The Jico SAS/B Stylus VN 5 MR

V15Vx bodies are hard to find, V15V bodies a bit easier, upgrading a M97xe body is an option, get an advanced stylus shape on Shure’s optional use anti-static damped brush.

Jico makes a replacement stylus for Shure’s M97xe body, SAS on Boron with brush, just like the one for the V15Vxmr body mentioned here. It’s very close to the V15Vxmr performance and sound for less total money (body and stylus combined).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/326258191889?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338381866&toolid=10001&customid=2a9e2962-6c5d-11ef-914c-326235333437

The question/difference is Shure’s anti-static/damped brush and what Jico’s brush is/does regarding anti-static (they wrote me in 2020 not anti-static), and damping, (they wrote me unlike dynamic stabilizer).

My rebuild of broken 97xe shure stylus by Steve at VAS keeping Shure’s brush, luckily fits both my M97xe and V15Vxmr bodies.

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Imaging, Lighter Tracking

Sound is subjective, imaging specs are measurable, I only consider cartridges with high imaging specs, then sound preferred? (I think preferred, not better)

Differing magnet materials/designs: the achieved output is measurable/comparable, keep an eye on signal strength, the relationship of coil impedance, and, for some arms, keep an eye on cartridge weight,

light tracking performance combined with larger contact area relates to both groove tracing fidelity, groove life, and stylus life, the tracking force is applied to a much larger surface area when using an advanced stylus shape, and the advanced shapes get deeper into the grooves of used LPs, which need to be properly/vigorously cleaned

JICO contact surface specs, um2 (squared) whatever that is, are revealing by % comparison, indicate their S.A.S. is different than what AT says are all variations of Shibata’s patented shape: Shibata/Line Contact/Micro Linear

elliptical: 20.6 um2

Line Contact 46.7 um2 (more than twice the contact area of elliptical

S.A.S. 62.1 um2 (more than 3 times elliptical/50% more than Line Contact.

Soundsmith’s Stylus Life Expectancy chart is based on info from JICO, and the S.A.S. has the longest average life expectancy in the chart

Soundsmith Stylus Shape Info

Wear, Tear and Life

So we know that the more extreme line contacts reduce wear.... but what is the difference?

Apparently according to Jico (manufacturer of the highly regarded SAS stylus), the amount of playing time where a stylus will maintain its specified level of distortion at 15kHz is as follows:

• Spherical / Conical - 150hrs
• Elliptical - 250hrs
• Shibata/Line contact - 400hrs
• SAS/MicroRidge - 500hrs

This is not to say that at 500 hrs a SAS stylus is "worn out" - but at that stage the wear has reached the point where distortion at 15kHz surpasses the level specified by Jico for a new stylus. (Which I believe is 3%).

 

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my cartridges

AT33PTG/II Moving Coil MicroLinear on Boron tracks at 2.0g, has the best imaging specs: 30db channel separation/0.5db channel balance.

Sumiko Talisman S Moving Coil, line contact on sapphire tube: track 2.0g; also great/tightest imaging: sep 30db/0.5db bal

The Shure Moving Magnets track lighter, but slightly less imaging excellence:

V15Vxmr tracks 1.0g; sep 25db/bal 1.5db

97xe sep tracks 1.25g; 25db/bal 2.0db

Audio Technica Moving Magnets

AT440ml tracks 1.25g, sep 30db/bal 0.75db (use mostly in my office system)

current version AT540ml tracks at 2.0g; sep 28db; bal 1.0db

AT14Sa, shibata on tapered aluminum track 1.25g; sep 27db/bal 1.0db

ATTR485U Shibata/Line Contact tracks 1.25g; sep 31db/bal 1.0 db It’s a P Mount I use on a Sony Front Loading Drawer Type TT in my Garage/Shop system.

MONO

AT33PTG Mono, rebuilt stylus by Steve at VAS, now advanced large surface area stylus on boron tracks at 2.0g

Grado Mono Elliptical tracks at 1.5g

 

If you’re selecting cartridges to any degree based on “channel separation” , you ought to take into account the frequency dependency of that spec. Typically companies give a single data point for separation at 1kHz, where for most cartridges separation is maximal. But our sense of the stereo image derives from the average of all frequencies where the higher frequencies dominate and bass frequencies are much less directional. Companies like Shure used to provide curves showing stereo separation at all audio frequencies for each sample of one of their cartridges. Then too, azimuth can mess things up with crosstalk. Anyway, that single data point is almost meaningless.

lewm

"Typically companies give a single data point for separation at 1kHz, where for most cartridges separation is maximal.  ... Anyway, that single data point is almost meaningless."

Quite meaningful when revealing what amount of maximum separation is achieved, or NON-ACHIEVED is how I use the numbers

the TIGHT channel balance is very important regarding imaging, lack of wander, and the overtones of the fundamentals are important.

Excerpt below from this

"Important frequencies

The important frequencies in non-tonal (Western) languages are illustrated by the diagram below. Here, the frequency band around 2 kHz is the most important frequency range regarding perceived intelligibility. Most consonants are found in this frequency band."


(Ref: N.R. French & J.C. Steinberg: Factors governing the intelligibility of speech sounds. JASA vol. 19, No 1, 1947).

 

 

@elliottbnewcombjr The Jico diamond is not near the highest quality. It is full of contamination (so bad it won't pass light) which will increase the rate of wear. This might undo any benefit of lower VTF and larger contact patches. If you look at the pictures you will note that the cleanest diamonds are those used by MSL, Lyra and Soundsmith. The MC Diamond is disappointing in this regard. The Jico is at least inexpensive. Most cartridges under $1000 have styluses like the Jico, but many of them are not cut and polished near as cleanly. Where it really counts the Jico has it. I will keep a closer eye on it for wear. 

I have a question for everyone on this thread. All of you are far more knowledgeable than me about this subject. I have a V15 type V cart that is not in use at the moment. It has an Ed Saunders stylus. I think that those styli were sort of an "economy" product, not sure though. I have been wondering if I should invest in a new "good" stylus, such as the Jico, for the V15. The thing that has me on the fence is the very high compliance rating of the original form of the V15 and how that relates to using it on relatively modern tonearms. I have a Linn Ittok and an Audio Origami PU7. Does the V15 need to be on a low mass arm or am I overinflating the issue?