Radio Shack - Shure Cartridge help

[PastorTube]

I have a Radio Shack phono cart with no stylus. The only labeling on the cart is:

RS
Shure
965

Then on the body of the cart there is a "TK"

I thought I read some time ago that this might be a Shure V-15 type III

Can anyone tell me what this cart really is and what type of stylus I should be looking for (part number wise).
Thanks

 

[wualta]

A photo or two would make identification a cinch.

TK is a date-of-manufacture code. According to Shure's chart, it was made in November 1980.

It's either got a flat bottom, making it a clone of the M75 family, or a rounded V bottom, which would make it an M95 or M97 (not M97xE) derivative.

Radio Shack didn't sell a Realistic-branded version of the V15 Type III or IV, so we know it isn't that.

 

[marcmorin]

looks to be the RS version of the N15 (SPS) series..........

https://www.kabusa.com/shurecross.pdf

 

[vwestlife]

Here are the phono cartridges and styli that Radio Shack was selling in 1980:

http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/html/1980/h065.html

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Note to that all of these but one were M75 variants save for one. Wish I could buy those styli today for those prices.

 

[PastorTube]

Pics of Shure cart.

If it can be identified what are people’s thoughts on this cart. Is it worth getting a stylus. I am using a rega Planar 3 with Mayware formula 4. I also have an Elac 10.

On the Rega I am using a denon DL-160

 

[wualta]

Aha. It's not from Radio Shack. The "RS" (often mistaken for "25") is actually a comically bad font trying to say "PS" for Shure Performance and Sound.

These were for the house-brand or private-label market. The one you have is basically an Era IV M97HE but came with its own unique-looking stylus. Shure called the cartridge SPS-6 (the very useful but not infallible 2004 Shure chart is in error calling it an SPS-5).

It will be hard to find for reasonable money, but here's the SPS-6 (ie, your "965") with the N16 (aka NPS-6) stylus (Pfanstiehl 770-DHX):


Now, is this cartridge in the same league as your Denon? Arguably not, but can the SPS-6 be enjoyable? Can other Shure/generic styli fit it? certainly. Let us know what your aspirations [and budget] are.