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How long can one go with interconnects to a cart.?

Curious about how far can you get away with in using a quality cable for distance from the phono amp? I have a .45mc Cart. and It might need to be mounted to wall down the way from the system in the near future, Right now its running on a 2.5 foot cable, which is obviously extremely short, and then has probably 12 to 14" of tonearm cable after that feeding the cartridge..

In this config I have ZERO loss or issues, powerful output and rock bottom bass, perfectly vast soundstaging etc... However how far can I go without lossing any power output or details with putting in a much longer interconnect to satisfy the new location distance? I might need something as long as 13 to 20 feet at a point depending how neatly I can tie up stuff running up and down walls.

Before I get all the questions of Why do this? Why not do that? Understand I know every option of placement in the world, thats not the point here, No I don't want to run my amps with 20 ft speaker cables, or 20 ft interconnects, and move the preamps etc.. with the turntable if possible.

Thanks for your experience and suggestions in this matter.
undertow
10 responses Add your response
rwwear
2,871 posts
 
About one meter is about as far as you can go without significant loss. If you put the phono stage close to the TT you can run longer cables from it.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
I admit I haven't tried it, but it seems to me that a long interconnect (say 15-20 ft) might be OK. The current from the cartridge is tiny, so resistance is not an issue. Capacitance might be, depending on what the cartridge wants, and hum might occur if you can't physically isolate the wire. Try some inexpensive very low capacitance coax, and see what you get. I doubt that many audiophiles have actually used such a long interconnect because it is generally convenient to have the preamp close at hand when playing LPs.
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
Most cable manufacturers will tell you that 1.2M is the maximum length for tonearm cables when using a moving coil cartridge. Two of the folks I work with suggest 0.5M or less as ideal and both are big time vinylphiles with multiple analog front ends.

Moving magnet cartridges permit cables a bit longer due to the higher impedance but lengths of 10'or 20' as suggested can cause severe degradation of the signal.

Yes, in some cases shorter is better.

Disclaimer: cable retailer
undertow OP
1,033 posts
 
Right I have seen both ways, a turntable in a closet somewhere system elsewhere, but normally I am sure they have a standalone phono pre near to the cart and then longer interconnects down to the main system. I think I have come up with a new option to keep the whole system on my 2 ft cables througout, Its called giving up some space and at the same time getting a Flat panel monitor to hang on the wall.. But better than losing performance of the system.. by the way the main reason for the question was I am combining my surround system with the 2 channel and of course with a turntable right up on top a projection TV can't be put higher or even out of the way because its so high already, so I will have to put up a monitor that will be flat on the wall, my LCD is about 10" deep right now, but you could not open the turntable, so time to move on and do it the right way.. Thanks guys
mt10425
1,138 posts
 
My phono cable is 1.5m and I don't think I'd go longer. The cart is a ZYX.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Audiofeil...
"lengths of 10'or 20' as suggested *CAN* cause severe degradation of the signal". Did you ever actually try it?

I am a believer in short cables for speakers, but in that case there is a lot of current flowing. Of course I personally have short phono cables, but it would not surprise me at all if long ones were fine.
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
Eldartford,
My information is based on communication with 2 high end cable manufacturers. Their recommendations are based on solid scientific principles.

I trust the folks with technical disciplines and professional experience. Readers can believe them or you, it matters not to me.

Personally I don't care what you think.
rwwear
2,871 posts
 
I have tried it and it doesn't work. At least not well.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Audiofeil...Rwwear says he tried it, so I would trust his opinion over that of a "high end cable manufacturer". Those guys are more famous for black magic than for "solid scientific principles". Could you tell us what those principles are? I agree that my 40+ years of electronic engineering work don't prove anything, but you seem to value such when cited by a wiremonger.
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
>>Rwwear says he tried it<<

And he said it doesn't work well.

Reading comprehension problem?

One more time, believe what you will. I don't care.

I'm out.
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