Shure M97xE Audiophile Phono Cartridge with Elliptical Stylus

2017-06-25T15:06:49

We had been ordering this cartridge for many years now and is the one we suggest to our customers that are looking for high quality sound and we have never gone wrong, everyone likes it and many of them came back for more of them to install in all their turntables. From our point of view, we think that we would have to spend over $ to get at least the same quality from another brand, the sound is natural and very well defined. Is not like the vintage V-15 Type III but when the tonearm is well calibrated , it gets pretty close.

Luis G.

2017-06-05T12:45:53

I like this cartridge as a lower cost alternative. Gives a good reproduction of the full range of sound. I use it on a Technics SL 1600 Mk2, coupled to a Pioneer SA 7100 AMP (1975) pushing two Bose 301 series III.

ANTHONY K.

2016-07-06T11:43:06

I was reviving my 30 year old Dual 1249 turntable with it's original Shure V15 Type III cartridge. I noticed that the needle was missing and thought I needed to replace the entire cartridge. The Shure M97 has excellent performance ratings and it definitely performs as advertised. I later discovered that I could have just changed the needle in my original cartridge and it would have solved the problem at a fraction of the cost. I'll do that and then keep the V15 as a spare. I don't regret the purchase, however,...it's a top notch performer.

Michael G.

2016-06-03T19:16:42

I'm only just getting back into vinyl, but I've listened to 4 different cartridges on my Technics SL-1600 mk1 and while they all sound good, this one just seems to have a better sound. The price may influence my opinion as well. This sounds AT LEAST as good as the carts I heard that were more than twice as much.

Daniel L.

2016-06-02T11:13:16

Shure used to ship these with longer screws and some little plastic spacers to accommodate for different arm / cartridge heights. Luckily I had the right spacer from my previous purchase...! Sound wise.....it's a Shure...what else can I say.

VLADIMIR A.

2016-05-17T17:08:26

I just installed this on my panasonic technics sl-1950 with a new head shell as well. It is a nice upgrade from the cartridge that came with the turntable when I bought it second hand.

cara h.

2016-04-26T07:35:10

The Shure M97xE has a very neutral quality, not particularly bright or overly bassy. I like its very natural sound quality. At least that is the way it comes across on the system that I listen to.

George W.

2016-02-24T08:21:16

Great sound with an affordable price. Shure. Always a sure bet.

KARL F.

2016-02-23T17:41:26

I own 75+ (mainly) vintage cartridges from several makers. These include a new Shure M97xE. I also own several vintage Shure carts including the M91ED M93E M95ED M95HE, etc., as well as Stanton 680/681EEE, Empire 2000 E/III 2000Z, Audio Technica Shibata needle models, Audio Tech. AT125LC, ADCO moving coil cart, several vintage ADC and Ortofon models. None of the old ones are junk by any stretch, outdated or outclassed by this Shure. This is not to say the M97xE is a bad cartridge, but factor in the cost of replacement needles. Those sell for almost as much as a new M97xE cartridge ($50 range) and that makes this cartridge a non-value in my book. Further, I can get over the recommended 1000 hours of play out of the vintage needles just by keeping my vinyl clean. The new Shure needle has a much shorter play life than the old needles (under 1000 hours). I can buy any of the Shure aftermarket needles for under $20 for those models I mentioned above. The same is true for most of the other brands mentioned above, excluding the Shibata and AT125LC. The same can be said about the modern Ortofon 2M Red. The Red sounds OK, but you can't even replace the needle on it, just the whole cartridge! Don't bend the stylus boys and girls! The sound of the Ortofon is not better than the older models I mentioned above, but adequate. I like their older models just as well. Good luck and happy listening!

