Sakura Systems OTA Cable Kit

Nice to see that the forums are back.

Has anyone tried this cable from a pickup arm to phono stage ? I'm tempted to internally rewire my Ittok, but I thought I would test the water first.

Thanks.

Thanks Sead,

I just received a van den Hul 90 degree phono plug and I'm going to rewire the 3 feet between the arm base and phono stage. I wonder if I can gently crimp the sockets internally so that I don't have to use solder ? It's worth a shot.

You have an astonishing product in this cable. This must be the closest thing to connecting components with air. Have you considered making condoms ?

Keep up the great work.

Mark

An interesting idea. I had never thought of that. Unfortunately I don't have any cable left over, so I may have to buy more to experiment with multi-wiring.

I did however rewire my turntable pick-up arm withe the OTA cable. The difference is immediate and positive. Bass is much fuller and more extended. Transients are faster and the imaging is almost holographic. I suspect that I will have to endure the same break-in quirks (parts of the picture just plain disappearing from time to time). But I'm confident that at 150 - 180 hours this change will be the most significant yet.

The only problem I have noticed is that there is a slight hum, probably caused by the fact that the OTA cable is unshielded. Perhaps Sead has some tips on how to get rid of it ? Apart form that I'm now completely sold on this puny looking cable. I think that my cable upgrade days are numbered.

Thanks Sead,

I will use as small an amount of silver solder as I can possibly dispense.

I have found a new definition of purgatory: Breaking in the OTA cable at the same time as I'm breaking in a pair of Triangle Antal speakers and a Denon 103D cartridge. There are promises of heaven frequently punctuated by the threat
of something less pleasant.

BTW. I can see the commercials for Sakura Condoms "It's the closest thing to air." You could use that for the cable too.

All the best,

Mark

Slawney,

Would that I could have contained my unbridled passion for this cable and waited for the full blooming of its beauty.
Alas, impatience and a licentious desire for detail overcame me and in a moment (actually about 20 minutes) of vinyl weakness I made and installed the arm cables.

I knew that break in would take a lot longer than the IC's and the speaker cables. As you say we are dealing with .28mV
instead of 2 volts. But from the moment I fired up the turntable I knew I had made the right decision.

Compared to the standard Linn Ittok cable the OTA is an aural laxative. Detail floods down those tiny hoses. Sometimes it's too much detail at once, producing an overwhelming and slightly confused picture. I have faith that things will sort themselves out eventually. Although a friend who doesn't fully believe in cable break-in thinks I'm suffering from recto-cranial inversion.

This unchecked "wall of sound" is confirmed on my Stax SR5 phones. It occurs mainly when the source material either contains numerous instruments or doesn't have a well-defined mix. Small jazz ensembles, acoustic music and spaciously mixed records now have almost a holographic presentation and exquisite detail partcularly in distant cymbals. Bass has gained in extension and solidity. There's even more space between instruments. The drum kit on a lot of LP's is now on the patio, six feet behind the speakers.

The ride may be bumpy for the next 200 hours. 1600 hours if your inverse law happens to be correct. I really can't believe it will take that long though. But from the first 15 seconds I was sold again. This cable has what it takes to make me abandon any further search. How do you follow the sound of nothing ?