CARTRIDGE REVIEWS - Shure Me91E / M91E

Shure Me91E / M91E

Type: Moving Magnet (MM)
Stylus: Bonded Elliptical
Compliance: High
Price: Budget (vintage)

Background

In looking for a genuine Shure stylus for an M91ED cartridge, I came across a NOS Me91E cartridge on eBay and secured it for a good price. This cartridge was from Shure’s ‘encore’ range from the late 1980s, in which popular cartridges from the 1970s were brought back to the market. The Me91E was a reincarnation of the M91E, although the body of this new edition was actually based on that of the M91ED rather than the original M91E. My example of this cartridge came with a genuine Shure N91E stylus, which is a bonded fine elliptical. The cartridge arrived in its original sealed packaging, so I was the first to open it in nearly 30 years. I deployed the cartridge on my Technics SL1200 Mk5 turntable, the combination on which this review is based.

M91ED 카트리지용 정품 Shure 스타일러스를 찾던 중 eBay에서 NOS Me91E 카트리지를 발견하고 좋은 가격에 확보했습니다. 이 카트리지는 1970년대의 인기 카트리지를 다시 시장에 내놓은 1980년대 후반 Shure의 '앙코르' 제품군에서 나온 것이었습니다. Me91E는 M91E의 재탄생이었지만, 이 새로운 에디션의 본체는 실제로 오리지널 M91E가 아닌 M91ED를 기반으로 제작되었습니다. 이 카트리지에는 본딩 처리된 미세 타원형인 정품 Shure N91E 스타일러스가 함께 제공되었습니다. 카트리지는 원래의 밀봉된 포장 상태로 도착했기 때문에 거의 30년 만에 처음으로 개봉했습니다. 이 리뷰의 기반이 되는 조합인 Technics SL1200 Mk5 턴테이블에 카트리지를 설치했습니다.

 

Equipment

Turntable: Technics SL1200 Mk5 with Technics-clone headshell
Phono Pre-amp: Musical Fidelity M1 ViNL (with 200pF capacitance)
Amplifier: Yamaha A-S501
Speakers: Q Acoustics 3050

Sound Quality

I would expect a relatively inexpensive cartridge with a bonded elliptical stylus to sound like a budget cartridge, but this is not the case for the Me91E.

본딩된 타원형 스타일러스가 있는 비교적 저렴한 카트리지라면 저가의 카트리지처럼 들릴 것이라고 예상했지만 Me91E는 그렇지 않았습니다.

 

Treble: In line with the Shure tradition, the high frequencies are slightly soft with a delicate feel. Although relative to the other bands the treble is fairly restrained, it does not sound overly subdued or rolled-off, and is easy on the ear.

고음: Shure의 전통에 따라 고역은 섬세한 느낌과 함께 약간 부드럽습니다. 다른 대역에 비해 고음은 상당히 절제되어 있지만 지나치게 차분하거나 롤오프되지 않고 귀에 편안하게 들립니다.

 

Midrange: The mid-band has a solid, open quality with excellent clarity. It works wonderfully with vocals, portraying remarkable texture and presence for a cartridge of this class. Excessively sibilant vocals will trip it up, but otherwise vocals are clear and natural.

미드 레인지: 미드 밴드는 견고하고 개방적인 음질과 뛰어난 선명도를 제공합니다. 보컬과 함께 훌륭하게 작동하며 동급 카트리지치고는 놀라운 질감과 존재감을 표현합니다. 지나치게 치찰음이 많은 보컬은 걸림돌이 될 수 있지만, 그렇지 않은 보컬은 선명하고 자연스럽습니다.

 

Bass: The bass takes a forward stance in the overall balance and has a nice quality. It is firm and punchy, and goes down deep. It is also fast and tight, somehow managing to be nimble while weighty. Low-frequency texture comes through well on good-quality recordings, but can be obscured by sheer enthusiasm on bass-oriented recordings.

