Shure M97xe v. Grado Black v. AT95E

[Trower]

Well I guess I'll chime in with my 2c worth

I have no love for the Shure 97xe, it was just to lifeless and harsh, I tolerated it for a good 25 hours before giving up on the thing. It wasn't terrible but it wasn't good to my ears.

Grado's are my favorite cartridges so I love the black. Grado's are very sensitive to setup but once you get it aligned right and the VTA set were it needs to be, it can be a really sweet sounding cart. If you listen to Jazz or acoustic music it is a must have!

The AT95e is a very nice cart and my favorite out of Audio Technicas line. A good tracker with a smooth semi bright sound. It can be upgraded also with LPgear.com styli, they have an HE and a Shibata stylus for it. They each improve the sound and make it a killer cart. It would also mate very well with your arm compliance wise.

Hope whatever you decide on works out well for you, Nick

 

[catman]

G'day all, the M97xE described as 'harsh'?! None of my three M97xE's could ever be described as 'harsh'!

You must have had a bad unit! Regards, Felix aka catman.

 

[hakaplan]

G'day all, the M97xE described as 'harsh'?! None of my three M97xE's could ever be described as 'harsh'!

You must have had a bad unit! Regards, Felix aka catman.

I agree. Harsh is the last word I'd use to describe the M97xE. Transparent, neutral, mellow, any of which some might perceive as "boring," but never harsh. Incidentally, it's transparency and neutrality are the reasons some people like it so much.

 

[Trower]

G'day all, the M97xE described as 'harsh'?! None of my three M97xE's could ever be described as 'harsh'!

You must have had a bad unit! Regards, Felix aka catman.

It wasn't a bad unit, I have heard two different carts with the same results. I guess maybe it was not harsh just kinda grainy I guess (don't really know the word I would use) just not smooth like the Grado's. I did not really play with the loading much, just put longer rca's to increase it, so the highs were a bit lacking too. I just was overall very disappointed with the sound in comparison with similarly priced budget carts, namingly the AT95E. Not that I even hate the Shure "house sound" I liked the V15 type III I heard and a 92 something I think it was, both very good sounding carts, just don't care for there cheeped up 97xe. And if you look around there are many that share the same view of them, dull, lifeless, boring, distorted, ect, so its not just me. I just say this because I don't want anyone to 1. buy a cart uniformed since there are not many places to demo anymore 2. be informed about other carts so they can research them as well. I don't think my opinion is worth much, its just what I think, and what I like! Audio is very opinion based, and I hope the OP takes mine with a grain of salt, Nick

 

[catman]

Fair enough comment! Each to their own. I love my M97xE's, especially when optimally loaded (electrically).

A while back I attended a concert of classical music played by one of our leading Australian orchestras and listening to it intently, it occurred to me that the M97xE replicates the sound of a live performance rather accurately without exaggeration or 'voicing'. I like that. Regards, Felix aka catman.

 

[jazzwolf]

A friend of mine is a big jazz fan and expert, he can tell who is playing what on any record and usually amazes me with his knowledge of obscure players when I check he is always corrrect, He actually used to write a jazz column for a local stereo store in NY years ago. The reason I bring this up is because he is someone whose opinion I GREATLY respect. When he comes to visit me from NY we obviously crack open up a case of beer and listen to music and he ALWAYS asks me to use the Shure M97XE cartridge. Now I've previously gone on record here as saying that the cartridge is boring and lifeless to me but he thinks just the opposite. He always tells me how smooth and perfect it is for jazz and he also states that it doesn't "color" the music. My opinion hasn't changed about the cartridge but I definitely respect it and I can see how it could be "THE" cartridge for some listeners.

 

[brickbuster]

they all will sound good to you, I bought the sure m97xe and it sounded great until i heard the grado red, it blows the shure away , You going to need a box of q-tips and a bottle of peroxide to clean your ears out if you buy the sure m97xe, I haven't heard the at 440l yet , ANOTHER one to consider is the stanton 681 eee it sounds great!

 

[catman]

Hey Jazzwolf, nice story. Yes that's pretty well how I hear my M97xE's too.

Interestingly enough I also have an Ortofon 2M Red which is a top cartridge but although it sounds 'nice', it's a little too 'euphonic' sounding for me!

Yet I realize that 'euphonic' niceness will be just what many listeners are after! Regards, Felix aka catman.

 

[jazzwolf]

Hey Jazzwolf, nice story. Yes that's pretty well how I hear my M97xE's too.

Interestingly enough I also have an Ortofon 2M Red which is a top cartridge but although it sounds 'nice', it's a little too 'euphonic' sounding for me!

Yet I realize that 'euphonic' niceness will be just what many listeners are after! Regards, Felix aka catman.

The funny thing is that regardless of what I've said about the cartridge I still would never give it up. It is still the perfect tracker as that stabilizer brush is fantastic. I think that at the price it's being sold for nowadays there's no reason why you shouldn't at least give it a try, especially if you come across one of those warped records (and you will!). You can sit back and watch that brush do it's magic.

 

[hakaplan]

The funny thing is that regardless of what I've said about the cartridge I still would never give it up. It is still the perfect tracker as that stabilizer brush is fantastic. I think that at the price it's being sold for nowadays there's no reason why you shouldn't at least give it a try, especially if you come across one of those warped records (and you will!). You can sit back and watch that brush do it's magic.

