Opinions on RCA jacks for tonearm cable

Salectric

Well-Known Member
Jan 15, 2012
374
489
968
For best sound quality without regard to cost you have two choices—-WBT Silver or Audio Note AN-P Silver. I have cables with each one but have not compared the plugs alone.

KLEI plugs, all of them including the Absolute, have a softness that may sound pleasant at first but once you identify it you can’t ignore it. It’s a coloration.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Gemini

Well-Known Member
Oct 14, 2015
43
5
238
Germany
[/QUOTE]WBT Silver or Audio Note AN-P Silver. I have cables with each one[/QUOTE]

Do you use Audio Note silver wiring as well?
 

Salectric

Well-Known Member
Jan 15, 2012
374
489
968
My Triplanar tonearm has copper Discovery wiring. For the link between the SUT and phono preamp, I use Audio Note cables either AN-Vx (silver) or ISIS (copper). I have Audio Note Sogon (silver) between the phono preamp and linestage and ISIS between the linestage and power amps. With one exception, the AN interconnects all have AN-P RCA plugs. The exception is the 1/2m ISIS between the SUT and phono stage; it has WBT Silver.

My son recently replaced the copper Cardas wiring inside his Siggwan tonearm with Audio Note silver, and he was very pleased with the improvement.
 

Gemini

Well-Known Member
Oct 14, 2015
43
5
238
Germany
Thank you for the clarification. I probably did not express my original question very clearly. I am trying to find out whether it is likely to bring worthwile sonic benefits to upgrade my tonearm wire from Discovery cable to something else, and what such alternative solution might consist of. It would be quite frustrating to go to all this effort and then find out that I should have stayed with my currrent set-up.
 

Salectric

Well-Known Member
Jan 15, 2012
374
489
968
I understand. The Discovery wire in the Triplanar is quite decent as you know. That's what I have used for nearly 15 years and I have never felt it was holding things back. On the other hand, unless we hear the same setup with better wire, we won't know how much better it could sound.

Why not contact Tre at Triplanar about upgrading the wiring? I know he is using silver wire inside his current arms, or at least it is an option, so he would know what type of silver wire sounds good in this arms. As I am sure you know, there are all sorts of silver wire and many of them do not sound good at all.
 

DaveyF

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2010
6,129
181
458
La Jolla, Calif USA
I understand. The Discovery wire in the Triplanar is quite decent as you know. That's what I have used for nearly 15 years and I have never felt it was holding things back. On the other hand, unless we hear the same setup with better wire, we won't know how much better it could sound.

Why not contact Tre at Triplanar about upgrading the wiring? I know he is using silver wire inside his current arms, or at least it is an option, so he would know what type of silver wire sounds good in this arms. As I am sure you know, there are all sorts of silver wire and many of them do not sound good at all.


Interesting comment about Tre...why do you believe that his opinion of what silver wire sounds good in his arm has to jive with yours..or anyone else's?
It certainly could, but then again...is it not possible that it would not?
My point is that we seem to always believe that the designer/manufacturer has knowledge of exactly what sounds the best in their product, while many times this may be true, IME in many instances...it is NOT!
 

Salectric

Well-Known Member
Jan 15, 2012
374
489
968
Tre seems like a conservative designer. He isn't one to make changes quickly. That leads me to believe he evaluated more than one silver wire before settling on the one he is using. But you're right. I don't know that for a fact, and audio designers often make choices I wouldn't make, whether for reasons of economy or otherwise.

But how likely is it that you will re-wire your Triplanar with multiple wiring harnesses just to hear how they sound?

Fortunately some arms are much easier to re-wire. A great example is the Analog Instruments Siggwan which has all of its wiring pressed into a slot on the underside of the cocobolo arm. I replaced the original Cardas wiring in my Siggwan with copper Litz wire made by 1877 Phono, and after a year or two replaced that with a custom harness of Discovery copper wire. The Discovery harness was more of a lateral move, but both were better sounding than the Cardas. As I mentioned earlier, my son who also has a Siggwan replaced his Cardas wiring with Audio Note silver Litz tonearm wire, and he noted a major improvement. So there is one arm with 4 different types of wire. Each wire change has to go through its own period of break in so it is not easy to compare one wire to another when one of them is new.
 

ceausuc

New Member
Jun 7, 2021
2
0
1
49
For best sound quality without regard to cost you have two choices—-WBT Silver or Audio Note AN-P Silver. I have cables with each one but have not compared the plugs alone.

KLEI plugs, all of them including the Absolute, have a softness that may sound pleasant at first but once you identify it you can’t ignore it. It’s a coloration.

Have you ever tried also ETI link silver RCA?
WBT Silver is everyone's favorite but some people complain about using them...
It seems that in order to access the ground pin you have to remove a plastic part and some say it is not that easy, it may also break... Anyone experienced that?
I'm a hobbyist, not an experienced cable builder ...
 

DaveC

Industry Expert
Nov 16, 2014
3,899
2,141
495
Have you ever tried also ETI link silver RCA?
WBT Silver is everyone's favorite but some people complain about using them...
It seems that in order to access the ground pin you have to remove a plastic part and some say it is not that easy, it may also break... Anyone experienced that?
I'm a hobbyist, not an experienced cable builder ...

