SHURE V-15 TYPE III

Pre owned. Comes with original packaging and manual.

The Shure V15-III represents the latest evolution in Shure’s "Super-track" series, a line of top-tier cartridges that in previous versions had raised some concerns due to a dip in the 6 kHz range, resulting in a somewhat lifeless sound. Unlike earlier models, the V15-III includes a specification for total cable capacitance, recommending between 400 and 500 picofarads per channel — a figure that might initially seem restrictive. In reality, this cartridge no longer requires a precise capacitance value to maintain a linear frequency response, making it less sensitive to variations in capacitive loading compared to its predecessors. However, it isn’t completely immune: with the manufacturer’s maximum recommended load of 500 pF, there’s a slight brightening that almost masks the high-frequency rolloff above 10 kHz, while below 400 pF, the previously problematic dip in the 6–10 kHz range is no longer present — a key improvement over earlier V15 models.

The V15-III is Shure’s first high-trackability cartridge that offers a sound that feels alive and natural, improving in several aspects over the V15-II Improved. The high end is smoother and more extended than before, surpassing even prestigious competitors like the Decca Mark V and the Ortofon M-15 Super. Its trackability is superior, though this may not always be immediately apparent in a direct comparison. An important detail is that the earlier V15 exhibited a frequency trough around 7 kHz that helped mask mistracking distortion, making the sound seem cleaner than it actually was. The V15-III, lacking this trough, reproduces any breakup more audibly; even though it occurs less often, it’s more noticeable when it does. This more realistic presentation comes with a trade-off, but it’s exactly what makes the V15-III unique.

That said, there’s little doubt that the V15-III is the best-tracking cartridge money can buy. It can handle extremely high modulation velocities slightly better than the Ortofon M15 and significantly better than the Decca Mark V, although most records aren’t cut hot enough to challenge even the Decca. The superior tracking ability of the Shure and Ortofon is therefore more of a reserve capacity for extreme cases rather than a clear sonic advantage. Furthermore, there are still records that mistrack with all three cartridges, proving that perfect tracking is not yet a solved issue.

In terms of stereo separation, the V15-III measures better than any cartridge we’ve ever tested, especially in the high frequencies, where others tend to lose definition. This translates into a very wide and spacious soundstage. However, stereo imaging isn’t quite as sharply defined as with the Decca, although it is slightly better than the Ortofon. The front-to-back depth isn’t as precise as the Decca’s either, but again, slightly better than the Ortofon’s. In terms of texture, the ranking is the same once again: compared to the Decca’s crystalline transparency and airy openness, the Shure sounds subtly grainy and dry, but slightly less so than the Ortofon M-15 Super.

Overall sound quality is rated as excellent, with minimal coloration. Only a slight steeliness in the highs becomes noticeable when reproducing massed strings, along with a vague sense of heaviness. At the extreme top end, the V15-III exhibits an almost whisper-like delicacy, a quality we’ve observed before in elliptical styli but which we suspect is slightly exaggerated compared to the original master tape, which tends to be more balanced. This could be due to the elliptical stylus slightly boosting the high frequencies that were originally adjusted to sound correct with a spherical stylus during studio playback.

The spherical-tipped version of the V15-III was not tested, but it’s expected to exhibit less of this extreme-top whisper and a somewhat coarser texture, with slightly less precise tracking of loud high-frequency modulations. However, if it can track cleanly at forces below 1.5 grams — as suggested in Shure’s specifications — it could almost eliminate record wear as a concern, leaving dust buildup as the only residual issue.

For the elliptical version, Shure recommends a tracking force between 0.75 and 1.25 grams, and this was the first time we didn’t feel the need to use the maximum recommended force to achieve the cleanest sound and minimal wear. On a good tonearm, we found no improvement beyond 1 gram, so that was the force used for the tests.

Finally, there was a slight observed tendency toward a low-frequency rise, which could explain the sense of heaviness, though its cause is unclear. Generally, bass performance is similar across cartridges except in the resonance range where compliance interacts with tonearm mass. A "muddy" low end usually indicates resonance at too low a frequency, introducing subsonic signals into a system not equipped to handle them, while a "full" bass typically suggests resonance occurring within or near the audible range.

Technical specifications:

• Typical trackability (at 1 gram on Shure-SME tonearm, Shure TTR 103 reference record): 400 Hz – 26 cm/sec; 1000 Hz – 38 cm/sec; 5000 Hz – 35 cm/sec; 10,000 Hz – 26 cm/sec
• Frequency response (with optimum load): 10–25,000 Hz
• Output voltage: 3.5 mV per channel at 1000 Hz, 5 cm/sec peak recorded velocity; output from each channel within ±2 dB
• Channel separation: nominally 28 dB at 1000 Hz; nominally 20 dB at 10,000 Hz
• Tracking force range: from 0.75 to 1.25 grams
• Optimum load: 47,000 ohms in parallel with 400–500 pF total capacitance per channel; load resistance can be up to 70,000 ohms with almost no audible change in frequency response; total capacitance includes both tonearm wiring and amplifier input circuit (most amplifiers and tonearms meet this requirement)
• Inductance: nominally 500 millihenries
• D.C. resistance: nominally 1350 ohms
• Output terminals: 4 terminals
• Mounting: standard with 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) mounting hole spacing
• Net weight: 6 grams