What cable for connecting a tonearm with.

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vinylnvalves
Old Hand
Posts: 1074
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 12:08 pm

#16 Re: What cable for connecting a tonearm with.

Post by vinylnvalves »

The tonearm is internally wired with AN wire ... it’s so bloody fine - l lost a clip when just looking at it. So I am thinking it may need rewiring - as I cannot face the anguish of losing clip when I try fitting a cartridge. Will have a chat with NA to see what they use - don’t think is silver. This easy job is starting to look hard. Also need a new arm board to fit the 12” arm on too ( if I knock something up or get one from NA we will see)

The guy I got it off has just bought a Dohmann turntable and arm.... some upgrade out of my league.
vinylnvalves
Old Hand
Posts: 1074
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 12:08 pm

#17 Re: What cable for connecting a tonearm with.

Post by vinylnvalves »

Having had some idle time over the weekend to try to understand what attributes you want for a tone arm cable. Low capacitance is one for MM cartridges - this can be achieved a couple of ways, and I assume low resistance . It looks like using microphone cable with the drain connected at one end halves the capacitance compared to a single core using the screen for the return. Having looked at to many cables on line - it’s doesn’t seem possible to find a small diameter (<4mm) low capacitance cable with PTFE or FEP insulation. Boutique cables don’t have spec sheets - so you have no idea what your buying - just it’s expensive.. What would be the issues with using high temp instrument screened cable, for audio? As that’s readily available and generally silver plated.
vinylnvalves
Old Hand
Posts: 1074
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2013 12:08 pm

#18 Re: What cable for connecting a tonearm with.

Post by vinylnvalves »

Pop up for a chat over lunchtime with Penny et al, up at Nottingham Analogue about my arm rewire, ended up leaving with them to do it through out, clips to plugs. I have ditched the audio note tonearm wire, their silver wires is a little thicker maybe 33 AWG, and a lot more robust, so should be fool proof for my fat fingers when mounting cartridges. There interconnect cable is reasonable, without going to some bespoke silver one, I doubt I will hear the difference.
Unexpected challenge is I need a new arm board to mount a 12” arm... more expense I hadn’t calculated in when I got the arm.
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