저음: 저음은 전체적인 밸런스에서 전진하는 자세를 취하고 있으며 좋은 품질을 가지고 있습니다. 단단하고 펀치력이 있으며 깊게 내려갑니다. 또한 빠르고 타이트하며 무게감 있으면서도 민첩하게 움직입니다. 저역의 질감은 좋은 음질의 녹음에서는 잘 드러나지만, 저음 위주의 녹음에서는 순수한 열정에 가려질 수 있습니다.    

   

The Me91E offers quite a special sound in being easy on the ear but, at the same time, exciting. It has a warm overall balance but manages to sound open and dynamic. The deep, weighty bass and clear midrange together give the sound a very solid feel, and they integrate well with the soft, gentle treble on most material – the treble only gives cause for concern on material that demands a precise and crisp top-end. The agility of this cartridge in terms of tightness and speed is also quite remarkable, especially considering its bass weight. This is a highly versatile and entertaining cartridge that is a delight to the ear. For a budget-to-mid priced cartridge with a bonded elliptical stylus, it punches far above its weight and, in my opinion, compares well to more expensive models with nude diamond styli. It is certainly one to look out for as a NOS or little-used example.

Me91E는 귀에 편안하면서도 동시에 흥미진진한 특별한 사운드를 제공합니다. 전체적으로 따뜻한 밸런스를 유지하면서도 개방적이고 역동적인 사운드를 구현합니다. 깊고 무게감 있는 저음과 선명한 중음이 함께 어우러져 매우 견고한 느낌을 주며, 대부분의 자료에서 부드럽고 부드러운 고음과 잘 어우러져 정확하고 선명한 고음이 필요한 자료에서만 고음에 대한 우려를 낳을 뿐입니다. 특히 저음의 무게를 고려할 때 이 카트리지의 타이트함과 속도 면에서 민첩성 또한 매우 놀랍습니다. 이 카트리지는 귀를 즐겁게 해주는 매우 다재다능하고 재미있는 카트리지입니다. 본딩 타원형 스타일러스가 있는 중저가 카트리지치고는 무게가 훨씬 뛰어나며, 제 생각에는 누드 다이아몬드 스타일러스가 있는 더 비싼 모델과도 잘 비교됩니다. NOS 또는 거의 사용되지 않는 예로 주목할 만한 제품입니다.

 

Tracking

The tracking force range for this cartridge is a light 0.75-1.5g and I use it at 1.25g. It seems a very accomplished tracker on most material, with only highly sibilant passages causing a problem. In fact, the tracking is quite remarkable for a bonded elliptical stylus but is perhaps helped by its fine profile.

이 카트리지의 추적력 범위는 0.75-1.5g의 가벼운 무게이며 저는 1.25g으로 사용합니다. 대부분의 자료에서 매우 뛰어난 트래커로 보이며 치찰음이 많은 구절만 문제를 일으킵니다. 사실, 본딩된 타원형 스타일러스치고는 트래킹이 상당히 뛰어난데, 이는 아마도 미세한 프로파일 덕분일 것입니다.

Compliance

According to the FAQs on the Shure website, the static compliance of the N91E stylus is 25cu, which seems a modest figure for static compliance, as its low tracking force would suggest high compliance. In any case, it is always assumed to suit low-mass arms. I use this cartridge in a Technics-clone headshell on a Technics SL1200, yielding an effective arm-mass of around 15g. This is in the medium-mass region, but the cartridge performs wonderfully. So, in addition to low-mass arms, I consider the Me91E / M91E also to be suitable for medium-mass arms.

