Quiel wrote:
How sad coz these LPs are shiny. To me, this only means that getting good/clean used LPs is not an easy task. The best gauge really is playing them.
The same problem exists for some imported pre-owned LPs. I have a couple of these 'mirror like/glossy' surfaced LPs bought from garage sales or fleamarkets. They look so clean on inspection, but break your heart on playback.
The problem is grunge in the grooves due to dust/dirt deposited over time. Unless you have a special LP 'refresher' wherein a special stylus digs into the groove and excavates the gunk, I simply wash and wash and wash the LP (a record cleaner helps). I then place the LP on a spare 'table, w/ an undamaged, not too expensive cart (Shure M447), mounted and attempt to let the stylus dig out that gunk. I do not listen to it while doing this.
Of course, you do this at your own risk.I wonder if
ihatejazz knows of such a 'refresher'. Does the
Loricraft record cleaner do this?
so can I use either of these stylus for M447 cart: N55E, V15xMR? tama ba? care to share your impression of these needles?
The N55E needle fits into the M447 cart. The stylus of the V15xMR is dedicated for that cart only. What's the diff between them? I have played the same tracks on an LP and compared them. The N447 stylus(white), has a round tip and does not dig as deep into the grooves. Very nice bass, but not as detailed in the mids/highs. It also picks up a lot of surface noise. The N55E stylus(cream) isusually sold with the N557 cart-if you could find any. Sometimes, you can find the stylus sold separately. This stylus has an elliptical/bi-radial tip. It digs a bit deeper into the grooves thus producing more detail, with a tad less bass. The V15xMR is the top of the line MM audiophile cart by Shure. It costs at least 5x more than either of the twoprevious carts. The stylus has a 'brush' built in to clean the grooves before the stylus hits them (it can only do so much). It has a 1.0-1.5gm tracking force. You won't wear out the grooves of your LPs as much. The micro-ridge stylus is so fine, it really digs deep into the grooves, picking up less surface noise. It has a blacker background, lush midrange/highs, a not so bloated bass as found with the M447. Female vocals are lovely on this cart.
As compared to a Grado Silver MM cart, I feel the Grado has a more laid-back and balanced over-all presentation. It does not have as black a background, nor as lush a midrange as the V15. I prefer the Grado for jazz/classical recordings and the Shure for vocals.
But that's as far as MM carts are concerned. If you want even more detail, blacker backgrounds, tighter bottom ends and a richer midrange, you have to cross over to the MC region.
MSM will be able to give you a better review as I don't have as much experience w/ the more expensive MC carts. I've compared a standard Denon DL103 to the Shure V15xMR. As good as the Shure V15xMR is, the DL103 blew the V15 into the dust.
You really have to swap carts and compare them on the same 'table/set-up to have a true gauge to their differences. As you enter further into the netherworld of the MC carts, the price range gets steeper.
All I'd suggest, is that
the price of your cart, should not exceed the cost of your 'table. A far more expensive cart, requires a better tonearm/'table and phono stage to handle/bring out its full potential.