Phono cable recommendations?

[JayT]

Dear all, been a happy user of the forums. Gained a lot of interesting perspectives, and for now, it is a relatively friendly place.

I have been discovering the joys of vinyl playback recently, and my setup currently consists of an Avid Volvere SP, with an SME IV tonearm and an Airtight PC3 cartridge. Phono amplifier is a JE Audio HP 10.

In the future I might change a phonostage (looking at the zesto audio deluxe, but that's a topic for another thread), and I might change my cartridge to either a Benz Micro LPS or Ortofon Cadenza Bronze (again topic for another thread).

My current phono cable is a Furtuech Silver arrows ii. It's a decent cable, but there's a certain shrillness that I just can't seem to get rid off. That is actually similar to my experience with other furutech cables, be it their digital cables, interconnects or power cables. Perhaps it's just something in the signature that I am just not a big fan of.

Anyway, I am looking at a few cables:
1) Tellerium Q Statement Phono
2) Cardas Clear Beyond XL Phono
3) Synergistic Research Galileo SX Phono
4) Siltech Avondale
5) Nordost Vahalla II

My max budget is around the 5k mark, so I am happy to consider any alternatives.

I mostly listen to indie (largely acoustic based) and female vocals, but have been slowly developing an interest in listening to classical pieces as well.

Happy to hear everyone's thoughts.

Thanks!

 

[Tango]

Good and cheap.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SME-Phono-Cable-England/352943709098?hash=item522d159baa:g:OKIAAOSwVb5eKH9B

 

[Down Under]

My vote would be for the Valhalla 2-awesome cable.
By the way your PC3 is a great cartridge.
I had one for years and have only just replaced it with a My Sonic Labs Platinum.
A friend with a Benz LPS came and listened extensively to my PC 3- shook his head and purchased an Air Tight.
The PC 3 is comfortably better than the Ortofon Bronze as well on my auditioning of both cartridges.
Have a look at the PS AUDIO Stellar phono stage as well while you are researching phono stages.
Good luck!

 

[tima]

I thought well of the Shunyata Sigma phono cable when I reviewed it. Fwiw, one of the cartridges used for the review was the Benz LP S.

https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/shunyata-research-sigma-phono-cable/

If my only choice was a Nordost phono cable, I'd hold out for the Odin 2. I also like the Clear Beyond but have not heard the XL version.

 

[EricAlasia]

Thanks Tang!

 

[JayT]

Thanks for the reply so far guys! Just to be clear, I would need a right angle din to rca cable!

 

[tima]

I would need a right angle din to rca cable!

Typically doable, but may be a special order. Not all Dins are the same so be sure to specify the exact tonearm.

 

[jfrech]

You have a great list of cables above. I might add that sticking with the same brand as your other cables you have or plan to have sometimes is a great synergy strategy. I've heard the Cardas, it's excellent.

 

[dminches]

Good and cheap.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SME-Phono-Cable-England/352943709098?hash=item522d159baa:g:OKIAAOSwVb5eKH9B

I own one of those as well as the new VDH version. I then got an Audioquest WEL signature. No comparison. The Audioquest sounds significantly better in my system.

 

[djsina2]

You want to spend more on your phono cable than your arm or cartridge?

 

[JayT]

My thought process is that I want to buy one cable which will follow me through my upgrades. A better arm and a better cartridge will cost significantly more than what I intend to spend on the cable.

 

[dminches]

You want to spend more on your phono cable than your arm or cartridge?

If you are asking me, I didn’t. I got a very good deal on the cable.

 

[Dthagerty@aol.com]

I purchased the Synergistic Research Galileo SX phono cable over the Christmas holidays. I am extremely happy with it. There was just a bit of "hardness" in my vinyl system that I didn't realize was there until I inserted the SX. Manages to be just slightly rich and warm while increasing detail, instrumental separation and transparency. Didn't compare to the other cables you mentioned.

 

[djsina2]

My thought process is that I want to buy one cable which will follow me through my upgrades. A better arm and a better cartridge will cost significantly more than what I intend to spend on the cable.

