I've received a couple of days ago a set of Audio Technica Headshell lead wires AT6108 and I want to share my experience for anyone that might find it useful. They are the white ones in the photo, the red ones are AT6101. I have discovered sometime ago that these little pieces of wire are as important as anything else. Just what we needed, right? Something else to think about! Anyway, the red ones -6101- provided an improvement over the original wires included with all my -at least older- Technics turntables. I doubt the new ones would be any different but I should soon be able to confirm that as well as I am expecting to receive a new Technics SL1200 sometime, from now to a few months time. Now that I have the AT6108 it has taken the sound to another level compared to the red AT6101 which were better than standard wires. So it'll be shocking to try the original wires again. I happen to have a couple of Ortofon wires which I can't compare easily against the AT but I won't rush because there is one problem. Even if the Ortofon are any better, the difference in price is such that I couldn't consider them such good value like the AT6108 . The initial thoughts were that while they added -6108- clarity they shifted the balance, they sounded a bit bright and lacked some bass that was present on the 6101. What am I going to? Break in, I've noticed that on some cables not so much in others, in this particular case I did. There could be a compounded effect as I have also changed -a couple of days earlier- the tonearm cable in my SL1300. So part of the initial sound imbalance might be shared a bit. Now after may be 10hrs use, the 6108 not only appears to have plenty of bass and sound better in general than initially but also have better bass than what the 6101 had in the earlier comparisons. At least on my equipment these differences between the 6101 -which is much better than ordinary wire- and the 6108 are absolutely clear. It is not may be! The diferences are there, period! Cleaner, deeper bass better highs, much, much better and clearer vocals, forgive the cliché but it's like I took a blanket from the speakers. I have made some changes on this old Technics, all cable related changes including the RCAs. I always liked this TT due to nostalgic reasons but I've never thought it could sound this good. Of course all this will be very dependant on lots of factors that might not provide so much improvement on your system but these little wires to me are excellent. I don't normally make these type of outright recommendations, much less with anything that is cable related but in this case I'll make an exemption and I'll say: If your equipment is up to the task and you use a turntable with exchangeable headshell you are ought to spoil yourself. AT6108 Wow, this turned out to be probably my longest post ever. I hope there aren't too many typos.
But from the picture above, are you using two cartridges for the comparison? If so, that seems a pretty big variable.
Yes, I am using the same type of cartridge plus two genuine Technics headshells for convenience and speed, I happen to own several DL110s, do you think they will both have a big sound difference between them? If using two cartridges that are the same brand and the same model is a pretty big variable it will mean that buying any cartridge is a total lottery. You can no longer rely on a demo or reviews here and anywhere else because you might get something completely different sounding to what you wanted or tried. I've however compared those two cartridges in the past and they don't sound different, I would have a great deal of difficulty spotting which is which, in fact I'll be surprised if I could at all.
I'd think there would be a lot more difference between the carts than between a couple inches of wire, but if you've carefully compared and are satisfied they sound the same, that's all I was asking about. Carry on
Yes, I am satisfied but it is still a valid point that deserves exploring just to be absolutely sure. Things could have changed over time and the two cartridges could indeed sound different nowadays. I will later swap the cables to see if the effect passes to the other cartridge or remain with the same one. It is not even a couple of inches that we are talking about.
You were right to point out the flaw in my methodology, thank you! As I've mentioned before I had compared these two cartridges before but that was long ago and I should have repeated that test prior to reporting on this thread. Unlike before now one of the cartridges sounds duller than the other. That forced me to connect and disconnect cables endlessly to confirm or correct the comments in my OP. I've even considered that if I was wrong I was going to ask the mods to delete the thread completely. I am happy to report that will not be necessary . Phew!!! I've put back the 6101, 6108 and the ordinary cable I've tried initially. In the process I've improved my skills changing headshells wires. All the new tests were done using the same headshell, cartridge and of course alignment. While the extent of the differences have been reduced because of the duller cartridge, I am happy to say my conclusions remain the same. Ordinary wire sounds dull and lifeless when compared to the 6101 and the 6108 sounds better than the 6101 but not the night and day difference that was before. I would also like to point out that this is Audio Technica we are talking about, not some dark boutique cable company nobody heard of before. If Audio Technica thinks they can market these wires at double the price of their 6101 which at the same time sell for more than standard wires at Amazon, then there should be some reason behind it. After all there is a reason why they sell the ART9 for more than a VM540.
