After installing the Shure M35x cartridge and placing the needle on one of my favorite albums, I heard detail on the song that I've never noticed before. I paid top dollars for other brands and even for Shure's other models, but this one is a perfect fit for my system. The bass is natural, not boom-y and mids and highs are clear and clean. The weight is heavy enough to not allow the needle to jump out of the groove and skip or light enough where it looses it's tracking.