"Don Pearce" wrote


Now you're asking. I'm talking way back, when my arm was a new and
current thing. I haven't tried any of the modern incarnations of Shure
cartridges.


OK.



The V15 is a good-sounding cart, especially when it's in a 'choice of
one'!!
What interests me (and part of the purpose of these comparisons) is that I
have always suspected it being the beneficiary of 'magazine hype', much
like
the Goldring G1042 and the AT110E which, worthy as they may well be, are
routinely recommended at the expense of other models. (One thing that is
nearly *impossible* to do is 'audition' a new cartridge....)

I think the V15 would still be the cart of choice for a really tough
record with huge velocities on it. Trackability was always its forte.


Yes, no argument there.


FWIW, I don't believe in any form of A/B testing and think the only way to
make choices with audio gear is to run all the 'candidates' for as long as
it takes, with as much chopping and changing as it takes to pick 'long
term
favourites'. Enlisting the assistance of a few impartial opinions
certainly
helps - we very often can't hear what we don't *want* to when it comes to
our own stuff....!! ;-)




A/B testing will reveal the grosser differences.


Yes, of course, but has so often been said here lately - there are no longer
vast differences between different items of modern kit these days - ie in
*real* term, like cars, there are no real *lemons* AFAIK. My interests lie
with the older stuff (touch, tone, feel, weight, looks etc.) where there is
more chance of picking up with summat which is *not best*.....


In the long term,
with most audio gear it is not audio considerations that direct my
final decisions, but matters of look and function.



Fair comment.


Things as variable
as cartridges don't feature much in my listening except in a
nostalgic, legacy sort of way, so I am more than happy with what I
have on my deck right now.


Which is what, out of interest?

Right, as I said, next up is a comparison of three different variants of the
*same* model cart - my current 'all rounder'. All of which are in this pic:

http://www.apah69.dsl.pipex.com/show/carts.jpg


(The clue is in the 'colour'...!! :-)

What type of music would be best for a comparison? Gimme a track or two to
choose from and I'll get as close as I can.

Out for the day now - as well as other things I gotta get a service and an
MOT - might get the car done too, while I'm there!!

:-)