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

Glad to hear that. Lots of music enjoyment ahead for sure.

 

Hi everybody - I just joined the forum after having bought and immediately discarded an Ed Saunders stylus replacement for Shure V15 III.
I hade recently bought a V15 III LM and I thought I could use such a stylus to improve the performance of my Thorens TD-165 + Grado Prestige Gold cartridge.
I regret I must confirm the sibilants are unbearable. I quickly mounted the Grado back.
I thought that the stylus' low compliance could be an issue on my heavy Thorens TP11 arm, but this thread seems to confirm the Ed Saunders problems...
I'm sorry, because I just can't afford a Jico as of now and I'm thinking to resell the V15 body and maybe later buy a better and modern cart, considering the compliance issues with my tonearm.

I'm interested in any comments about this...

 

I use a V15 III with the JICO SAS stylus. Before that I used an M97 with a JICO SAS. They sound essentially the same, though the M97 tracked warped records a little better due to the stabilizer brush. If you want to go that route, you may as well hold on to the V15 III body so that you don't have to spend $70 on an M97 body or some other Shure body.

If you think you just don't want to $170 on a stylus no matter what, then you have other options. The next cartridge I want to try in the $100 ballpark is the Ortofon OM2 Red.

 

This is an old thread and I no longer have my V15-III, but I had arrived at the decision that I preferred the $14 EVG elliptical over the SAS, which is not a common opinion. I found that the SAS was an amazing tracker and pulled tons of detail out of the groove, but it was a bit slower and thinner-sounding than I liked. The EVG provides maybe 80% of the SAS' detail, but compensates with a richer midband and more energetic character.

 

I'll never part with my V-15 III cartridges but I'm starting to lean in your direction with the stylus. I've been using the SAS for several years now but it almost has a sterile or clinical sound, for lack of better words. On your suggestion I tried the fifteen dollar EVG stylus and was pleasantly surprised. I've been reading that EVG-764-Copy stylus that sells for around $40.00 and from Jico was even a step up so I recently tried one of those and it's all I've been using since it arrived. Right out of the box it compared with my OEM stylus. I'm going to give one Jico's HE styli a try next that sells for $80.00. What are using since you parted ways with your V-15 III?

 

Blasphemy!.............. Oh well, whatever works.

Parallel expierence; I sat through a Nordst cable demo once. The sound got really toppy and thin with the most expensive cables. I didn't like it.

As for me: you'll have pry my Shure V15 MKiv SAS from my cold dead hands.

 

Personal preference. I like larger elliptical's (.3 or .4 x .7) and conical's for most of my vinyl. Fuller sound, a bit less noise, and kinder to the vinyl. I still own SAS styli for a couple of Shure carts but usually only use them on brand new records, if at all.

 

I've gone back to using a 1984 Grado Signature 8MR with MCZ stylus upgrade.

 

I just received feedback from Ed Saunders in person: he says the sibilants are due to low VTF. His stylii need to track at 1.5 g for optimum performance, not 1 g (0.75-1.25) as usually recommended for the Shure V15.
I'll give it a try, though I don't know when

 

Very interesting from a hardcore V15 III user as you are. Sure an EVG is with a try. At those prices it shouldn't hurt.
I wonder what's the pricing in the Old Continent...

 

I was thinking: mine is a V15 III LM, as for Low Mass. It has a plastic body and was mounted on Dual tables, not glued like the DU version.
Does any of you know how it compares to the straight Typ III?
Obviously it should be lighter as the name implies... But how much lighter? I couldn't find anything on the web. Shure was not even aware of its existence!
I'd like to know it, since I'd use it on a heavy arm like the Thorens TP11.

 

I'm using a Jico SAS that's getting close to end of life. Don't know what a EVG is, but for $15 vs $140, I'd give it a try. Can someone ster me to a site?

 

This is the one I like. Cost a little more but you can be sure it's made by Jico.

http://www.turntableneedles.com/VN3...Cartridge--our-Needle-764-DE-copy_p_1393.html

 

Thank you

 

MUCH cheaper:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TURNTABLE-D...rd_Player_Turntable_Parts&hash=item2ed77af002

 

I bought a V15 Type III on the classifieds on here recently and have been using one of these stylii while I checked it out. I'm very happy with what I'm hearing.

I figured I'd order a Jico SAS. Are you guys saying I may be better off with the cheaper stylus I'm using? I'm running this V15 on a Technics 1200, but I also have a Dual 1249 with one of the V15s made on a Dual headshell.

 

Pick your poison. What are you willing to sacrifice? Resolution or tonal richness?

Incidentally, I've likewise come to prefer the EVG over the SAS on the M91ED too.

 

I'm probably a tone guy, when you get down to it.

 

Same here...

 

Bizarre. Ed has been retired for years, after selling his company to Tricia Horn.

There is evidence that suggests that she is just repackaging and marking up plain jane Pfansteihls - see: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=418496

 

Ah! Ok, I see....
In fact, I've just tried tracking the Shure at 1.5 g, up to 1.78 but the problem stays the same, where the Grado Prestige Gold has no problems at all....
I thing I'll try to find a cheaper stylus like EVG and if I don't like it I'll probably resell the V15...

 

I think you'll like the EVG. I've bought several of them, for the V-15 III, M91ED, and M95ED, and they have always worked well.

If you have trouble getting one shipped to Italy at a reasonable price, let me know and maybe I can assist.

 

Thanks! Very kind of you!
I'm seeing that the main dealer I've found on eBay does not mail to Italy.
If I can't find anyone doing it I could ask you to send the stylus to your address, couldn't I?

 

Not a problem!

 

Ok then. I'll let you know what I find.
For example, is this an EVG?

Consider I have a Thorens with a heavy TP 11 tonearm that shouldn't pair very well with a low compliance cartridge like the V15.
So I start wondering: is it worth continuing on this path? Is it worth trying to make my over 40 years old V15 work or should I keep my Grado Prestige Gold and renew/upgrade it?
Any opinions about how the V15 and the Grado I have compare?