Any cartridges like Shure, but more exciting?

The Grado Platinum is not an "exciting" sounding cartridge. I suggest you look elsewhere.

Older Stanton/Pickering...or a Shure V15III with the JICO SAS stylus that so many in the Vinyl Asylum are raving about!

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hi psychicanimal... that may be the ticket i'm looking for! can you tell me a bit about what that might sound like? also, you mention the JICO for the v15 type III, is this talked about as better than the JICO with the type IV (that is also available?)... thanks

I made searches in the Asylum because--after more than 20 years--my mother had saved my first two cartridges and gave them a while ago in a plastic bag! They are a V15III and an AT-15S, both without stylus. It turns out the majority of the people prefer the Type III over all the other V15 iterations, especially if the tonearm has fluid damping. Remember, not all 'technological advances' are such. One guy posted that the V15 III/JICO SAS combo sounded as good as his Denon 103, only different in presentation.

With regards to my Audio Technica, which is almost like an AT-20S...an AT-20S owner stated it was bested his Shelter 501. It seems the classic MMs is where it's at and they're being rediscovered.

The JICO stylus is on my want list but finishing paying off two NOS super stereohedron stylus I paid a deposit for is the priority.

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Psychic,
Are the carts you mention MC or MM? Could you elaborate as to sonic attributes as i am not familiar with these? I am looking for different and better carts which MIGHT best my Denon 103 and 103R.
Thanks for any suggestions.