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What’s the deal with vintage MM cartridges ???

The M44/M55 and V15 series really shines a light on the various compromises between low tip-mass/high-compliance and low output, vs. higher-tracking and more output. The fact the heavier tracking high-tip-mass M44E and M44-7 sound so good is quite an eye-opener. Clearly no right answer here to my mind.
 
I’ve ended up with quite a lot of black M55E bodies in my ongoing stylus hunt if anyone needs one for the price of postage and maybe a small site donation. I think I’m up to three now!

PS As stated above no difference at all between M44 and M55 bodies.
 
The SC35C is another with a bit of a cult following for sure. From what I can work out it is a .006 spherical tip tracking at 4-5g (so much heavier than any M44) and delivering 5mV output. That’s rather heavier than I’m comfortable with as a record collector. The M44-7 has a .007 spherical tip and seems perfectly happy at 2-2.5g.
 
The SC35C is another Shure cartridge that I own, I wouldn't worry about the higher tracking force it certainly hasn;t done any damage to any vinyl I own but to my ears the M55E + JICO stylus is a better listening experience than the SC35C. I'm still to organise a my stylus for my M44, perhaps this is an adventure waiting to happen in 2024! ;)
 
Can I put a word in for the ADC MM cartridges? Although some had ludicrously high compliance (i am looking at you XLM mk2), but I thought the mk3 was nice. I think replacement styli are available.
 
Tony L said:
IAlso be aware that a proper M44-7 stylus has an insanely high output (11mV). I suspect this is where the truly visceral slam and punch these things have comes from to some degree, but I’d not be surprised if some phono stages would hit the end stops. By comparison the M55E has an output of about 5mV, so it is all about the stylus assembly.
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I can't recall offhand so may be wrong in this case, but IIRC its a matter of having a different amount of 'moving magnet/shunt'.
 
Tony L said:
Y M55E with its lower tip-mass and smaller lighter magnets and the real sledgehammer that is the M44-7. The range is a fascinating lesson in historic cartridge design and helped nail-down a lot of the technology in the many decades since. Shure’s whole history is fascinating. I really wish they‘d start remanufacturing some of their real classics. I imagine both the M44 range and a recreated V15/III would sell like hot cakes.

The official various Shure M44/M55E stylus assemblies are all detailed upthread in post #30.
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Lower effective tip mass chimes with my guess about the relative output.

I wish someone with full/insider knowledge would write a tech history of Shure's cartridges. It would be fascinating for engineers as well as audiophiles.
 
Tony
If you have a spare M55 body I should be very glad to receive it with a donation to Pink Fish. It was my first ever cartridge, initially in the tone arm of my Td 150 and then in my SME 3009 S2 imp I bought in March 1975. When I looked for it to reinstate in an SME it was alas lost, presumably in one of n many moves
John
 
paulfromcamden said:
1976 Shure cartridge brochure. I had no idea they were still making the M3D then.

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Shure developed and produced so many models/model variants during the '60s and into the '70s that I wonder if those M3D that were still for sale during the mid '70s were existing inventory of prior production. We certainly didn't see any on the shelves when I started in retail as Saturday boy.
 
Any interest in a Jfet input buffer to isolate your 'low-capacitance' MM from your prized phono stage input? Switchable resistive/capacitive loading so you could run pretty much any cart you wished...
 
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The next phase of my journey into vintage Shure MM carts is shaping up nicely. This is a V15/III with an original Shure VN35HE ’Hypereliptical’ stylus that looks to be in decent condition under the microscope. A little wear, but not worn. I decided to mount it in my fixed-shell 3009 Improved as that is logically where it belongs. I even used light nylon bolts! It should be far happier there than in the heavier ‘60s 3009. I doubt I’ll get round to mounting it on the deck for a while, but it is there ready now and all looks good. I have a spare armboard so it is easy enough to do.

PS I only needed to re-solder one headshell tag!
 
My A&R P77 stylus assembly was retipped with a Shure hyperelliptical diamond - the guy that did it for me insisted it was his favourite cut. He also rebuilt the suspension to his own "secret" recipe and instead of running it at the 1.8 grams that A&R recommended, I eventually ended up with it at 1.15 in my Ittok LVIII. Tracked like a proverbial b......... Unfortunately he had no more Shure HE diamonds and I had to "make do" with Jicos of which I have 3 unused spare assemblies. Should see me out.
 
I’m a little nervous of it to be honest as I’ve read a fair few stories of the HE tips falling off the cantilever at this age!

That said I just want to hear it and get a good indication where it sits/how it works with my preamp. If I end up preferring it to the M55E/M44E, which I’m doubtful I will, then I’ll likely go off down the Jico Basie Jazz Club route.
 
Had an M55E, V15/III, and ADC ZLM back in the 70s.

If I was ever tempted back into vinyl I'd probably try to source an M55E with a Jico if possible.
 
narabdela said:
If I was ever tempted back into vinyl I'd probably try to source an M55E with a Jico if possible.
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I’m sure I’ll be trying the Jico M55E stylus at some point. IIRC there are two versions, one nude mounted, one shanked like the original.

I can’t explain it, but there is just something I really like about the M44 & M55. Certainly not the last word in detail, refinement etc, but they just work and work to a level that really connects. I’m sitting there wondering why I’d want any more. My only problem is the M44E and M44-7 are just so crazy loud I can barely accommodate them system gain-wise, it is this that has pushed me more to the M55E. I’m not convinced it is better, it is just more manageable volume wise!
 
Several years ago JICO did a SAS/S stylus for the M55E and this was probably the best I'd ever heard on a vintage shure. I've had the V15 mk3, the SC35C and the M44-7. JICO don't currently do any SAS stylii for the M55E but if they ever did I'd be pulling the trigger as quick as a quick thing! :)
 
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