V15 Type IV

About the V15 Type IV

The Shure V15 Type IV phono cartridge features a hyperelliptical stylus shape and a new cantilever bearing system that improves tracking at both high and low frequencies. It includes a viscous-damped dynamic stabilizer brush with 10,000 ultra-fine conductive carbon-fiber bristles that ride in the record groove to reduce static electricity and dust, as well as to stabilize the cartridge and reduce inward pull and resonance. The cartridge has a lower stylus effective mass and a lighter, higher-energy magnet compared to its predecessor, the V15 Type III. It is designed for an optimum load of 47 kilohms resistance in parallel with 200 to 300 picofarads capacitance per channel for a flat frequency response. The output voltage is 4.0 mV at 1 kHz and 5 cm/s. The recommended tracking force is between 0.75 and 1.25 grams, with an additional 0.5 grams needed when using the dynamic stabilizer. The cartridge is praised for its ability to reproduce discs with a sound very close to the original master tapes, offering excellent depth, stereo imaging, and colorational accuracy. It is often paired with high-quality tonearms such as the SME 3009 III and preamps like the Berning TF-10 for optimal performance.