Is the Shure V15 IV a 'quiet' cartridge?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Jump to Latest
Kay Pirinha

Kay Pirinha

Member
Joined 2011
#1
Hello,

some weeks ago an old friend of mine gave to me a Shure V15 IV cartridge in apparently good condition. As soon as I had installed it onto my vintage Dual 1229 TT, I noticed that I had to push the console's volume fader somewhat further to get about the same loudness as from any other MM cartridges that I own. Even all my Shure cartridges of comparable age (M75, M91, M95) are louder. Is there a real issue with my V15, or is it per se quieter than other carts?

Best regards!
 
Last edited:
#5
Checked M91, and that can be up to 6.2mV depending on stylus. Now that would be 3.8dB which would be noticable. M95 vs V15 difference is small enough (1.4dB) I am suprised you even noticed. So could be your V15 stylus is not pushed fully home. Only real way to tell is with a test record and scope.
 
#6
billshurv said:
When Jon decides to be wrong, he makes sure he is properly wrong!

V15 is MM. Let me just check the specs.

V15IV is 4mV, M95 for example is 4.7mV, so yes its a lower output.
Click to expand...

Apologies to all.
Never trust google search as that is where the information came from. A quick second check, from the Shure web site, reveals otherwise and yes, the difference is little compared to other Shure products. A very old design with lots of mods to the shape of the stylus.
 
#7
billshurv said:
Checked M91, and that can be up to 6.2mV depending on stylus. Now that would be 3.8dB which would be noticable. M95 vs V15 difference is small enough (1.4dB) I am suprised you even noticed. So could be your V15 stylus is not pushed fully home. Only real way to tell is with a test record and scope.
Click to expand...

Fortunately, the same friend also gave me a Shure Aera IV test record, although a bit warped. I'll check and - hopefully - see.

Btw, as far as I know, Shure never made any MC cartridges. Please correct me if I'm wrong!

Best regards!
 
Last edited:
#8
Meanwhile I'm convinced my V15 body has issues. Not only that it's not that loud as other Shures, but also it tends to distort at relatively moderate levels. The V15 IV stylus transplanted into a M95 body doesn't show any of these issues, it sounds just marvelously. So I decided to keep this combination.

Best regards!
 
#10
I would spend some time with the cartridge under a microscope, see if it has dirt/damage on the mating section, cracks, gaps etc.
I think any of this would give low output - but not distortion. Mechanical reasons seem most obvious.

I would take ohmmeter readings of both coils, but not sure if that magnetizes things? It does with tape-heads.

Any suggestions for replacement stylus for the V15 IV? Ed Saunders offers some but I don't know what people are using.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom