Pickering XV-15 cartridge fans and users, spout for a while!

illinoisteve

Super Member
Just went back to listening to my XV-15 on my Dual 1229, after a spell of several months playing with my ELAC Miracord 50H which is running a Shure M97 (New Era IV series) cartridge. Suddenly the space between and definition of the instruments on the jazz record I listened to yesterday has increased profoundly. I know there are better, and certainly newer, cartridges than the XV-15...it's just, well, I don't have any of them and can't afford most of them. The XV-15 came on with the 1229 a some years ago, and only needed a stylus replacement, while I had to learn Dual idler refurbishing (including motor dis-assembly and lubing) to get the TT working like it should.

Since then I've learned interesting things like the Pickering XV-15 being the 'identical cousin' of the Stanton 681, a better known and perhaps better-regarded cartridge mainly for that reason, and that both can share a bunch of original (if available) and generic styli.

The XV-15 is mentioned from time to time in AK threads, but perhaps it is worth a discussion focusing on it more fully. Those of you still listening to it, it's time to chime in. Consider questions like these, or offer ANY other info, analysis, reflections that strike you. What turntable to you like it on? Do you use Pickering or Stanton style needles? In either case, with or without the brush? What do think are the best styli for bringing out the cartridge's best qualities? What are the best bang for the buck generics--for those of us who are cash-strapped but still want good sound? In your view, what kinds of music is the XV-15 best suited for? What other old or newer cartridges, including better known ones, does it (or cousin Stanton 681) compare favorably with, and how does it differ from them?

Some of you may want to post photos. The XV-15 came out in gold body and gray body versions (guess which is more popular?). Mine is a white body one. Some labels on them say what stylus originally came on them, like "XV-15/625E" which would have shipped with the D625E stylus, but others just say "XV-15." Perhaps others of you can point out other identifying features worth knowing about.
 
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Funny i just picked up at an estate sale today a dual 1229 w pickering xv15 and d400 needle. Good combo?
 
Funny i just picked up at an estate sale today a dual 1229 w pickering xv15 and d400 needle. Good combo?

The worn needle on mine was also an original Pickering D400. If I remember correctly that is a .4x.7 elliptical. I don't know if 1229s actually shipped with it, but it might have been a popular or recommended pairing. Buyers no doubt could have upgraded the needle at or after time of purchase.
 
What stylus do you have on yours? I have an XV-15 that came with a Technics SL-Qsomethingorother I bought for $40 but the stylus was trashed. I got the impression from some threads that the cheap replacements aren't anything special, but I never got around to looking for anything nice.
 
I wouldn't recommend doing that. They're for the wrong cartridge.:) The XV-15 takes the 606 group and, as it happens, the EVG 606-DEX that Gary sells is reported to be quite good and you can't beat the price.

John

To expand a little more on the above, the 607 styli are for the Pickering V-15 Micro IV or Phase IV cartridges. Like the XV-15, they're moving iron and the styli will even fit perfectly. (Why did they do stuff like that?!)

The trouble comes in regarding the electrical properties of the two styli. Both the DCR and the inductance are quite different so the styli for one cartridge won't be voiced the same as those for the other. I understand that the results for putting an XV-15 stylus in a V-15 Micro IV cartridge are actually not bad at all but I don't know whether the same is true of the reverse process.

John
 
I really think highly of the Pickering XV-15 with the DL-1200 stylus with Dustmatic brush. I am running a Marantz 6300 table and set tracking at 2 grams which with the brush offset is actually 1 gram. It tracks well and the sound is clear and accurate in my opinion. Previously I have owned the Stanton 881s and 681EEE those were great carts too and it has been many years since so direct comparison is not possible, but I think the Pickering easily performs just as well. I have other tables and brands of carts but I find The Pickering is my GOTO for critical listening
 
I really think highly of the Pickering XV-15 with the DL-1200 stylus with Dustmatic brush. I am running a Marantz 6300 table and set tracking at 2 grams which with the brush offset is actually 1 gram. It tracks well and the sound is clear and accurate in my opinion. Previously I have owned the Stanton 881s and 681EEE those were great carts too and it has been many years since so direct comparison is not possible, but I think the Pickering easily performs just as well. I have other tables and brands of carts but I find The Pickering is my GOTO for critical listening

Try running it at 2.25g and see whether you like it better.

Also, the Stanton 681EEE is essentially the same as the XV-15/1200E. The 881S, on the other hand, is a moving magnet cartridge as opposed to the others which are moving iron.

John
 
... as it happens, the EVG 606-DEX that Gary sells is reported to be quite good and you can't beat the price.

John

Gary......?

I have a generic D750 replacement I believe; I forget the maker. Sounds pretty good. I tried a .2x.7 Stanton-style elliptical from Phanstiehl, which sounded amazing right at first, then seemed plagued with distortion/sibilance in the highest frequencies. I repeatedly tried to realign the cart to stop that, but either I failed or the stylus was bad. Have heard Phanstiehls are hit or miss quality.
 
Gary......?