demort71

2016-01-23T16:03:45

The Shure M97xE cartridge is a very smooth performer. It accurately tracks almost any playable record you can place on your turntable, even those in less than pristine condition, such as warped or scratched. The sonic balance is warm/neutral, as opposed to bright, but that contributes to it's listenability for long periods. Bright cartridges will make your ears feel fatigued after a long listening session. Having a Warm/neutral balance, however, does not mean inaccurate or dull. They are quite able to dynamically reproduce bass, mids, male/female vocals, and high notes, such as cymbal crashes competently and as recorded. I have read that the "Shure house sound" slightly depresses the mid range a very slight amount to achieve this smoothness, a trait a lot of speaker designers use when they are voiced. In addition to sounding great with any genre of music, the cartridge has some other advantages; high traceability, wide compliance due to the moderating action of the flip down brush. and relatively high output to drive your preamp to high S/N levels. The built in brush flips up when not in use, but when down it assists in tracking warps, making the tonearm compatibility higher to enable use with a wide variety of mass designs, as well as an effective dust brush to clear the way for the stylus to track a clean record groove. Some claim the cartridge sounds better with the brush up, but I cannot really perceive a difference and I like the benefits of using it. One last benefit I might mention is that this cartridge does not require a heavy tracing force (.75 to 1.5 grams-1.25 gr. nominal) which will help reduce record wear. If using the brush, set VTF to 1.75 gr to compensate for the negative (upward) force exerted by the brush resistance. In short, I really like this cartridge, and can recommend it highly.

ROBERT B.

2015-03-11T21:00:00

I read quite a few reviews on this before purchasing, some great and some seemingly from audiophile "snobs". Set up was easy (installation and alignment) with the right tools. I've got this paired with a 1974 Pioneer Pl-12D, and it sounds fantastic! So far, it has been able to accurately track minor to relatively moderate warped vinyl. I've played a little of everything including 50's/60's jazz recordings (really shined here), 70's rock (again, shined here) and some 80's pop/rock (did quite well on most). This cart with the stock stylus has a mellow presentation, rather than an in your face sound. I happen to love the sound! Highs aren't hot, rather more pleasing for longer listening. Bass on my table and system is OK. In my opinion, it may be a little lacking for MY configuration compared to the other carts I've heard on my system (Grado Black and Empire 2000e/III). Bass is fairly tight and perhaps when it breaks in a bit, will open up a bit. I'm using it with the brush down and with tracking set at about 1.75 grams and aligned, and I'm quite pleased with the sound I'm getting. With the price of this cart and the sound, you really can't go wrong! Take the time to set it up properly and it's a winner.

Warren

2015-03-11T21:00:00

I read quite a few reviews on this before purchasing, some great and some seemingly from audiophile "snobs". Set up was easy (installation and alignment) with the right tools. I've got this paired with a 1974 Pioneer Pl-12D, and it sounds fantastic! So far, it has been able to accurately track minor to relatively moderate warped vinyl. I've played a little of everything including 50's/60's jazz recordings (really shined here), 70's rock (again, shined here) and some 80's pop/rock (did quite well on most). This cart with the stock stylus has a mellow presentation, rather than an in your face sound. I happen to love the sound! Highs aren't hot, rather more pleasing for longer listening. Bass on my table and system is OK. In my opinion, it may be a little lacking for MY configuration compared to the other carts I've heard on my system (Grado Black and Empire 2000e/III). Bass is fairly tight and perhaps when it breaks in a bit, will open up a bit. I'm using it with the brush down and with tracking set at about 1.75 grams and aligned, and I'm quite pleased with the sound I'm getting. I'm not experiencing the inner groove distortion at the level other reviewers seem to be experiencing. I have NOT really noticed any on the recordings I've played. With the price of this cart and the sound, you really can't go wrong! Take the time to set it up properly and it's a winner.

Warren B.

2014-03-07T19:00:00

Item arrived on time and in good condition. I will not be installing soon.

PAUL R.

2014-03-03T19:00:00

My last cartridge was a moving coil by Dynavetor, but this Shure M97xE performs every bit as good, if not better.

TIM H.