I imagine one can be found used at a reasonable price, though you'd have to inspect for arm bearing damage caused from rough DJ usage.

 

Read dull, lifeless, treble-free, unsuitable for rock music. OK if you like new age, jazz, classical, lounge, etc. Hate that cart.

 

Loading is critical, more than for any other popular cartridge perhaps. I was a naysayer until I got the capacitance down. Until then it was lifeless and dull. Prefer my AT440MLa, but it was over $100 more on special sale. It does need a different VTA than my 440, so there is another tweak.

 

Does the loading make as much of a difference with the Jico SAS stylus instead of stock?

 

Good question. I have the Jico SAS on my M97xE and it makes a big difference.

 

Nothing is gonna give you master tape sound. But the m97xe/SAS does a great job of getting out of the way and extracting exactly what's on the disc. I'd say it comes reasonably close. I'm probably one of the few people who've had the opportunity to compare master playback with that very combo (both lacquers and pressed discs)

 

The AT150MLX makes the record sound better then the master tape. If anyone tells you otherwise believe them.

 

The M97xE needs a Jico SAS stylus to sound its best. It's a night and day difference over the stock stylus.

 

Love the Shure M97xe. It's a great match with my Dual CS5000. Is it the best cart I've ever owned? Nope! But its sins are more of omission - not the most detailed, rolled-off on top, and a bit fuzzy around the edges. However I do find the M97xe to be musical. If I could make a comparison to another piece of gear, the first thing that comes to mind is a Dynaco PAS tube preamplifier. So system matching may be important: If your system is too warm then this may not be the cartridge for you.

I'm mostly a rock listener, along with electronica, a bit of old Jazz, and vocal music. The Shure is just fine with this palette. And it's hard to beat for the price.

If you want "master tape" sound - whatever that is - you will need a great table and tonearm first. And then worry about the cartridge after that. My now-departed VPI Aries 1 with the JMW10.5 arm, SDS speed controller, and a Dynavector 10X5 is the best analog sound I've ever gotten. A far superior setup to my current Dual/Shure, but that kind of expense does come with a cost; lesser recordings are very, very obvious.

 

I agree. Have used AT's earlier in my life too.

Now, I have settled on a Sure V-15 Type IV.

I like it's full rich sound and it tracks well. I use it in a Dual 1219. I press the START button, the TT and cart do all the rest.

 

The capacitance loading issue is what always gets me about this cart. It comes up in every conversation, but very little on how to check it or adjust it if you just have turntable to receiver to speakers. It makes me want to chuck the cart over the hill at the mere mention of the word "picofarads."

I like how it sounds with the Jico. It takes even less juice from the receiver than the stock stylus to get the same volume level. But at this price point you shouldn't need extra specialized gear to get the most out of it. Would the casual record listener keep a multimeter around as part of his setup?

 

Bump because the silence kind of proves my point. You keep hearing about how you have to get the loading "just right" on the M97xE, but when you want to know how, or even how to measure, crickets.

I suspect most non-audiophiles who are considering this cart have turntable, receiver, and speakers. And that's it. My receivers don't offer any option for adjusting loading, and neither do any of my turntables. So what do I do? How do I even know it's right? Did I throw all those numbers out the window by switching to the Jico SAS stylus?

 

Shure + Jico = VERY good mate !

 

I've known that for a long time. I bought my SAS almost as soon as I got an M97xE. But could it be better because I don't have it loaded "correctly"?

 

Sorry mate , I've got a V15vXMR with the SAS - non adjustable mm phono stage and it sounds great!

 

I have placed the current stylus for the M35X into the M91ED body and the sound is punchy and tracks beautifully. Reminds me of the Denon DL-103 a lot. Try that.