Phono cable recommendations?

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 25, 2010
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Actually my viewpoint is that cables can dominate the system’s sonic performance but often too much and for me that’s a bad thing. Don’t know why you think it’s anti me when I find all cables and powercords significant that’s why I only recommend very particular ones.

thank you for clarifying your perspective.

My choice of cables is based on sound not frugality but if all in for you means spending more even if you get less, knock yourself out Mike :).

david

i don't like to spend big money on an expensive cable (and very rarely do it), unless i feel what it does is worth it. until i hear it, i can only take Mik's word for it. and assuming i agree with Mik's perspective, i will own it in spite of it's cost, not because of it. all in does not equal wanting to spend more. it means wanting more. of course, you already know that as it's obvious. even though you infer otherwise.
 
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ddk

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May 18, 2013
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thank you for clarifying your perspective.



it seems you go back and forth from one aspect to another aspect when it suits your point to make. we all want signal path pieces that allow the music to sound it's best. like tweaks. no tweaks......except the one's we like. then it's ok.

and i don't like to spend big money on an expensive cable, unless i feel it is worth it. until i hear it, i can only take Mik's word for it. and assuming i agree with Mik's perspective, i will own it in spite of it's cost, not because of it. of course, you already know that as it's obvious. even though you infer otherwise.
I wasn’t even involved in this thread until you inserted me here Mike. Certainly not going back and forth on anything except to clarify my position because of how you presented it. I read your comment as that going all out is tied to spending big, I wasn’t arguing with you hence my final remark was “go for it“!

david
 

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 25, 2010
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I wasn’t even involved in this thread until you inserted me here Mike. Certainly not going back and forth on anything except to clarify my position because of how you presented it. I read your comment as that going all out is tied to spending big, I wasn’t arguing with you hence my final remark was “go for it“!

david

you will note i deleted the back and forth comment from my post....immediately after i posted it. it was not relevant to this thread (16 minutes from my edit time to your posting time, and had deleted that part much earlier prior to my final edit).
 
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ALF

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Mar 15, 2012
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Aha. The 'itch'. We are such similar creature. I did mention the direct cable that came with some arm. You did too with your Duran. Those arms just did not leave a small room for further itch. So we left at that and happy with it. You see the pic of phono wire I post of SAT arm. That could possibly be the same material as the internal tonearm wire running from the four color pins. Is it not good enough to have the phono wire the same material as the arm internal wire? So this is a pure psychology and the "itch" thing that is in our dna. As long as we have a room to insert another option in, the itch could be created. I realize this so the next time I am buying arm I will ask the manufacturer to make a direct wire for me so that the "itch" won't kick in. Of course this wont prohibit a guy like Mik from tearing up even the internal wire of the arm and replace with something else. But that is just him. I will be so happy and jump on right away if Mr. Lamm does the cable for his components like your Dartzeel. ;) @ddk. Could you ask him to do that? A sensible cable.
I do have a very good, maybe even fantastic, yes...phono cable that Lamm made up for me a few years ago. I do not know if he still/will do so today. No, it is not for sale :)

Cheers!
ALF
 

hongkongfoufou

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Mar 3, 2018
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I have Furutech phono cable for my VPI : Furutech Silver Arrows-12.
I have JPS Lab Superconductor V for my Technics.
 

3125simon

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Apr 26, 2020
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I can highly recommend the ANDUZ C2 phone cable that has replaced the same Furutech silver arrow II with 90 Deg din connector to my SME VI.

Much more open and natural, better bass and detail... highly recommended.
 

howiebrou

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Jun 29, 2012
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Thanks for the reply so far guys! Just to be clear, I would need a right angle din to rca cable!
Won't a straight din also fit? My SMEV uses right angle din but straight fits just the same albeit it with a bit more space needed. The Stealthaudio din is apparently very flexible. Ask Amadeus about the Helios phono cable.
Screenshot_20200527-113129_Chrome.jpg
 

JayT

Well-Known Member
Oct 10, 2017
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Won't a straight din also fit? My SMEV uses right angle din but straight fits just the same albeit it with a bit more space needed. The Stealthaudio din is apparently very flexible. Ask Amadeus about the Helios phono cable.
View attachment 65658
Thanks for the suggestion. But as you pointed out, I do need a little more space at the back, so a right angle plug is probably the best option.

Anyway depending on how things go, I just might be changing my table and arm in the next 2 months, so will just enjoy the music for now!

Thanks everyone. You guys have been very helpful!
 

howiebrou

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Jun 29, 2012
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Thanks for the suggestion. But as you pointed out, I do need a little more space at the back, so a right angle plug is probably the best option.

Anyway depending on how things go, I just might be changing my table and arm in the next 2 months, so will just enjoy the music for now!

Thanks everyone. You guys have been very helpful!
You're welcome. I only mention it because I have a Siltech Avondale Phono cable which is basically useless on anything but my SMEV because it is a right angle din. Given that it is over a decade old, I will forgive myself but i wouldn't buy a right angle din today.
 
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JayT

Well-Known Member
Oct 10, 2017
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You're welcome. I only mention it because I have a Siltech Avondale Phono cable which is basically useless on anything but my SMEV because it is a right angle din. Given that it is over a decade old, I will forgive myself but i wouldn't buy a right angle din today.
I came really close to buying the Avondale too. The way it's constructed makes it really difficult to re-terminate too I guess?
 

howiebrou

Well-Known Member
Jun 29, 2012
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I came really close to buying the Avondale too. The way it's constructed makes it really difficult to re-terminate too I guess?
No idea about the termination. It's a nice cable though. If you're interested let me know.
 

Catcher10

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Dec 28, 2018
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To OP, don't forget to check cable capacitance, in most cases the lower the better for MC carts. I do like the AQ phono cables as they are lower cap cables.
 

gian60

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Apr 17, 2016
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I tried at home of my friend a Lyra phonopipe with Atlas but I didn’t liked
Too dark and has low capacitance
 

Catcher10

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Dec 28, 2018
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I tried at home of my friend a Lyra phonopipe with Atlas but I didn’t liked
Too dark and has low capacitance
What loading were you at? If it was a low cap cable you probably should have been around a 350-500 ohm loading. Hopefully you were not at the "industry MC standard of 100 ohms".
 

Flamenko

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May 13, 2019
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Carissimi, penso che il cavo phono meriti sempre molta attenzione. Secondo te, qual è il miglior cavo per koetsu coralstone su ikeda 407 e phono thoress?
 

Fsonicsmith

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Jun 25, 2015
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One could try the Analysis Plus Silver Apex. I did and have kept it though I use it between my phono stage and preamp as my toneram (Reed 3P) comes with captive wire. Fremer likes it, uses it, and considers it a bargain at $1000 for 1M RCA.
 
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Flamenko

Well-Known Member
May 13, 2019
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Sorry, I didn't realize the auto-corrector put the sentence in Italian!
What I'm asking for is some advice on the best phono cable for koetsu coralstone.
Thank you!!!!


(.....Thanks FSonics...)
 

kleinbje

Well-Known Member
Dec 20, 2012
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Chord Sarum T blew away a Valhalla 2 from my SUT to phono pre. Not even close. Valhalla was amazing, Chord was transcendant. Clearaudio Universal with captive cable.
 

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