low tracking force cartridge recommendations?

My best advice, is find yourself a good working older Shure V-15 Type III Body, and for another $100 buy a Jico Shure SAS Stylus from LP Gear, and be merrily on your way to sonic nirvana.

I'd buy the Stylus first, and perhaps "luck into" a Body cheaply from ebay, with the assurance from seller, that if he/she sells you a DOA Cartridge, they'll refund your money in full in a worst case scenario.
Mark

Hello Doug, I presume you posted a link to Raul's posts, correct?

Well, I do very much like what Raul says, and I personally find that virtually all of what Raul has ever contributed to this forum is highly valuable, and helpful. My hat's off to you Raul!

But why Raul fails to mention, like, or suggest in any of his posts, any of the Shure V-15 Cartridges is beyond me?

While I can probably not ever claim to be in a class of you Doug, or Raul in experience with so many different, very costly Catrridges, or ever give precise accurate information about the many things "analog, I do have a considerable amount of experience with Shure MM Cartridges, mainly the V-15 Series, I've owned a number of Type III, and in fact still own my 35 year old original, bought new, and now sports a Jico SAS Stylus.

This is used on a spare mint Denon DP-2550/Grace DA-307 Table of mine. I've had literal 1000's of hours placed on this very Cartridge, as well as other V-15's I've owned, and this particular Cartridge is now on its fourth Stylus! Therefore, I'd like to say, my claims are not from hearsay, other's advice, or claims, but my own personal experiences over the many years I've been into analog. I first started this quest in 1972. As Doug Knows, I now sport a ZYX Airy 3X on a VPI Table. A great Cartridge that gets beter every time I play it.

I've heard numerous V-15's in other's systems, find many of my friends still use this Cartridge happily, and swear by it's sound.

By no means trying to barge my way into this discussion claiming I'm some authority, but this is one way to get excellent sound, superb tracking, and value, at a very meager price. Mark

Hello Tethead, My reasoning for buying a new Stylus for a older Shure, is that most likely, a used Shure V-15 Type II, III, or IV you find used will most likely have either/or a worn out Stylus, or shot Cantilever Suspension Components.

I have no idea what current prices people are getting for used Shure Type III on that famous auction site, and it wouldn;t surprise me if people are yanking in $100 for a Cartridge body minus Stylus.

On the other hand, my friend has lucked into many Shure Type III's, and IV's on mint Garage-Yard Sale Tables like Technics, Kenwoods, Pioneers for $15, and that's with the Shure Cartridge included.

I personally seen my one buddy once walk into a Thrift Shop, buy a shot turntable for $10, yank the Shure V-15 Type III off of it, and give them back the Table right then, and there.

There are good deals to be found if you're patient.
By replacing Stylus, and the Body is sound, you'll be up and running for many years to come at a relatively low cost for a fine Cartridge. My honest opinion about the V-15 Type III? If they made it today brand new, Shure would be charging $600 for it. And people would be buying it as well. Mark

Redtop, would you care to ponder a guess, as to how many V-15's were sold by Shure?

There was good reason as to why they were so popular, they were back then a very tough Cartridge to beat, and a good example can still hold it's own today.

Problem is, with any Cartridge, there's too many variables, and of course too many mixed experiences with any one piece of gear.

For any Cartridge made, there will be proponents, and of course detractors. I've seen it here even with top of the line ZYX, Dynas, Koetsu's, you name it.

The Shure V-15 was not junk as you make it out to be, particularly the V-15 Type III. Thousands of happy owners prooved that, and this Cartridge is still sought after 30 years later. Just look to that famous auction site. One day you might happen to watch, as a NOS V-15 goes into bidding wars to acquire.

Besides having a good Cartridge, with good Stylus, everything else down the line can make, or break a Cartridge's sound.

No, I'm not going to try BS'ing anybody that the V-15 is some magical end all, and will compare to a $7400 ZYX UNIverse, that would be ludicrous. Mark

Redtop, Not singling you out, nor do I disbelieve your personal findings, but was just bringing across some points, about variables. Those same "variables" could just as easily take place, with me buying a used ZYX UNIverse Cartridge from a over-optimistic seller, who "claimed" it had very low hours, when in truth the Cartridge hypothetically had 2000+ hours.

After finding that this beat to hell ZYX Cartridge is sounding funny, and not performing anywhere near what it is claimed to do, I then turn around, and claim to the world that the UNiverse is a POS Cartridge, that people are looney to waste thier hard earned money on such a Cartridge, and a new Benz Ace I then bought easily bested the UNIverse.

I don't disagree with what you, or Johhnyb53 could possibly say that yes, buying a 30-35 year old Shure "could" be a crap shoot, and one could buy a pig in a poke, or get themselves a wonderful Cartrdge. Too many people today will fit these Shures with really junk aftermarket Stylus', then wonder why the sound lacks.

My Shure was never dull as you've found, I always used genuine Shure VN-35E, or VN-35HE Stylus, and today use it with the JICO SAS Stylus. I don't have to do a comparo, I already have, with the Shure mounted on a Vintage Denon Table with Grace DA-307 Arm.

Again, another blanket statement that Shure was the main reason CD came along, and everybody left Vinyl. I never did, even though I did also buy digital way back then. My Shure V-15 sonically bested any digital back then, and today still sounds fantastic.

And yes, I do now use a new ZYX Airy 3X. Mark