*Which* Mogami cables to get for Interconnects

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by marka, Jan 2, 2019.

  1. marka

    marka Forum Resident Thread Starter

    I want to replace my crap interconnects with Mogami cables, but I’m not sure what to get.

    I want to get some to go from my turntable to Phono pre- , and then to my integrated amp.

    I saw a recommendation from motorcitydave (R.I.P.) for 2497 cables.

    I found a description and specs here on page 67:

    http://www.mogamicable.com/pdf/Mogami_Tech_cat2014.pdf

    But while it says that this was found to be the best, below the description is a reference to their 2803, which came out later. A compare of their specs is there.

    Then there is reference to their 2804. Where does this fall?

    And then, many here use and make reference to the 2549.

    Can someone help me untangle this “simple” Mogami interconnect cable mess?

    Thankfully, for the moment, I am not considering *other* manufacturer’s cables!
     
  2. Bob_in_OKC

    Bob_in_OKC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dallas, Texas
  3. marka

    marka Forum Resident Thread Starter

  4. Bob_in_OKC

    Bob_in_OKC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dallas, Texas
    Keep in mind that note about extremely low capacitance. That’s usually a good thing with most moving magnet cartridges.
     
    marka likes this.
  5. marka

    marka Forum Resident Thread Starter

    I think that the 2497 has similar capacitance.

    However, I have a moving coil cartridge (Shelter 501 mk.iv). So will the capacitance impact that in the same way? Should I just select the one with the lowest capacitance?
     
  6. Mike from NYC

    Mike from NYC Senior Member

    Location:
    Surprise, AZ
    I like 2549 but I have some other Mogami wiring that I have yet to use.

    On all my MC carts I did hear a difference when I changed capacitance on my phono pre which permits capacitance changes almost instantly with a touch to a switch.
     
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  7. gumsrave

    gumsrave Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tokyo
    I use both 2549 and 2534 in my system.

    As I understand it, the 2534 has more shielding and Mogami quote it as being "for home studios suffering from wiring and grounding problems. Mogami 2534 should also be used where intense RFI interference is a problem." Apparently it produces a slightly-less-than-neutral high frequency response.

    The 2549 is meant to be very neutral and doesn't lessen the high frequencies.

    I haven't done an A/B test but there are comparisons on YouTube that might give you some idea (clean guitar and overdriven guitar).
     
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2019
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  8. marka

    marka Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Thanks!

    And it’s becoming slightly more complex...
     
  9. Mike-48

    Mike-48 A shadow of my former self

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    As @gumsrave points out, 2534 is especially good in high-RFI situations, or where the cable will run next to AC lines. It's a quad cable, which increases noise cancellation when used in a true balanced circuit.

    Mogami 2549 is a standard balanced mic cable, and because of its low capacitance, it's especially good for long runs.

    I have used both as interconnects and am hard pressed to hear much difference in my 20-foot runs. Maybe if I spent the time to do focused comparisons and listen for the differences, I would hear them, but when I switched from 2534 to 2549, nothing jumped out at me. (I think the vendor of Zombie Cables did focused comparisons and preferred 2549.)

    With balanced connections all the way, I'd use 2534 for the phono cables (because the low signal level may be more subject to interference), and 2549 for the interconnects.

    For RCA (single-ended) cables, I'd suggest something like this Amazon link (Mogami 2964 with Neutrik-Rean gold RCA connectors). I've not tried that specific vendor, nor that specific configuration; still, given the components, I think you'd wind up with nice cabling at reasonable prices.

    HTH
     
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  10. gumsrave

    gumsrave Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tokyo
    Interesting point. Right now, I actually use 2549 for my phono cables and everything else is 2534! I have a spare set of 2534, so I'll do a swap and see if I notice any changes.
     
  11. Mike from NYC

    Mike from NYC Senior Member

    Location:
    Surprise, AZ
    Damn, that is expensive when you can spend the time to do it yourself. I bought the Neutriks for 1.29 each and the cable for a bit more (I think) per foot.
     
  12. AnalogReview

    AnalogReview Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Melbourne
    I know it's not what you want but the best phono cable I have used is the Blue Jeans LC-1. It has a capacitance of 12.2 pF/ft which is incredibly low. They are fully shielded from end to end (unlike a lot of Audiophile cables that don't shield into the connector) and are very nicely made. I'm using a PLX-1000 with low output Benz Ace cartridge into an MC phono stage and LC-1 cables from the turntable to the phono stage and NO ground wire attached and my system is dead silent. I highly recommend them.
     
