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JVC QL-?? owners thread

There is a beautiful QL a75 on Hifi-do and as trends go, so does the asking price go up. It looks to be a Japan model only?
BillWojo said:
And that begs the question as to what a platter from a QL-A7 weighs. I don't have a small scale and VE doesn't have that spec neither does the manual.

BillWojo
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I typed ''JVC QL'' with the target site audio-heritage.jp.

There seems to be a couple more japanese-only models. QL-A70, QL-A75, QL-A95, QL-7R, QL-5R...

The QL-7R seems to be the same as the QL-A7. At least it uses the same TT-71 motor...

here's the manual (open in Google Chrome browser to translate) :
https://audio-heritage.jp/VICTOR/player/ql-7r.html

''...the total weight of the turntable(guessing a mistranslation from ''platter'') including the rubber cover ring is 2.2kg.''

There's your answer :)
 
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@Final_Baton, that link is a Japanese version of the QL-7, fully manual table with wood veneer.
The pictures show something really beautiful and explain why those tonearms are so highly sought after. It show's a comparison between the bearings in a typical tonearm and the bearings in the UA-5045. Most tonearms use a pointed screw into a cluster of bearing balls. This tonearm uses actual ballbearing assembly's with inner and outer races! Victor spared no expense building this tonearm.
It probably accounts for the surprise I had listening to it the first time I heard it.
Thank you very much for that link.

ql-7r(5).JPG


ql-7r(4).JPG


Here are the tonearm pics copied and pasted. In the picture you can see both bearings for the horizontal movement and one of the bearings for the vertical movement.

BillWojo
 
I thought I was crazy about jvc being different and holding speed better than other manufacturers. I happen to have a vendors catalog, or model reference guide, for the entire QL line. Came with my QL-A7 purchase that was in excellent shape. Only the counter weight was sagging.

I never bothered to read it but now with this thread I’m curious about the QL performance.

According to the reference manual speed for the JVC Super Servo frequency generator w jvc quartz tables are at least 100 more accurate than conventional dd tables. It goes on about it. I’ll post some pics of the guide. I also got the ql a7 owners manual and the 1981 Shure hyper elliptical cart advertising brochure. Seems to be from AFC Audio 4818 McKnight Rd. Pittsburgh PA.
 

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Hopefully not derailing here, if I am I can bugger off and start a new thread.

I was looking at a QL-F4, but along came a QL-A5 for half the price. Both are billed as fully automatic, servo drive, quartz lock, same general specs. Can anyone clarify the differences, and if they are meaningful enough to account for the price difference between the two? I know I asked for model clarification earlier in the thread, but looking back over it and comparing listed specs I'm still confused as to what the difference is.

Cheers
 
seely said:
Hopefully not derailing here, if I am I can bugger off and start a new thread.

I was looking at a QL-F4, but along came a QL-A5 for half the price. Both are billed as fully automatic, servo drive, quartz lock, same general specs. Can anyone clarify the differences, and if they are meaningful enough to account for the price difference between the two? I know I asked for model clarification earlier in the thread, but looking back over it and comparing listed specs I'm still confused as to what the difference is.

Cheers
Click to expand...
My very quick take since I'm working atm :

While ''F'' after the number denotes automatic tables, ''F'' before the number denotes a generation. Like ''A'' was before it and like ''Y'' was before that.

(I'm guessing at least that the F generation came after the A one. You'd have to check up on that, find the years the F models came out)
 
Final_Baton said:
My very quick take since I'm working atm :

While ''F'' after the number denotes automatic tables, ''F'' before the number denotes a generation. Like ''A'' was before it and like ''Y'' was before that.

(I'm guessing at least that the F generation came after the A one. You'd have to check up on that, find the years the F models came out)
Click to expand...

Good enough explanation for me -- I thought the "A" series looked a little earlier just by the finish and style. I thought I had seen somewhere that "F" tables were manual, but it makes more sense to me now. Thanks!
 
Final_Baton said:
Just in time :)

I took possession of a beautiful JVC/Victor QL-Y44F this week, as it happens! I imported it from Japan, used a proxy to bid on a local auction. It's in fantastic condition. Proxy service packed the table very well, so I'm pretty happy about that.

This model wasn't sold in the U.S. I don't think. It has an auto-record-size sensor just like that of the Denon DP-47F.

