CUTTING DOWN A TONEARM CABLE


Is there any reason why a tonearm cable cannot be cut down to a shorter length? - I have too much length on my tonearm cables

lohanimal

I just had the honor of rewiring/repairing two different tonearm cables. In short, patience and thinking ahead pays off. This is delicate work to be sure, yet I am happy with the results. The former installer of both of these cables made poor solder connections, broke headshell clips and more. I didn't want to have to do this job, but there are times when it is just easier to do it yourself. Stripping the fine wire was all about feel. I only lost one fine hair of a conductor during the process.

@elliottbnewcombjr 

Is this correct?

1. this has nothing to do with a factory din or rca connector. - NO IT IS THE RCA END OF THE TONEARM CABLE

2. you need to desolder and resolder INSIDE a phono stage?

NOT AT ALL

3. you will get someone competent to do the work

HOPEFULLY

4. existing cable is ’inconveniently’ too long, While desoldering/soldering you want to shorten it to ___ (leave yourself enough slack)

NO - LET ME EXPLAIN the left and right channel on my phono stage is about 8 inches apart (its a vendetta) the way the tonearm cable was wired was that i could plug into left and right plugs  next to one another. I therefore cut back the heatshrink to do this - that's where it went awry...

 

 

question: any guidance on length?

......................................

btw, title says cable (singular), in post you said too much on cables (plural). in that case, other cables: they do involve din or rca connections? 

 

YES TONEARM CABLE - LEFT AND RIGHT CHANNEL

are these expensive cables? 

YEP :( 

 

@lewm, Canare makes a wide variety of connectors all very heavy duty and beautifully finished. They even make 75 Ohm RCAs for wide bandwidth SPDIF cables although I prefer BNCs. Most of their connectors are crimp on and require special tools. I make all my cables to length. The only one I did not make is the tonearm cable and I see no reason to mess with Frank Schroders work. If I go to a balanced phono stage I will have no choice. 

If you have not checked out the Channel D Lino C recently you should give it another look. They have added a regular MC input and a MM input as an option. The price is also much higher.