The Jico SAS/B Stylus VN 5 MR

I have a question for everyone on this thread. All of you are far more knowledgeable than me about this subject. I have a V15 type V cart that is not in use at the moment. It has an Ed Saunders stylus. I think that those styli were sort of an "economy" product, not sure though. I have been wondering if I should invest in a new "good" stylus, such as the Jico, for the V15. The thing that has me on the fence is the very high compliance rating of the original form of the V15 and how that relates to using it on relatively modern tonearms. I have a Linn Ittok and an Audio Origami PU7. Does the V15 need to be on a low mass arm or am I overinflating the issue?

@mwh777 The V15 V MR with a Jico SAS/B stylus will work in either arm, I think the PU 7 is better. If the resonance frequency is too low you can use the Damper, but you have to add another 0.5 gm to the VTF. The problem is going to be the size of the counterweight. The V15 is very light and for many arms requires a lighter counterbalance weight. 

search ’headshell weight’, options exist to make the headshell end heavier, thus use ’too large’ counterweight

another solution, if your’s is removable, it to use a heavier headshell with a lighter cartridge

some headshells have adjustable azimuth, and open sides for access

mijostyn OP

"The Jico diamond is not near the highest quality. It is full of contamination (so bad it won’t pass light) which will increase the rate of wear."

I'm not defending Jico, but I am assuming their claims are essentially true.

Jico specs came with the Stylus: ..they say

"natural octahedral single-crystal diamond"

and theirs specifically "should last for approximately 500 playing hours (2-3 times as long as a standard diamond stylus)." **** note: they left out the word ’shape’, or ’elliptical’ ****** which they rate as 250 hours, they rate spherical/conical at 150 hours. They are comparing diamond shape, not diamond quality.

It’s only the tracing edge that matters correct? Are you saying a higher quality diamond’s edge will last a LOT longer, i.e. cost/life value?

Has any maker published higher quality/longer life documentation (not claims, proof of some sort)?

@elliottbnewcombjr Do you believe your eyes? Compare the pictures. As I said, the diamond is full of contamination, one edge is obviously pitted. The contact patches are well cut and polished and the stylus is perfectly oriented. But a diamond that contaminated is obviously going to be softer. Just looking at the Soundsmith stylus, another microridge, which do you think is going to last longer? However, the Jico is a $285 item VS all those others that are in $10K plus cartridges. You get what you pay for and in this case it is a very serviceable stylus, it just won't last as long. I'll buy another to hold is reserve. what is really going to be fun is comparing the V15 to my other cartridges when my moving coil phono stage returns. It has a little gremlin the factory took care of. 

Trying to predict a styluses life span is a fool's errand.  There are way to many variables involved to be able to predict this, VTF, AS, Cleanliness, diamond purity, polish, contact patch area plus whatever I am missing. There are things you can say about it like, lower VTFs will prolong life, clean records will prolong life and so forth.