Shure 웹사이트의 FAQ에 따르면 N91E 스타일러스의 정적 컴플라이언스는 25cu로, 추적력이 낮다는 것은 높은 컴플라이언스를 의미하기 때문에 정적 컴플라이언스로는 적당한 수치로 보입니다. 어쨌든 이 제품은 항상 저질량 암에 적합하다고 가정합니다. 저는 이 카트리지를 테크닉스 SL1200의 테크닉스 클론 헤드쉘에 사용했는데, 암의 유효 질량은 약 15g이었습니다. 이것은 중간 질량 영역에 속하지만 카트리지의 성능은 훌륭합니다. 따라서 저질량 암 외에도 Me91E/M91E는 중간 질량 암에도 적합하다고 생각합니다.

Capacitive Load

Shure’s recommended capacitive load for the M91E and M91ED was in the range 400-500pF (there is no published range for the Me91E but as a later reproduction, we can assume it to be the same). I use a capacitance setting of 200pF on my phono pre-amp with this cartridge, giving a total (including 125pF cable capacitance) of ~325pF. Here, the sound is nicely open. It is rather strange that the sound of this cartridge at this capacitance setting is more open than the M75ED Type 2, which has the same internal electrical characteristics (see Comparison).

M91E 및 M91ED에 대한 Shure의 권장 정전 용량 부하는 400-500pF 범위입니다(Me91E에 대한 공개 범위는 없으나 나중에 재현한 것으로 보아 동일하다고 가정할 수 있습니다). 저는 이 카트리지와 함께 포노 프리앰프에 200pF의 커패시턴스 설정을 사용하여 총(125pF 케이블 커패시턴스 포함) ~325pF의 커패시턴스를 제공합니다. 여기서 사운드는 멋지게 개방적입니다. 이 커패시턴스 설정에서 이 카트리지의 사운드가 동일한 내부 전기적 특성을 가진 M75ED 타입 2보다 더 개방적이라는 점이 다소 이상합니다(비교 참조).

 

Note that the above assumes a phono-cable capacitance of 125pF for the Technics SL1200 Mk5. This value may be higher (likely) or lower for other turntables. Typically, a value in the range 150-200pF is assumed.  

위의 내용은 Technics SL1200 Mk5의 포노 케이블 커패시턴스를 125pF로 가정한 것입니다. 다른 턴테이블의 경우 이 값이 더 높거나 낮을 수 있습니다(아마도). 일반적으로 150-200pF 범위의 값을 가정합니다.  

Comparison

The Me91E does not have the original “Snap-In, Easy-Mount” body of the M91E but a body of the same form as the M91ED. However, the two bodies seemingly differ only in shape, having the same internal electrical properties. It is also interesting to note that the M91 and M75 cartridges have exactly the same electrical properties – for example, the M91ED and M75ED Type 2 are taken to be fundamentally the same cartridge with slight cosmetic variations (note that an N75 stylus can be used on an M91ED cartridge but an N91 stylus cannot be used on an M75ED cartridge). I am surprised that my Me91E sounds better than my M75ED and M91ED, despite not having a nude diamond stylus. In fact, it is closer to the M95ED. This I cannot explain. My feeling is that the magic of this cartridge is in its stylus. The N91E stylus has a fine profile for a bonded elliptical, and my example also has quite a fine cantilever – I always consider a fine cantilever to be a visual sign of treble delicacy and good tracking.

Me91E에는 M91E의 오리지널 "스냅인, 이지 마운트" 바디가 아니라 M91ED와 동일한 형태의 바디가 있습니다. 그러나 두 바디는 모양만 다를 뿐 내부 전기적 특성은 동일합니다. M91과 M75 카트리지의 전기적 특성이 완전히 동일하다는 점도 흥미롭습니다. 예를 들어, M91ED와 M75ED 타입 2는 외관상 약간의 차이가 있을 뿐 근본적으로 동일한 카트리지로 간주됩니다(N75 스타일러스는 M91ED 카트리지에 사용할 수 있지만 N91 스타일러스는 M75ED 카트리지에 사용할 수 없습니다). 누드 다이아몬드 스타일러스가 없음에도 불구하고 Me91E가 M75ED와 M91ED보다 더 나은 소리를 낸다는 사실에 놀랐습니다. 사실 M95ED에 더 가깝습니다. 설명할 수 없는 부분입니다. 제 생각에는 이 카트리지의 마법은 스타일러스에 있는 것 같습니다. N91E 스타일러스는 보세 타원형에 비해 미세한 프로파일을 가지고 있으며, 제 예에는 캔틸레버도 상당히 미세합니다. 저는 항상 미세한 캔틸레버를 고음의 섬세함과 좋은 추적의 시각적 신호로 간주합니다.

