Shure M97xe preferred over Ortofon 2m Blue

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by H8SLKC, May 6, 2017.

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  1. PBo

    PBo Forum Resident

    Location:
    New England
    Have you had a chance to test out the vivid line stylus yet on your Shure cart? I'm torn between that and the SAS for my M97xe.
     
  2. macster

    macster Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Diego, Ca. USA
    It depends. For example if you have a lot of crappy records (as I do) start with the Vivid line and use the stock stylus for back up. If your record collection is pristine and such, get the Jico. I have a stock M97xe and a V15vneo on the way from LP gear. So on one tonearm I can go M97X/Vivid/JicoHe/Jico SAS and the other V15V/Vivid/Jico SAS neo, which allows me to worry less about the condition that a record is in and whether or not I'll be able to "play it through."

    Another long winded rambling response.

    M~
     
  3. Kristofa

    Kristofa Enthusiast of small convenient sound carrier units

    Location:
    usa
    Picassoson, how did this replacement work out for you? I had the same experience that @thoutah had with this cart, but I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it because it has a seductive sound on the outer groves. I have it sitting in a box while I use a 2M Bronze.
     
  4. Mike from NYC

    Mike from NYC Senior Member

    Location:
    Surprise, AZ
    In one system I liked the 97 but in another I hated it. In systems that are bright the 97 sounds good like when I paired it with Maggie 1.6s. In another with Klipsch RF5s it just didn't have enough sparkle.

    Adjusting the capacitance was also key in making the 97 shine.
     
  5. Szeppelin75

    Szeppelin75 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Panama
    To the people that have the SAS with the Shure Mx97e do you use it with the brush up or down?
     
  6. Doc Diego

    Doc Diego Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nevada
    Brush down on my Profile tonearm sounds nice with a 1.5 gm TF and 1.0 AS.
     
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  7. Helom

    Helom Forum member

    Location:
    U.S.
    I leave it up. Unless JICO improved the spring force of the Neo brush, it doesn't function the same as the original.
     
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  8. PhxJohn

    PhxJohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    JICO stopped supplying EVG. There may be others that may be cut off. I think Nagaoka has not cut off anyone. Sometimes distributors and retailers have to scramble for supplies.
     
  9. Thomas_A

    Thomas_A Forum Resident

    Location:
    Uppsala, Sweden
    But it still does dampen the resonance. I added a bit of damping fluid, but even before I did that, it looked like this:

    [​IMG]
     
  10. Helom

    Helom Forum member

    Location:
    U.S.
    Is this graph taken from your setup?
     
  11. Szeppelin75

    Szeppelin75 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Panama
    In what you do you feel it doesn't work the same as the original?
     
  12. Helom

    Helom Forum member

    Location:
    U.S.
    It doesn't exert nearly as much force as the original. This is obvious when handling them. I suppose it can still work for static reduction. Otherwise, I think the brush is intended for setups with less than ideal cart/arm matching.
     
  13. Szeppelin75

    Szeppelin75 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Panama
    My thoughts exactly
     
  14. Thomas_A

    Thomas_A Forum Resident

    Location:
    Uppsala, Sweden
    Yes, but when I had the Linn Akito tone arm and the Shure V15Vx/JICO SAS. Now I have a 4 g Moerch UP-4.
     
    Helom likes this.
  15. H8SLKC

    H8SLKC Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Boston, MA
    I re-found this thread today and realized I was the OP! FWIW (probably nothing) I bought a 97HE stylus from TVOM a couple of months ago now and the Shure m97xe has become, by far, my most preferred cartridge. The HE stylus added enough detail and high-end shimmer to destroy the "dullness" in presentation that rubs so many the wrong way. I had balked at paying the typical JICO prices, but have been very, very happy with the m97xe and 97HE stylus. Really, really smooth, weighty, but with shimmer. It's the (for me, for now) complete package.
     
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  16. Kristofa

    Kristofa Enthusiast of small convenient sound carrier units

    Location:
    usa
    Is TVOM www.turntableneedles.com? I see they have the 97HE and are based in Oregon(?)
     
  17. H8SLKC

    H8SLKC Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Boston, MA
    TheVoiceOfMusic, a small retailer that carries some great bargains. You have to know what you're looking for but I found the 97HE stylus on that site for $70 if I remember correctly. Stock rotates in and out though so I have no idea what TVOM is carrying at the moment. I've bought several styli from there, great prices and service. No connection of course. I will say that with the 97HE, the m97xe is my favorite cart, after having been buried on a shelf for months with its OEM stylus.
     
  18. picassoson

    picassoson Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    I've used the 77x3-DHE for about a year now, and thought it was a really nice improvement over the stock Shure stylus that definitely helped with my IGD problem. I can't say with confidence that it's gone completely, or that the Audio Technica line wouldn't do a better job on that front, but I like it well enough to not bother investing in a whole new cartridge set-up (especially if it means dealing with the reported brightness of the AT).

    Around Christmas I also bought a LP Gear N97xVL to try out. Honestly I haven't been able to discern much difference between that and the 77x-DHE. They both sound great.
     
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  19. PBo

    PBo Forum Resident

    Location:
    New England
    Thanks for all of the extra info. I've decided to go with the SAS. I decided get another one while it's available, but I may pick up a Vivid Line to compare.

    I had an SAS on my M97xe in the past and I really enjoyed its inner groove tracking ability over the stock stylus. Sadly, the cantilever broke one day. Up to that point though, I had gotten at least a couple of years of use out of it listening to a few records a week.
     
    H8SLKC likes this.
  20. Szeppelin75

    Szeppelin75 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Panama
    You cant go wrong with A SAS. Mine lasted maybe threr years. Three years of pleasure and NO inner groove distortion. Im on my second one right now. Bought a spare. So im covered for the next 5-6 years.
     
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  21. cwitt1980

    cwitt1980 Senior Member

    Location:
    Carbondale, IL USA
  22. PhxJohn

    PhxJohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    It should be excellent.
     
  23. Blank Slate

    Blank Slate Forum Resident

    Location:
    Rochester, NY
    This was my experience as well. The brush assembly on the JICO did not work as well as the original Shure did. Mine would not stay in contact with the record.
     
  24. old45s

    old45s MP3 FREE ZONE

    Location:
    SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
    I'm currently using the M97XE w/Technics SL 1210 MK5 turntable and I couldn't be happier.
    Final track on LP's sound just as good as the first.
    I did a needledrop yesterday on the LP CRIME OF THE CENTURY, the final track Side 1 ASYLUM sounded awesome (highs and lows).. no narrowing of the soundstage whatsoever.
    Same same recent needledrops of A NIGHT AT THE OPERA and PASSING STRANGERS (Deep Purple). Last track 'soundwise' as good as the first.
    Hopefully my 63 year old ears haven't lost any of their detection of detail!
     
    Szeppelin75 likes this.
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