Rca cable extension, ground wire, and turntables.

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by PB Point, Aug 21, 2019.

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  1. PB Point

    PB Point Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Diego
    I need to extend the connection by 3 feet and using the cheap female to female adapters to do this. Are the adapters not an issue and the reason why I can’t seem to find any RCA cable with male ending in female ends? It seems best to take out that connection.

    Also regarding the ground wire. For the extension I have been using a 18 gauge twisted wire to the amp. Connecting the two ground wires with a bolt/nut and two washers, sandwiching the ground wires in between. I find I have to wrap that bolt in electrical tape to block any interference when it drops in amongst other cords. It works great but a pain to unwrap the tape and bust out a screwdriver and pliers to loosen the nut if I need to move the units. What’s a cleaner way to extend the ground with a connection you have seen used or use? Preferably one without cutting off the spade.
     
  2. 360-12

    360-12 Forum Resident

    Not sure where you're looking but Amazon has a large selection of m to f rca cords.
     
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  3. harby

    harby Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR, USA
    If one had to fill-in the missing information about your post - it seems you are asking about a turntable with a permanently-connected audio cable and ground wire.

    One reason why many turntables don't let you use your own cables is because a phono signal and phono cartridge is quite sensitive to variations in the cable construction. Using a longer cable in general is ill-advised, as you increase the design capacitance of the cable, which can change the frequency response.

    What you are looking for is an "extension" cable, you'll find more search results that way.

    The female-female coupler might actually be a better way - while extension cables come in limited lengths and are generally cheap, with the coupler, you can use the absolute shortest good quality cable needed to extend the run.

    For the ground, consider adding a piece of extra wire with an alligator clip on it. You generally don't need to tape up the ground, anything else it could touch is also grounded.
     
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  4. PB Point

    PB Point Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Diego
    Alligator clip for the ground connection- Love the idea!

    Yep, all my turntables have built in rca cables which from what I read are all designed really well with low capacitance.

    There’s just no way of situating this one turntable without a three foot extension.

    Do subwoofer cables have lower capacitance like a Blue Jean/audioquest/or Mogami cable? They are shielded, is this a good way to go?
     
  5. vinylontubes

    vinylontubes Forum Resident

    Location:
    Katy, TX
    Are you using an external phono stage? You have a couple of Vincents in your profile. If this is the case, you don't need an extension. You just need to move the stage next to the turntable and use a longer RCA cable. This is probably the right way. You'll have a much stronger signal out of the stage than out of the cartridge.
     
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  6. PB Point

    PB Point Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Diego
    This is for a different Amp and Turntable in a different room. The Amp, Yamaha CA-810, has a great internal phono amp (at least to me) and I have three turntables hooked up to it, two turntables can be placed close enough to go direct, the third just doesn't have enough room. I'm seriously going to break down in tears if anything happens to this amp. It's perfect for me. The MC phono works stellar with a Denon 103r. You can't make any adjustments on the MC, but for me, I dig it. All of the turntables are 1980's, sorta Mid-fi I suppose.

    I just ordered some RCA male to female that looks like a subwoofer cable to try out. I've been using standard everyday RCA cables probably back from 80's or so and been hearing some problems. I traced it to the female to female barrel connector and thus looking for a way to get around using one of those.
     
  7. Boltman92124

    Boltman92124 Go Padres!!

    Location:
    San Diego
    If you use an adaptor/coupler, Kimber PBJ cables are very low capacitance and sound very good as well.
     
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  8. 62vauxhall

    62vauxhall Forum Resident

    I routinely use inline RCA couplers for turntable leads. It’s necessary as the length attached to turntables is insufficient. If this compromises sound quality, I haven’t noticed.
     
  9. harby

    harby Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR, USA
    For line-level signals, especially ones that only carry bass, capacitance just isn't a design concern. All RCA cables of standard construction should be relatively shielded, a center conductor and surrounding braid, although good cables with a full coverage braid and foil shield allow better ground conductivity to reduce the potential for ground loop hum on a long wire.
     
    PB Point likes this.
  10. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    Cable length is a big enemy, the shorter, the better.



    Low capacitance is nice but not a guarantee of best sound how much money are you prepared to spend on the interconnect extension?
     
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  11. PB Point

    PB Point Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Diego
    Ahh, good insight.

    I already received the cables. I like the female and male connection in a single cable so will keep them for another use, for an aux connection that is idle.

    Looks like I’m back to barrel connectors.

    Anyone know of a “website” that makes custom interconnects in the affordable range ($50 -$75 or so. All my equipment is mid-fiish) that would do a male/female RCA 3 ft in low capacitance?
     
  12. harby

    harby Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR, USA
    Blue Jeans is the most approachable for such custom projects. I've got the parts around here to put female low-capacitance gold RCA jacks in a project box with a permanent cable chopped to any length, with even a ground terminal, and measure the results, but I don't know of good in-line RCA female jacks offhand.
     
    PB Point likes this.
  13. harby

    harby Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR, USA
    Another option to consider for your $75 is to have new cables installed into your turntable by an electronics repair shop.

    We know, for example, the stock 3.9ft cables on Technics SL1200MK2 are about 85pF. The most solder-able cable with large-gauge conductors would be fat Belden 1694F RG6 (f for flexible stranded conductor) at 17pF per foot (vs low 16.3 pF for solid-conductor smaller mini-RG59 4855R, still stiff enough to break the traces off circuit boards). An 8ft run gives you 136pF, lower than you'd achieve with stock cable + just about any other combination of extension + additional connector.
     
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  14. Michael Chavez

    Michael Chavez Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    just solder on some extra length to your ground wire and cover the joint with some shrink wrap (best) or tape (ok) - you can just tack it to the existing spade
    as for the signal cables the female to female connectors are less of an issue that the additional 3 feet of cable you are adding - meaning, don't worry about it
    you didn't say which one of the tables in your profile this is the issue with - or all of them?
    either way no need to overthink this but I will say that phono cables 7 or 8 feet long aren't the best way to go
    anyway to get your phono stage closer to the table(s) and then just use longer cable from the phono stage to your amp? the ones you show in your profile are small - that's what I'd do - resituate the phono stage(s) not extend the captive phono cables
    have fun!
    Michael
     
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2019
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  15. PB Point

    PB Point Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Diego
    Nice,

    I think I’ll be getting touch with Blue Jeans. It never hurts to ask.

    Thanks for the Technics info, this is for a 1600 mk2, which uses the same cables as the 1200. I was thinking of doing the KAB new rca interface but prefer it all stock with the wires. I asked KAB about rewiring the tonearm on a 1600 awhile back and he suggested to keep it as it is, for the unique original sound. I’m glad he said that, I completely agree now.
     
  16. Michael Chavez

    Michael Chavez Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    Mogami W2965 and Neutrik RCAs are the best combo for phono cable
    you can do them yourself easily
    with the SONY in your profile I would recommend leaving those alone and if you have to go the extension route, again with the Mogami W2965
    or pu the preamp closer to the table and make up some extensions with the Mogami
    I use Redco - great people and the best prices going plus they always have the numbers in stock - there's plenty of other vendors though
    Good luck
    Michael
    PS: these are the RCAs I use for all my interconnect projects now - there are a lot that are a lot sexier but only a couple that measure as well when properly soldered on
    Rean Neutrik NYS373 Male RCA Plug | Redco Audio
    they fit good in tight places too like vintage receivers and stuff
     
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