Hi-Fi/Home Audio Cartridge Comparison Guide
Since 1958, when Shure introduced the world's first successful stereo phonograph cartridge, it has been recognized worldwide as the leader in the development and production of high-performance cartridges and styli.
Shure Hi-Fi cartridges are distinguished for their high groove tracking ability and warm, natural sound reproduction.
- All models employ the low-mass, high output moving magnet structure invented by Shure.
- Each comes with a user guide, mounting hardware, stylus guard and a full one-year warranty.
- See How a Phonograph Cartridge Works for definition of the terms used in this table.
| CARTRIDGE MODEL |
V15
(Discont'd) |
M97xE | M94E & MP94E | M92E | M70BX |
| Stylus Mass | Ultra Low |
Very Low |
Very Low |
Low | Low |
| Accuracy of Sound Reproduction | Ultra High |
Very High |
High | Very Good |
Good |
| TONE ARM MOUNT | |||||
| Standard 1/2" | X | X | M94E | - - | X |
| P-mount | - - | - - | MP94E | - - | - - |
| P-mount with Standard adapter | - - | - - | - - | X | - - |
| FEATURES | |||||
| Dynamic Stabilizer damper / destat. | X | X | - - | - - | - - |
| Die cast aluminum mounting block | X | X | - - | - - | - - |
| Side Guard stylus protection system | X | X | X | - - | - - |
| Universal Mount | - - | - - | - - | X | - - |
| CANTILEVER
Tubular design (Wall thickness / diameter in mils) |
|||||
| V15 Beryllium (0.5 / 18) | X | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| T-II Aluminum alloy (1.0 / 20) | - - | X | X | - - | - - |
| T- I Aluminum alloy (1.0 / 30) | - - | - - | - - | X | X |
| DIAMOND TIP
side x front radii |
|||||
| Micro-Ridge 0.15 x 3.0 mil | X | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Elliptical 0.2 x 0.7 mil | - - | X | X | - - | - - |
| Biradial 0.4 x 0.7 mil | - - | - - | - - | X | - - |
| Spherical 0.7 mil | - - | - - | - - | - - | X |
| TRACKING FORCE
(grams) Effective at stylus tip |
|||||
| 0.75 to 1.25 - 1.00 optimum | X | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| 0.75 to 1.50 - 1.25 optimum | - - | X | X | X | - - |
| 1.5 to 3.0 | - - | - - | - - | - - | X |
| TRACKABILITY
@ 1 g.track.force (cm per second peak velocity) |
|||||
| 400 Hz | 30 | 30 | 30 | 24 | - - |
| 1 kHz | 46 | 44 | 44 | - - | - - |
| 5 kHz | 80 | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| 10 kHz | 60 | 31 | 31 | - - | - - |
| AMPLITUDE µm at 400 Hz | 80 | 80 | 80 | - - | - - |
| FREQUENCY RESPONSE
Essentially flat from: |
|||||
| 10 to 25,000 Hz | X | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| 20 to 22,000 Hz | - - | X | X | - - | - - |
| 20 to 18,000 Hz | - - | - - | - - | X | X |
| STEREO CHANNEL BALANCE | |||||
| Within 1.5 dB | X | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Within 2.0 dB | - - | X | X | X | X |
| CHANNEL SEPARATION (dB) Typical at: |
|||||
| 1 kHz | 30 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 20 |
| 10 kHz | 20 | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| OUTPUT VOLT.
typical @ 1 kHz |
|||||
| mV RMS at 5 cm/sec peak velocity | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| RECOMMENDED LOAD | |||||
| 47 kilohms in parallel with: | 250 pf | 250 pf | 250 pf | 250 pf | 250 pf |
| NET WEIGHT
(grams) |
6.6 | 6.6 | 6.6/5.9 | 7.4 ** | 6.2 |
| HEIGHT
(mm) |
15.875 | 15.875 | 15.875 * | 15.875** | 15.875 |
| ACCESSORIES INCLUDED: | |||||
| Alignment Protractor | X | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Turntable Wedges | X | - - | - - | - - | - - |
| Headshell Screwdriver | X | X | - - | - - | - - |
| Stylus cleaning brush | X | X | X | - - | - - |
| Standard Mount Adapter | - - | - - | - - | X | - - |
| REPLACEMENT STYLUS
User replaceable |
N/A | N97xE | N94E | N92E | N70BX |
| ACCESSORY STYLUS
For wide groove / 78 RPM recordings |
N78S | N78S | N78S | N78S | N78S |
* M94E Standard 1/2" mount
** With Standard 1/2" mount adapter
*** For comparision purposes only. The V15VxMR and the VN5xMR stylus have been discontinued.