I suppose, but buying the DIN cable first, right angle at that, will likely severely limit your tonearm choices in the future.

 

[Solypsa]

Not to mention the new arm and the new cart will both sound different and might be din, or rca out, or continous run...

If it were me I would take the 'interim' cable budget way lower.

You didn't mention setup...I'm not suggesting it isn't good (how would I know), but do you have good setup tools at hand? Shrill can be setup too of course.

 

[JayT]

Not to mention the new arm and the new cart will both sound different and might be din, or rca out, or continous run...

If it were me I would take the 'interim' cable budget way lower.

You didn't mention setup...I'm not suggesting it isn't good (how would I know), but do you have good setup tools at hand? Shrill can be setup too of course.

Hi there

I have some basic setup tools like protractors and scales, but whenever I mount a new cart, there's a guy in the local circle that does this for a living, just to be extra sure.

With regards to the shrillness, it's uniform across all furutech cables that I have owned, so maybe shrillness might not be the best way to describe it?

I'm happy to consider options at any price point. If it's lower, even better! It's just that I have heard a few in my shortlist and went through a couple of reviews and these ones seem to suit what I like.

Keep the suggestions coming guys!

Thanks for all the input so far!

 

[Solypsa]

I would follow what Tang said...get a baseline of the system with an SME cable. Maybe tube roll your phono. Make some notes about what you hear, what you miss, etc.

 

[Tango]

I find that the best cable is the one I don't have to pay for. Once realization kicks in and sonic compass is pointed putting money into main components is much more rewarding. Expensive arm like SAT and Axiom come with integrated phono cable. Nobody bother to change the config and try other phono cable with them. Why not? There is no fancy cable technology here...just material (see pic.). Certainly not $5,000 probably not even $500 in term of bill of material. Sound good? Every owners seem to say so. After market cable producer can probably make a cable that sound more "attractive" than what came with them. You compare cable a to b it is likely you will say one better than the other. Imo, if you need a phono cable and can find a "decent" cable at less than exotic price, save your money and use it on better main components. But if you want to have fun with exotic cables like me and end up with a $100 cable now, that is cool too.

 

[JayT]

I find that the best cable is the one I don't have to pay for. Once realization kicks in and sonic compass is pointed putting money into main components is much more rewarding. Expensive arm like SAT and Axiom come with integrated phono cable. Nobody bother to change the config and try other phono cable with them. Why not? There is no fancy cable technology here...just material (see pic.). Certainly not $5,000 probably not even $500 in term of bill of material. Sound good? Every owners seem to say so. After market cable producer can probably make a cable that sound more "attractive" than what came with them. You compare cable a to b it is likely you will say one better than the other. Imo, if you need a phono cable and can find a "decent" cable at less than exotic price, save your money and use it on better main components. But if you want to have fun with exotic cables like me and end up with a $100 cable now, that is cool too.

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Dear Khun Tang

Thank you for your kind advice. I have always enjoyed reading your posts, and that will be something I think about going forward.

For now, I have tried the default cable once again, but there is an obvious and discernible difference.

Perhaps going forward I will consider tonearms that comes with a fixed default cable, but that will be some way down the line.

 

[Folsom]

I find that the best cable is the one I don't have to pay for. Once realization kicks in and sonic compass is pointed putting money into main components is much more rewarding. Expensive arm like SAT and Axiom come with integrated phono cable. Nobody bother to change the config and try other phono cable with them. Why not? There is no fancy cable technology here...just material (see pic.). Certainly not $5,000 probably not even $500 in term of bill of material. Sound good? Every owners seem to say so. After market cable producer can probably make a cable that sound more "attractive" than what came with them. You compare cable a to b it is likely you will say one better than the other. Imo, if you need a phono cable and can find a "decent" cable at less than exotic price, save your money and use it on better main components. But if you want to have fun with exotic cables like me and end up with a $100 cable now, that is cool too.

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oh look at my simple ordinary phono cable. I'm Tang, how fun. Look at how free it looks next to my Kuro cables.