It does seem crazy that the little wires can make an audible difference. I presume you checked the tracking force each time, or are the wires the exact same mass? Azimuth also changes a bit each time you clamp the headshell down, but some are better than others and don't change much. Some of it could probably be put down to mechanical energy transfer since the wires become part of the headshell structure, and transfer mechanical energy in the form of vibrations through to the tonearm, so the type of wire, the mass, and the mechanical compliance of those 4 connections between the headshell and cartridge may form an alternate energy transfer path, and potentially damp some of the cartridge vibration energy too. I wonder if thicker and stiffer wire is always better, regardless of the metallurgical properties? Be an interesting test, I do find a more solid connection between the headshell and tonearm tube to be better on S-type tonearms, at least on my Micro Seiki, and have used more solid headshell washers to audible benefit, either washers I cut from thick paper fiber, or one that I really liked and reported around here was the solder washer... The Technics SL-1200 GAE/G/GR general questions thread Most of the time these days though I listen with the straight tonearm, with the removable arm wand, very solid connection on that one. But it's nice to be able to quickly go either way.
Just ordered these, largely, based on your recommendation. They're not going to be here until 1/5 unfortunately.
Seems out friend @Uglyversal has been gone since the middle of October, hope he just got tired of us and either moved on or taking a break, and nothing else wrong.
Hi, Yes I've been quite busy, spending time here has become a luxury I can't afford. I have not been listening to much music either. This is only a quick unusual visit, I've found hundreds of notifications which I can't check but luckily this was near the top. So this is a good opportunity to say that I am still around on this earth, LOL Thank you for caring!
I hope you like them. I will buy a couple more in future at the moment I can't really enjoy my system properly either . We are also doing some work in the house and had to move the system to a room where it is not properly set up.
I've got the red ones. They are a tad stiff. Also, if I remember, the clips are very small/tight on the cartridge side and need to be loosened for some headshells. PITA actually. And has the price gone up on these ($45)? I think I paid under $20. As for value, I can buy a 3 foot pair of Mogami 2549 with the nice Eminence locking RCA's for the same price. There are some outrageous prices for speaker cable jumpers out there too. Thankfully, jumpers are easy to make DIY with the exact same cable. Even $20 is a stretch for headshell leads in my book.
LOL. Now we've shrunk down cable threads into a inch... literally the "1 inch cable thread!" Yes, carry on....
Mine bend into shape though. Haven't broken one. They're on this mount.(LP Gear Ultimate HS, SAE 1000e)
Alright. AT6108 installed. I also installed a new headshell so I can't say for sure which piece is responsible for what. First, I'm not good working with tiny little things. My hands are too big. Installing these wires was not pleasurable. The clasps were to small for the pins of the headshell and finagling them open a bit was a PITA. Too big hands and worsening eyesight-thats a new thing I discovered about myself this weekend. Ok, again I did two things: headshell and headshell wires. I am hearing an obvious improvement. My initial observation was that it sounded like someone turned the lights up some. It's not brighter sounding but like the images are more illuminated. Reverb decay is much better and more natural sounding. Bass is tighter, punchier and more detailed. These weren't smack you in the face obvious drastic improvements but a collection of noticeable subtle improvements. I'm thinking a "sum is greater than the whole" type of thing. Is that the right expression? Anyway, I'm happy.
Poor quality at that beginning does get amplified further, with higher gain. That link should be high quality, and those leads be good connections. Phono connections in the MM and MC world do matter in terms of their quality.
I like the 6108 wire. Hard to quantify sound but it is better by my ear. I think the OEM Technics leads are a pretty fragile after swapping out. Probably chinesium.
Not sure why you thought I didn't think they mattered from my post.... of course they do. In fact later, I said I might try them... But I won't get too carried away, doesn't mean we have to spend $1000 for them either
Agree that you don't have to spend that much money for them or even 10% of that. I agree quality ones are improvements.