+1 :thmbsp:

 

[catman]

G'day all, a quick? story. Of my three M97xE's the one that gets the most use is the first one that I purchased back around 2003/4. It ended up being the one that became the object of all my evaluations and learning with that particular cartridge.

I learned all about optimised electrical loading and overhang set up with it. It even suffered the indignity of being pumped full of spray lubricant (WD-40), and even had to be reglued when the mounting bar fell off. That was an interesting exercise in itself.

Despite all that it's been through it's never missed a beat, and continues to present me with beautiful music Regards, Felix aka catman.

 

[audiojones]

The funny thing is that regardless of what I've said about the cartridge I still would never give it up. It is still the perfect tracker as that stabilizer brush is fantastic. I think that at the price it's being sold for nowadays there's no reason why you shouldn't at least give it a try, especially if you come across one of those warped records (and you will!). You can sit back and watch that brush do it's magic.

YEP :yes:

As for the Grado Red...it sounded nice, but hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. That's $120 that I'll never get back.

 

[brickbuster]

my grado red cost 100.00 off the bay , i payed 60.00 for the sure m97xe, The sure just sounds a bit flat for my taste. Now a good competition would be the grado gold vrs. shure v15 mxr

 

[pmsummer]

After going back and forth between my Shure M97xE, Audio Technica AT15Sa with the 15SS stylus, and a Grado Green... I ordered a spare M97xE to keep in reserve.

 

[bsujeep]

After going back and forth between my Shure M97xE, Audio Technica AT15Sa with the 15SS stylus, and a Grado Green... I ordered a spare M97xE to keep in reserve.

I have the AT20SLa with AT20SS stylus which I am pretty sure is the same stylus as your 15SS. I have an M97xE, but I don't have it on anything right now. Could you say why you liked it better. Did it have to do with the instruments just sounding right like some of the other posters above have mentioned?

Very curious, I have actually lent out my M97xE and don't have it right now. Maybe I should buy another.:scratch2:

 

[Superbad]

Hey guys,

Just thought I'd let you know that I decided to go with the M97xe and it got delivered today! Been setting it up for the last hour or so, so I think I have it somewhat well aligned. I think i have it fairly close to the protractor that came with it, and also checked to see that it is 49mm from the washer, so that is all good.

I have a couple questions in terms of the tracking settings for it. The optimum is at 1.25g correct? If you put down the tracking stabilizer it says that it should be at 1.75g, but does that mean you set it to 1.75 or is that just how much it will be effectively tracking at if you leave it at 1.25?

Also for the anti-skate, do you leave that at 1.25 or bump it up to around 1.75?

It sounds pretty good so far, I'm throwing some CSNY Deja Vu on it to see if it can handle all of the various ranges.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[Junknewbian]

Shure 97

I am buying two of the Shures, with headshells, so that I can accurately and easily compare turntables that I get from thrift stores, garage sales and craigslist. I have found it very difficult to compare two tables that have different cartridges, as you don't know what piece of the chain is the weak one.

The Shures are decent, rugged, replaceable, cheap, and sound good. What more can you ask? Especially since I (and most people on this thread) am not listening to perfect recordings on perfect tables.

 

[pmsummer]

I have the AT20SLa with AT20SS stylus which I am pretty sure is the same stylus as your 15SS. I have an M97xE, but I don't have it on anything right now. Could you say why you liked it better. Did it have to do with the instruments just sounding right like some of the other posters above have mentioned?

Well, it does Jazz better than any cart I've ever had. Detail? Quickness? Punch? Immediacy? It just seems very CRISP in its presentation, and small ensemble acoustic Jazz is often very revealing. And the sucker TRACKS like there's no tomorrow, and for a used LP bin scrounger like myself, that's important.

I won't say it's better than the AT15SS, but it may be slightly more enjoyable at this time.

I do not have "golden ears", and as a matter of fact, I have some hearing damage from all those shoulder-height, brass-encased explosions I endured over 30 years ago.

But for $55, I need this back-up!

 

[audiojones]

Hey guys,

Just thought I'd let you know that I decided to go with the M97xe and it got delivered today! Been setting it up for the last hour or so, so I think I have it somewhat well aligned. I think i have it fairly close to the protractor that came with it, and also checked to see that it is 49mm from the washer, so that is all good.

I have a couple questions in terms of the tracking settings for it. The optimum is at 1.25g correct? If you put down the tracking stabilizer it says that it should be at 1.75g, but does that mean you set it to 1.75 or is that just how much it will be effectively tracking at if you leave it at 1.25?

Also for the anti-skate, do you leave that at 1.25 or bump it up to around 1.75?

Actually that stylus will probably be a little happier at around 1.5 with the brush up, with the brush down set the weight to 1.75. Set the anti-skating to whatever the weight is set to.

They come with protractors now?! Man, back when I bought mine it didn't come with anything - not even a screwdriver. :sigh:

 

[catman]

Superbad, congrats on the purchase of the M97xE. It might be worth having a read of this little article Ive done up on cartridge overhang set-up I wrote very recently.

Correct overhang is particularly important with the M97xE.
http://www.mds975.co.uk/Content/vinyl07.html Re the tracking weight, with the 'brush' in use increase it to 1.75g. The same with anti skate. Anyway, that's the way I do it. Regards, Felix aka catman.