JVC QL-Y5F Turntable electro-dynamic servo tonearm?

[bobrown14]

So the difference in a new high quality cable and jacks to the Denon´s 40 years old cable has nothing to do with this increase in quality of sound?

Newer cable most probably has lower capacitance than the original (only reason to swap out for better sound). Depending on the preamp and cart combo, using a lower capacitance cable will affect the cartridge resonant frequency. Also high capacitance cables (stock) will with some carts cause the high frequency roll off to occur in the audio band (bad; loss of clarity, muffled you get the idea). Too low cable capacitance will make the sound too brite and distorted with noticiable lack of bass.

What you really want is a flat frequency response up to say 18-20K with a steep rolloff after that. Getting there... well that's the challenge.

With all the decent carts out there and some souding much different than others of similar quality; I really think it's a matter of mismatched components. This can be fixed without changing to another expensive cart. The changes IMHO should be made at the preamp cable end of things. (Not talking high priced cables here just low capacitance). Getting the connections and the specs of the preamp to match that of the cart is where its at.



The issue really is that cart manufacturs dont always give you ALL the technical specs, so getting the setup right for your particular rig can be a crap shoot. To get the setup right you really need to know the specs of the cart AND the specs of your preamp phono input and match accordingly.

I'm not an expert on this. Just someone that is interested enough to build my own phono preamp and mess with the TT cables etc to get the best out of my VAST LP collection. Cost of the LPs by FAR exceeds any investment in carts expensive or other wise. So the goal is to get the best sound, swapping carts without all the known specs is really guessing ....

Cheers,

Bob

 

[dlaloum]

Have you tried isolating the turntable from the shelf or whatever it sits on? What do you have your TT sitting on? Sometimes and this is a general statement, isolation will quiet down the reverb you talk about.

Cheers,

Bob

As you say, if you can isolate the TT from external vibration that will be a gain... then all you have left is the internal vibration (arm/motor movement) - and microphony.

Wall shelf is not an option for me at the moment...
I have 2 Ikea Lack tables one on top of the other, with sorbothane pucks between them, and spikes on the bottom (between the bottom table and the floor.

The best results appear to have been achieved by others using a Rubber/Cork shelf, on ball bearing feet, on top of a high mass shelf....

I am certain I can improve my own support...

bye for now

David

 

[bobrown14]

The best results appear to have been achieved by others using a Rubber/Cork shelf, on ball bearing feet, on top of a high mass shelf....

Yup - thats VERY similar to what my setup is. Basically a shelf isolated on an shelf hanging off the wall with some sort of islation in between the shelves. That made a huge improvement with reverb for me.

Cheers,
Bob

 

[70WR]

Looks just like my QL-Y7 minus the knobs on the plinth.
I only have the one TT and like it so well that I haven't looked into getting another TT - unlike all my receivers, separates, speakers.

 

[zeplin43]

I have other tables but this Jvc has become my favorite.
Its automatic funtions make it so comfortable to use and its sound is excelent.
I had the need to try and explore some non expensive stylus and carts for the reason that i do many hours listening to records every day and that eats up stylus like it did to the Philips 400 III stylus that started to have noticeble IGD after 200+- hours.
Taking into consideration that my main setup is 7.1 with its 7 tweeters i notice imperfections sooner than on my classic stereo setup.
This happened with my At 440 Mla that i tried on my other stereo setup and it still sounds verygood and i could notice a little distortion on the main rig.

I have now tried 2 more carts with this TT.

1 - pioneer Pc 220 (a rebadged AT95) with a 5$ conical stylus.
This cart sounds very good nice overall sound especially if i had no way of comparing it with other options that i have.(still more involving than CDs).

The Philips has a better soundstage and more definition maybe a better stylus!!

2 - Shure V15 III with original stylus this is indeed a special cart.
Hearing a CSNY lp Deja Vu was hair raising best combo by far (up to now)

 

[Qilin]

What a great thread. Lots of great info here guys. Thanks. :thmbsp:

I have a QL-Y5F that has brought me intermittent joy and tears. I agree this IS a behemoth of a table. All listening considerations aside this is also a downright purdy TT. I love the look of it.



Mine has the same empty threaded hole. Let's both hope it's supposed to be there!

Thanks powerlight! It gives me better comfort to know that the empty hole is 'as intended'.
Best regards, DM

 

[myu701]

I just got myself one of these in very nice condition for a pretty good CL deal ($100). I have a Technics SL-MA1 that I've been happy with (got it new back in the late 1980's), still spinning vinyl with it from time to time. Although I have a fairly good cartridge on my SL-MA1 and there are still some good P-mount options out there, standard cartridges are far more common. The QL-Y5F is not a P-mount, so I'm looking forward to nabbing a higher quality cartridge down the road.

Anyway, the quality of the TT is excellent. It's at least as good as the SL-MA1 if not a little better, in terms of servo motor control. And I like the fact that cartridge replacement is much more flexible (although not nearly as easy as P-mount to swap). I'm not surprised to learn that JVC had a close relationship with Denon on some of their TT's. I'd taken a liking to some of the Denon TT's (especially the DP-60, 61, 62 models) but couldn't find a good local deal anywhere... apparently they're in pretty high demand. The QL-Y5F is a more than adequate substitute.

