Better than the Shure V15 LT in the P-mount class?

[ADCDAC]

Turntable is Technics SL15 (circa 1981). Linear tracking. Only takes P-mount (or universal mount?) cartridges. The original needle VN5P is still in good shape.

Has anyone experienced better than a Shure V15 LT on that turntable or other P-mount table?

The V15 LT belongs to the V15 IV family. I thought the P mount in the V15 V family (the V15 V-P) would have been better, since it belonged to a newer generation of V15s. But V-P's 20Hz-20kHz response is less impressive than the LT's 15Hz-25kHz. With the absence of data on the deviations from the flat line, I am not absolutely sure what these numbers really mean in terms of fidelity, but the LT seems to be a better cartridge on paper.

Therefore, improvement probably means stepping out of Shure. Not that I am disatisfied with the LT, but what is unambiguously better out there if you already know what the LT sounds like?

[audiopile]

So far - the best combo I've been able to find for P-mounts is a Shure M110HE body with a JICO SAS installed in it.YMMV

[blueworm]

Another vote for Jico SAS.
On my SL-10 I'm using a Technics EPC-P24(10Hz-30KHz) with a Jico SAS stylus.

I really dont think you can better the Jico without paying crazy money and being lucky enough to find a NOS Technics cartridge of the exotic kind:
EPC-P100Cmk4; EPC-P205mk4; EPC-P205mk3; EPC-310MC

[ADCDAC]

From the Shure 1985 catalog (VinylEngine Library), V15 Type V looked like an improvement over Type IV. No surprise, really.

Therefore, V-P should be better than LT, despite LT's APPARENTLY better frequency response. But FR numbers mean very little anyway, unless deviations from the flat line are quoted (and they were not quoted anywhere I looked).

The catalog also put the V15 class on top of all the other Shures for 1985, including the M110HE. Still, thanks for the opinion.

JICO SAS looks like a sure bet, however.

Thanks also for pointing to Technics's little marvels. But it looks like a challenge to get one with a good stylus, especially since their manuals suggest replacing the stylus after 500 hours of play and those styluses are not manufactured anymore. I understand JICO styluses won't fit those cartridges either. Is that true?

If so, it looks like I practically have to turn my back to Technics carts unless Panasonic gets back to that business.

Compared to the V15 Shures, how are Audio-Technica and Grado p-mounts?

[audiopile]

Point on this is that unfortunately "new" styli for the Shure's aren't available.Personally - the few OEM I've checked via various test records and o'scope -even if old -seem to work fine. But the JICO's are fresh - newly manufactured and are darn good. Would have to rate cart manufacturers specs up with speaker manufacturers and PAC's for truthfulness/accuracy.And having said that - ya gotta think Shure knew what they were talking about in terms of their own products ??
I am also a bit confused about whether or not JICO makes a SAS for the various Technics carts - some yes - but some of JICO's distributors list specific SAS JICO styli for a wide swath of Technics /Panasonic bodies - apparently well beyond what JICO themselves say will fit/work ?

[ADCDAC]

I am also a bit confused about whether or not JICO makes a SAS for the various Technics carts - some yes - but some of JICO's distributors list specific SAS JICO styli for a wide swath of Technics /Panasonic bodies - apparently well beyond what JICO themselves say will fit/work ?

Good warning! A few reliable places you'd recommend to get a JICO for those old cartridges?

[audiopile]

You can ask JICO directly what fits what and also order direct from them. It's still a little interesting when you go looking for specific SAS styli - was able to get a SAS for my Shure SC-35C's direct from JICO (listening to Steely Dan Guacho right now -thru this combination and a SME-3 arm.). OTOH -JICO did not have a SAS stylus for the M110 - one of their distributors here in the US of A had several ?I purchased these -definitely JICO box and all. I suspect some of the SAS's are comparatively small runs and this may explain why they dry up in distribution this way ? The only high end Shure's I've compared directly are NOS VN-4G's to JICO SAS in a V-15-IV body - I prefer the SAS - but not by a lot. Guess my take is that a new unworn JICO SAS is a more comfortable choice for me than a worn out OEM - I care about my records much more than the equipment playing them.

[ADCDAC]

According to the specs, there are 7 TOP options:

1. Look for a stylus for the original EPC-P205C(3) cartridge, which may be just be a wish, because the P205C may have been lost.

2. Keep the Shure V15 LT with its current (good) stylus.
3. Try a JICO SAS stylus with it
4. Shure V15 V-P (discontinued, maybe a used one)

5. Ortofon X1-MCP $225 (apparently the only running MC for P-mounts)
6. Audio Technica AT-331LP $250
7. Grado Gold1 Prestige $220.

[audiopile]

Well - I've acquired a V-15 LT - not sure about stylus condition yet - but the V-15-IV stylus will not fit this cart ( unless possibly you carve up the stylus mount - not very appealing).