JVC QL-Y66F vs Sansui SR-838

Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: JVC QL-Y66F · Sansui SR-838.

Comparison of JVC QL-Y66F and Sansui SR-838
Specification JVC
QL-Y66F
Sansui
SR-838
Price£500 (used)£500 (used)
CategoryVintageVintage
Statusdiscontinueddiscontinued
Years1983–?1978–?
Drivedirect drivedirect drive
Speeds33/45 rpm33/45 rpm
Operationfully-automatic
Cartridge suppliedNoneNone
Phono stageNoNo
USB outputNoNo
BluetoothNoNo
Platteraluminiumaluminium, heavy
TonearmJVC Electro-Dynamic Servo armSansui S-shaped arm with dynamic damping
Wow & flutter

Practical differences

Highlighted cells show a lower reference price, support for more listed speeds, or the presence of a convenience feature. They are not an overall score.

Both are direct-drive, so that part of the experience should feel similar on either deck: instant start-up, rock-steady speed under load, and enough torque to nudge or backspin the record — the reason DJs and scratch decks are built this way.

Beyond that, these two are close in the recorded fields. Build quality, condition, setup and dealer support are not captured by this table.

Bottom line: both are £500 at reference price — price doesn't separate them, so the table above is where the real differences show up.

Merchant searches

2 UK merchants handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that merchant’s site.

Merchants selling JVC QL-Y66F
MerchantTypeDeliveryProduct search
eBay UK used marketplace Varies by seller Search at eBay UK ↗
Vinyl Revival music retail UK delivery Search at Vinyl Revival ↗

Merchant searches

2 UK merchants handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that merchant’s site.

Merchants selling Sansui SR-838
MerchantTypeDeliveryProduct search
eBay UK used marketplace Varies by seller Search at eBay UK ↗
Vinyl Revival music retail UK delivery Search at Vinyl Revival ↗

Compare two different decks →