ADC QLM36mkII ()
A moving iron phono cartridge with no specs and no reviews. Only a name turns up now and then in used gear listings.
Overview
The ADC QLM36mkII is a moving iron stereo phono cartridge made by ADC. The brand is better known for its XLM series moving magnet cartridges and its metal-faced Sound Shaper equalizers. The QLM36mkII slips through the cracks. No production years, no original price, no technical data. The name surfaces in used gear listings, often tangled up with replacement styli for models like the QLM30 MKIII or QLM36 MKIII.
It's not clear where it sits in ADC's lineup. The brand had its stars, the XLMs and the early Sound Shapers, and then there were the rest. Collectors are told ADC is a "treasure trove of undervalued gems," but the attention rarely reaches this far into the back catalog. This isn't one of the golden-era pieces with pedigree and paperwork. It's the kind of cartridge you might find still mounted on a turntable in a forgotten box.
Still, people sell it. One seller has a used QLM36mkII for €40.60. Someone else is asking $94.99 for a "rare" MKIII variant. Replacement styli show up in euros, dollars, and Canadian dollars, $29.99 here and $60 there, which suggests enough demand to keep third-party tips in circulation. One listing notes "Stylus muss geändert oder repariert werden" (the stylus must be changed or repaired). So this isn't plug-and-play. ADC's original XLM cartridges are already flagged for fragile stylus assemblies, so it's fair to assume the QLM36mkII doesn't inherit any legendary durability.
It's a moving iron design. ADC worked across transduction types, and moving iron was part of the mix. Beyond that there's nothing: no frequency response, no output voltage, no compliance data. There's not even a confirmed tracking force, though a related QLM30 MKIII lists 3-5 grams. That's the closest thing to a usable spec, and whether it applies here is anyone's guess.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | ADC |
| Product type | Moving Iron Stereo Phono Cartridge |
| Technology type | Moving Iron |
| Tracking force range | 3-5 grams |
Collectibility & Value
The ADC QLM36mkII lives in the quiet corners of the secondhand market. A used unit once listed for €40.60 on eBay, roughly $44 USD at the time, while a replacement stylus has been spotted as low as $29.99 and as high as $60 on HifiShark. The spread suggests inconsistent availability, not performance hype. There's no collector rush and no auction wars. For ADC fans, the real prizes are the original XLM cartridges and the early Sound Shapers.
The brand's reputation as a source of "undervalued gems" keeps some interest alive. These cartridges demand attention, though. Owners are reminded to "mind their fragile stylus assemblies," especially on the XLM line, and that advice likely extends to the QLM series. There's no data on common failures or repair complexity. If the stylus is worn, and on a cartridge this obscure it almost certainly is, replacement isn't a trip to the local audio shop. It's a hunt across international listings, currency converters, and vague compatibility notes.
Servicing it is no easier. There's no manual, no teardown guide, no community consensus. There's a single German listing saying "Stylus muss geändert oder repariert werden." Buying one isn't about sound quality claims. It's about completing a set, restoring a system, or chasing a spec sheet that doesn't exist.
eBay Listings
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Related Models
- ADC 220X
- ADC 303B
- ADC QLM-36
- ADC QLM (1970s–1980s)
- ADC QLM30/III
- ADC QLM30 (1976–1984)
- ADC QLM30mkII
- ADC QLM33 MkIII
- ADC QLM33
- ADC QLM33mkIII