Looking to make RCA interconnects - Single or dual signal cable? Also wanting to make a phono cable too!

[Doodski]

Canare LV-61S
Mogami W2964

 

[DVDdoug]

NOTE - The following doesn't apply if you have a (low impedance) moving coil cartridge or to line level connections which also have a low impedance source..

for my old Technics sl-1500 turntable.

That introduces the additional variable of cable capacitance.

Capacitance is proportional to length and cable will have a spec of pF per foot and hopefully you can find published specs.

So generally you want a shorter cable for less capacitance. But it's not supposed to be zero. Phono cartages have a recommended load capacitance, and some of that is in turntable wiring the phono preamp may also have capacitance at the input (which may be unknown).

The capacitance creates a resonant circuit with the coil in the cartridge. More capacitance tends to bring the resonant frequency down toward the audible range (from the ultrasonic) so that tends to boost the high frequenies.

 

[Speedskater]

NOTE - The following doesn't apply if you have a (low impedance) moving coil cartridge or to line level connections which also have a low impedance source..

typo:
make that a high impedance source.

 

[MrOneEyedBoh]

NOTE - The following doesn't apply if you have a (low impedance) moving coil cartridge or to line level connections which also have a low impedance source..

That introduces the additional variable of cable capacitance.

Capacitance is proportional to length and cable will have a spec of pF per foot and hopefully you can find published specs.

So generally you want a shorter cable for less capacitance. But it's not supposed to be zero. Phono cartages have a recommended load capacitance, and some of that is in turntable wiring the phono preamp may also have capacitance at the input (which may be unknown).

The capacitance creates a resonant circuit with the coil in the cartridge. More capacitance tends to bring the resonant frequency down toward the audible range (from the ultrasonic) so that tends to boost the high frequenies.

I have an AT95E cartridge from AudioTechnica

 

[Doodski]

AT95E cartridge from AudioTechnica

For AT95E>

 

[Doodski]

@MrOneEyedBoh I suggest adding to the title of this thread that you are also making a phono cable. To attract phono gurus for assistance.

 

[mhardy6647]

nothin' of substance to add, but as a born & bred Baltimoron, it's nice to see a reminder of Natty Boh.

 

[MrOneEyedBoh]

@MrOneEyedBoh I suggest adding to the title of this thread that you are also making a phono cable. To attract phone gurus for assistance.

Will do now

 

[Doodski]

@sergeauckland is a special RCA cable required when making a phono cable?

 

[Chrispy]

Don't think the SL1500 had a built in phono stage so the cables used will matter, particularly on capacitance. Longer cables could be an issue (or use a phono stage adjacent to the tt and that will matter less then as to how long the cable is to the rest of your electronics). Technics had good info on capacitance in their manuals usually iirc.

 

[Doodski]

Manuals including service manual.

Technics SL-1500 Direct-Drive Turntable Manual | Vinyl Engine

www.vinylengine.com

 

[MrOneEyedBoh]

Manuals including service manual.

Technics SL-1500 Direct-Drive Turntable Manual | Vinyl Engine

www.vinylengine.com

Man, I appreciate all the links you're posting for me!

 

[MrOneEyedBoh]

Manuals including service manual.

Technics SL-1500 Direct-Drive Turntable Manual | Vinyl Engine

www.vinylengine.com

So from looking on other forums, people are just using "good" or known brand RCAs and soldering them to the SL-1500.

 

[DSJR]

While I have your ear, Im thinking about making new RCA cables ( while Im at it ) for my old Technics sl-1500 turntable. Any suggestions on RCA ends and cable for that as well? I may make it a bit longer to facilitate locating it closer or further away from the pre.

Over this way, Van Damme Tour grade XKE? is the go to choice and eBay sometimes has really nice made-up cables for not silly money especially for techie turntables (I know, the 1210 but it's not so different around the terminal strip if you get the plain ended cable version). I've also used the pro patch two core and despite what's said here, it's also fine (one conductor hot, other return and outer screen connected at one end only. I've used Mogami 2549 like this and it's fine, if perhaps over-complex for single ended RCA's...

Some use a two core 'mic' cable and tie them together as 'hot' and then use the outer screen in the usual way as return. I thought that increased capacitance but not sure here.

The SL1500 did seem to have a really decent cable as supplied, but one of mine fractured along its length and it had to be replaced. The other one was fine and perfect when I used a Supex 900E in an ADC headshell with additional 3mm cork 'mat' on top of the main one to get the tonearm more level - sounded absolutely superb I should add... I cheated with one and bought a ready made Van Damme cable, with Neutrik RCA's at one end and the other beautifully tinned ready at the other, including an attached 'grounding wire.' Cost wasn't hugely more than buying the bits and adding in postage to be honest (around fifteen quid at the time)


P.S. The SL1500 with adjusted lateral arm bearings (both mine 'rattled' ) is a potentially superb deck even now. My 'update' was to treat it like a Rega - site the thing carefully, take lid right off when playing, replace the potentially iffy original headshell with the modern Technics style equivalent and then add a 3mm cork mat to the rubber original (which damps the platter properly in situ) which gets the arm more or less level. An AT95e is a bare bones cartridge and the deck can handle FAR better (the AT VM540 is where the once ubiquitous Shure M75-ED used to be) and many diced with warped-record death back then and fitted V15 III's to their Technics decks* from this generation (we sold a lot of SL1300 auto models over here). The 540 and 740 track at around 2g which should be perfect for the arm mass.

* My experience with two of these arms is that the bias corrector (anti-skate) stops working below around 1.25g or so as the spring has designed slack below this setting and the V15 was a bit too highly compliant, leading to 'wobbles' if the record had a certain kind of 'ripply warp' which some did back then.

 

[DSJR]

So from looking on other forums, people are just using "good" or known brand RCAs and soldering them to the SL-1500.

Please check edited P.S above

 

[MrOneEyedBoh]

Please check edited P.S above

Thanks! So what I found locally here in USA was someone on ebay was selling an SL-1200 cable using NYS373 RCAs but at ~25usd. That same cable would cost me ~10. Since Im buying cable to make some interconnects, I think I'll just do it myself at once.

I think Im going to use the Mogami 2965 cable

 

[DSJR]

If you can solder ok, why the hell not? I'm a lazy git and no longer have a work station kitted out, so it's a royal pain to set up on the kitchen table to do this stuff now - I need to clear the bench in our powered and lit garage, I know...

 

[MrOneEyedBoh]

If you can solder ok, why the hell not? I'm a lazy git and no longer have a work station kitted out, so it's a royal pain to set up on the kitchen table to do this stuff now - I need to clear the bench in our powered and lit garage, I know...

haha! Mine is easy to get out and set up. But trust me, I get it! lol

 

[Speedskater]

@sergeauckland is a special RCA cable required when making a phono cable?

I'm not Serge (we are both thankful about that).
A phono cartridge to pre-amp input is rather different than an interconnect cable system (so are many musical instrument cables).
The capacitance of the phono cable is part of a tuned system. A very low or very high total capacitance cable can affect the high treble response.

 

[MrOneEyedBoh]

I'm not Serge (we are both thankful about that).
A phono cartridge to pre-amp input is rather different than an interconnect cable system (so are many musical instrument cables).
The capacitance of the phono cable is part of a tuned system. A very low or very high total capacitance cable can affect the high treble response.

I cannot find what the spec is/was on the SL-1500. The Mogami 2965 cable comes in at 19.8pF/Ft