Littmann Cardio III vs Cardio IV?

I just placed a bid on eBay on a Littmann Cardiology III steth that is used but appears to be in like-new condition. Has anybody had a chance to use both the Cardio III and the Cardio IV? How much difference can you hear in the sound quality? Is there a big difference between the III and the IV? I've had my current steth (a Cardiomart brand cardiology, off brand clone of the Littmann Cardio II and a decent steth) close to 20 years and decided to upgrade. Planning later this month to be stething a young woman who is, shall we say, somewhat busty, and of course want to be able to hear her heart clearly and let her listen as she has never listened to her own heart.

I have a Cardio lll I like it a friend just got a new CardioIV I can’t tell much of a difference.

When I was in nursing school you could tell the ones who were pretty well off because they all had Littmann's and the rest of us had the knockoffs. After school, I went onto a cardiac ward. Somewhere in all of that, I purchased a Littmann Cardiology III. They imprinted my name on it. Now I have scrunchies on it now because I work at a school. I have had it for a long time and love it.

Tabitha, I appreciate your feedback about the positive experience and good service you've gotten with your Littmann Cardio III. I won the bidding and bought the Cardio III, should be here by the weekend. Do you listen to many hearts in your work as a school nurse? Elementary? Middle school? High school?

You are welcome. I'm not into stething as a turn on. Our school has students from K2-Grade 5. It used to be up to Grade 6 but the workload was so heavy two of us were going crazy. We have some students that are asthmatics. Then you have the students who faint due to heat. Then you have the drama queens and kings. We also have a few who have had cardiac surgery. We get our share of listening to hearts and lungs.

When I worked on the cardiac ward a doctor asked for me by name. You need to know that it was a teaching hospital. So I go with this young doctor to a patient's room. The doctor pulls out his knockoff stethoscope. He listens to the patient and said that he could not hear a valve click as I had in my report. So I started listening with my stethoscope and I could clearly hear it. So I handed the doctor my stethoscope and said try mine. He listened and said wow I hear it well. Then he looked at my stethoscope and said why do you have one of these? I looked at him and said you just answered your own question. A few days later I saw that doctor and he had a Littmann Cardiology III. So I think that speaks for itself. I looked at him and said, nice stethoscope doctor. He said thanks. You should work for Littmann. I said, "remember the saying. "Nurses; we keep doctors from killing you." He just laughed. Some doctors you can joke with and some have a God syndrome. We had one doctor who was a Thoracic Surgeon from South Africa who was always joking. He would always bring is flowers. We that that was so special until we found out he was bringing them to us when a patient checked out and left them. LOL We always had someone come to the nurse's station and tell us that there was a patient in room whatever and they thought his or her family smuggled in a beer for him or her. We would laugh and say nope. The doctor prescribed it. That South African doctor would ask patients before surgery if they drank and how much etc. Then he would prescribe a beer for lunch and dinner. He stated that he didn't want a patient to start withdrawing with a cracked chest.

Congratulations on winning the bid. I think you will like it.

The Littmann Cardio III arrived today. Very pleased with the sound quality. I'm a big guy (6'5" 270# big chest), and I can hear my own heart and breath sounds with beautiful clarity. Haven't had a chance to listen to anybody else but will try to work on that once we get past this corona virus thing.

I never used a Littmann, but I would really like to