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  13. Mike-48

    Mike-48 A shadow of my former self

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    Yes, it's always a lot cheaper when you do it yourself!

    On the other hand, I am glad to be free of the aggravation, solder fumes, and work in tight spaces. The professionals do a far better job than I ever did -- my soldering skills bordered on the embarrassing.

    But for those who have the equipment and skills, you are dead on right: there is money to be saved.
     
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  14. Gibsonian

    Gibsonian Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa, USA
    2549 sounds wonderful to me. Called a microphone wire in their literature I believe. Just clean and uncolored. I have not heard the rest of the Mogami lineup but can only compare to other diy stuff I've made from various materials. It's my fav now, and I've ordered more to complete nearly all of my IC's (I have a lot in a triamp, multi source system.) Quiet, lets all thru including the highs, and doesn't color the sound in anyway I can detect. Guess that is why studios would use the stuff.

    You can get it in various colors, that's cool as well.
     
  15. chervokas

    chervokas Senior Member

    The resonant frequency of the LCR circuit formed by the cart/cable/phono pre will be way up in the radio frequency range with a low inductance MC, so the capacitance of the cable isn't going to have a very substantial impact on the frequency response, but if you want to phono cable that also will be useful with other carts someday possibly, a higher capacitance geometry -- like a quad cable wired as a twinax or twinax plus shield. I'd also think you're likely to have lower noise in a phono circuit with a double braided shield -- something effective at lower frequencies with very low resistance -- vs. a foil shield which is great at radio frequencies but not so much at audio frequencies. I think old fashioned double-braided shield coax with the shield connected at both ends and the lowest possible capacitance is the best, lowest noise geometry for a phono cable. If you're wedded to Mogami I think the W2964 is at 24 AWG, spiral shielded, coax with around 20 pF of capacitance per foot. That might make a good phono cable.

    Twinax, twinax with shield, twinax with shield floating at one end, all these other geometries can work great with unbalanced analog audio, but in a phono application, I've found double braided shield coax to deliver the best results in my case.
     
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  16. DaleClark

    DaleClark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
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  17. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Why is there emphasis on "which" in the title? :wtf:
     
  18. Gibsonian

    Gibsonian Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa, USA
    Sounds like OP is interested in trying Mogami wire in some IC's and this company has a fairly large catalog to choose from.
     
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  19. LeeS

    LeeS Music Fan

    Location:
    Atlanta
    My best advice would be to steer you away from the Mogami brand. Honestly, it's just mediocre cable. Better off getting Black Cat at the similar price point.
     
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  20. Mike from NYC

    Mike from NYC Senior Member

    Location:
    Surprise, AZ
    I searched the net and Black Cat prices are much higher and cannot be bought in bulk except for Cat 5
     
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  21. unclefred

    unclefred Coastie with the Moastie

    Location:
    Oregon Coast
    2549 for me as well, grounded to shield at one end. They made my Blue Jeans LC-1 sound rolled off. I've seen assembled ones for around $25.
     
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  22. Gibsonian

    Gibsonian Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa, USA
    Yes only one choice at/around Mogami IC price. A shielded single solid conductor formed in squiggle inside of a Teflon tube. The rest of the choices are much higher, with no bulk available. This guy is doing some different things than everyone else it would seem on the higher end models. Nothing new that I saw in regards to materials, but quite different in wire construction. No specs listed. Looks like labor intensive construction.

    I ordered some bulk 2497 and will build some of these for comparison to the 2549. I'm done looking/spending with IC's for the moment.

    Some threads to see on Audiogon regarding Mogami cable users.
     
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  23. toddrhodes

    toddrhodes Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Bend, IN
    I'm an avid 2549 user. I have some terminated with Neutrik Rean and a few I just made, terminated with real WBT 0144's. It's solid cable and IMO, for the price/ft, it simply can't be beat.
     
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  24. marka

    marka Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Thanks!

    I will have power cables near by (isn’t this almost always the case?).

    My runs will be short (one to two or 3 meters).
     
  25. marka

    marka Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Looking forward to hearing about the results!
     
    On_the_dunes likes this.

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