Posted by DCE [ 12.108.16.100 ] on November 12, 2005 at 21:33:46:

In Reply to: Shure V 15Vxmr initial disappointment. Help needed! posted by Kuja on July 14, 2005 at 06:56:29:

Hello. Remember the Shure is sensitive to the loading capacitance. The recommended load (250pf? if I remember correctly) has been shown in articles to be pretty much a max value for a slight roll-off in the treble and minimal resonance "ringing" above the audioband. The capacitance of your phono lead interconnect adds to the loading cap in the phono stage. The cartridge may have too much capacitive loading. This will produce a excessivly rolled top end. This seems to be often overlooked in this world of MC usage. The heavily sheiled cables used for phono interconnects can have fairly high capacitance. Then if the phono stage is also loading the cartridge with, say , a 150-200pf cap (fairly common); the high end will be rolled. Check your interconnects for their capacitance and add it to the Slee's 100pf. The Shure will have a flatter or slightly rising high end (like some MC's)if loaded with less capacitance. One article of a couple years ago showed about 100-150pf worked very well with out causing much of a response peak above the audioband. Try a lower capacitance phono interconnect or reduce the loading cap in the Slee. All that said, the V15 WILL open up with further use. Even if I let mine sit for too long between uses, it take an album or so to re-bloom as it were. I have run thru many much more expensive carts with out finding anything that tracks as well as the Shure and has its balances of sonic virtues. It is not overtly exciting, but brings a very balanced presentation to the table at an incredible price! I use a V15MRxV in a SME V arm and it sounds wonderful. And, yes like some of the other posters, I bought a spare (the whole cartridge as I glue the generator assembly in for better sound, but thats a different subject altogether!)

Dan

Replies: