Silver Head Shell Leads


I have an Audio Technica 33 Mono Anniversary cartridge and would like to replace the head shell leads. I'm currently using copper leads and am thinking about buying silver leads. Or for even more money, I could get Rhodium plated leads. What changes would I experience by trying silver or rhodium leads. Recommendations are always appreciated. The head shell I'm using is a modified silver plated head shell on a Thorens TP16 MK1 tonearm.
Thanks!
goofyfoot

Showing 3 responses by pindac

In general the use of Silver as a Wire will be reported through varying Perception of the SQ, that the delivery is more noticeably lean.
A less presence of weight in the Bass Frequency and a more noticeable projection of the Mid's and High Frequency
Whether this perception is to be perceived when using a Tag Wire is in my experience not commonly discussed.
It is a discussed topic on IC's and Speaker Wire.

Will the Tag Wire then be going into a Tonearm with Copper Wire > Copper Connectors> Copper IC from Tonearm to Phonostage.

There might be a Synergy ? only the end user can decide.

If there is a wish for a Little more noticeable extension toward the Mid's and High, without wanting to reduce the weight in the Bass.
A PC Triple C Tag Wire can do this.
I use these and was impressed with the subtle, but noticeable change to a delivery from a Audio Technica Tag Wire.
Ortofon sell the PC Triple C at a very reasonable price.  
SAEC are the only Company I am aware of offering PC Triple C as a Internal Tonearm Wire.
I have a intention to Strip out a Wire and use the Strands to produce a Wire to the Gauge to suit a Internal Tonearm use.
If all goes well this will be used to exchange my ’in use’ Wire.
I am Methodically Changing to PC Triple C (PC CCC) from OCC throughout the entirety of the System.
I have a Nanotech Power Strada 308 Power Cable that has impressed me.
Interconnects are on route as a Off the Shelf Version and I have Wire on Order to Build my Own.
I also have D.U.C.C Interconnects as well to compare with the PC CCC.

Note: Their is no Holy Grail Cable or Formula to help the best selection of Interfaces to be made using wires/cables.
Trailling and Trawling through options and configurations will help discover the Interfaces that are delivering the Sound Quality that is a
fine tuned asembly to enable a Listenerto create a set up to satisfy their Unique Preferences.

There are individuals who have Discarded $3000+ Dollar Cables for Home Built versions of IC’s and Speaker Cables.

It can be said the exchange to the PC CCC Tag Wires made a Impression, ’even though it is subtle’, in a Sytem that can reveal like mine, a Subtle Change for the betterment, is a Night and Day difference.
The PC CCC achieved this at a very fair outlay.

If the wish is to trial PC CCC Tag Wires there are a few versions of these available on Yahoo Japan.
I have only tried the Ortofon so far, curiosity is creeping in though.
Will the PC CCC /EX get an audition ?

Using the 40+ Years owned Pink Floyds ’Wish You Were Here’ Album.
During the ’wish You Were Here’ Track about Midway through the Track
a backing vocal comes in with a quietness and progressing forward in the mix.
Using the PC CCC Tag Wire, the backing vocal comes completely forward in line with lead singer.
This same change to the details has happened on another System as well.
This is not happening to this same detail with other Tag Wires in use.
During a Session with comparing Cartridges on another System,
Cartridges that were costing quite a margin more than mine, were not allowing this level of detail through, and the Mid’s and Highs when in the Hot Seat, were IMO with a little more projection.

With another 40+ Year owned Album Lou Reeds ’ Transformer’
the Track ’Take a Walk on the Wildside’ produces a more noticeable reverberating Bass Note, than my other used Tag Wires, the extende time for the Note to Decay is very attractive.

What totally bewilders me is that Albums that have been Abused in a earlier period of ownership, through typical Teenager Activities from the Vinyl Heydays are still capable off delivering a performance that is offering insights that impress.

For me the Introduction of the PC CCC Tag Wire gave extra insight to the Attack, Dynamics, Sustanance and Decay that has been Engineered into a Mix.
Anybody who has genuinely worked with a nterfaces between devices will have had a experience, where the assessments are creating varying descriptions.
A Tonearm can have a Internal Wire bypass conventional set ups and have the Wire extended and be produced to a design where the Wire is directly connected to the Cartridge, and the Wires second connection point is at the Phonostage end.
This can be taken even further, with the Wire being Hard Wired into the Phonostage.
The other option is to have a Pillar End Connection, as a short extension,
that terminates as a Male RCA.
This will allow for a further experience of IC's without requiring to have the IC's Termimated with a 5 PIN Din Plug. 
All of the Methods referred to above have been offered to me.
I have declined as I need a robust set up and am content with how the conventional set up performs and allows me to travel with kit.
 
I am getting a v ery satisfactory SQ from a conventional set up.

I can communicate this to others in a confident way and I am not looking to encourage a work on a Tonearm that will potentially need a Third Party help to achieve.
A work that 'might' devalue a expensive Tonearm, or at best make the Tonearm a less atrractive purchase option to another Party, when is a modified condition .

As an expample, I don't see how a SME IV or V will be viewed as a attrctive option as a Purchase if the Inners are modified to allow a Bypass of all factory supplied connectors.
I don't really want to be in a discussion with a Buyer, explaining that the Tonearm has been modiified to function in a particular way and is now back to its original condition.
I would like to think that if this was a discussion to be undertaken,
a receipt for the returning of the Tonearm back to Factory Specification is available from SME or a SME Appointed Service Enginneer, to support the Quality of the corrective works.       

Much of my HiFi communication is undertaken with individuals that use a conventional set up.
It makes it easier for me to communicate my experiences, when they are from using similar designs.
Hence I have remained using a Standard Tonearm Wiring Set Up with a Wand containing Wire, with a Male Pin Connection at the Headshell End and a 5 Pin DIN connector at the Pillar End. 
I have swapped out Tag Wires and 5 Pin Din IC's.
I am always going to do these types of investigations, as they are simplistic to achieve and can be quite revelatory in what becomes on offer.

I am not 'anti' One Wire from Cartridge to Phonostage,
I have heard then in use and enjoyed the experience.
I don't recall feeling the need to have a Tonearm modified Internally to produce a version.
I have looked at a Method to enable a Wire to be mounted externally on the Wand, so I can try out a Wire I am keen to trial and have the wire as a detachable material.
I am yet to source the Wire without a need to purchase a expensive cable and strip it, this has limited my investigations into suitable external mounted designs for a Wand to support wire.  

My main interaction with my system is all about Listening Enjoyment and Travelling with the System or Devices belonging to the System,
to be a Social Participant in HiFi Enthusiast Meet Ups or Events.
This can prior to COVID with Travel Time added, be approximately 20% of my sit down in front of the System Listening.  
Being able to Pack the devices with a minimum risk of a damage being incurred is a governing requirement.
Excess Lengths of Internal Tonearm Wire to deal with, are not robust enough or ideal for myself to have to manage.

The OP inquired about Headshell Tag Wires, not about modifying a Tonearm to use a continuous wire from Cartridge to Phonostage.
I think my responses have been in keeping with the request for information, even though I did not discuss Silver as a metal.