Pickering V-15 Micro IV

Metalownz

Audiophile? Getting there
I decided to upgrade my cartridge for my Realistic LAB-400. I have a couple of questions regarding this cart.

1. It says the cart has a spherical stylus. What does that mean?

2. Will this cart work for my S shaped tone arm? The guy im getting it from says there is five different hookups for this cart.

3. How does this particular cart sound? I know its a classic, but from what year?

4. Whats the average tracking for it?

(Pickering V-15 Micro IV)

Thanks in advance for all your replies fellow AK'ers.

Joe
 
Joe, I hope you didn't spend a lot. I don't remember what cart was on your LAB-400, but it's very unlikely that this is an upgrade. This is not a classic. While the Shure V15 was their best cartridge, the Pickering's V15 was their lower series. Most of these require tracking forces too high for serious hi-fi use. They were often used in Garrard and BSR changers. There is a suffix after the Micro IV, like Micro IV-ATE or something similar. You need to know that suffix to know exactly what stylus is on there and what the TF is.

In any case, the spherical, or conical stylus, while not horrible, is usually found on cheaper, entry level cartridges. Ellipticals, line contact, or micro line type styli are better as they are narrower and longer, therefore riding deeper in the groove and extracting more detail.

I have no clue as to what the seller means by five different hookups. It will work on s-arms, but it may be a moot point depending on what it turns out to be. Fortunately there is an inexpensive elliptical stylus for it that will work well and turn it into a reasonable performer.
 
Joe, I hope you didn't spend a lot. I don't remember what cart was on your LAB-400, but it's very unlikely that this is an upgrade. This is not a classic. While the Shure V15 was their best cartridge, the Pickering's V15 was their lower series. Most of these require tracking forces too high for serious hi-fi use. They were often used in Garrard and BSR changers. There is a suffix after the Micro IV, like Micro IV-ATE or something similar. You need to know that suffix to know exactly what stylus is on there and what the TF is.

In any case, the spherical, or conical stylus, while not horrible, is usually found on cheaper, entry level cartridges. Ellipticals, line contact, or micro line type styli are better as they are narrower and longer, therefore riding deeper in the groove and extracting more detail.

I have no clue as to what the seller means by five different hookups. It will work on s-arms, but it may be a moot point depending on what it turns out to be. Fortunately there is an inexpensive elliptical stylus for it that will work well and turn it into a reasonable performer.



I payed $28.00 for it with shipping. Damn, and here i thought i was getting a deal. The cart on my LAB-400 is a R1000 EDT cart. While i like it, i was trying to find a quieter cart, and hit a brick wall.
 
Joe, I hope you didn't spend a lot. I don't remember what cart was on your LAB-400, but it's very unlikely that this is an upgrade. This is not a classic. While the Shure V15 was their best cartridge, the Pickering's V15 was their lower series. Most of these require tracking forces too high for serious hi-fi use. They were often used in Garrard and BSR changers. There is a suffix after the Micro IV, like Micro IV-ATE or something similar. You need to know that suffix to know exactly what stylus is on there and what the TF is.

In any case, the spherical, or conical stylus, while not horrible, is usually found on cheaper, entry level cartridges. Ellipticals, line contact, or micro line type styli are better as they are narrower and longer, therefore riding deeper in the groove and extracting more detail.

I have no clue as to what the seller means by five different hookups. It will work on s-arms, but it may be a moot point depending on what it turns out to be. Fortunately there is an inexpensive elliptical stylus for it that will work well and turn it into a reasonable performer.

By 5 different hookups, he meant like 1/2 standard, i think p mount, and i forget what else.
 
I payed $28.00 for it with shipping. Damn, and here i thought i was getting a deal. The cart on my LAB-400 is a R1000 EDT cart. While i like it, i was trying to find a quieter cart, and hit a brick wall.

Hey Joe - I don't think you hit a brick wall - you just took a little detour on your way to that OTHER cartridge.:D

Rob
 
Hey Joe - I don't think you hit a brick wall - you just took a little detour on your way to that OTHER cartridge.:D

Rob


Ha ha, not so fast. Im going to try this cart out as well, and see if i like it. From what i read, the spherical isnt all that bad. Its an aquired taste. I will get that other Pickering though. Thanks Rob. :music:
 
Ha ha, not so fast. Im going to try this cart out as well, and see if i like it. From what i read, the spherical isnt all that bad. Its an aquired taste.

Actually spherical, or conical, is always used on the cheapest cartridges, because it is the cheapest stylus shape to make. It doesn't track high frequencies, or inner grooves, as well as elliptical, parabolic or microline stylii, which work better as you go along this sentence! The only high quality cartridge I know of which uses a conical is the Denon DL-103, and that's only because it was designed more than fifty years ago. The better, higher-priced Denons all use elliptical, or "special" elliptical (read hyper-elliptical, or parabolic, in Denon-speak) stylii.

-Don
 
I have a V-15 Micro IV cartridge and it's a good performer with the right stylus. The conical stylus you have does limit higher frequency response and requires a higher tracking force.

Check lpgear.com, garage-a-records.com and other sites for upgrade styli. The Micro IV cartridge will accept any stylus that fits the Pickering XV-15 cartridge. Due to the shape of the top of the cartridge, the V-15 Micro IV will not accept Stanton 600 series styli like the XV-15 will.
 
Ok, thanks guys. I thought this was going to be an upgrade to my R1000 EDT. I guess ill just stick with using that for the time being. I should have come here first asking whats good whats not ETC. lol
 
The R1000EDT was a clone of the M75ED Type 2. Nude elliptical .2 x .7 tracking at .75-1.5g. Very good cartridge. Maybe it just needs a new stylus.

Micro IV-AM was 1-3g TF, so running it at 2g is not terrible. I was under the impression that while the XV-15 series styli fit the V-15 body, that they were not electronically compatible. Perhaps I am wrong.
 
I was under the impression that while the XV-15 series styli fit the V-15 body, that they were not electronically compatible. Perhaps I am wrong.

Do you think that stylus would work Howard?


I just bought two new styli for the R1000 EDT. They are the generic, but they dont sound bad. I was just looking for something that was a little quieter between tracks, and i figured this pickering or the one HifiRob had would do the trick. I guess mine is better than i thought.
 
Do you think that stylus would work Howard?


I just bought two new styli for the R1000 EDT. They are the generic, but they dont sound bad. I was just looking for something that was a little quieter between tracks, and i figured this pickering or the one HifiRob had would do the trick. I guess mine is better than i thought.

Hi Joe - maybe if XV-15 stylii will work on your cart, try this one:

http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=PICKSXV15750E

If it doesn't work, and you can't return it, I'll buy it from you......

Rob
 
You know, I have a V-15 and an XV-15. I never bothered to see if they were cross compatible, but I'll check as soon as I have a minute.

The stylus will fit but speaking electronicly it may not.
I tried a stylus from a Pickering XVS 3000 in the body of a V15 ate with a broken D6E stylus and they did cross fit but I have a feeling that it may reduce the output of the cartridge.
 
The stylus will fit but speaking electronicly it may not.
I tried a stylus from a Pickering XVS 3000 in the body of a V15 ate with a broken D6E stylus and they did cross fit but I have a feeling that it may reduce the output of the cartridge.
Well, I know that an XSV is not compatible.
 
Different operating principles: the V-15 series were moving magnet models while the XV-15 series were induced magnet cartridges.
 
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