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Pickering XSV/3000 Moving Magnet Phono Cartridge & original D3000 Nude stereohedron in original box, in excellent condition.- Stylus guard, mounting hardware, manual, original box. - Channel separation: 40db The stylus was inspected with a Shure SEK-2 microscope and showed no wear.Specifications---------------------Tracking Force: 1 gram, + 1- /4 gramFrequency Response: 10 to 30,000 Hz.Nominal Output: 5.0 mV.Channel Separation: 35 dB.Inductance, Each Channel: 350 mH.Resistance, Each Channel: 700 ohms.Load Resistance: 47 kilohms.Load Capacitance: 275 pF.Stylus: Pickering D3000Stylus Description: Stereohedron.
At US$437, this is a bit above the recent comparable median of US$389 and sits just over the US$413 75th percentile, so it reads as ambitious rather than a clear bargain. It is not wildly out of line, but I’d want either a notably clean example or useful extras to feel good about paying that much.
That said, the XSV-3000 is a respected Pickering moving-magnet cartridge, known for a lively, detailed top end and strong tracking when the stylus is healthy. If the stylus is original, verify wear carefully; if it’s been retipped or includes a fresh, high-quality stylus, the value case improves a lot. For a well-preserved sample with confirmed performance, it can still be a worthwhile buy.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Pickering is an American hi-fi name, founded in the 1940s by engineer and inventor Norman C. Pickering. Norman Pickering was a major audio figure and co-founder of the Audio Engineering Society, and his work helped shape the modern phono cartridge during the postwar rise of high fidelity. The company grew out of his earlier pickup and cartridge development work in New York, where Pickering & Company was established to serve both broadcasters and the emerging consumer market.
The brand is primarily associated with phono cartridges and pickup systems, not with a broad modern electronics lineup. In other words, Pickering is known for turntable-related analog front-end products rather than amplifiers, speakers, DACs, or headphones. Its reputation is tied to classic moving-magnet cartridges and the vinyl era, which makes the name especially familiar to collectors, archivists, and vintage-turntable enthusiasts.
In the market, Pickering sits more as a vintage-collector and specialist analog brand than as a current high-end or mass-market hi-fi player. Among knowledgeable buyers, it carries historical credibility for cartridge design and broadcast use, but it is not usually discussed alongside today’s active premium audio brands. For many listeners, Pickering is a respected legacy name whose value now lies in its classic cartridges, replacement styli, and its place in hi-fi history.
See all Pickering listings on RADAR.
