Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?

Halcro: "I'm not sure what you mean by "integrated turntables"?"

Integrated turntable just means a turntable comes with its own tonearm, unlike TT-101 or Technics SP-10 that allows you to use your own tonearm.

The QL-A7 qualifies as an integrated table, the same as a QL-7. It is essentially a TT71 with a semi automatic tonearm that has auto armlift at end of record and auto stop. The "A" means automatic version of the QL-7. I owned both QL-7 and QL-A7. They were my introduction to JVC turntables. Their later integrated turntables feature coreless motor that has a sound my ears are more cottoned to, such as QL-F6, QL-Y7, QL-Y55F, QL-Y5, QL-Y66F, etc... and the aforementioned flagship integrated table QL-A95.

Back to the QL-A7, the later integrated turntables are rather more complicated as they are completely automated with electronics that can adjust VTF, antiskating, damping, all on the fly with knobs on the front, like the one in the QL-Y66F. Very complicated electronically. It's great when it works right but it's a nightmare when it goes berzerk as it can kill your cartridge by applying too much tracking force by crushing the cantilever! For that reason I much prefer an old school tonearm like the one in the A7. Underneath the plinth of the Y66F, it has many ribbon cable connectors connected to the main board so it's a bit more complicated than the A7. Installing your own tonearm is doable but just have to be more careful.

The turntable section of these integrated units are very reliable, never had any problem with them. The electronic tonearms are a different story. If I can choose, I would like to have a QL-A70 as it has identical 14" platter and motor drive as the Y66F but with a more traditional tonearm. But the Y66F is more common and easier to find. Due to finance, laziness, and simplifying my life, the only table I am using these days is the QL-F6 with its stock tonearm mated with a Signet cartridge, hence my lack of participation in forums. It sounds satisfying to me. But the QL-A70 is always on my mind... I still have a beater Y66F in storage that, hmmm... I should put it into good use one day...

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Halcro: "Forgive me if I'm wrong....but I thought that only the TT-101 had the coreless motor?"

No, TT-101 is NOT the only JVC turntable that uses coreless motor. Look up some of the above models I mentioned.

I had a QL-Y7 briefly and sold it as a favor to a non-audiophile friend to replace his QL-A7 and he told immediately the sound is smoother with the same cartridge. I trust non-audiophile's ears than audiophiles, to be honest. Of course one can always argue they use different tonearms and it could be the attribute to the sound. But turntables with coreless motor that I heard have a fluid sound that I like and it's different from typical DD tables, a la Technics, almost like a belt drive but more concise and stable. That's just my own impression. YMMV.

There's a German JVC collector "JVC_graz" in some internet audio forums is very knowledgeable about all the different JVC models. Here's a picture of his collection of integrated tables.

http://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/gallery/image.php?album_id=106&image_id=8637&view=no_count

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Great information as usual Hiho...👍
The Victor world is indeed convoluted and full of gems..
What Signet cartridge are you using?...just out of curiosity...

Regards

So Hiho,

If one wanted a Victor coreless motor unit which shared the dimensions of the TT-81/101 and had all the operating controls on the platter unit itself (like the TT-101)....I assume that these are not available as 'stand-alone'?
Is there a model in your integrated list from which I could remove the motor unit as a 'drop-in' for my TT-81/101?

Halcro,

I have thought of the same thing before but JVC made their integrated turntables rather hard to do that because the circuit boards are laid out all over the place and wires are like spaghetti. After some research I believe the QL-A75 is the closest to what you are talking about. It's probably the simplest construction as the top plate or chassis contains all the controls and the circuit boards are all under the top plate so making plinth cut out a lot easier. I never owned one but I have similar QL-Y55F with the electronic tonearm but the main board took up the whole width of the plinth underneath. The QL-A75 is almost top of the line and I am sure it's a great performer even with its stock tonearm, which is an old school mechanical one so that's good.

Here are some pictures from a Japanese website:

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/gt2500jzz/34155439.html

The QL-A75 is rather hard to find though. And the A-95 is even harder!

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Another approach is to make an armpod or island for a tonearm, preferably 12", that can just swing over to whatever table you will be using. Of course, you have to remove whatever compliant footers so it wouldn't affect VTA or geometry. Pretty much the same concept as your "nude" approach. This way, you are not affecting the resale value of your stock table. Just another thought.

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Here's one forum member improving his JVC QL-A75 by adding mass and damping to the plinth:

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=426693

Here's one that adds a SAEC arm bracket to the stock plinth:

http://www13.plala.or.jp/mj4018/we308l2.html

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