Whether you’re a hardcore turntablist, record collector, or simply a DJ that enjoys/prefers using DVS with turntables, a lot of you will have been fan of the now discontinued Shure M447 cartridge and stylus.

Arguably one of the greatest carts/stylii of all time, it’s noise output and tracking really was superior for both analog and digital DJs through the ages. Whilst there have been a few 3rd party replacements for the N447 stylus (which fits the M447 cartridge), there have only really been two main contenders – Japanese company Jico, and their European counterpart, Tonar (whom I believe source their products directly from Jico).

Whilst the introduction of the 3rd party stylii back in 2018 helped DJs who already owned a pair of Shure carts, purchasing the carts themselves has proven to be a nightmare since they ceased production. Fast forward to 2021, and Jico have introduced two models: The J44D (based on the Shure M44G) and the J447 (based on the Shure M447).

Built to pretty much the original specs of the Shure carts, the Jico models have the following specs:

Phono height : 16mm / frequency range 20 Hz – 20 kHz / weight : 5.6g / output voltage 6 mV (1kHz, 5cm/sec.) / Recommended Load : 47 KΩ

Priced fairly at $90 per cart, which includes the stylus, they definitely look like a strong contender for DJs who are fans of the original Shure models, and don’t yet want to make the switch to Ortofon’s VNL, or even Phase.

Whilst it may be a bit pricey to import a pair of carts from Japan, it certainly beats spending a small fortune buying a pair of the original Shure carts on eBay. One can only hope that Tonar import these soon.

Written by DJ and Tutor Cable

Links for images

https://www.jico-stylus.com/product/j44a-7-imp/

https://www.jico-stylus.com/product/j44d-dj-imp/