pickering cartriidge xv 15 any good.

hi chakster....confused about your response to my xv15 pickering cartridge.
What do you mean by the best look?
I was inquiring about the sound. 

Sorry @rocky1313 , i mean if you want the best then look for Pickering XSV-3000 or higher models in the Pickering line. It’s not about how the looks like, but about the sound.

Your XV-15 is entry level Pickering, just the basics, nothing special. Any model from XSV-3000 and higher are much better (different generator, different cantilever, different stylus profile), the XSV-5000 and XSV-7500 are truly amazing cartridges.

Fantastic cartridge! It is the equivalent of the Stanton 681 which was used to master many records back then. There are a lot of options as far as replacement stylus with a many decent after market ones. Give it a try and you will be surprised...

BTW the XV15 was never the cheapest of the Pickering. On the contrary it was top of the line, till it was replaced by other models.

@fselle

Your statement is false and seems like you don’t know the Stanton/Pickering models very well. It might be fantastic cartridge for you, but it reality it’s not a fantastic cartridge at all. Just a mediocre entry level cartridge that you can buy for $50 today.

Stanton 881s mkII (Stereohedron nude stylus) has been used for mastering by people like Doug Sax, not the lower 681s EEE with bonded Elliptical stylus.

But even 881s mkII wasn’t the top model (today price is about $300-400), there was 980 ans 981 models above the 881s. These 3 models are great, but the 980 and 981 are High-End even today. The price for each of them is double compared to 881s. The main differense of those 3 models is Stereohedron Stylus tip.

The pickering equivalent to Stanton 881s, 980 and 981 are Pickering XSV-3000, XSV-5000, XSV-7500. Any of them are worth the investment today. The stylus on all of them is Nude Stereohedron.

More information about Pickering line:
http://www.pickeringuk.com/hifi.html

And about XV-15 models:
http://www.pickeringuk.com/disco.html

About Stanton Pickering Cartridge-Stylus Compatibility:
https://www.kabusa.com/STANTONX.HTM