My question is, how does the Shure V15 Type IV stack up against today’s high performance cartridges? I want to know because if I were to upgrade from the Shure, where do I begin? at what price point should I start looking? e.g Is the Shure just as good as let’s say Ortofon 2m Black? I would hate to spend hundreds of dollars to buy a new cartridge only to find out that it is inferior to the Shure.
I’ve been buying cartridges almost every month to find out what’s the best, many people on this forum did the same things for a long time. The clear benefit of the vintage cartridges is the price/performance ratio. Here is an MM (or MI) is a winner. But you have to find them in pristine condition or NOS/Sealed and you will be blown away by the quality.
As you noticed JICO made a lot of styli for vintage cartridges, their SAS profile (Super Analog Stylus) is the best from JICO. One may think this is the answer to all the questions, but i want to tell you that many original vintage cartridges are just better than same cartridge with JICO stylus.
Shure best model was not V15 series but ULTRA 500 SERIES
Ortofon 2M series is not a reference MM even if it’s a good cartridge.
The problem is that MM is not trendy in modern High-End society nowadays. I don’t know is it good or not, because when it’s trendy the price can be $8-14k for an MI cartridge like this, i doubt you will find any owner on audiogon, they are more happy to buy MC for the same price. And i believe it’s better than many LOMC in the same price category, but who cares.
When MM or MI is not trendy in High-End world it’s an opportunity for us to buy them for reasonable price looking only for the best models from the past (some NOS samples still available). And when you said you’re spending hungrend of dollars ( not thousands) by advice is to buy something serious from the past. A few option for you below:
1) If you’re comfortable with high compliance cartridges under $700 then look for Pickering XSV/4000 Stereohedron. This XSV/4000 model is better than previous XSV/3000.
In the USA one of the most dramatic developments of cartridge performance was the introduction of the Pickering XSV/3000 series (in the 70’s). It offered the consumer a first generation of cartridges, combining both high tracking ability and superb frequency response. It utilized a new concept in stylus design - Stereohedron, coupled with an exotic samarium cobalt moving magnet. The "SP" versions appeared on the market later when Pickering offered a top-of-the-line Stereohedron cartridge, the XSV/4000 with wider frequency response, higher compliance and smaller effective tip mass. That was one of the best MM cartridges in the 80’s. It was very popular in Japan too, here is the flyer.
Pickering XSV-4000 has the most advanced stylus shape called Stereohedron which is achieved by grinding four flat surfaces on the diamond at precise angles to each other and their intersection creates areas used to contact the groove. The advantage of the Stereohedron stylus is that because of it’s long and narrow contact surfaces it tracks high frequency modulation minimizing groove wear.
2) Pickering was a parent brand to Stanton. This is the best and the rarest Stanton cartridge (CS-100 W.O.S.). Stanton Magnetics was one of the first American companies to make and sell magnetic cartridges that improved sound quality and allowed for a less-expensive product in the 1970s. Mr. Walter O. Stanton was the chairman and president of both Pickering & Co and Stanton Magnetics Inc until 1998. The latest Collector’s Series 100 signature model CS-100 WOS was made in Plainview, N.Y. in the late 80’s - early 90’s. Stanton was responsible for many of the early patents in phono cartridge and styli design and electrostatic speakers, as well as other electro mechanical items. He was one of the early leaders in the audio industry and served as president of both the Institute of Hi Fidelity and the Audio Engineering Society (AES). Stanton CS-100 W.O.S. cartridge has the most advanced stylus shape called Stereohedron which is achieved by grinding four flat surface on the diamond at precise angles to each other and their intersection creates areas used to contact the groove. The advantage of the Stereohedron stylus is that because of it’s long and narrow contact surfaces it tracks high frequency modulation minimizing groove wear. CS-100 is the only Stanton model with Sapphire/Ruby coated cantilever!
If you need more options let me know :) There are many more great high-end MM or MI cartridges from the bast than simply unbeatable today (imo) without breaking the bank. In my experience a lot of amazing carts cost no more than $700 or very near.