JVC Ql 8 with ua-7045 tonearm. Cartridge recommendations? New plinth.

lumendog · « **on:** 31 Oct 2010, 04:52 pm »

I couldn't stay away from DD JVC's for long. I sadly got rid of my QLY66f a few months ago and have saved some cash and bought a JVC ql 8 with ua 7045 tonearm off fleabay and will be driving to LA to pick it up. I am planning on building a new plinth for it and the like, but the tonearm is like no other i have seen. I was wondering if anyone had a good idea of a cartridge that could be used with it. The tonearm seems to work similar to a unipivot, but is not a unipivot? I currently own a grado gold, shure 95e, and at 150, but am willing to step it up a notch since this tonearm seems like it could be great. Any recommendations? I am back in the DD club yea

Wayner · « **Reply #1 on:** 31 Oct 2010, 05:40 pm »

I'd wait until I got the unit home and plugged in one of your existing carts before moving forward. There may be issues that are yet undiscovered with the new arm or table, that may make your decision change. And yes, welcome back to the DD world, tho I have (and love both). 6 DDs and 5 BDs make up the collection so far. The nice thing to know is that if the Grado works on it, any cartridge will work on it and the Grado Gold1 has earned the Absolute Sounds' Editors' choice award for 2009. It is a great sounding cart for the money. BTW, John, TheChairGuy will be pissed at you for getting rid of your QLY66........

Wayner

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #2 on:** 31 Oct 2010, 06:36 pm »

Quote from: Wayner on 31 Oct 2010, 05:40 pm

BTW, John, TheChairGuy will be pissed at you for getting rid of your QLY66........

Not at all pissed at lumendog, Wayner

Mine broke about a year ago and while I was hemming-and-hawing about how to replace it...I saw lumendog's JVC QL-Y66F on ebay one day and bought it from him. So I, literally, have his former Y66F now.

lumendog lives only 20 miles from me in the Bay area, so I met him and picked it up at his place.

Nice to hear from you again, lumendog

(actual name withheld unless he'd like to express it)

btw, I agree with your premise of direct drives. For most of the past 2 months I have been playing the VPI Classic with Denon DL-160vdH. It sounds very good - broad, expansive soundstage and I don't hear any overt off-timing issue (as I did with the VPI HW-19 without SDS controller). With just outer and inner ring clamps it sounds good.

However, it has a roundness to the dynamics where the direct drives I have had sound sharp...a bit more like real music. Going back to the JVC QL-Y66F from the VPI Classic...and I lose that lush, broad, expansive, room-filling soundstage for tighter dynamic, leading edge attack to the music. As well, busy sequences no longer sound 'confused' as they do with the VPI....perhaps indicative of stylus drag I hear about with belt drive tables

In all of this you choose your option of poisons at the price level you can afford...but, I think the slightly lesser of several sonic evils is held by the JVC. As it is also wonderfully full auto operation and I listen mostly during office hours...I think it'll go back to front and center anchoring my vinyl front end once again.

John

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #3 on:** 31 Oct 2010, 06:44 pm »

@ lumendog:

I also own the JVC QL-F6, which uses much the same technology of the QL-10 and QL-8 that you own...and it plays great.

http://www.thevintageknob.org/jvc-QL-F6.html

I'm not familiar with the UA-7045 arm...but if it is similar to the one on the F6, that features horizontal and vertical oil damping, it is excellent

Grado's sound great on it as they tend to sound good on arms with fluid damping. The JVC arm goes one step further than most and damps in both the vertical and horizontal planes.

This feature is on the Y66F, as well...but, 8 years later JVC developed magnet technology to take care of this issue in place of actual fluid.

Have your modeling clay handy unless your dead set on re-plinthing. If it's hollow inside like the F6 and Y66F, it'll benefit mightily from application in there

Regards, John

S Clark · « **Reply #4 on:** 31 Oct 2010, 06:49 pm »

Speaking of the QL 6, John, I have a question for you but don't want to highjack the thread. You have a PM coming.

Wayner · « **Reply #5 on:** 31 Oct 2010, 08:00 pm »

Quote from: TheChairGuy on 31 Oct 2010, 06:36 pm

Not at all pissed at lumendog, Wayner
John

Of course I was just kidding

.

I am finding that the Grado really likes to have a 2 degree SRA on it. I think this improves it's tracking which makes that inner null point nonsense go away. It is also important to put it in Lofgren's B curve for a better tracking scheme.

Wayner

lumendog · « **Reply #6 on:** 1 Nov 2010, 01:52 am »

It was oddly serendipitous that Chairguy bought my qly66f. I should have just offered it to him in the first place. As for the new JVC, I will probably check out the grado and shure. The at 150 is just a tad edgy for my liking. The cool thing about the ql 8 is that the DD motor is stand alone, and I can build my own fancy plinth for it to nestle into. I did just run across some info that said that this arm likes a medium to high compliance cart. This was the arm that came on the totl JVC ql 10. I just saw this arm sell for 450$, so I am feeling like i got a steal for the arm/table combo. I think the ua 7045 was one of the only arms that JVC sold stand alone. IT has VTAF, separate cable, and azimuth adjustment, which is also really cool. The seller said he was amazed at how many people contacted him about "some old JVC turntable". I guess the not so secret is out.

neobop · « **Reply #7 on:** 2 Nov 2010, 02:49 pm »

It looks like a nice arm, and around 9.6". Congratulations.
http://www.vinylengine.com/library/jvc/ua-7045.shtml

neo

hotrod · « **Reply #8 on:** 3 Nov 2010, 12:06 am »

Hey lumendog,I happen to see the QL-8 auction,I passed since the table looked pretty beat up.I also noticed the tonearms rear stub had ALOT of sag,this was evident on the first photo,on the others the seller had the weight pushed all the way to the front to help cover up the hanging rear stub.I was never sure how to fix that problem on older tonearms.I would certainly check it when you go to pick up the table.
Anyway, I hope the table looks better in person.
OMR

narkleptic · « **Reply #9 on:** 4 Nov 2010, 07:27 pm »

Congrats on the table. Looks like you outbid me...but I'd say you got a heck of a deal, even if the tonearm has some issues. Best of luck...but don't feel too bad for me since I just scored myself a QL-Y66f.