IMAG2414.jpg


I almost went with a QL-Y5, I love these japanese rosewood-finish direct-drives so much :) In the end I went with the QL-Y44F because of robust full auto operation and less depth so easier to fit on my console. The tonearm operation is very smooth and the buttons have a nice tactile feel and just a bit of a click on depress. Immensely enjoyable to use :)
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Beautiful table. I owned a QL-Y55F for quite awhile. but I like the layout of the buttons on yours better. They are solid tables and sound excellent. Really happy for you.
 
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Duane said:
Beautiful table. I owned a QL-Y55F for quite awhile. but I like the layout of the buttons better. They are solid tables and sound excellent. Really happy for you.
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Thank you so much! I'm so stoked about owning that table. so happy I could afford such a beautiful and well-performing unit. In total it cost me $400 CAD. And $400 was my budget for a TT. Here, that amount is half of what you need to shell out for a used SL-1200 (they sell for $700 CAD and up). I was looking at SL-1200's and was getting bummed out by the fact there was no way I could afford that.

For half the price, I nevertheless got a super solid TT that looks gorgeous, I adore that look and in my living room, this looks nicer than a DL-style model. And besides, I'm more into the rosewood finish style of that era at the moment (no shade thrown at the DJ decks - I actually like that look too)

Yes I love the button layout too! They're well spaced-out and easy to identify, and they got a great tactile feel. a pure joy to use. I think it looks really classy

Love the champagne accents too, they mate well with both silver and the rosewood finish
 
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seely said:
Hopefully not derailing here, if I am I can bugger off and start a new thread.

I was looking at a QL-F4, but along came a QL-A5 for half the price. Both are billed as fully automatic, servo drive, quartz lock, same general specs. Can anyone clarify the differences, and if they are meaningful enough to account for the price difference between the two? I know I asked for model clarification earlier in the thread, but looking back over it and comparing listed specs I'm still confused as to what the difference is.

Cheers
Click to expand...

Here is the factory brochure. The QL 5 has the same plinth as the upper QL models and is supposed to be very quiet. The 5 doesn’t have the UFO motor assembly like the QL 7 (has the TT-71) but it has the exact same specs so I bet it is extremely similar in build.

The QL F4 has a different plinth and a coreless DC servo motor. It has 72 dB s/n DIN ratio vs the QL- 5‘s 73 dB. Edit: From my experience with QL A7, the plinth is nice and heavy, particle board type composition and is quite, however it’s not as good as a Technics MK2 1200. I experience the rumble and feedback at high volume levels. Especially if I’m playing something with a heavy bass line.

It’s better than other JVC models and most other mid level tables but not as good as others. I think it’s more to do with the tonearm isolation. But I’m not an audio engineer or designer.

image.jpg image.jpg
 
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Here’s the 1981 line up specs in case anyone wants to a look. I have had this information for about a year and just now looked it all over. Kind of a little time warp back to the old days of walking into a stereo shop and just dreaming of the amazing setup one could buy, look at, hear in person. The glory days.

image.jpg image.jpg
 
desertrat748 said:
Here is the factory brochure. The QL 5 has the same plinth as the upper QL models and is supposed to be very quiet. The 5 doesn’t have the UFO motor assembly like the QL 7 (has the TT-71) but it has the exact same specs so I bet it is extremely similar in build.

The QL F4 has a different plinth and a coreless DC servo motor. It has 72 dB s/n DIN ratio vs the QL- 5‘s 73 dB. View attachment 1831796 View attachment 1831797 View attachment 1831796 View attachment 1831797
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There's actually a beautiful QL-5 for sale here locally, but the seller wants $1,300, which to me seem astronomical even if serviced and in excellent condition. Thats the way it goes with anything even remotely high end around here -- they're so scarce (I blame the thrifty midwestern dutch) that when anything even moderately low-mid or mid comes up, the prices are astronomical and someone is willing to pay it.
 
seely said:
There's actually a beautiful QL-5 for sale here locally, but the seller wants $1,300, which to me seem astronomical even if serviced and in excellent condition. Thats the way it goes with anything even remotely high end around here -- they're so scarce (I blame the thrifty midwestern dutch) that when anything even moderately low-mid or mid comes up, the prices are astronomical and someone is willing to pay it.
Click to expand...

Don’t even think about that at that price. $1200! Maybe that’s in Yen? Or Pesos?

I see them on the Bay for under 2 c-notes. I picked up my QL A7 for 125 clams and it came with a nice Shure cart, all the brochures and manual, shipping screws etc. In beautiful shape. Just the droopy counter weight.

Keep looking. Local Facebook app “for sale” flea markets and thrift stores and web search or join here and look in Barter town. One day soon I will being thinning the herd at home.

Lots of fun searching and you can get started with a lot less than those crazy prices.
 
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