Shure V15 Type III: I'm not sure what to think about it

G'day all, yes all the 'atomic' testing done in and around Australia was quite shameful and disgusting and actually during my work days I was quite fortunate to meet a former Australian Air Force officer in the city of Townsville where I worked who told me of incidents where Canberra bombers were deliberately flown through the mushroom clouds after the detonations to collect radio isotope samples.

The Canberra bombers then flew onto the Townsville Airport where the samples were collected and the planes 'decontaminated' on the tarmac by staff wearing no personal protective clothing at all.

Nobody knew or cared back then it seems, although I am aware that some high ranking people 'did' know about the radiation hazards but these things were not released publically. Apologies for going very off topic! Regards, Felix.

 

Please do not derail this thread with arguments about Japanese radiation. Move it over to Off Topic, if you must.

 

G'day mate, I did apologise after all, but I did raise this aspect because I consider it entirely relevant. Moderators please do what you wish. Regards, Felix.

 

How about those V15 Type III's?

 

The JICO SAS should be waiting for me when I return home this evening!

 

I'm sure you will be a happy camper.

 

I think you'll be very happy camper!

 

Please don't wait for some long break-in period to share with us. Putting in the jico is like putting in a brighter lightbulb. Oh and you will want to play EVERY record you own again to hear what it REALLY sounds like!

 

The delivery was delayed a day by UPS, but I received it yesterday, got it all set up on the TD-124/SME last night, and spend a good 4 or 5 hours digging sounds.

Obviously it still needs more break-in, but I have been pleased and impressed from the start. This is clearly an exceptional cartridge and stylus.

It is energetic without being aggressive; definitely not "boring," as some have stated. Soundstage is very wide, fairly deep, and very well-defined. Detail retrieval is excellent. Tracking is exceptional.

Frequency extension is very good. I can detect no coloration or exaggeration from the cartridge, it doesn't "sound like anything;" it is neither warm nor forward, but crisp and open.

The SAS picks up any defects in the pressing (ie: background crackle on older records), yet the noise is largely suppressed once the music kicks in.

 

Some have said that the SAS is better than any MR stylus ever offered by Shure. I have to agree.

 

Glad you like it. I have been listening to V-15 III off and on since 1973. A few years ago I bought my first Jico SAS stylus and after the first song had finished using the stylus I knew an exceptional cartridge had been transformed into an even more exceptional cartridge.

 

You said the jico "doesn't sound like anything". I agree. The thing it really doesn't sound like is a CD. I occassionally eliminate that annoying vinyl rumble with an MC denon DL160. It wipes out lots of surface noise. Yet it is like watching a hockey game through clean glass. Now the shure with a jico is like being on the ice.

 

Have you had to dodge sounds or instruments or people as they dashed past your head? Or that pesky cell phone that turned out to be a realistic xylophone?

 

I'm the guy from whom you bought the Shure. Glad you're enjoying it!

 

I shure am enjoying it!

 

As I do more and more upgrades to my vinyl front end I am amazed at what my little V15MKIV SAS can do. I think this cart and stylus combo are magic. Action Pact, I think that you will have to pony up some major coin to get a cart that is really better than what you now have.

 

I can't win. I dust off my 30-year-old Technics SL-5300 with a Type IV mounted on it since the day I bought it. Fire it up....barely audible sound from the cartridge. Then the table starts to act up. So, I manage to find a tech locally who fixed the table AND had an NOS Shure stylus for my Type IV. I get a month or two out of it and the damned '5300 starts losing control of its speed ("runaway"). And now I'm too broke to get it fixed. I swear I can't win.

 

Don't despair... go talk to the tech who 'repaired' it and see what he has to say. It shouldn't crap out again one or two months after being serviced.

 

I did, but it's not his fault. The IC chips that control the speed are dying. One of them is easily replaceable, but the other is not. He even searched through his supply of dead tables to find me a replacement. So, no vinyl for me until I find a job.....<sigh>.

 

Crap, that sucks.

Good luck with the job situation!

 

Or borrow a table or pray for a spare. My Thorens had pitch problem after I replaced a belt. Well, it turns out the one size fits all ad was wrong. It wasn't needing a 20inch but a 21.45inch. Now its great. Best of luck.

 

UPDATE:

The SAS is starting to break in some and the mids and bass are starting to fill in now. Delicacy and nuance is improving as well. Very very pleased so far!

 

|Just curious......what are you and other members following this thread using for stylus pressure with these V15 III's and SAS combo? I set mine at 1.1 gram on my SL1200 MK2. It tracks beautifully set at that.

 

1.25g per JICO's recommendation, and .25g antiskate on my SME 3009 S2 Improved.

 

I forgot to post the anti skate setting. Mine is set at .5 gram and VTA is set at 2 per the 1200's manual. That setting is dependent on using the 6mm thick platter mat though.