BaMorin · « **Reply #10 on:** 4 Nov 2010, 10:52 pm »

Quote from: lumendog on 31 Oct 2010, 04:52 pm

I couldn't stay away from DD JVC's for long. I sadly got rid of my QLY66f a few months ago and have saved some cash and bought a JVC ql 8 with ua 7045 tonearm off fleabay and will be driving to LA to pick it up. I am planning on building a new plinth for it and the like, but the tonearm is like no other i have seen. I was wondering if anyone had a good idea of a cartridge that could be used with it. The tonearm seems to work similar to a unipivot, but is not a unipivot? I currently own a grado gold, shure 95e, and at 150, but am willing to step it up a notch since this tonearm seems like it could be great. Any recommendations? I am back in the DD club yea

You can always upgrade that Grado Gold Stylus with the 8MZ, or MCZ

Ba( Oh no!!! it's that guy again !!!)Morin

lumendog · « **Reply #11 on:** 5 Nov 2010, 08:20 pm »

Just got her home and she runs perfect in 33 with a slight hint of quickness in 45. I will try some deoxit in the pots. The tonearm counterweight droops a little, but this is something common and i will try to be a surgeon and fix this, but from what i have read there is not a loss of clarity from this. I think I will play her a bit before messing around. The plinth could definitely use some new veneer, but that is an easy cosmetic fix that I will worry about later

As for the Grado, I have wanted to upgrade styli, but have noticed recently that the 8mz is now bush bonded. I would really like a nude stylus for my grado.

Cheeseboy · « **Reply #12 on:** 5 Nov 2010, 09:38 pm »

I have an old JVC QL8 in the garage but I can't find the Pigtail Connector that goes out of the bottom of the Tone Arm. What should I do? It has the famous J arm. It is quite a remarkable table and arm. I haven't used it for some time. It used to be my main table. I used Ortaphon and Osawa cartridges as well as the Stanton 881/681 and Sure V15 unknown type IV i think. All of them performed very well. I think it was the Ortaphon MP20? that I liked the best. Damn I'm old.

If anyone has idea on how to find the pigtail or rewire the arm I'm open to suggestions.

Steve

lumendog · « **Reply #13 on:** 6 Nov 2010, 12:01 am »

You are in luck because this is an easy fix. You just need a new tonearm cable. Here is a link to a great priced one. Or you could just give the old jvc a new home. I would be a willing suitor.

http://cgi.ebay.com/JELCO-JAC-501-HI-END-TONEARM-CABLE-/300487784465?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f677b811#ht_500wt_1156

Cheeseboy · « **Reply #14 on:** 8 Nov 2010, 05:17 am »

Thanks for the link. I'll consider you for the first call when it's time to sell the QL8. It's nice to know that you are diggin JVC turntables. You will love the QL-8. I was never one to enjoy the horizontal damping on the QLF-66. There is someone on Agon selling a QL-5. $244. Best value on the web.

BaMorin · « **Reply #15 on:** 8 Nov 2010, 01:27 pm »

Quote from: Cheeseboy on 8 Nov 2010, 05:17 am

Thanks for the link. I'll consider you for the first call when it's time to sell the QL8. It's nice to know that you are diggin JVC turntables. You will love the QL-8. I was never one to enjoy the horizontal damping on the QLF-66. There is someone on Agon selling a QL-5. $244. Best value on the web.

If you are looking for arm cables, I have new "jelco" cables for less than the e-bay add. BaMorin@AOL.com

Cheeseboy · « **Reply #16 on:** 8 Nov 2010, 07:52 pm »

Thanks BAMorin!

I'd like to hear more about how the QL-8 is performing. What cartridges have you listened to so far? Are you going to use the headshell that came with the Arm?

Impressions?

Steve

lumendog · « **Reply #17 on:** 17 Feb 2011, 03:19 pm »

Well I finally finished my restoration . I milled some solid walnut and wrapped a 4 layer plywood base with it, and then added a 3/4 stone top plate. It weighs in at over 50lbs. I fixed the dreaded tonearm weight sag with some surgery and an o-ring. I will search for a before pic and upload some more to my gallery.

How does she sound? Pretty sweet so far. I need a new mat. I am using an old felt mat right now and am feeling that this is not the best mat for this table. Any suggestions?

I am also still using the stock feet, and was planning on switching to some tip toes or maybe something else. I literally just finished the plinth so need a little breathing time.

Also, the turntable s not grounded to anything right now. I am gong to have to look into grounding the table.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #18 on:** 17 Feb 2011, 04:04 pm »

WOW

Well done

Herbie's Way Excellent mat for me - best I've found (and I tried many store bought and homebrew)

Feet? Brass toes pointing straight down into a 3.5" thick maple block generally beats all comers for me (assuming there are feedback issues, as I would think you took care of that with your new plinth/top plate)

John

lumendog · « **Reply #19 on:** 18 Feb 2011, 04:25 am »

I have ordered some brass tip toes and will use these. they can also be used to level the table.
I had at one time a herbies mat, but now can't find the damn thing

I kind of wish that I could get a herbies in full black as I like the black/silver/walnut theme i now have.

I will post some more pics as soon as I can find the micro usb cord.