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Jvc Ql-f4

tubeboob

tubeboob

Super Member
This weekend was great for vintage electronic hunting as I picked up a JVC QL-F4 turntable in near mint condition with a Pickering XSV 3000 cart, also in near mint condition, along with an Akai GXC 709 cassette player, cosmetically mint but running fast, all for $40.00.

As for the JVC, I need to buff the cover as there is slight hazing. Otherwise everything is perfect. The unit appears barely used.

I took the turntable home and spun some 70's soft rock and was amazed at how good the music sounded. Carly Simon, Joan Baez, Little River Band and Atlanta Rhythm Section. Separation was spot on, highs were smooth and lows slammed without booming, and mids were, well sweet and extended. This is definitely a keeper.

Any opinions on the QL-F4 turntable and the Pickering Cart?

Cheers
 
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No personal experience with the tt, but the cartridge, with its stereohedron stylus, is superlative. Excellent deal! :thmbsp:
 
The QL-F4 was a decent quality turntable, like most of JVC’s direct drives. The Pickering XSV-3000 cartridge was also a great MM cartridge. It’s identical internally to the Stanton 881S, which was Stanton’s best hi-fi cartridge until they sadly discontinued it recently. According to a manager who worked for Stanton and Pickering and replied to someone’s online review of the 881S, the only difference is the name on the body. It was designed, and first released as a Pickering, but as the Stanton staff were miffed that it was better than their 681EEE, it was then sold as the 881S. The Pickering and Stanton styli look different (the brushes are very different), but fit either cartridge. Kabusa have a website which gives details of the replacement styli that fit. And as Howard said, the stereohedron stylus was a good one – it was the Pickering/Stanton equivalent of the “extended line contact” stylus, which is also known as hyperelliptical, parabolic, Shibata, and several other names, depending on the cartridge company. You certainly got a good deal for your $40 – I’ve seen just the cartridge go for more than that at online auctions.

-Don
 
ETI_5000 said:
The Pickering XSV-3000 cartridge was also a great MM cartridge. It’s identical internally to the Stanton 881S, which was Stanton’s best hi-fi cartridge until they sadly discontinued it recently. According to a manager who worked for Stanton and Pickering and replied to someone’s online review of the 881S, the only difference is the name on the body. It was designed, and first released as a Pickering, but as the Stanton staff were miffed that it was better than their 681EEE, it was then sold as the 881S.

-Don
Click to expand...

I own a Stanton 881S and a NOS Pickering 4000 and the reproduction characteristics are vastly different sounding. The Stanton is brighter and more articulate while the Pickering is quite dark sounding and muddy. I was quite surprised by this as I read articles on the net the same as you. In fact my friend's Mom worked for Stanton assembling Pickerings and Stantons side-by-side at a factory on Long Island NY in the 70s. I always used Stantons and Pickerings because of that and since I got them at wholesale prices :)
 
datsunmike said:
I own a Stanton 881S and a NOS Pickering 4000 and the reproduction characteristics are vastly different sounding. The Stanton is brighter and more articulate while the Pickering is quite dark sounding and muddy. I was quite surprised by this as I read articles on the net the same as you. In fact my friend's Mom worked for Stanton assembling Pickerings and Stantons side-by-side at a factory on Long Island NY in the 70s. I always used Stantons and Pickerings because of that and since I got them at wholesale prices :)
Click to expand...
It's possible that the elastomer holding the cantilever in the Pickering has deteriorated over the years
 
datsunmike said:
I own a Stanton 881S and a NOS Pickering 4000 and the reproduction characteristics are vastly different sounding. The Stanton is brighter and more articulate while the Pickering is quite dark sounding and muddy. I was quite surprised by this as I read articles on the net the same as you. In fact my friend's Mom worked for Stanton assembling Pickerings and Stantons side-by-side at a factory on Long Island NY in the 70s. I always used Stantons and Pickerings because of that and since I got them at wholesale prices :)
Click to expand...

While the XSV4000 is a member of the same family as the XSV3000/881S, and the styli fit, the chances are there are some differences internally. Have you tried them with the same stylus? If they sound different then, there obviously are differences. However, from what the ex-manager said, the 3000 is identical to the 881S. That's not to say that they all sound exactly the same, though - there may be slight tolerance differences. I can't say I own a Pickering - I do own an 881S, on which I use a Pickering stylus, as Stanton was by that stage only selling elliptical styli, while the Pickering stereohedron styli were still available. I must say that I have had styli in the past that didn't fit as well as others, being a bit loose, which I took back to the dealer for exchange units, so there may be some quality control issues in the styli.

-Don
 
I love my vintage JVC. Dead quiet until the needle drops. If you haven't already, go to vinylengine.com and look for manuals that you can download free. I'm also going to post a pic or two of mine to the JVC gallery once I get around to it. Show yours off!
I can't tell if our tonearms are similar, but I believe the Pickering may be a good match. I'm no expert, but I did a ton of research (plus trial and error) before deciding that high compliance carts work best. Don't be fooled by the looks of the arm. It may look heavier than it actually is.
When my cart finally goes to the Hereafter, Pickerings are on my short list for a replacement.
Enjoy it. :thmbsp:
 
JVC DD tables are definite sleepers. I love my QL-5, rock steady speed and quiet as a mouse. Hope you enjoy yours
 
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