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The Shure V15 Type III is a legendary phono cartridge, but Shure stopped making genuine VN35-series styli long ago — so reviving one means fitting a quality aftermarket replacement. The good news: today’s options often outperform the originals. Here are the best replacement styli for the V15 Type III, from flagship to budget.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JICO SAS on Boron Cantilever | $250–$320 | Amazon · eBay |
| 2 | JICO Hyper-Elliptical (HE) Stylus | $120–$170 | Amazon · eBay |
| 3 | JICO Elliptical (VN35E-type) Stylus | $80–$120 | Amazon · eBay |
| 4 | LP Gear / Tonar Shibata-Tip Stylus | $60–$110 | Amazon |
The picks, in detail
JICO SAS on Boron Cantilever
The flagship upgrade — JICO’s Super Analog Stylus with a Microline-style tip and rigid boron cantilever, widely regarded as the best the V15 III can sound.
- SAS (Microline-type) tip
- Boron cantilever
- Hand-built in Japan
- Highest detail retrieval
- Outperforms the original VN35 styli
- Superb tracking and detail
- Critically acclaimed (The Absolute Sound)
- Expensive
- Reveals flaws in worn records
JICO Hyper-Elliptical (HE) Stylus
The sweet-spot pick — a hyper-elliptical tip that mirrors Shure’s old premium upgrade at a far friendlier price than the SAS.
- Hyper-elliptical tip
- Aluminum cantilever
- JICO build quality
- Strong detail and tracking
- Big step up from basic elliptical
- Much cheaper than the SAS
- Great all-round performer
- Not quite SAS-level resolution
- Still a premium spend
JICO Elliptical (VN35E-type) Stylus
The faithful standard replacement — an elliptical tip that restores the V15 III to its classic, musical voice.
- Elliptical tip
- Aluminum cantilever
- Direct VN35E-style replacement
- Reliable tracking
- Affordable return to original sound
- Solid everyday performer
- Easy drop-in fit
- Less detail than HE/SAS tips
- Shorter tip life than line-contact styli
LP Gear / Tonar Shibata-Tip Stylus
A budget line-contact alternative — a Shibata-style tip for more detail than elliptical at roughly half the cost of the JICO SAS.
- Shibata (line-contact) tip
- Aftermarket replacement
- More detail than elliptical
- Lower cost than SAS
- Line-contact detail on a budget
- Good value upgrade
- Readily available
- Tracking trails the JICO SAS
- Build quality varies by batch
Buying tips
- Confirm it’s the Type III body (VN35 stylus series) before buying — V15 Type IV and V use different styli.
- Genuine vintage Shure styli are mostly old stock with hardened rubber suspensions — fresh aftermarket usually tracks better.
- Match tracking force to the stylus maker’s spec (the V15 III tracks light, around 1–1.5g).
- Line-contact tips (SAS, Shibata) last longer and dig less worn grooves than elliptical — but demand accurate alignment.
- Clean the stylus regularly and check alignment after fitting a new one to get its full performance.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.