What cartridge upgrade from a Shure V15 V-MR?

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For El Donkey, a couple of cclose ups of my MMC2. They will never make them like this again! photo courtesy of Ray Parkhurst who was checking the wear on it.


Note there is an odd cut on the diamond but the wear surfaces are in great condition as it was used on a linear tracker.
 

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Those are good images. I shall have to have a play around myself at some point. Be interesting to compare that to the 3 I have for cut (if they remain in good order).

I have a macro lens. I'd guess that first image was focus stacked.
I also have a low cost digi microscope which took exceptional close ups but the drivers were not updated.
I can still get it to work but not as nicely as it did with the originals.
 
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Those were all done on a serious focus stacking rig*. Ray specialises in photographing coins MacroCoins Home but has started doing stylii as well for the challenge. He's dispelled a few myths about stylus wear on his threads on Vinyl Engine. One day I will have a suitable rig for this, but right now no where to put one.



*P.S. well done for spotting that.
 
You are just awaiting an adapter from the US before testing the MMC2 on another arm then?

I know how the MMC20CL sounded on different B&O tables. What I never tried though was that setup through my tube amps. It ran through a beomaster 4400
That was good for a solid state but would probably have benefitted from updated caps.
What the amp could do though is output via a divider a form of surround sound. Not full quad but takes a differential to separate rear from front in a good recording.
In that mode, you could really tell the 20CL from the lesser cartridges.

I had a spell of collecting early stereo test disc by Decca etc. One is a collection of two channel recordings which contain a good 360deg signal.
It has a diagram showing the basic resistor matrix to split the sound between four speakers.
I often run this as the effect is a great deal of rear depth.
Test tracks like the bumble bee have it spinning around your head.
Or an old concert hall recording where you can clearly hear people behind you.
The train station and race track recordings also show it off very well.
Its not just a gimmick though, on any good recording the effect can be immersing. Changing back to two channel after can seem lifeless.
You only need a small pair of rear speakers to enable it.
I use a set of B&O CX75s as take up little space and look nice.
Listening to many of these old test records bring home how flat most modern recordings are.
 
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Both cart and adaptor are together in CA. I was due to fly out last spring to see a friend and pick them up, but lockdown started 3 days before that was due. Phooey. The post from USA has been ropey enough in the interim I haven't wanted to risk having it posted.



Recordings done with a crossed pair of mics can respond very well to passive surround, but anything multitracked will have a variable respone as there will not be clear R-L and L-R signals.
 
I feel its a shame this setup is forgotten or unknown to many. With the right material (which is quite a bit to be fair) it becomes my virtual reality machine :)

Its a two second job to switch between them.

I have one test track which is a train approaching from the distance. Maybe the mic was between the tracks.

For a bit of fun I put visitors in the hot seat and set the volume high.

The 2 x subs pick up the approaching rumble and the 4 channels the realism.

As it gets close you see the listener go into the fight or flight situation, they know the train isn't real but still do it :)
 
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In 1986 i bought my first GTi. A 1979 5 sp.
I drove it like a lune, new tyres wouldn't last 3000 miles.
Sold it to my brother and bought a TVR 3000m
Then had Alfas, 205 1.9 GTI.
The 205 was a rocket but then happened to drive my first Golf again. It was still the best.
I owned 10 golf GTis in all before moving on to more powerful cars.
The original was always the best.