Shure M44-7 H

I bought a pair of these to replace the standard cartridges that came with my KAM turntables. Installation was simple, simply a case of replacing the cartridge, and then re adjusting the counterweight to account for the different weight. Easy. Upon spinning the turntable for the first time, I was struck with how much louder the M44-7s are in comparison to my older cartridge. This is coupled with a much greater bass response than what I had experienced before. As I mostly play out dubstep and drum and bass, this is obviously a welcome aspect. I was at first concerned that all this bass boost came with a compromise to the higher frequencies, and I was convinced on my first few spins that the treble on my records was being muddied. I did some blind tests however, comparing the Shures to my older KAM cartridges, and concluded that, although the Shures do not have quite as sharp a high end, my older cartridges have an almost tinny quality to them in comparison to the Shures, which are far more powerful, warmer and bass responsive. Perhaps it was because the Shures benefited from some wearing in, but after a short while, I came to almost dislike the sound of my older cartridges. I am aware these are turntablist cartridges, and are designed with scratching in mind. I am not a scratch DJ, so I can not give an opinion on that aspect of their design. However, I have had no issues with skating or skipping. I purchased these in preparation for a planned upgrade to Serato, and have read on several forums, and on the Serato website itself, that these cartridges are the recommended option to use with Serato. I look forward to trying that out. To conclude, I feel the Shures are good cartridges which will serve me well. I look forward to using them intensively, and hope Shures promise of low record wear and high durability are kept.