Yea you're spot on with that, None of my other carts responded to "cart loading" which is why I got a decent preamp yamaha c50, nothing fancy, and the Pickering is the ONLY cart that you can actually tell the difference...
New Jico shows up manyana so the good stuff can go into semi-retirement and show up on game days.
I see all the new stuff out there (i can't afford) that's probably great, Who wouldn;t want a coral bodied Koetsu with a '72 Porsche 911 as a side?
It really is a great overall no hum, top to bottom cart... oh, and as with all great designs like 1960's flip-window VW busses and open top jeeps,
Classic archetecture and minimalist body design...
Can;t say enough for the XSV to be fair. I am happy to have got to enjoy it before the JBL's and Sennheisers make me deaf!