ADC moving-iron cartridge has "low" output


I have two identical ADC gold-body XLM-III carts from the late 70s. I purch'd them used, as part of two turntables that were each purchased from different parts of the US. Each cart has a different model of stylus (XLM-III and QLN-2) , and styluses can be interchanged. 

The MI series from ADC should output 5.5mV, which I have not measured. However, BOTH these carts are challenged wrt output volume. Not only do I have to crank up the vol. more than 1/3 above other carts, but  the sonics are a bit "small" and not "full bodied". It might be due to weakening permanent magnetism -- these are both getting close to 50 yrs old .

The perm. magnet in ADC moving iron series is mounted in the removable stylus, just above the stylus/cantilever assemble. 

Not sure what else the low volume may be due to??? These are my my only MI carts in my collection. Anyone know more?

hollowman

you buy and replace the stylus yourself

lp elliptical for xlm mkiii

https://www.lpgear.com/product/ADCSXLMIII.html

elliptical for qln-ii

https://www.lpgear.com/product/ADCSQLNMKII.html

 

jico or someone may have a micro linear profile that fits the adc body

 

OP, the chart

a link to the chart appeared in a discussion that I randomly clicked on.

I zoom in or out to get anything showing on my monitor completely for the whole page and zoom more for a enlarged portion

and take a screenshot

press both: windows key and prt sc key (above backspace key)

then open it, crop it, save as a jpeg. name it.

I upload pics into a virtual system I created here  called ,misc info'

https://www.audiogon.com/systems/11519

then I can then copy the image address (pic must be on the web) into a post

you can copy image, right click, save to your computer.

Elliot, you have a point. I chose to use 3.54 cm/sec as a standard because 30 or more years ago, that was the standard stylus velocity for calculating output. But you’re correct that in the last few decades, 5cm/sec has become standard. I chose the older standard because I reasoned that MM cartridges of the same vintage as the ADC would have been rated using that standard. This is a subject about which not much has been written. I agree that yogi’s data, that the output was 1.1mV or thereabouts is probably the sensitivity spec, not corrected for the stylu velocity standard, whether that should be 3.54 or 5cm/sec. If so, the units would be mV/cm/sec.

you buy and replace the stylus yourself

lp elliptical for xlm mkiii

https://www.lpgear.com/product/ADCSXLMIII.html

elliptical for qln-ii

https://www.lpgear.com/product/ADCSQLNMKII.html

 

jico or someone may have a micro linear profile that fits the adc bo

Thanks! Those are very low $$ for supposedly Made-in-Japan products. I assume other here on Audiogon have dealt with LPgear here (???)  so no issues with fakes or new-old-stock (suspensions do rot with age).

 

The other resource,  like https://www.adelcom.net/ADCCart1.html , are significantly pricier. Not sure about that site!