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JVC QL-Y5 servo controlled arm turntable


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Ok, so I just bought one of these on eBay. The price wasn't bad and it looks near New apart from a little button discoloration, pitting around the edge of the aluminum platter and a chip on each front corner of the plinth.

 

I doubt I can do much about the discoloration but autosol should take care of the pitting and a few dabs of marine grade varnish the corners. Then for a full recap and replacing the stock tonearm interconnects.

 

Is there anyone that comes well recommended around Brisbane for this type of work?

 

This table will replace my two Victor TT71 based tables and S.A.M. Aldebaran. If one arm can easily replace many then it sounds great to me. Keen to try servo controlled arms as they've always piqued my interest.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ok, will test the table tonight.  So far I've just confirmed that the platter spins up, the arm drops and lifts, goes back and forth etc. Will take some pictures then.

 

Strangely the table takes up more space than my S.A.M. Aldebaran.  Way lighter though in comparison.

Edited by MattyW
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2 minutes ago, Frankie09 said:

I have the same unit and as you said it is very large, Hopefully it all works perfectly.

 

Ill look forward to seeing the photos of it, Do you have the dust cover with it aswell?

Yes, the dust cover made it intact thankfully.  It was very well packed.

 

Do you have any mods you've done to yours that you found worthwhile?  I'm not a fan of packing it with modelling clay or anything though.

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Good it had no damage, Unfortunately mine was missing it when I purchased it I may eventually get one made.

 

No mods on mine at all, it is completely original so can not give any suggestions regarding mods.  

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59 minutes ago, MattyW said:

Ok, will test the table tonight.  So far I've just confirmed that the platter spins up, the arm drops and lifts, goes back and forth etc. Will take some pictures then.

 

Strangely the table takes up more space than my S.A.M. Aldebaran.  Way lighter though in comparison.

They're big mothers.

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Wowza, just tracked through Tchaikovsky 1812 cannon shots effortlessly tracking at 0.9g with my used Empire 1000ZE/X. I'm shocked. I've never tracked a cart on a table at less than a gram before.

 

Got to say I absolutely love the auto return at the end of each side too. I didn't consider that when purchasing  :)

 

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What I can't get over with this table is how eerily quiet things are.  Any pops or crackles such as are there are few and far between.... It's almost like listening to a CD in a way. 

 

Likewise it's just so easy to operate that I can even use it with a baby in the house safe in the knowledge that if listening is interrupted I can leave it and at the end of a side the arm will return to the armrest and the platter stop spinning. 

 

Also putting an LP on is just a case of 3 button presses. Before we had our child I preferred manual operation however this automation on this table means I can actually spin records again for the first time in over 12 months. Totally worth it. 

 

I've found Brisbane Electronics in Everton Park are happy to do the recap for up to $330 and a 5-6 week (they're busy) turn around. They're close so I'll get them to do the work.

Edited by MattyW
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  • 3 months later...

Ok, I got my table back from its recap at Brisbane Electronics. With some luck this will prevent a failure in future.

 

I also had a pair of nice RCA's and a banana plug installed so I can run a wide variety of quality RCA interconnects. Rhodium plated copper with a hollow  tellurium copper centre pin so there shouldn't be any oxidation issues. A cheapie banana plug for the earth wire. :)

 

$330 for the work done.  A worthwhile investment I think. I provided the connectors and banana plug though they fabricated the back plate. I'm happy with the result.

 

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@macguffin I think it was these guys but my memory is a bit hazy so I can't be sure:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/153768798667

 

I'll be hooking up my used Grado Statement Master 1 and new Aksa Paris head amp tonight. I'm very much looking forward to finally trying this cart. I've had it a few years now and never been able to try it. Be interesting to see how it compares with the FG2 retipped Empire EDR9  :)

Edited by MattyW
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39 minutes ago, macguffin said:

That's some nice work. I am getting me one. And I assume there are no issues with it not being "mass loaded with plasticine"? That will not happen in our house.... "It's the Smell"..... ;)

I don't notice any issues. My table is within an inch of my left speaker, though to be fair I don't play that loud. ;)

 

If I were to damp it I'd simply use Dynamat Extreme inside. I may do so though I really see no point with this table.

