Shure Says It Will Stop Making New DJ Needles And Cartridges
At least there’s Ortofon?
In a move that still has us shocked, Shure has announced that it will drop its entire phonograph cartridge and needle product line. This is bad news for vinyl fans, as the Shure M44-7, M44-G and Whitelabel are some of the most popular DJ cartridges on the market. The superior tracking of the M44-7 in particular has made it something of an industry standard.
Shure’s move is similar to Panasonic’s 2010 decision to stop producing its popular Technics SL-1200 turntable line. It’s a reminder that many of the audio industry’s largest companies aren’t betting on a big future for vinyl despite the format’s current resurgence. You can meet some of the obsessive people behind the vinyl boom in the video below.
Thankfully, there are still plenty of alternatives for DJs. If you’re looking for a replacement, we suggest you check out Taruya, a Japanese company that makes an incredible boutique needle favored by professional DJs.
Read more: You don’t need needles! Use this tiny black box instead