JICO SAS is currently out of production!!

I have an original Shure Hi Track for the M91Ed, it definitely sounds different than its generic replacement, what’s interesting to me is the difference in output, the original is signicantly louder than any of the alternatives, the generic replacement is the quietest and the SAS is somewhere in the middle.

Do I think the original is best match for the cart?, well most times but not always, depending on the record.

 

This was my impression of the SAS until about the 50 hour mark. They're also very sensitive to SRA, a small adjustment there can make or break the tonal balance.

 

Defintely sensitive to SRA but even after break in they sound tonally different than the original, to me it’s not a subtle difference.

 

True but it can be midigated somewhat with cabling and tubes (if you have that option). I am very happy with the way mine sounds now. I can swap in the HE for those recording which are a bit hot on the top.

M~

 

I have tubes all the way, I think My system is very warm, i like it like that, I don’t have the patience to cable and tube mod but I dont think I need to, I love my SAS’s and enjoy tremendously swapping stylus to suit the recordings.

Btw right now I’m breaking in A Shure V-15 vi with Jico HE stylus bought from tutntableneedles and so far I’m floored by the sound I’m hearing.

Any experience with v15-type vi?

 

None at all with type VI? but the IV - thru V, I have some experience with. IMHO, and from my experiene the IV/SAS combo was outstanding and better than the V/SAS combo.

M~

 

Hahah, I've been spinning records for the last two hours and i'm blown away by the IV/HE!
Thank you for your input

 

In the Type IV, does anyone prefer the Jico hyperelliptical to the SAS (if you have both)? A friend has a Type IV and is considering buying a Jico it sometime in the future...

 

Is there a regular elliptical stylus for a Shure v15 type v-mr cartridge that's NOT a Jico SAS? I have one I'm eventually going to use and I plan on getting the Jico SAS stylus for it, but I would like something that is comparable to the stock stylus that comes with the Shure m97xe. I currently use the m97xe with a Jico sas but I sometimes switch to the stock regular stylus when playing beat up 45s.

 

There is been a huge price drop on the neoSAS stylii lately. 213 dollar for Shure neoSAS/R, 167 dollar for Shure neoSAS/S.

 

I wonder what's up with that? Almost seems too good to be true.

 

Does anyone here own the ruby cantilever version, or possibly both for the same cartridge? Thoughts on it?

 

That’s amazing. Maybe finally time I move to the neoSAS/r? I still have quite a bit of life in my original SAS but I guess you can never be too early

 

$100 less than I paid a month ago, I have emailed them for a response
Regardless an oustanding product...

 

I haven't owned either, but my suspicion is that "ruby" is simply branding, to differentiate the tapered cantilever from the tubular one.

Both ruby and sapphire are gemological terms for the same thing: crystalline aluminum oxide, corundum. The color comes from mineral inclusions in naturally formed gemstones, color not needed in industrial synthetic crystal.

The reintroduction of the SAS stylus tip after an absence, as "NeoSAS" with its re-engineered cantilever, may have been accompanied by a "first adopter" price, much like the Technics SL1200 reintroduction, where we later get more reasonable pricing. Communications with Jico that might make them regret lowering the price can't be productive.

 

Link?

 

Shure, JICO stylus | Online Shopping for Japanese Phonograph Needles

 

I also wonder about the 141 dollar SAS stylus. Is it aluminum cantilever or?

 

I'm looking for a Jico stylus for a used Shure V15 type v-mr cartridge I purchased a while back. I am now running a Shure m97xe with Jico SAS. I see three available options on the Jico website:

1)Vn5MR neo SAS/R (ruby) - $213.00
2) Vn5MR neo SAS/s (sapphire) - $167.00
3) Vn5MR SAS (high grade) - $141.00

Is there a difference between the 3? I want to jump on this now if the prices are much lower. I still see the same prices on turntable needles and lpgear.com. Any advice would be great. Thanks!

 

Understood, but thank you. I am still curious more re the sound - if one variant possibly is more neutral/has a different tonality, if the ruby version traces better, leaving a cleaner sound, etc.

 

With respect to differences between the R and S version, the difference should be less effective mass of the R version, and a higher resonant frequency. In all the sapphire should be heavier compared to the boron, and thus have lower resonant frequency. The Q will probably also be different due to the different hardness of the material. I will measure the R version and compare to the boron when it arrives.

 

Thank you for your response. I am still really a newbie here. I guess I am looking for advice on which one to purchase, if there is much of a difference. If there is not too much of a difference I will go with the sapphire, since it is cheaper. I currently have a Shure m97xe with regular jico sas stylus, for reference.

 

This is quite a price drop. I may buy a backup. The ruby does look tempting now at $213 but it's still 40% more than the sapphire. If I remember correctly the ruby was $400+. That price priced it totally out of my consideration.
Would like to hear opinion from someone who has owned both the ruby and sapphire though...

 

I'm leaning more towards the sapphire neo sas one for my Shure v15 v-mr cartridge so far...

 

I have the sapphire and pleased with it.