Phono interconnect under $500 used

The phono cartridge is a balanced source. If you are able to run it balanced, it will have the same benefits that balanced line was created for- immunity to cable colorations.

Loading the cartridge can be a big deal, depending on the preamp. Before assuming that the cable is an issue, make sure you have exhausted the loading issues first!

Zd542, if you hear differences in balanced cables, then the equipment you are using is not supporting the balanced standard. The standard was created to eliminate cable colorations and it does that very well. If you want proof of that take any LP from the late 1950s as an example.

They were often recorded with 10s if not 100s of feet between the microphone and the input to the tape machine, yet decades later many of those LPs are still revered for their sound, even though there were no exotic high end interconnects around at the time.

Many or most of high end audio manufacturers either are unaware of or choose to not support the balanced standard. As a result you hear differences in the cable.

A LOMC cartridge is one of the best places to apply the standard though and its easy. The arm is likely already wired properly (unless it is a straight tracker- some of those lack the proper ground wire)- you can even set up a cheap old BSR from the 1970s to do balanced.

If you think about it, its not uncommon for a LOMC cartridge to drive a 100 ohm loading resistor. So if it is balanced and also driving a similar load you have a low impedance balanced system. In such a situation the cable will cease to color the sound. All SUTs can operate with a balanced input, so this should not be hard to do. Something to think about.

Hi Al. That's a long sentence :) the answer is 'yes', or 'sort of'.

A better way of looking at it is that once the proper loading is achieved (which is a combination of capacitance and resistive elements, usually the cable being the capacitance), then it will be found that the cable is really not contributing to the sound.

With your typical LOMC, the capcitance will play a very small role as the impedance of the cartridge might only be 10 ohms with perhaps 100 ohms at the other end. It would take quite a large amount of capacitance to mess with that at audio frequencies.

You can see where I am going with this- its entirely a different matter at RF frequencies. It is the RF aspects that usually describe how effective the loading of a LOMC cartridge actually is.

So- the cable might have some effect (although not artifact) at RF frequencies, but certainly not at audio frequencies.

That is the nature of 'sort of' :)

Stevecham, FWIW, in the OP the cable in question is Mogami 2549, which is a balanced cable. It is therefore not that unreasonable to assume that it is being used in that application. So I addressed the issue of balanced line operation with respect to a phono cartridge.

If the cable was being used single-ended, then it would be subject to a number of issues and thus I would expect that some of them might be audible. However the only clue we were given is the type of cable. Pani has not responded yet; maybe we might get some clarification on that.

Hi Pani, if that is the case then your are subject to issues of cable construction as the circuit is putting signal current through the shield.

This simple fact causes many audiophiles to go on the hunt for the holy grail of audio cables. That is what keeps the high end audio cable business one of the most profitable sectors in the high end audio industry.

Yes, or at least a balanced input- any SUT can provide that.

Hello Halcro, not exactly. What I am saying is that the interconnect cable between the arm and the preamp will thus cease to impose a coloration. Some might interpret that to always be 'better/purer' if they are indeed in search of neutrality with musicality.

Mind you, the balanced setup would need to conform to the balanced standards, but that is not difficult.