tonearm cable - copper or silver?

[scoobs]

Fellas
I use a denon 103pro in a cardas re-wired arm with din plug, and I'm wondering what tonearm cable to use with my valve pre. I certainly dont want to loose the vigour and 'balls' of the 103's sound, and I dont want any softness or added warmth either, but I've heard that silver can be unpredictable with tonearm looms.

What would folk recommend?

[Marco]

There's only one I'd go for mate. Keep the cable loom the same and go for Cardas Quadlink (with a source end DIN) shown here:

https://www.thecableco.com/prodImg/l...8-20061031.jpg

And available from here:

https://www.thecableco.com/product.php?id=3538

But Kevin from KAB will have to order it for you because Cardas don't supply direct, and The Cable Company won't supply orders outside of the US, otherwise it will cost you a fortune to buy here from the likes of Audiofreaks (the UK distributor) or a dealer. It's not a problem, though. I did this with the Cardas headshell leads that I bought, which you might also wish to get while you're at it

Shown here:

https://www.thecableco.com/product.php?id=4982

Then you'll have a complete Cardas cable loom from start to finish, and the coherence and synergy that go with it.

The other option is to look at Chord's range of interconnects; any of which can be supplied as DIN to phono.

http://www.chord.co.uk/chordweb/chor...tion_guide.htm

Something like Anthem would be good.

You should have went for the RCA junction box like I did, then you just connect your favourite pair of interconnect leads to it! Why did you go for the DIN termination?

I looked at it but didn't really see the point.

Marco.

[scoobs]

Ta for that Marco. I read the supplementary info about the din plate on Kevins site...

"If the 5 pin DIN is chosen instead, there will be no need for the Cardas tonearm cable. The Cardas wand wire will solder directly to the DIN connector. The advantage of the DIN system is that no signal current travels through the sheild. It also permits connecting to a balanced preamp stage; RCA's do not."

...it made sense to me, as there are a few breaks in the loom as it is already.

[DSJR]

What's the point? The Denon in standard trim is so distorted and coloured with losses of HF at end of side, any cable differences would be swamped by this 1950's relic.......

Get the thing re-tipped with a proper stylus and then ask the question...

[scoobs]

I dont do standard trim, the pro is a different proposition, and mine has been modded with mounting block and nuded. A re-tip is on the cards for the future.

[Marco]

What's the point? The Denon in standard trim is so distorted and coloured with losses of HF at end of side, any cable differences would be swamped by this 1950's relic.......

LOL. We'll have to agree to differ there, David!!

I use the Pro version, too, and also a 103R to great effect. I know what you mean about the conical stylus, and you have a point. However, the distortion you mention is largly eradicated and rendered pretty much insignificant when used in the right arm with the appropriate mass and when loading and impedance are correctly provided via a properly matched step-up transformer.

Not many people these days hear 103s properly partnered under those conditions. And they just don't work in modern arms. You need something suitably high-mass such as a Fidelity Research, SME 3012, Trio (such as used on the L-07D), Acos Lustre or any of those types of 'classic' detachable headshell tonearms which the 103 was traditionally designed to partner - or something medium to high mass like the arm on the SL-1210 with a magnesium or metal alloy headshell in place.

Come over anytime and listen to the 103 Pro on my modified SL-1210, and I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised

Marco.

[Marco]

Ta for that Marco. I read the supplementary info about the din plate on Kevins site...

"If the 5 pin DIN is chosen instead, there will be no need for the Cardas tonearm cable. The Cardas wand wire will solder directly to the DIN connector. The advantage of the DIN system is that no signal current travels through the sheild. It also permits connecting to a balanced preamp stage; RCA's do not."

...it made sense to me, as there are a few breaks in the loom as it is already.

Yeah in a way it makes sense, but I don't think it's the most practical of solutions, which is exactly what you're finding out now, and why I avoided doing it. Anyway, not to worry. Keep us posted how you get on with the cable

Marco.

[Mike]

Hmmm.....

I just happen to have found a set of Cardas Golden Cross headshell leads in my box of bits!

Any takers?

[scoobs]

Hmmm.....

I just happen to have found a set of Cardas Golden Cross headshell leads in my box of bits!

Any takers?

hmm...tempting, how much?

[Mike]

Open to offers as there are a few gnarly marks on the heatshrink.

Here's a piccy:



By shian7, shot with u30D,S410D,u410D at 2008-05-21