Edited by MattyW
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Hi Guys,

I’ve had my QL-Y5F since new and was my first table. It still plays like a charm but on its second needle. I was going to purchase the Y55F a couple of months ago, that is until my good half shattered her shoulder on a girls night out. Big medical costs and still a bung arm.

 I appreciate the information regarding getting the table refurbished. Mine is still in great condition apart from some mild discolouration on the buttons. It is also original , including the needle which  is the same as the stock.

Good to see there are other users too.

AG - Brisbane

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 04/09/2020 at 3:15 PM, AMG56 said:

Hi Guys,

I’ve had my QL-Y5F since new and was my first table. It still plays like a charm but on its second needle. I was going to purchase the Y55F a couple of months ago, that is until my good half shattered her shoulder on a girls night out. Big medical costs and still a bung arm.

 I appreciate the information regarding getting the table refurbished. Mine is still in great condition apart from some mild discolouration on the buttons. It is also original , including the needle which  is the same as the stock.

Good to see there are other users too.

AG - Brisbane

Ah.... This table deserves a far better cartridge than the stock JVC Z1S. I experimented with that and while it has incredible punch and impact, it lacks a sense of realness and has quite a narrow sound stage.

 

I'd suggest looking at something better.  Vintage is still the best value for money.  Maybe a Pickering XV15/Stanton 680/681 + Jico shibata would be a nice improvement? The Empire 2000E series was also excellent. Hard to better without looking at low output cartridges.

Edited by MattyW
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i can't speak for the cartridges mentioned below, but i picked up a nos at450 that has a nude 0.3 x 0.7 mil elliptical, and it's a really fine cartridge.

 

doug s.

16 hours ago, MattyW said:

Ah.... This table deserves a far better cartridge than the stock JVC Z1S. I experimented with that and while it has incredible punch and impact, it lacks a sense of realness and has quite a narrow sound stage.

 

I'd suggest looking at something better.  Vintage is still the best value for money.  Maybe a Pickering XV15/Stanton 680/681 + Jico shibata would be a nice improvement? The Empire 2000E series was also excellent. Hard to better without looking at low output cartridges.

 

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55 minutes ago, doug s. said:

i can't speak for the cartridges mentioned below, but i picked up a nos at450 that has a nude 0.3 x 0.7 mil elliptical, and it's a really fine cartridge.

 

doug s.

 

The AT450 has some decent specs:

 

Frequency response: 15-25,000Hz

Separation: 29db @ 1kHz, 20db @ 10kHz

 

The Pickering XV15/Stanton 680/681 does better it though

 

Frequency response: 10-30,000Hz

Separation: 35db

 

As does the Empire 2000 E/III

 

Frequency response: 5Hz-35,000Hz

Separation: 35db

 

That's why I recommended them. They're nothing short of exceptional and the pricing is very reasonable for a used cart. New shibata styli are available from Jico for both. Far cheaper than anything modern that is in the same performance bracket.  :)

 

Edited by MattyW
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i'm not sure that specs tell the whole story.  not saying that these aren't good cartridges, i've not tried them.  but, the specs on the stanton/pickerings run anywhere from 10-10khz to your stated 10-30khz, depending on exact model, which mostly is stylus related. (according to stanton & pickering spec sheets).  and none have better than 2db channel balance, whilst the at450 has 1db channel balance.

 

the empire, while it has 1db channel balance, has separation from 20-28 db, depending on frequency, and 20-20khz frequency response (+/-2db) according to the empire spec sheet. (i've seen your quoted specs, but not on an empire spec sheet.)

 

yes, all these cartridges can be upgraded w/line-contact type styli.  but, out of the box, the at450's 0.3x0.7 nudie elliptical is damned nice.  and, while i haven't tried a fine-line stylus in it, someone who has, told me it was no better, as it was bonded, not a nudie mount.

 

upgrading the stylus on the empires and pickerings/stantons will be ~$150/$200usd, and afaik, that's for bonded.  i did find one nude upgrade fine-line stylus for the at450, for ~$200usd.

 

bottom line is i'd try and see.  all i know is the nos at450 i got for <$100usd sounded really nice, when mounted on the empire 598 i got for my daughter's b-d present last year.  she loves it!  ?  prior to giving it to her, i hooked it up to my main rig, and if i had to, i could be perfectly happy w/something like that, in lieu of my 1st-edition oracle delphi, updated to mkv specs, w/o-l silver taper arm and ortofon mc-25 fl cartridge.

