JVC MC1 Moving Coil Cartridge - Heritage?

I own JVC MC-2 cartridge. Is is excellent, much better then the current Audio Technica crop of MCs. Excellent on jazz and small ensembles. I'm using it with matching JVC MC-T100 step-up transformer.

Here are some results from german stereoplay magazine:
JVC MC-2E 08/81 200 37-39
JVC MC-5E 06/83 300 37-39
JVC MC-L10 11/82 450 43-45

MC-L10 is the successor of MC-1.
The last column is the ranking

Here is catalog page:
http://wegavision.pytalhost.com/jvc80/jvc31.jpg
http://audio-heritage.jp/VICTOR/etc/mc-l10.html

Dear friends: Here you can see the MC-L10, very good indeed:

http://www.thevintageknob.org/VICTOR/MCL10/MCL10.html

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

6 years later what can you say about JVC MC-1 catridge ?
I know someone who can sell a few boxed NOS JVC MC1

The MC-1 places its signal coils way out on the business end of the cantilever, only a millimeter or so away from the stylus. Since the coil position bypasses most of the cantilever's length, the MC-1 is a good performer with excellent dynamics and immediacy. But in return it is tricky to set up (body clearance is minimal and stylus visibility poor), and the 0.2mV output and moderately high self-impedance will pose a challenge for many phono stages.

When the stylus wears out, or if the MC-1 breaks, it may or may not be repairable. The signal coils are micro-circuit boards and delicate in construction (so are the lead-out wires, which run up the length of the cantilever), and their proximity to the stylus leaves them comparatively unprotected. Also, the magnetic circuit's nearness to the LP surface tends to suck up dirt, which over time can clog up the magnetic gap that the signal coils move in. Finally, the close proximity of signal coils to stylus may turn out to be a headache for retippers.

With all that said and done, if you own a low-noise high-gain phono stage and relish the thought of listening to something exotic and rare (I'd be surprised if there are many functioning MC-1s left, even in Japan), go for it.

Enjoy what life brings your way!

kind regards, jonathan

I’m happy to add some fresh info in this old thread:

After a brief experience with my NOS Victor MC-L10 i have to say i love this cartridge. Spend a night listening to records on my Luxman PD-444 with two tonearms and two LOMC cartridges. To my surprise the MC-L10 on Victor UA-7082 with subweright was very impressive compared to my long time favorite FR7fz or FR-64fx with N-60.

I think now i realized what is a top of the line Victor system sounds like.  
UA-7082 toneam was designed for Victor LOMC, so it’s a perfect match with MC-L10. It’s been said many time how good is the Victor tonearm, but before my favorite was shorter UA-7045 (still amazing for MM), now i’m using a long UA-7082 with MC-L10 MC (superb) on Ortofon Resonance Free headshell.

Direct Couple Victor MC-L10 (30 Ohm impedance) impressed me the most with a silver toroidal SUT (Luxman 8025 for 3-40 Ohm) between the cart and my Gold Note PH-10 in MM mode. It seems like the 8025 SUT is Rare (it was the latest in a bunch, released 1981), i’ve seen only 8030 and 8020 before. I have 8025 and 8030 to cover any cartridges with impedance anywhere from 1,5 to 40 Ohm.

For some reason the LUX 8025 SUT opens up the sound of the MC-L10 to surreal level. It’s pure magic!

I must say that MC-1 is not far in performance, i have it for a long time too, but never tried with the SUT, because my 8085 SUT has arrived only in May, 2019.

I don’t know what to think, because my phono stages are all have more than enough gain for LOMC, but the LUX silver SUT really does some magic!