SHURE M9xE:
BASS
Dynamics & Punch - 6.75
Extension - 6.75
Control & Definition - 6
TREBLE
Detail & Refinement - 5.5
Extension - 5.5
MIDRANGE
Naturalness - 5.5
Sibilance-free -6.5
TONALITY - 5.5
RHYTHM & TIMING - 5.75
DETAIL & HARMONICS - 5.5
IMAGING & FOCUS - 5.5
SOUNDSTAGING - 5.5
OVERALL SCORE for SHURE M9xE = 70.25/120.
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After spending 8 weeks of doing :-D :
-VERY intensive running in of 50hrs per cartridge,
-subsequent intensive sweet spot listening and
-off-field, off-centre casual listening to get used to and for me to soak into each of their tonal characteristics,
I have finally been able to release the results of the cartridges! And thank you friends for your patience.
Group A of USD$70-80 cartridges consist of:
-AudioTechnica AT100e,
-Goldring Elan,
-Grado Black,
-Ortofon OM5e,
-Sumiko Oyster :-D
Group B of USD$90-120 cartridges consist of:
-AudioTechnica AT120eB,
-Goldring Elektra,
-Grado Green,
-Nagaoka MP-110,
-Ortofon 2M Red,
-Shure M97xE,
-Sumiko Black Pearl :-)
Much hard work,
and it is my fervent wish that the honest-to-goodness manufacturers that come up with truly brilliant products will be recognised and earn their rightful sales from us consumers, who have been constantly blighted by the advertisement dollars and “obligations” audio magazines (both newsstand and online audio sites) have towards the manufacturers and retailers who pay them advertisement monies. Many of my friends here all over the world have told me many stories and situations about such “obligations”. A “ring of dubious network” they even put it. I hear all of you, my friends. And thank you very much.
I came out with my own monies to do this review: buying the 12 cartridges from musicdirect.com and lpgear.com websites to maintain neutrality to all of my local retailers.
I have also painstakingly bought 12 Jelco HS-25 cartridges, adjustable for AZIMUTH.
All 12 cartridges have been EACH FITTED ON TO each’s OWN JELCO HS-25 high quality magnesium headshell with Litz wires.
EVERY CARTRIDGE has been painstakingly adjusted for:
-OVERHANG,
-AZIMUTH,
-TRACKING FORCE,
-VTA and more accurately, the correct STYLUS RAKE ANGLE of 92degrees.
I am thus been able to do the critical A-B-C-D-E-B-E-C-A-D-C-A-E-D-B QUICK CHANGING AND QUICK SWAPPING OF CARTRIDGES WITH THE ABOVE PREPARATIONS.
So that I am able to ASSESS and COMPARE & CONTRAST all the cartridges in whichever fashion I want to zoom in on, VERY QUICKLY and not leaving to IMAGINATION AND MEMORY of how each cartridge sounded during this critical A-B-C-D-E-B-E-C-A-D-C-A-E-D-B COMPARISONS.
It has been all, a very long and tedious process, and making sure it is totally fair, and that every cartridge is given the precise measurements/alignments to shine.
The AUDITIONING PROCESS includes listening through:
- Avid Sequel with SME V and Technics SL1200Mk5,
- the Schiit Mani phonostage,
- the Avid Pulsare2 phonostage with adjustable capacitance settings to countercheck for optimum cartridge performance:
As stated by their respective manufacturers' :
- AudioTechnica AT100e = 100-200pF
- AudioTechnica AT120eb = 100-200pF
- Goldring Elan = 150-400pF
- Goldring Elektra = 150-400pF
- Grado Black = not stated by manufacturer
- Grado Green = not stated by manufacturer
- Nagaoka MP-110 = not stated by manufacturer
- Ortofon OM5e = 200-600pF
- Ortofon 2M Red = 150-300pF
- Shure M97xE = 200-300pF
- Sumiko Oyster = not stated by manufacturer
- Sumiko Black Pearl = not stated by manufacturer
The AUDITIONING PROCESS includes listening through:
- main hall system through Vitus RI-100 integrated amplifier and B&W804D speakers (front-ported),
- main bedroom through the Aktimate Blue active speakers (rear-ported),
- study room through the Dali Kubik Free + Extra stereo pair of active speakers (sealed box design).
Thank you Friends, I HEREBY PRESENT TO ALL OF YOU,
THE COMPREHENSIVE 12 CARTRIDGE REVIEW SERIES:
- GROUP A USD$70-80 : FIVE CARTRIDGES SHOOT OUT,
- AND GROUP B USD$90-120 : SEVEN CARTRIDGES SHOOT OUT.
Sincerely,
Ian.
***
Music Attribution
Musc used with permission from:
www.bensound.com