 

In the landscape of modern cartridges, I would turn to Ortofon for the open, fast, dynamic sound that the Me91E delivers, although Ortofons are usually brighter and crisper. Notably, I would recommend the OM20 for low-mass and medium-mass tonearms. Like the Me91E, this cartridge has a touch of warmth. In the warm camp, the Grado Prestige cartridges are worth considering for lowish-mass arms.

최신 카트리지 중에서 저는 일반적으로 더 밝고 선명한 Ortofon을 선호하지만, Me91E가 제공하는 개방적이고 빠르고 다이내믹한 사운드를 위해 Ortofon을 선택했습니다. 특히 저역과 중역 톤암에는 OM20을 추천하고 싶습니다. Me91E와 마찬가지로 이 카트리지에도 따뜻한 느낌이 있습니다. 웜 진영에서는 그라도 프레스티지 카트리지가 저질량 톤암에 적합합니다.

 

For high-mass and medium-mass arms, the Audio Technica AT-VM95 cartridges may offer valid alternatives. I have experience of the relatively basic AT-VM95E, which combines warmth with good dynamics, but is not quite as accomplished as the Me91E – perhaps a model from higher up the AT-VM95 range would provide a more realistic alternative.

고질량 및 중질량 암의 경우 오디오 테크니카 AT-VM95 카트리지가 유효한 대안이 될 수 있습니다. 비교적 기본적인 AT-VM95E는 따뜻함과 우수한 다이내믹스를 결합한 비교적 기본적인 제품이지만 Me91E만큼 완성도가 높지는 않으므로, AT-VM95 제품군 중 상위 모델이 더 현실적인 대안이 될 수 있습니다.

Availability

So, how do we go about recreating this cartridge today? Both the original M91E and reincarnated Me91E seem hard to come by. However, the M91E has the same metal, clip-mount body as Shure’s M93E and M75-6S, and the latter is very easy to procure on eBay. An N91 stylus will fit this simple body – in fact, a wide range of Shure styli will fit it, even an N95 stylus. However, to obtain a cartridge body in the form of the Me91E as depicted in this review, you should look for an M91ED or M91GD cartridge. These cartridges are not hard to find but are more common in the US than in the UK (back in the day, the M75 cartridges were more prominent than the M91 cartridges in the UK). However, beware of the special M91 cartridges made for Dual turntables, as they cannot be readily fitted to tonearms with a traditional half-inch mount headshell (with two mounting screws).

그렇다면 오늘날 이 카트리지를 어떻게 재현할 수 있을까요? 오리지널 M91E와 환생한 Me91E 모두 구하기 어려워 보입니다. 하지만 M91E는 Shure의 M93E 및 M75-6S와 동일한 금속 클립 마운트 본체를 가지고 있으며, 후자는 eBay에서 매우 쉽게 구할 수 있습니다. 이 단순한 바디에는 N91 스타일러스가 적합하며, 실제로 다양한 Shure 스타일러스, 심지어 N95 스타일러스도 장착할 수 있습니다. 그러나 이 리뷰에 묘사된 Me91E 형태의 카트리지 본체를 얻으려면 M91ED 또는 M91GD 카트리지를 찾아야 합니다. 이 카트리지는 찾기 어렵지는 않지만 영국보다 미국에서 더 흔합니다(과거에는 영국에서 M91 카트리지보다 M75 카트리지가 더 유명했습니다). 그러나 듀얼 턴테이블용으로 제작된 특수 M91 카트리지는 기존의 반인치 마운트 헤드셸(장착 나사 2개)이 있는 톤암에 쉽게 장착할 수 없으므로 주의해야 합니다.

 

With the cartridge body secured, we need the all-important stylus. A NOS Shure N91E stylus is unlikely to surface, so an aftermarket stylus is probably the only option. In fact, an aftermarket N91E or N91ED stylus will suffice – while the N91ED stylus was originally a nude elliptical, nearly all aftermarket styli are bonded (like the N91E). The aftermarket replacements for these styli are, however, not as fine (in the elliptical sense) as the originals. Initially, before I bought the Me91E, I purchased an EVG-branded N91E (quite possibly made by Jico) for my M91ED body – this stylus gives a fair approximation to the sound of the genuine N91E but just doesn’t have its finesse and general quality. My advice is to be sure to purchase an N91E(D) stylus from a reputable aftermarket brand, such as Jico, Thakker Japan or Tonar. In fact, to get close to the sound of the original N91E stylus, I suspect that an aftermarket N91 stylus with a more exotic profile, such as hyper-elliptical, may be required (but this is speculation on my part).

카트리지 본체를 고정했으면 이제 가장 중요한 스타일러스가 필요합니다. NOS Shure N91E 스타일러스는 구하기 힘들기 때문에 애프터마켓 스타일러스가 유일한 옵션일 수 있습니다. 사실, 애프터마켓 N91E 또는 N91ED 스타일러스로 충분합니다. N91ED 스타일러스는 원래 누드 타원형이었지만 거의 모든 애프터마켓 스타일러스는 (N91E와 같이) 본딩 처리되어 있습니다. 하지만 이러한 스타일러스의 애프터마켓 대체품은 (타원형이라는 의미에서) 정품만큼 미세하지 않습니다. 처음에는 Me91E를 구입하기 전에 M91ED 바디용으로 EVG 브랜드의 N91E(Jico가 만든 것으로 추정)를 구입했는데, 이 스타일러스는 정품 N91E의 사운드에 상당히 근접하지만 그 정교함과 일반적인 품질에는 미치지 못했습니다. 제 조언은 Jico, Thakker Japan 또는 Tonar와 같은 유명 애프터마켓 브랜드에서 N91E(D) 스타일러스를 구입하라는 것입니다. 사실, 원래 N91E 스타일러스의 소리에 가까워지려면 하이퍼 타원형과 같은 더 이국적인 프로필을 가진 애프터 마켓 N91 스타일러스가 필요할 수 있다고 생각합니다 (그러나 이것은 제 추측입니다).

Conclusion

The Shure Me91E was quite a find for a NOS budget cartridge, delivering a sound way beyond my expectations. It successfully combines a warm, easy-listening sound with great dynamics and excitement – it has a sound that can be quite delicious to the ears. One assumes that the original M91E had the same characteristics and this is a cartridge worth investigating for those looking for a versatile performer in terms musical genres for a turntable with a low-mass or medium-mass arm. The Shure Me91E is certainly a cartridge that fits with my tastes and it is one of my most loved cartridges.

Shure Me91E는 NOS 예산 카트리지치고는 꽤 괜찮은 제품으로, 제 기대를 훨씬 뛰어넘는 사운드를 제공했습니다. 따뜻하고 듣기 편한 사운드와 뛰어난 다이내믹 및 흥분을 성공적으로 결합하여 귀에 아주 맛있는 소리를 들려줍니다. 기존 M91E도 동일한 특성을 가지고 있다고 가정하면, 로우 매스 또는 미디엄 매스 암이 장착된 턴테이블에서 다양한 장르의 음악을 재생할 수 있는 카트리지를 찾고 있는 분들에게 추천할 만한 제품입니다. Shure Me91E는 확실히 제 취향에 맞는 카트리지이며 제가 가장 사랑하는 카트리지 중 하나입니다.

 

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