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Vinyl Asylum: REVIEW: Shure M97xE Phono Cartridge by Marc Bratton

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REVIEW: Shure M97xE Phono Cartridge

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Model: M97xE
Category: Phono Cartridge
Suggested Retail Price: $89.00
Description: MM phono cartridge
Manufacturer URL: Shure
Model Picture: View

Review by Marc Bratton on November 15, 2016 at 10:19:20
IP Address: 198.184.151.253
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for the M97xE


Having sung the praises of the JICO'd V15VxMR in these pages, it is with a bit of chagrin I report on the long term performance of said JICO stylus. They DO add some detail and air to the stock Shure stylus, but there are two downsides to them, which have only become apparent with LONG term use: 1.)They simply don't track as well as the stock Shure styli did. This becomes more and more apparent as they age, which brings us to point 2.)They don't last as long either. After probably < 400 hrs of use, I am again starting to get whiffs of high frequency mistracking, with my 2nd (or 3rd) JICO replacement stylus. The stock Shure replacement stylus was good for at least twice that many hours.
Since I'm out > $15,000 for a new roof, a new JICO for the V15VxMR is just NOT IN THE CARDS, which brings us to the plucky redoubtable M97xE.
Using due diligence with my Wally Tractor, I set it up for the Loefgren equation. One tweak for offset angle, one tweak for VTA, and we were dialed in.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. 1st the treble is sweeter, and clearly the cartridge is tracking better. And it gives a very even, neutral across the band presentation that just sounds right to these ears. Lest you think I am making this up, I have heard that 3 of the biggest mastering houses use this cartridge as their reference, because of its neutral uncolored sound. Dynamics are as good as the V15V's, and about 98% of the time, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between the two.
Now the weaknesses: 1.)Soundstage, while still layered and deep, is not as deep as the JICO'd V15V's. 2.)Once in a great while, when you 1st drop the needle, and the orchestra goes "Baum, BAUM!!"...you get a weird kind of wooly damping on the 1st "Baum..." I've only heard this once so far. It's not mistracking. It feels like the motor itself is resonanting inside the cart body. At any rate, it's an odd, once off occurance. Any ideas what this might be? Anyone else heard it?
But its strengths outweigh these weaknesses. It has good end of band tracking, and will not lie to you about the recording. No coloration.
You really want that, the Shure delivers, to the point I'm in no hurry to reinstall the V15VxMR right now.
In summary, especially if you're willing to REALLY work to get it nuts-on, and have a fairly revealing system, and a fairly low mass arm, it's hard to recommend a better performer in this price range. All the other contenders sound more colored, and/or don't track as well.


Product Weakness: See above.
Product Strengths: Clean, neutral uncolored sound. Excellent tracker.


Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Extremed Odyssey Kismets
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): (Old!) Quicksilver full function pre
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Teres/Moerch UP4
Speakers: Audio Physic Virgos
Cables/Interconnects: Some Cardas, Some DH Labs
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Classical. Classic rock. Blues
Room Size (LxWxH): 15 x 13 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: Room is a challenge
Time Period/Length of Audition: 1 month
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Shure M97xE Phono Cartridge - Marc Bratton 10:19:20 11/15/16 ( 6)