Stylus Comparison: Jico VN35E (Elliptical) vs. Tonar VN35HE (Hyper-Elliptical) on a Shure V15-III

Comparison between two types of styli for the Shure V15-III.
A cheap 24 euro Elliptical stylus from Jico/Thakker called a VN35E and a 120 euro Hyper Elliptical from Tonar called the VN35HE. Is it worth the extra eurobucks? I surely think so.
UPDATE:
I've uploaded the original recordings so you can check it without youtube compression:
www.mediafire.com/file/c1b3u2w...
Gear used:
- Dual 704 with Shure V15-III
- Jico VN35E
- Tonar VN35HE
- Yamaha AX-890
- Edirol (Roland) UA-1ex @ 48k-24 bit
Software path:
- Recorded with Ableton Live
- Edited with Premiere Pro
- Limited using iZotope 7 with ± 0.5db gain reduction
- Rendered at 320kbps AAC
Tracks used:
- Todd Terje - Preben Goes To Acapulco (Prins Thomas Remix)
- Montana Sextet - Who needs enemies (with a friend like you?) (club mix)

[@meneervermeer4800]

I've uploaded the original recordings in 48k/24 bit! www.mediafire.com/file/c1b3u2w4nlzkspn/Needle_Test.zip/file

[@johnhazel591]

Both styli are JICO. JICO makes styli for Tonar.

[@justinkeery1519]

Not much in it. Maybe a bit more kick and brightness on the Tonar? Both sound GREAT on your setup I have to say.

[@socksumi]

Surprisingly little difference but the Tonar sounds a bit more expressive and a tad more open and airy in the highs. Not surprising since it's hyper-elliptical stylus contacts more of the groove wall.

[@worksasintended4997]

Clearly prefer the mid resolution of the he, although the e is doing a decent job too. I would like to get the SAS into the comparison too. ;)

[@Aube]

Tonar make the mids sit a lot better in the mix and an makes it breath a bit. More punch to the kick as well! Thanks for the demo! Great track too!

[@socksumi]

Clearly the E version has a more rolled off top end. On bright and edgy recordings it may well prove more listenable. The HE will provide more noticeable air and high end extension on recordings that are flat or not bright. Strictly speaking the HE is likely the more accurate but capacitive loading also plays a major role in HF response and by adjusting phono input capacitance and/or resistance you can substantially alter the sound of either stylus.

[@zenter35]

great video thank you

[@user-bc6ok1yh4s]

A close tie.

[@nicomeier8098]

The Hyper Elliptical is clearly better. More detail, more resolution and the cheaper one cuts off the high frequencies. Having said that, for the money the cheaper one does quite well.

[@AALavdas]

The HE is MUCH better, I am surprised that some people cannot hear it.

[@mr.watson7235]

I downloaded the original recordings. It's easier to tell the difference without youtube's compression. You can visually inspect the waveform and see that with the tonar there's more happening.

[@vivaelmillo]

AT MINUTE 5:21 YOU CAN NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE,,, MORE OPENING OF THE JICO ABOVE THE TONAR, I RECOGNIZE THAT I HAD TO USE JBL STUDIO HEADPHONES, WITH WHICH I USE DOMESTICLY, I DID NOT NOTICE THAT DETAIL...

[@hank356]

I think that perhaps a mistake has been made. Since the JICO VN35 [e007443] sells for $78.00 plus S/H. The JICO VN3G[e007499] sells for $33.00 plus S/H and does have a different (less) frequency response, compared to the Elliptical Stylus. The G model would equate more to the stated (cheap) 24 Euro price. All that being said, Thakker dropped the JICO reference on this product in early 2016. It is now only referred as Generic. They do however sell the SAS type, which we all know is a JICO product. Since I have a V15 TYPE III, bought new in 1978 and I have three stylus for this cartridge. They are, Shure VN35E, which is the original (low hours), the JICO VN35 [e007443],and the JICO SAS NEO VN35HE. The JICO VN35 produces a very similar (near identical) sound as the Shure VN35E. However the SAS variant much better than both, in all aspects.

[@pkojovic]

Hm all this comments are suggestive while you see which needle is in use at the moment. Think that blind presentation is much more exact. As addition listening all test via youtube or any internet streaming is misleading in sense of an objective impression, simply because it's digitalized and lost of every analog part in matching better needle for such good cartridge like Shure V15III is.

[@SergeSeeTube]

Are clearly audible in the samples, HE more informative reproduces mids and highs. At low frequencies, the difference is imperceptible.

[@andreassvensson7987]

are u sure that it is an original jico vn35e since they ship for around 60-70 usd i think you have gotten a cheap copy of the jico vn35e

[@RonaldRagn]

Original music by Todd Terje

[@1byte4]

jico has much better sound stage makes the toner sound flat. listen closely the the sweeps.

[@sandervermeer4531]

The weird thing is, the jico signals' polarity seems inverted in the recordings. You can see for yourself in the pinned comment.

[@pinglunlaw3437]

although HE tip retrieve more detail

[@pinglunlaw3437]

l prefer the tonal balance of E tip

[@kkrobertson1]

Jico has slightly more depth and clarity.

[@MrAndreferrari]

It's he and e, the he is supposed to be better

[@farquell5782]

i dont hear any difference

[@philipchung9492]

No difference at all. Good to know we don't pay JICO prices for a replacement stylus.

[@brandistocker]

The bass has some difference, but the high frequencies... my ear has been raped with the cheaper one after 4:40.... it simply cuts the higher frequencies. beheads the sound. I don't know if the cheaper one is a fake or what, but much worse. I think the cheaper one is a cheap fake of any kind of stylus. It is not a stylus. i still have goosebumps yaix :S

[@maximotadlas1316]

Tonar sounds better

[@Wasamatau]

Send me your jico you don't want! Lol. I hear no real noticeable difference other than a little more "louder" with the HE vs the E. Louder doesn't translate to better, only louder, which you could have compensated for, but didn't. I think you got robbed on the HE and you are trying to rationalize. Do you still feel the same after a couple months?

[@meneervermeer4800]

Well, loudness is pretty much the same but the frequency response is not. Also, the E needle seems the invert the phase of the track somehow, don't know how that is possible. I seem to remember reversing it for this comparison. Anyway, most notable difference between the two is in the bass response and high frequency response. The E needle doesn't do justice to the kick of the first track.

[@ibanezr362]

Then you have terrible ears or headphones or both ;) the difference is slight but noticable. the bass is not so distortioned and the highrange is way more clear. mids are close to each other

[@vext01]

I couldn't hear it until I plugged in headphones, but then it's noticeable. I'm usually pretty sceptical about this kind of thing, but I reckon OP is right in this case.

[@brandistocker]

see my comment in the list, or just listen to @ 4:40-

[@LastGenGaming675]

Jico is way better