WBT are among the easiest of RCA plugs to install and the silver WBTs are the best.

Some have issues with the locking mechanism, but imo it's really not difficult and the newer 0152 have a way to prevent over torqueing of the locking barrel. So, I'd go for 0152 Ag.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
4,698
2,790
Portugal
Have you ever tried also ETI link silver RCA?
WBT Silver is everyone's favorite but some people complain about using them...
It seems that in order to access the ground pin you have to remove a plastic part and some say it is not that easy, it may also break... Anyone experienced that?
I'm a hobbyist, not an experienced cable builder ...

Although some of them are known to sound excellent, I dislike RCA connectors with minimal or fragile ground connections - a loose ground connection can result is severe damage in a system, particularly if you are using mono block amplification, where you do not have the protection of the other channel ground wire.

For safety nothing beats the Neutrik RCA that connect ground before signal.
 

DaveC

Industry Expert
Nov 16, 2014
3,899
2,141
495
Although some of them are known to sound excellent, I dislike RCA connectors with minimal or fragile ground connections - a loose ground connection can result is severe damage in a system, particularly if you are using mono block amplification, where you do not have the protection of the other channel ground wire.

For safety nothing beats the Neutrik RCA that connect ground before signal.

WBT RCA plug's ground is neither minimalist nor fragile. With the locking mechanism it's very robust imo.

People's issues with WBT plugs are due to over torqueing. Info here:


However, the 0152 that I currently use has a step in the body to prevent this issue.
 

Salectric

Well-Known Member
Jan 15, 2012
374
489
968
Have you ever tried also ETI link silver RCA?
WBT Silver is everyone's favorite but some people complain about using them...
It seems that in order to access the ground pin you have to remove a plastic part and some say it is not that easy, it may also break... Anyone experienced that?
I'm a hobbyist, not an experienced cable builder ...
I haven't tried the ETI Link silver but I did recently try ETI Link Copper, and I like it very much. The Copper Link has good detail and dynamics and a fairly even tonal balance; my only complaint with it was a somewhat dark upper midrange. That said, WBT 0102 plugs, copper and silver, have significantly more inner detail and don't suffer from any darkness coloration.

I have never experienced any problems with the WBT 0102 plugs coming loose from chassis jacks or any other type of reliability issue. I agree that the WBT plugs don't feel quite as solid and secure when tightened (properly) to a jack as, say, Audio Note or ETI plugs, but in practice I have never encountered any problems with them. I might have a different opinion if I was using the WBT plugs with a massive cable or if the cable had to make a sharp right angle bend close to the plug, but with the lighter weight cables I use I have never run into any problems with the WBTs.

One other thing---the WBT and the ETI plugs are very easy plugs to terminate, at least with lightweight cables.
 

DaveC

Industry Expert
Nov 16, 2014
3,899
2,141
495
I haven't tried the ETI Link silver but I did recently try ETI Link Copper, and I like it very much. The Copper Link has good detail and dynamics and a fairly even tonal balance; my only complaint with it was a somewhat dark upper midrange. That said, WBT 0102 plugs, copper and silver, have significantly more inner detail and don't suffer from any darkness coloration.

I have never experienced any problems with the WBT 0102 plugs coming loose from chassis jacks or any other type of reliability issue. I agree that the WBT plugs don't feel quite as solid and secure when tightened (properly) to a jack as, say, Audio Note or ETI plugs, but in practice I have never encountered any problems with them. I might have a different opinion if I was using the WBT plugs with a massive cable or if the cable had to make a sharp right angle bend close to the plug, but with the lighter weight cables I use I have never run into any problems with the WBTs.

One other thing---the WBT and the ETI plugs are very easy plugs to terminate, at least with lightweight cables.


If you check out the link I posted the locking barrels are now made of a softer brass and many of my customers started to over torque the plugs where previously it was very rare.

Interestingly, I've found a vast majority of folks don't see that the locking barrel has separated, and as micro said this is dangerous because it won't lock the ground in place reliably anymore.

The way to avoid this is simply to buy the 0152 instead.
 

Salectric

Well-Known Member
Jan 15, 2012
374
489
968
If you check out the link I posted the locking barrels are now made of a softer brass and many of my customers started to over torque the plugs where previously it was very rare.

Interestingly, I've found a vast majority of folks don't see that the locking barrel has separated, and as micro said this is dangerous because it won't lock the ground in place reliably anymore.

The way to avoid this is simply to buy the 0152 instead.
I read the instructions and cautions on the post you linked to. Fortunately I believe my manner of tightening and loosening the WBT plugs matches the recommended procedure. It's really just common sense but I can certainly see how some people will carry the tightening to an extreme and could damage the plug as a result.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DaveC

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
4,698
2,790
Portugal
WBT RCA plug's ground is neither minimalist nor fragile. With the locking mechanism it's very robust imo.
Yes, they are very solid. I was only addressing the ETI link silver RCA type.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DaveC

ceausuc

New Member
Jun 7, 2021
2
0
1
49
I received the 0152's the other day. Indeed, it was really easy job to solder the cable on them. Locking them is also pretty intuitive. I can't comment on their 'sound' as my new cable uses different wire, but I like a LOT.
Too bad I didn't buy them from the start and I waisted money on cheap, bad connectors...

Thanks everyone.
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing