Shure V15--A Good Cartridge?


I've noticed that there seems to be violently mixed opinions on the Shure V15. The quotes from reviews are good, but then some people (mostly dealers) don't really seem to like it. One person commented that he thinks it's too bland, another says it's not good for anything but rock because it can't resolve complicated details. At the same time, however, one person (a dealer whom I respect) thinks it's a great cartridge for people with ordinary record collections, and I've heard some people say it's great for classical and jazz, and it does just fine with complicated musical details.

I am not in the market for a V15--now, at least--but I have been really wondering why the opinions are so mixed. Other cartridges seem to be pretty simple--the strengths and weaknesses are well known.
jc2000

Showing 1 response by avideo

Just a short note to mention why some dealers "don't like"
the Shure V15. They don't get a big discount on Shure
products if they don't move a serious amount of merchandise.
Shure is one of the commercial audio industry's largest
makers of equipment - with an extensive catalog of equip-
ment that includes microphones of all type, audio mixers,
connectors, cables, field mixers, and much, much more.
Cartridges and associated equipment is just a small part
of their offerings. If they are selling say $20-30K a month
to a large commercial audio dealer; and maybe $1-2K a month
to Joe the Audiophile dealer - guess who gets a serious
discount on their pricing?