Sony PS-Q3 a mini review

Mark W.

Nut house of the Universe
As many of you know I have been awaiting a compact TT I bought off eBay. Well it arrived the other day in fine shape double boxed and the inner box was it's factory box and packing.

The player had never been set up. All the factory shipping tape etc. was all still in place. The plastic bag that held the OM had never been opened.

A new 25 year old TT.

Now to the big question, in the auction you could see this had a Euro type electrical plug on the end of the cord someone asked if it was a 220V unit the seller told them yes and that you could most likely get an adapter. he posted the question. I am certain that this is why I go the table for only $43.50. And not the large prices any of these compacts fetch.

The seller was in CA I'm in OR so shipping was going to be cheap it was. Total to my door was $59.00

While waiting for it and while driving the guys in chat nuts trying to figure out how to convert it to 120V I went ahead and bought a download Service manual $14.95 it showed something I did know that just like lots of gear these came in a number of different sub models based on voltage. And one of those was a Muliti volt.

Well as Karma would have it I got the wining lottry ticket and it turned out to be just that a Multivolt unit I didn't even need to cut the cord as the Euro prongs were and adapter that slipped right off.

And of course it had 25 year old belts with the current properties of BLACK TAR SNOT. So no chance to try it out.

I go on line to find belts and low and behold turntableneedles.com not 35 miles away in Corvallis OR have them in stock and at a VERY good price. Both belts to my door $12.90. Arrived day after I ordered them.

OK so last night I finished cleaning the BLACK TAR SNOT off the pulleys and platter. I got the new belts in place and then started the process of tuning the table the drop and pickup positions were very good but the speed was way fast and the downforce on the stylus was to high. I managed to get it dialed in and after a little nudging for 4-5 cycles it started working on it's own as it should. I then used a little very high quality Turbine oil to help soften up the old grease and it's working quite well.


So new cart new stylus HOWS the sound. I put on my favorite test LP Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms" and waited to see if I would get the goose bumps as the change up comes on the second track and sure enough it was there not as dramtic as my 45rpm version on the RM-5 and Erocia H BUT still pretty dang good.

I listened to both sides and first blush I have a dang nice VERY well built little travel TT small enough to put in a carry on. And good sounding enough to intertain the wife and I on our road trips.

NOW the down side (you know there always has to be a down side) The design and auto action of this little player leads to a big problem. There is no easy way to dry brush an LP. and even after one goes though the PIA of starting it and then manually lifting the tonearm (no lift no finger lift either) so it will stay running without the stylus in the groove. The tiny (and I mean VERY tiny) drive belts and half the size of a golf ball 6.3V DC motor does not have the torque to make the brushing much more effective then blowing on the surface to try to remove dust.

Now with my LP's that is not a problem as I do the RCM thing and have spotless LP's BUT I was hoping to use this to listen to new aquires on road trips. So this little problem will have to be addressed.

It's a very nice looking unit and with the addition of a couple of carefully cut foam blocks should travel very well the wife is going to make a little padded slip cover for it.

future plans include a removeable power cord and the instalation of a pair of RCA's I'll make a set of 18" long I/C's for it since the MINI system this is going to become part of there is no need for 30" long I/C's.

The rest of the system includes

A Realistic SA-150 (1.8-2 watt integrated amp) silver face and faux walnut cab.

A Realistic TM-150 AM/AF stereo tuner matching the amp.

An Awia XP-V714 portable CDP (japanese market TOTL even has a Digital out and LCD remote.

Minimus 7 Speakers (I will soon do the crossover upgrade on these)

The Sony PS-Q3 TT.

I have some plans for a mini rack and TT stand for the system. Soon as I decide Ill post some photo's of the whole MINI system and show how it will packup in my LP carrying case.


A photo of the player with an LP
 

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VERY Nice!

I want one. :yes:


Now, I MUST ask. Does the arm take a p-Mount cartridge?
 
I have one too!!

Congratulations on your acquisition. Mine is the black gunmetal color (see pictures). It was part of my minisystem FH-7 back in the late 80's. It was in storage until last year when I revived it with some cleaning, new stylus and new belts (2 of them). Play some LPs. SQ is not audiophile quality but quite decent for this level of TT. Certainly a keeper for its unusual design.
 

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Congratulations on your acquisition. Mine is the black gunmetal color (see pictures). It was part of my minisystem FH-7 back in the late 80's. It was in storage until last year when I revived it with some cleaning, new stylus and new belts (2 of them). Play some LPs. SQ is not audiophile quality but quite decent for this level of TT. Certainly a keeper for its unusual design.

That's what I wanted to use it with! My FH-7mkIII!
 
Those of us like David and I with FH-7's definitely want one (and I have to have one of each color :sigh:). Wish me luck. I don't believe it's got a seperate cart. You have to use the original stylus. Mark?
 
Hi, vinyldavid,

Is your FH-7 still around? I gave mine away a while ago and I think that may be a mistake.

Mine's definitely still here, and it's awaiting some repairs.

Koseltri is kind enough to send me a new hub for the cassette deck mechanism, and today I am going to pull it apart to look at the belts init, because the cassette deck was not working properly before the hub parts disappeared.....

It sure sounds great. found mine at a Goodwill for $15. The manager thought it was a weird old school TV because it weighed so much......:lmao:
 
That's awesome David! Such a good score and being new, well that's almost unheard of especially down here.
I so want one in silver to complete my set. So if you ever get sick of it.....:thmbsp:
Meanwhile my search will continue.
Hope the parts get your FH-7 up and running as well, it is such a good little system. Our discussions of late have motivated me and I've now sent my tape deck in to get sorted. :rockon:
 
VERY Nice!

I want one. :yes:


Now, I MUST ask. Does the arm take a p-Mount cartridge?

No it is a dedicated mount I belive the cartridge has a reduced area on the back about 1/4" square and about 1/2" long the pins stick out the end of that and it plugs into the hollow Square tubing that is the tonearm. there is a little bump and divit that makes a kind of lock. The stylus is replacable and there are aftermarket replacements. The OM says to expect about 400 hours from the stylus and that will take me a LONG time.
 
That's awesome David! Such a good score and being new, well that's almost unheard of especially down here.
I so want one in silver to complete my set. So if you ever get sick of it.....:thmbsp:
Meanwhile my search will continue.
Hope the parts get your FH-7 up and running as well, it is such a good little system. Our discussions of late have motivated me and I've now sent my tape deck in to get sorted. :rockon:

Opps sorry David. That would be congrats to Mark on the score! It's early Sunday morning here and I'm only half way thru the first coffee. :screwy:
 
No it is a dedicated mount I belive the cartridge has a reduced area on the back about 1/4" square and about 1/2" long the pins stick out the end of that and it plugs into the hollow Square tubing that is the tonearm. there is a little bump and divit that makes a kind of lock.

Like this?

Audio-Technica_P-Mount_AT3482P_Cartridge_Turntable_collage.jpg
 
No much smaller I think. And the plastic part that goes into the tube is twice as long as that appears. It is a dedicated cartridge.
 
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