Elliptical are not as finicky to setup. I think they pickup more surface noise though.
Is elliptical the best stylus profile
In my experiences, it seems that elliptical shaped stylus track better and pretty much have the same amount of detail that a line contact has, maybe a little less. The difference, again in my experience is that the line contact needs to be set up perfectly for good performance. How many of us are experts at setup. Cartridge manufacturers, Why not just use elliptical shape and give everybody a break?