The Jico SAS/B Stylus VN 5 MR
The $285 Jico SAS/B VN 5 MR for the Shure V15 V MR turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. The diamond is a distinctly lower quality than what you find in $10K cartridges, but the contact patches are well formed and nicely polished which is what counts. SRA and Zenith are right on. You can compare it with other styluses here https://imgur.com/gallery/stylus-photomicrographs-51n5VF9. The next question is going to be, how does the V15 SAS/B combination sound? It sounds like the record, nothing less, nothing more. This is through my Grado headphones as my amps are off being modified to run with ESLs. My sense is it is not quite as dynamic as my other cartridges, but I really have to listen through the main system. I will add to this post as I hear more. One thing is for certain, this is one heck of a cartridge for $485, a bargain of immense proportion. It sounds very much like my old Soundsmith Voice a $3000 cartridge, but it tracks like a bandit at 1.2 grams.
@richardbrand I do not know Richard. What is the price of insanity. The AT540ML has a much higher moving mass and lower compliance than the V15, The V15 will track at 1/2 the VTF of the AT. I have not examined the 540, but I have examined other members of the VM line and can not say that I am overly impressed. To get on the vinyl merry-go-round for a few old records seems a bit promiscuous to me. There are superior, more reliable ways to HiFi nirvana. |
@mijostyn First time I've been accused of being promiscuous, at least over a few old records! I'd like to say that I've spent my money on wine, women and song: the rest I've wasted. As a ten-pound pom, I immigrated to Wollongong which had the biggest steelworks in the British Commonwealth. The public library had a big collection of classical records which it lent free. It also has 25 patrolled surf beaches, so it is no great surprise to find a surfing violinist, Richard Tognetti, heading one of the world's great orchestras, the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Now I am not sure what moving mass is in a cartridge? Another factor in my mind is that Audio Technica claims 1000 hours life versus half that for the Jico SAS which seems to have the same diamond pattern. Usually, like Oscar Wilde, I am easily satisfied with the best. Obviously at this price point, one can only expect good - hopefully good enough! |
For what it is worth, here's TAS' list of cartridges from 2020 "50 Top Bargains in High-End Audio": 1: Enry Level: Grado Prestige Black2 phono cartridge, $75 2. A step up: Audio Technica VM540ML and VM760SLC phono cartridges, $249/$649 3. Mid-priced: Hana SL phono cartridge, $750 4. Upper End: Kiseki Purple Heart phono cartridge, $3199 5 Ultra High End: Lyra Etna Lambda phono cartridge, $9999 I have not read a review of the ATs which says anything bad about them, not that I always trust reviewers. Home Theatre HiFi did a very comprehensive review of the Reavon UBR-X200 universal disk player but completely missed that it down-converts DSD to CD quality through its analog outputs - something I immediately noticed. While I have your attention, I forgot to mention that Presto Classical also carries an extensive Jazz selection, and carries vinyl as well as silver disks, streaming and downloads. Highly recommended. Happy listening |