Yeah, you know. Gary. ;)

Gary at V-M Audio Enthusiasts, the same place that DublinTrader linked to.

I have a generic D750 replacement I believe; I forget the maker. Sounds pretty good. I tried a .2x.7 Stanton-style elliptical from Phanstiehl, which sounded amazing right at first, then seemed plagued with distortion/sibilance in the highest frequencies. I repeatedly tried to realign the cart to stop that, but either I failed or the stylus was bad. Have heard Phanstiehls are hit or miss quality.

Mostly miss. That's why you read so many warnings about not buying those. They are quite commonly plagued by that. I'm told that running them at much higher VTF can tame them but I don't know that from my own experience since I've never owned one.

John
 
If you really like your Pickering carts, I highly recommend not going with any styli other than the original. For the XV15, Pickering UK still has the D625 3 x 7 elliptical in stock. Well worth ordering from them. Who knows how long they'll be in stock. Most Pickering styli are long gone.

http://www.pickeringuk.com/styli.html
 
We should mention that any aftermarket effort brings with it a certain amount of risk as well as a lower price. I do find the Japanese-made 4606-DEX sold by Our Guy Gary at thevoiceofmusic.com, aka tVOM, to be amazing for the price. It need not apologize for itself. I do use a slightly higher VTF (1.5g) compared to the stock stylus. $17.50 plus ship as of this writing.

P-mount fans have their own XV-15 clones, the TL-1,2,3 & 4. If there's an S on the end, the stylus is a Stereohedron. Standard-mount folks can hunt for a D1800S to get the 'official' standard-mount equivalent. All these styli are completely interchangeable, of course.
 
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I have a White XV-15, that's all it says on the body. It came with a D400 and under a 200X scope it looks okay, but hard to tell. It plays ok on test records, but don't want to commit it (the stylus) to good records. I ordered a JICO D6800EEE from KABUSA and that sounds okay, as I don't remember what the original stylus sounded like. I play Rock with it, most the time. The JICO stylus is .3x.7, vs .4x.7 for the D400. The XV-15 is used on my Yamaha TT500U table. Glad you started this thread, I just may break out that lovely cartridge and put it to use.

I know about the NOS from Pickering UK, but a little out of my budget.
 

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As John pointed out, I actually referenced the wrong stylus. This, I believe is the correct one:

http://www.thevoiceofmusic.com/cata...=MfgNameNeedles&MfgName=Pickering&Categories=

The last time I was needle shopping for the XV-15 I never discovered that supplier. Usually, when I found what looked like a usable substitute part number, I'd do an internet search to turn up both regular online and ebay suppliers. I also don't remember hearing about EVG needles back then. Some descriptions would say something like "excellent Japanese manufacture" which I took to mean "better than Swiss Pfanstiehl," but it usually didn't say what manufacturer.

I think the one I'm using was made by mystery Japanese. It must not be a D750 clone, as I'm pretty sure it's a .3x.7 (not .2x.7).

I have looked at Pickering's online listings. I'm sure the originals are worth it, but I don't have it. But I'm always always interested in better bargain substitutes, especially if people who've heard the originals recommend them.

Thanks to the poster of the pic of the white-body XV-15. Yeah, looks like mine.
 
The last time I was needle shopping for the XV-15 I never discovered that supplier. Usually, when I found what looked like a usable substitute part number, I'd do an internet search to turn up both regular online and ebay suppliers. I also don't remember hearing about EVG needles back then. Some descriptions would say something like "excellent Japanese manufacture" which I took to mean "better than Swiss Pfanstiehl," but it usually didn't say what manufacturer.

I think the one I'm using was made by mystery Japanese. It must not be a D750 clone, as I'm pretty sure it's a .3x.7 (not .2x.7).

I have looked at Pickering's online listings. I'm sure the originals are worth it, but I don't have it. But I'm always always interested in better bargain substitutes, especially if people who've heard the originals recommend them.

Thanks to the poster of the pic of the white-body XV-15. Yeah, looks like mine.


For some reason the aftermarket Pickering/Stanton stuff I've tried has really sucked. After a few bad experiences I've stuck to the originals without any issues.
 
Have the gold tone XV-15 1200E with a NOS D1200 stylus, gives my Grado Platinum a run for it's money. The sound is warm yet still with all the detail intact. I did find running sans the brush was a big improvement, also the added VTF for the brush made setting the anti-skate correctly impossible. Believe me when I say I really wanted to keep the brush installed, but after months of fiddling with the setup I just removed the damn thing and all was good.

Martin
 
Have the gold tone XV-15 1200E with a NOS D1200 stylus, gives my Grado Platinum a run for it's money. The sound is warm yet still with all the detail intact. I did find running sans the brush was a big improvement, also the added VTF for the brush made setting the anti-skate correctly impossible. Believe me when I say I really wanted to keep the brush installed, but after months of fiddling with the setup I just removed the damn thing and all was good.

Martin

Adding the extra weight for the brush kind of eliminates for much, if any, anti-skate. At least in my system. But then again, I'm not a big proponent of AS.
 
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