 

doug s.

14 hours ago, MattyW said:

The AT450 has some decent specs:

 

Frequency response: 15-25,000Hz

Separation: 29db @ 1kHz, 20db @ 10kHz

 

The Pickering XV15/Stanton 680/681 does better it though

 

Frequency response: 10-30,000Hz

Separation: 35db

 

As does the  

 

Frequency response: 5Hz-35,000Hz

Separation: 35db

 

That's why I recommended them. They're nothing short of exceptional and the pricing is very reasonable for a used cart. New shibata styli are available from Jico for both. Far cheaper than anything modern that is in the same performance bracket.  :)

 

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There really isn't too much point discussing original styli with Pickering / Stanton / Empire as original styli cannot be purchased as the manufacturers no longer exist. Jico shibata is as good as they get unless you go for an expensive needle rebuild.

 

That said these cartridges are actually wonderful performers so both myself and a few mates have taken to having suspension rebuilt and more advanced tips replaced on the original styli.

 

Still,  the best I've heard remains the Grado Statement Master 1. I did enjoy the AT ART9 for a year or so though as I moved on to a more revealing phono stage it no longer cuts the mustard so to speak. Incredibly detailed and wide sound stage but so very Hi-Fi sounding rather than natural..... A family trait with AT carts

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44 minutes ago, MattyW said:

There really isn't too much point discussing original styli with Pickering / Stanton / Empire as original styli cannot be purchased as the manufacturers no longer exist. Jico shibata is as good as they get unless you go for an expensive needle rebuild.

 

That said these cartridges are actually wonderful performers so both myself and a few mates have taken to having suspension rebuilt and more advanced tips replaced on the original styli.

 

Still,  the best I've heard remains the Grado Statement Master 1. I did enjoy the AT ART9 for a year or so though as I moved on to a more revealing phono stage it no longer cuts the mustard so to speak. Incredibly detailed and wide sound stage but so very Hi-Fi sounding rather than natural..... A family trait with AT carts

Which one did I have Matt?

4000 or 2000?

Performance was huge! once loading was set to 100k it was a beast for separation, detail and anything else.

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23 minutes ago, muon* said:

Which one did I have Matt?

4000 or 2000?

Performance was huge! once loading was set to 100k it was a beast for separation, detail and anything else.

You had a 4000 D/I with Jico Shibata stylus. The 4000 is a bit leaner than the 2000 though I find both to be quite special sounding.

 

Another mate of mine has a regular old 2000E and it is testing as having around 45db separation with perfect channel balance after a retip of the original Empire stylus. Quite exceptional.

Edited by MattyW
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i guess system synergy is key; i've heard a couple of other a/t cartridges above the at450, and found them quite natural sounding.

 

for retail $1k usd, the grado statement master 1 may be a deal, if $1k for a phono cartridge can be considered a deal.  i'm quite fond of my ortofon mc25-fl, so much so that i've never mounted my lyra clavis w/new fritz-gyger stylus that i got a great deal on several years back.  i heard that ortofon discontinued the mc25-fl, because they were losing money on them, and would have had to jack up the price considerably; so they just dropped it and released newer more expensive cartridges instead.  meanwhile i should probably check out my lyra clavis.....

 

doug s.

7 hours ago, MattyW said:

There really isn't too much point discussing original styli with Pickering / Stanton / Empire as original styli cannot be purchased as the manufacturers no longer exist. Jico shibata is as good as they get unless you go for an expensive needle rebuild.

 

That said these cartridges are actually wonderful performers so both myself and a few mates have taken to having suspension rebuilt and more advanced tips replaced on the original styli.

 

Still,  the best I've heard remains the Grado Statement Master 1. I did enjoy the AT ART9 for a year or so though as I moved on to a more revealing phono stage it no longer cuts the mustard so to speak. Incredibly detailed and wide sound stage but so very Hi-Fi sounding rather than natural..... A family trait with AT carts

 

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Precisely the reason I didn't suggest the Grado Statement Master 1, simply that it's the best I've heard to date. Considering the OP wasn't looking for a new cartridge I suggested a pair of the better performance carts I've experienced which can be obtained for not much money. Both have wide, deep soundstages and are beautifully detailed.  I'd give the edge to Empire for naturalness though.

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