Pickering V15 AT1 problems

[chewie]

I received a Pickering V15 AT1 Cartridge with the Dual 1219 that I bought a earlier this year. It seemed to be working fine for playing some junk records(the stylus didn't look good), so I put it away until I got a new stylus.

I brought it back out to play a beat up record and it seemed that one of the channels had gone out. I bought a cheap stylus from the bay to see if it was the stylus........ no go. The right channel is still out.:thumbsdn:
I'm still not giving up, I'm going to try it in a different headshell on another tt. I really like this cartridge and as you can see I'm having a hard time giving it up!

Now my questions are:
Is it a goner?
Is there someone who works on this type of cartridge and can fix it?
Am I just plain out of luck and should look for another Pickering V15 AT cart?

 

[gadget73]

Check the resistance on the coils to see if you get similar values on both sides. Its possible one opened up, but honestly I'd be looking more at interconnects or the connections on th headshell itself for problems.


If it has given up the ghost, any Pickering V15 or Stanton 500 will sub for it. Same body on all of them, the only difference in the various models is the stylus used. Also, if you like the V15 sound, maybe consider an XV-15 or Stanton 680 family cart. I find them to be a lot more refined sounding than the V15, and I do happen to like my V15 with the D5E stylus.

 

[GP49]

Same body on all of them (Pickering V-15/Stanton 500), the only difference in the various models is the stylus used. Also, if you like the V15 sound, maybe consider an XV-15 or Stanton 680 family cart. I find them to be a lot more refined sounding than the V15, and I do happen to like my V15 with the D5E stylus.

Not really true, though in most systems the difference won't be that important. The Stanton 500 had a change in its internal coils (DC resistance and inductance changed) when the high-performance styli in the line were upgraded with a lower-mass, more powerful samarium cobalt magnet. That was done to better match the high frequency response of the coils to the mechanical characteristics of the lower-mass cantilever/magnet assembly. Even the Stanton 400, "the loudest cartridge in the world," has that same "Stanton 500 Mk II" body; its louder output is from a more powerful moving magnet.

Now, for most PRACTICAL purposes there won't be much difference because the change in response would be in the extreme highs, above around 10KHz. Although the difference is measureable, remember that what is PERCEIVED as "brightness," even among golden-eared audiophiles, is more related to response in the 4KHz to 8KHz range than above 10KHz. Truth is, there will be more variations due to differences in the capacitive and resistive loading from one system to the next, than between the earlier Pickering V-15/Stanton 500 and the later Stanton 500 Mk II.

And the problem is very much more likely to be in a poor connection between the Dual's cartridge mount and tonearm, or in Dual's cheapskate crimped cartridge wiring, than in the cartridge itself.

 

[gadget73]

I was under the impression the Stanton 500 and Pickering V15 were a moving iron cart, not a moving magnet ? In that case, shouldn't the magnet be built into the body itself and not replaceable with the stylus ?

 

[chewie]

Thanks guys!

I have another cartridge that works fine in the Dual 1219..... It's a Grado GF3 that I took off of a Kenwood KD-3055 turntable that coworker gave to me.

Now that I think about it, I'll try the Pickering in the KD-3055 to see if it is the cart or a problem with the Dual cartridge carrier.

Why didn't I think about that before now.......... duh!!!!

 

[chewie]

Tried it on the Kenwood.............. and it works!!!!! :yippy:

The sled is either bogus or I am wiring it incorrectly!!!!

Now I can upgrade the stylus on it!

YES!!!!!!

What would be a good stylus upgrade for this cart?

 

[GP49]

I was under the impression the Stanton 500 and Pickering V15 were a moving iron cart, not a moving magnet ? In that case, shouldn't the magnet be built into the body itself and not replaceable with the stylus ?

Stanton 500/Pickering V-15: Moving MAGNET.

Stanton 680-681/Pickering XV-15: Moving IRON.

Stanton 600/Pickering Phase-Micro-Whatever IV: Moving IRON.

Stanton most 800*-900 series/Pickering XUV and XSV: Moving MAGNET.

 

[seminole54]

The 605-DEM may be the best of the NOS that are available at a fair price. Gary at VoM has a supply of most styli for that cart.

http://www.thevoiceofmusic.com/cata...=MfgNameNeedles&MfgName=Pickering&Categories=

 

[seminole54]

Also look at the 604's if you don't want the brush, but they are probably the same price as the equivilant 605 model

Jack

 

[chewie]

It's weird. The pickering worked fine in the headshell in the first picture, but doesn't work in the headshell in the second picture. The one with the tubular prongs seems a bit more difficult to put on, that's for sure!

Is there really that much of a difference between the two???


Not my pics just examples

 

[chewie]

***An update***

I got a Dual Headshell with the springs(not Prongs) and it works beautifully!!!

I used it to play some old Jazz records(Dave Brubeck, Jimmy Smith and Miles Davis). NICE!!!!

 

[LAB3]

Stanton 500/Pickering V-15: Moving MAGNET.

Stanton 680-681/Pickering XV-15: Moving IRON.

Stanton 600/Pickering Phase-Micro-Whatever IV: Moving IRON.

Stanton most 800*-900 series/Pickering XUV and XSV: Moving MAGNET.

:yes: I think this is correct. I have owned a XUV for 30 plus years and love it.
The Stanton 881S and 890 have the same body as a XUV. I have had several different series of the Pickering V15 over the years. They just do not sound as good as a XUV with a matching NOS stylus.IMHO

 

[GP49]

It's weird. The pickering worked fine in the headshell in the first picture, but doesn't work in the headshell in the second picture. The one with the tubular prongs seems a bit more difficult to put on, that's for sure!

Is there really that much of a difference between the two???


Not my pics just examples

The one in the second picture has the El Cheapo Dual crimped cartridge clips. The one in the left picture has SOLDERED cartridge clips.

Those El Cheapo Dual crimped cartridge clips were a pain in the butt. They'd go open due to corrosion; and then some nitwit technicians would fix them by recrimping them with needle-nose pliers. :nono: That might work for a while (long enough to be past the 90-day warranty) but repeat failure would be almost certain.