Music Hall Connect Phono Cable

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by This Heat, Dec 3, 2019.

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  1. This Heat

    This Heat Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    Has anyone else tried this yet? I bought one for my Music Hall 7.3. I was using Blue Jeans for awhile, which I never really loved it. Still, I was surprised at the immediate difference. The Music Hall cable has much better, more precise bass and sounds more balanced. In comparison, the Blue Jeans cable was harsh and grainy.
     
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  2. Catcher10

    Catcher10 I like records, and Prog...duh

    Well depending on what BJC you were using, it might make sense. The LC1, IIRC is a very low capacitance cable, like under 15pF/ft.....so depending on your cart/phono stage configuration it could be the case. I suspect the MH cable is a higher cap which is matching your loading better.
     
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  3. This Heat

    This Heat Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    I was using LC1 . I suspect you are right about loading. I have an Ortofon Bronze and Musical Surroundings phono stage
     
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  4. Old Zorki II

    Old Zorki II Storm Watcher

    Location:
    near Tampa, FL
    I had Bronze, and it was fairly sensitive to capacitance settings on my phone pre. MH can easely add 100-200pf to load (if compared to LC1, extremely low capacitance cable) - and as result "calming down" cartridge a bit, a procedure known for MM carts for many years.
     
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  5. This Heat

    This Heat Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    Calming down is exactly how I would describe the difference
     
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  6. bajaed

    bajaed Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I'm interested in trying this on my Music Hall 7.1. I went from the stock cable that was about 10 years old to a Zu Mission phono cable (I like it). Interested to see how the Connect sounds in comparison.
     
  7. Catcher10

    Catcher10 I like records, and Prog...duh

    I have a Nova II and I love MS phone stages, started off with a Phonomena II. Michael Yee designs an excellent, super low noise to black background phono pre. If you get into MC carts, cable capacitance and the loading becomes very important to higher end sounds.
     
  8. Old Zorki II

    Old Zorki II Storm Watcher

    Location:
    near Tampa, FL
    Actually not. With MC carts capacitance is not important. And cable effect on loading is negligible
     
  9. Catcher10

    Catcher10 I like records, and Prog...duh

    Well in general sure, but........Get a phono cable with say >300pF, Morrow Audio for example, and then a <100pF cable from say AQ and the effect on the MC cartridge performance can be dramatic. I quote both these mfg as I have used both with my Delos and Nova II phonopre.
    I have a set of Morrow PH6 about 580pF/mt and the AQ Cougar I have are about 40pF/mt.....resistive loading at preamp becomes an issue which can affect cart compliance. Using the MA cable with load at 100-150 ohms vs the AQ at 475 ohms is virtually night and day. With the MA cable setting the sound is fine, but with a low cap cable loaded with higher resistive setting the cartridge completely opens up and exudes higher resolution and dynamics.

    Lyra suggests the use of only low cap cables.........Sure any cable will work, but there are some that work better based on their design.
     
  10. bajaed

    bajaed Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    So the Zu specs are here: https://www.zuaudio.com/s/MissionPhono-2_CPS.pdf

    And Music Hall just says:
    • Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR) jacket with nylon braid for tangle-free handling
    • 24K Gold-Plated RCA connectors for corrosion resistance and best electrical contact
    • 24K Gold-Plated RCA connectors for corrosion resistance and best electrical contact
    • Low Dielectric Constant Polyethylene Insulation for low-loss
    Connect feature list

    • Multi-Gauge Construction using 3 different conductor materials/gauges
    1. Cardas Grade 1 Copper w/(Polyethylene (PE) Insulation)
    2. Oxygen-Free-Copper (OFC) w/(PE Insulation)
    3. Polymer-Coated OFC
    • Low Dielectric Constant Polyethylene Insulation for low-loss
    • 100% Double Shielded for immunity to RFI & EMI
    1. Aluminum foil shield
    2. Braided copper shield
    I run a Dynavector 10X5 now and will be upgrading to a Hana SL or an AT Art9. Wondering which cable would be better respectively for those carts?
     
  11. Catcher10

    Catcher10 I like records, and Prog...duh

    Not many cable mfg list cable cap figure, you need to email them and ask. I was very much interested in a set of WireWorld phono cables, until I found out they are high like 200pF......I had to email them as its not listed on website.
     
  12. Old Zorki II

    Old Zorki II Storm Watcher

    Location:
    near Tampa, FL
    100 ohms load?? Even 24 gauge copper wire have resistance load around 20 ohms per THOUSAND FEET.
     
