Shure M55 cartridge
- Thread starter BlueEyes
- Start date
the V15 either 2 or 3 was designed for the SME - maybe not the 12" - ask on Vinyl engine
The M55 was lower scale on the Shure carts with same stylus profile as the earlier V's /95's & 75's .. so nothing intrinsically bad about the stylus VTF was .75 - 2 gram
I use a 75 on a Thorens Tp16 arm which is medium heavy & no problems
The M55 was lower scale on the Shure carts with same stylus profile as the earlier V's /95's & 75's .. so nothing intrinsically bad about the stylus VTF was .75 - 2 gram
I use a 75 on a Thorens Tp16 arm which is medium heavy & no problems
cubastreet
Espresso Fiend
I have an M55E body with no stylus. It's untested, but I can put a multimeter across the coils. Yours for the cost of postage from NZ if you want it.
DSJR
Between us and them
I understand the M55E was a version of the V15 mk1, but could be wrong on this.
Make sure the phono stage has a huge headroom, as the "MM suckout" is followed by a substantial 15-6KHz peak, which may cause phono-stage overload/ringing problems. I suspect that it's the effects of this "ringing" that can make these old cartridges sound much worse than they really are.
Good luck, and try the Jico styli..
Make sure the phono stage has a huge headroom, as the "MM suckout" is followed by a substantial 15-6KHz peak, which may cause phono-stage overload/ringing problems. I suspect that it's the effects of this "ringing" that can make these old cartridges sound much worse than they really are.
Good luck, and try the Jico styli..
Dave,
I have been promised from elsewhere a M55 which I intend to use via the phono stage on my little Rega Brio 3, pending the purchase of other components, will this be ok re "suck-out" and where do I get a Jico styli?
Tony L
Administrator
I think that's the linage, and effectively it lives on today as the M44, which is exactly the same thing but with big blunt DJ styli. The stylus is certainly interchangeable between M44 and M55 bodies, I know as I've got a M55E body with a M44 conical stylus in my bits box somewhere!
To Greg, I'm not sure I'd bother with it, it's nothing special at all, just a typical 70s budget MM. If you want to go vintage Shure use the M3D, which IIRC you have in that vintage Ortofon-style SME shell you showed me. Jico do a stylus for it here. It's far better than an M55 and would work fine in your SME 3012.
Tony.
Thanks for your advice Tony bearing in mind your 301 expertise I am grateful. As you are aware I haven't got a clue about any of this. I am aware a M55 is available to me and it just seemed a, relatively, cheap way of listening to the 301 when it comes back fettled, on my little Rega Brio 3, when I can then consider the road you suggest as I then decide to obtain other speakers etc as we discussed when I was listening to your 301.
Is the M55 a decent start point just to get it playing?
Darrenw offered to sell me his SPU bt whilst I was grateful, and it was worth what it would cost, it is a lot and I was thinking more along the lines of a Denon 103 or 103R once I had provided for a mc phono stage, again, when I upgrade my system.
I had never considered using the headshell, as you suggest, as I have no knowledge on such matters and no-one had advised until you just did which is much appreciated.
Greg
Is the M55 a decent start point just to get it playing?
Darrenw offered to sell me his SPU bt whilst I was grateful, and it was worth what it would cost, it is a lot and I was thinking more along the lines of a Denon 103 or 103R once I had provided for a mc phono stage, again, when I upgrade my system.
I had never considered using the headshell, as you suggest, as I have no knowledge on such matters and no-one had advised until you just did which is much appreciated.
Greg
As Tony says a Shure 55, 75, or 95 is a decent enough cart to get the thing running but don't soend a lot on getting one.
See also Audio Technica AT95, At 110, and so on.
I reckon a Denon 103 will make most of them seem the low budget items that they were in their day. Decent enough but a good £100 item will better a good budget item.
See also Audio Technica AT95, At 110, and so on.
I reckon a Denon 103 will make most of them seem the low budget items that they were in their day. Decent enough but a good £100 item will better a good budget item.
Tony L
Administrator
You don't have a M55. You do have an M3d. The M3d is better than the M55. A new stylus for the M3d is $19 from Jico, and it will work fine into your Rega Brio MM stage.
Some consider the M3d to be the MM equivalent to the DL-103 or even the SPU. I'd certainly not go that far, but it's a nice big warm ballsy and fun sounding cart even if it's conical tip is not the best end of side (no conical tip is best end of side!). I've got one in my currently boxed-up L70:
That's a Jico stylus in it, I've got a sealed NOS Shure stylus for it too, but I've not cracked it open as it's probably worth a few quid now the M3d is getting ever more collectable...
Tony.
Tony speaks not with forked tongue. Follow his advice, for it is sound.
FWIW the DL110 is a high output MC so a MM stage will cope. 103/103R are LOMC so need a stage for MC carts. I haven't compared thm but the 103 is a nice thing, as evidenced at the bakeoff.
But Tony knows his stuff and more importantly knows what you already have. A new stylus will get you running with something not half bad. You can then have the debate over DL110/DL103/103R at leisure, and bear in mind your Shure is not half bad and low budget Denons may not in fact be better to your ears.
FWIW the DL110 is a high output MC so a MM stage will cope. 103/103R are LOMC so need a stage for MC carts. I haven't compared thm but the 103 is a nice thing, as evidenced at the bakeoff.
But Tony knows his stuff and more importantly knows what you already have. A new stylus will get you running with something not half bad. You can then have the debate over DL110/DL103/103R at leisure, and bear in mind your Shure is not half bad and low budget Denons may not in fact be better to your ears.
pure sound
Trade: manufacturer/distributor
I must try a Jico stylus for my M3D. I acquired what was supposedly a Shure NOS stylus from Needledoctor and the cartridge, while certainly big, ballsy & fun is not exactly comfortable playing massed strings etc. I feared for my records.
It sounds comfortable & enjoyable playing the late 50's jazz of its era (Capitol, Verve)
It sounds comfortable & enjoyable playing the late 50's jazz of its era (Capitol, Verve)