 

[Alminavil]

I worship my JVC QLY5F. Rock solid speed, quiet as I've ever heard.

 

[Alminavil]

What a great thread. Lots of great info here guys. Thanks. :thmbsp:

I have a QL-Y5F that has brought me intermittent joy and tears. I agree this IS a behemoth of a table. All listening considerations aside this is also a downright purdy TT. I love the look of it.



Mine has the same empty threaded hole. Let's both hope it's supposed to be there!

Mine has a rubber cap covering the hole.

A note about the servo arm and too many things going wrong. Mine's going strong after nearly 30 years. (Knock on wood.)

 

[dlaloum]

I just got myself one of these in very nice condition for a pretty good CL deal ($100). I have a Technics SL-MA1 that I've been happy with (got it new back in the late 1980's), still spinning vinyl with it from time to time.

You may want to keep them both....

The QL-Y5F is a mid mass arm, and even with the damping, high compliance cartridges still prefer a low mass arm.

In any case my own reason for purchasing the JVC was much the same - a desire to be able to try out other cartridge flavours more easily!

Welcome to the party

David

 

[naconst]

I had a y5f and a y7 ,they have the same arm and I like both alot.But recently picked up a y55f and like it even better.The y55 and y66 have removable arms and I like going from the straight and curved arms.I think the peaked with those 2 (y55,66)for some of the best built autos ever . I Had Denons as well (dp 47,62 )but like the jvc better .
The sony's Bio's (have a ps-75)are nice too but have more issues with the arm,the motors and arms on the jvc were built to last .

 

[myu701]

Thanks for the encouragement, guys. So, it wasn't such a bad move after all.

The TT came with a service manual and two JVC turntable brochures from around 1980. Yeah, the Y55 and Y66 are featured in there and look terrific. Lots of cool info about JVC turntable technology, including linear tracking. I didn't realize they made linear trackers... not sure how they fit in the line-up, as there was boasting about zero tracking error, and yet the Y66 seemed to have been given the best praise.

 

[lsquaredb]

The empty threaded hole at the back of the base of the tonearm is for a transit screw. This screw prevents the tonearm from moving when the turntable is being shipped, and gets removed when the table is set up for operation. There are also two transit screw holes under the platter.

 

[Qilin]

The empty threaded hole at the back of the base of the tonearm is for a transit screw. This screw prevents the tonearm from moving when the turntable is being shipped, and gets removed when the table is set up for operation. There are also two transit screw holes under the platter.

Hello lsquaredb, thanks for the definitive info!
Best regards, DM

 

[Allan. A]

Hello everyone

I have just bought one of these JVC QL-Y5F turntables and everything works as it should ( very smooth and quite automatic on this model) It was delivered with the original JVC pickup with a new needle but I replaced it with my Denon DL-103 MC pickup witch is my personal favourite pickup but there's a small problem... I need to turn the counter weight almost all the way out over end before I could out balance the tonearm... On my Denon DP-51F the counter weight should not adjusted that long out to balance the tonearm..

Is it the headshell who's the problem here?? It weight about 23-24 gram with the Denon DL-103 mounted?

 

[Balifly]

Hello everyone

I have just bought one of these JVC QL-Y5F turntables and everything works as it should ( very smooth and quite automatic on this model) It was delivered with the original JVC pickup with a new needle but I replaced it with my Denon DL-103 MC pickup witch is my personal favourite pickup but there's a small problem... I need to turn the counter weight almost all the way out over end before I could out balance the tonearm... On my Denon DP-51F the counter weight should not adjusted that long out to balance the tonearm..

Is it the headshell who's the problem here?? It weight about 23-24 gram with the Denon DL-103 mounted?

Your JVC QL-Y5F has a different tone arm than the Denon DP-51F does it not ?

Two different tone arms don't always behave the same ..........

 

[Allan. A]

Hehe yeah I know there different from each other But if a lighter headshell will be better for the Denon 103 it is worth trying, but I don't wanna buy another headshell if it don't help solve the problem I just thought others in here have tried the same turntable/pickup combination

 

[Balifly]

Hehe yeah I know there different from each other But if a lighter headshell will be better for the Denon 103 it is worth trying, but I don't wanna buy another headshell if it don't help solve the problem I just thought others in here have tried the same turntable/pickup combination

If the JVC QLY5F tone arm has provision for the use of or comes with an auxiliary counter weight try using it.

If not try and improvise........

 

[Allan. A]

Ah! I did not think of that, then I must go hunting after this extra weight It didn't came with my second hand turntable.. Otherwise maybe looking for another pickup

 

[Miltos68]

Super old thread, I know but you guys seem knowledgeable. I have a newly purchased QL Y5F, and my issue is When I adjust the tracking force at say 2g for the cartridge it looks great. But when I play a record the tracking is looking increased because the stylus is buried. So I had to back off the adjustment to 1g just to keep the stylus from being jammed up into the cartridge.