Cartridge Leads

First, I do believe the leads make a difference. I use the AQ Litz/w cotton leads. I have read somewhere about some dissatifaction with the Cardas spring clips themselves. I would imagine that VDH silver would make a difference, just like copper vs silver I/Cs or any other cable.

Clearaudio makes a good phono cartridge connector.Michael Percy may be able to supply the VDHs.

The silver litz vdH leads are probably available thru Sumiko, since they're standard on SME IV and V tonearms. They're very good but a little bit difficult to bend/twist in tight spaces.

Cardas leads are excellent but the spring clip versions are not recommended. They seem like a good idea on paper, but the clips are bulky and the wires short. The conventional ones come in gold and rhodium. Mrs. Cardas recommends the rhodium.

Among the better manufacturers, the clips and how they are attached to the wire, and how they fit on the cartridge pins, are all more important than the wire itself IMO. The wire is really too short to make that much of a difference between types, but the connections (tightness, contact area, and cleanliness) are very important for good signal transfer.

Cardas leads are excellent but the spring clip versions are not recommended.

the spring clips on the Cardas economy (ie "Cardas HSL PCCE Headshell Leads") are crap. The clips bend easily and fall off, and the shrink+clip is too long, causing interferance with the cartridge position. The wire is great though.

Bd, I agree, but I was referring to the rhodium version of the HSL PCCE which, for some reason, doesn't show on their webpage AND is a lot more expensive. The gold-over-brass one shown, is too soft and indeed has the problems you mention.

Gentlemen, I do thank you all for your helpful, and informative replies.

I have noted that Dedicated Audio shows the Cardas Leads, one, at about $116, with the Rhodium Plated "coil spring" style connectors, and the next one down the list, for about $72, are I believe the same wire, but with the more conventional Clips, with also, the Rhodium Plating. I gather these are the best of the bunch, perhaps due to better contact, and without the worry of clearance problems at the Tonearm Pins themselves.

And as you have noted Neil, perhaps the most expensive ones on the list are shorter for some reason? Hmmm?

I'll try checking with both Sumiko, and with Michael Percy for the Van Den Hul Leads. Does anybody have a vague idea of price for the VDH Leads? Thanks, Mark

Mark, I don't know why the spring loaded clips are shorter, maybe a different soldering arrangement. The $72 ones are the ones I was referring to. If you go to the vdH US distributor, http://www.bluebirdmusic.com/ they should be able to give you a price. Their site also lists about 8 authorized USA vdH dealers.