ADC QLN-II ()

That bright, chiseled high end cuts through like a freshly sharpened needle - beautiful when it's right, brittle when it's not.

Overview

The ADC QLN-II is a moving magnet phono cartridge. It shows up in collections and service trays, and it often gets mistaken for its siblings. This one uses what's called a "Mk I" body, an early version in ADC's lineup before they changed the inductance and voicing in later revisions. That means parts aren't always interchangeable, even when they look identical. Someone on Vinyl Engine confirmed what many tinkerers suspected: the QLN-II is functionally the same as the QLM-36. Same guts, same performance specs, same footprint on the tonearm. Don't swap styli blindly, though. A QLM-36 Mk III stylus on a QLN-II body can give lower output and a top end that's just plain harsh.

It's the kind of cartridge you'd find mounted on a Technics SL-1200 or a Dual turntable in the late '70s or early '80s, assuming it hasn't been replaced or retired. The elliptical diamond tip has 8 × 18 µm radii and was engineered to track detail, not coddle your ears. ADC eventually refined their designs, increasing inductance and adjusting stylus voicing over time, and the QLN-II sits earlier in that evolution. The electrical numbers: 300 mH inductance, 375 ohms resistance, and a recommended load of 47k ohms. It wants a standard MM input, nothing exotic, nothing high-capacitance. Keep the cable runs short and the capacitance under 275 pf, and it'll behave.

Fitment isn't guaranteed. Even within the same brand and model line, a stylus every once in a while won't seat snugly on the body. It looks right and clicks in place, but you get noise - crackles, dropouts, grounding issues - because the connection isn't solid. It's not common, but it's known. The cartridge has solid specs and a tracking force range of 0.75 to 1.5 grams, but it can demand attention to detail and a bit of luck in the parts bin.

Specifications

Key Features

Special Elliptical Diamond Stylus

The QLN-II uses a highly polished special elliptical diamond stylus, designed to maximize contact with the groove walls for improved high-frequency retrieval and extended record life. At 8 × 18 µm (or .0003 × .0007 inch), it's a tight fit for complex modulations, especially in the upper mids and treble. LP Gear's replacement version touts "harmonically rich sound quality." When matched correctly, it resolves detail cleanly. When mismatched, like with a later-generation QLM-36 Mk III stylus, owners report a noticeable drop in output and a top end that turns aggressive, almost fatiguing.

Mk I Body Construction

The QLN-II uses what enthusiasts now call a "Mk I" body, the earliest version in ADC's cartridge housing evolution. ADC later increased the inductance of their bodies and adjusted the voicing of their styli, so newer replacement parts may not electrically or mechanically line up with this older platform. The 300 mH inductance and 375 ohm resistance are specific to this generation. They fall within standard MM cartridge norms, but they interact differently with preamp stages than later models. If you're rebuilding or maintaining one, stick to period-correct or explicitly compatible parts. The black/gold body with its light blue stylus tip marks this particular point in ADC's production run.

Electrical Compatibility

With a recommended load resistance of 47,000 ohms and a max capacitance of 275 pf, the QLN-II plays by the book for MM preamp integration. No exotic loading tricks are needed. Plug it into a standard phono stage and set tracking force between 0.75 and 1.5 grams. Its 5.5 mV output sits in the middle of the MM range, so gain shouldn't be an issue on most receivers or dedicated preamps. That wide tracking force window cuts both ways: too light and you risk mistracking, too heavy and you wear down both stylus and records faster than necessary. Dial it in carefully, ideally with a digital scale.

Collectibility & Value

Replacement styli for the ADC QLN-II are available, with one current market listing at $29.99. That's for a new stylus only, not the full cartridge. A complete New Old Stock QLN-II, still in its original packaging, once listed for $99.99. One user reported paying $47.95 for a QLM-36 Mk III stylus package, so pricing varies significantly depending on seller, condition, and whether the part is NOS or aftermarket. As noted in user reports, a stylus that doesn't fit snugly on the body can introduce noise and grounding issues, so buyers should test thoroughly. There's no data on original pricing or production years, and no professional reviews to benchmark performance.

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