  13. DigMyGroove

    DigMyGroove Forum Resident

    I’ve been using Signal Cable’s Silver Resolution phono cable for several years with MC cartridges and it sounds great. I use the Lounge Copla to boost the amplification, and have used the Lounge LCR phono stage and now an Icon Audio PS2 tube stage. I once tried the Morrow PH5 and it sounded flat and undynamic, I was very disappointed. I was very surprised since I’m a fan of Morrow Audio’s cables and use them as component interconnects in another system where they please the ears well.
     
  14. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    I wouldn't buy anything where the capacitance isn't listed. That's a red flag for snake oil too - which unfortunately 99% of cable manufacturers fall into. I also wouldn't load a cart with additional capacitance using guesswork. It doesn't take that much effort to measure the frequency response from the phono stage output and figure out if the additional capacitance is going to be a benefit or not. Some folks will model in SPICE to figure out loading.
     
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  15. This Heat

    This Heat Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago, IL

    I hear you but in my case it was more than likely than I was under loading specs for my Bronze running the Blue Jean cable and now I'm not-- hence the significant improvement in sound.
     
  16. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    The only way to know with certainty is to measure the FR with the two different cables. Under loading - possible, but you don't know for sure.
     
  17. Catcher10

    Catcher10 I like records, and Prog...duh

    I'm not sure I understand your comment. A "common" suggested loading at a phono preamp is 100 ohms by several MC cart mfgs. The higher you can load at the phono stage and not the cart end the better, hence a lower cap cable is preferred.
    There is a very good explanation by JCarr on another forum about all this, if I can find it I will post it here.
     
  18. Catcher10

    Catcher10 I like records, and Prog...duh

    Well this makes sense since the PH5 is 490pF/mt and I will assume the Signal's are not close to that........I too am a fan of MA cables, I have several of the ICs also, from my Nova II to the HALO am using pr of MA6 also use them for my R2R tape deck.
    When I bought the PH6s, Mike Morrow was not listing capacitance, it was after I bought the Delos that I noticed a major change, I was using a AT OC9ML/II prior. I had to email him for that info, for past couple yrs now he lists the PH cap spec. Even the OC9 sounds better with a low cap cable and higher resistive loading at the phono stage.
     
  19. Old Zorki II

    Old Zorki II Storm Watcher

    Location:
    near Tampa, FL
    You wrote that Cables has this resistive load, even named brands. I am saying that cable add to resistantce very tiny amount, a rounding error
     
  20. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    I have found all AT MC models sound best with a high resistive load. On my MF stage 800 ohm sounds even better than 400 ohm setting. SME cable to input and low capacitance NVA on output to amp.
     
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  21. deniall83

    deniall83 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Australia
    I'm in the market for a new phono cable and I was interested in the Connect cable. I couldn't find any capacitance specs listed anywhere so I emailed Music Hall and got this reply:

    We don't have nor do we publish the specs on the wire.
    I can assure you the capacitance is extremely low. We designed this primarily as a phono cable and as phono signals are extremely low voltage it's important to not loose any the signal by using a high capacitance wire.
    Cables and hi-fi equipment are best judged on their sonic merits not specifications.

    Frankly, I find this reply unnaceptable and borderline insulting. To state that they don't have the specs and then assure me the capacitance is extremely low doesn't make sense. Either you know the specs or you dont. I also think it's pretty average to tell me to judge it on its sonic merits when capacitance can literally affect the frequency response of my cartridge.

    Looks like I won't be buying this after all.
     
  22. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    I agree with you, that is a bad response, if you ask for it they should just tell you, it's good practice and manners.

    However,I do agree with them regarding the part that you should listen to it. A lot of people here pay way too much attention to numbers and numbers tell you nothing of how something is going to sound.

    Since they gave that response you should reply: Can you arrange for a loan cable? I want to buy it but I won't unless I either know at least the capacitance or how it sounds in my own equipment.

    They surely have the values, there are plenty of other cables.
     
  23. deniall83

    deniall83 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Australia
    The cable is not available in Australia as far as I can see which is why I wanted to specs before purchase. I’d need to order online from the US. I think I’ll go for a Zu Mission MKII instead. Their spec sheet lists every single detail you could ever want in a cable and by all accounts, sounds excellent too.

    https://static1.squarespace.com/sta...23d1f31d/1485025473743/MissionPhono-2_CPS.pdf
     
  24. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    That's interesting, I don't think I've seen such detailed specs for an audio cable before, I have but for other applications.

    So, is there no longer an importer of Music Hall products here or is it just the cable not available? Len Wallis in Sydney some years ago used to carry their turntables but I haven't been looking lately, they might still sell them.
     
  25. deniall83

    deniall83 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Australia
    Plenty of dealers carrying Music Hall turntables but doesn't look like the phono cable is listed anywhere which makes me think it's special order only.
     
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