Phono cable/grounding/loading questions

1. A dedicated phono cable is usually lighter guage than a std. IC to carry that minute signal. It generally uses two identical conductors for signal-- which might not necessarily be true of a general-purpose IC, where shield could be functioning as a return or be connected to the return at both ends of the cable. But I don't think there is any rule about this.

2. The ground wire to the TT is not an electrical ground. It is a chassis ground. So in connecting it you may have some small relief from RFI and potential problems with static electricity.

3. A phono cartridge is not strictly a balanced source; it is sometimes called a floating balanced source. Just two conductors per channel in opposite phase from each other (representing the ends of a coil), and no electrical ground. Neither end of the cartridge coil has an inherent ground orientation, just an inverted phase relationship in AC with respect to the other conductor (like a loudspeaker). By converting it to an XLR plug you are not really getting the benefits of a balanced source, but may be losing up to 6db to noise(as per prior Audio Asylum post by Victor Khomenko of BAT).

Rather than use an RCA/RCA-to-RCA or RCA/XLR converter, I suggest eliminating excess metal and metal-to-metal contact with a cable terminated DIN-to-RCA or DIN-to-XLR (Assuming your arm has a DIN plug.)

4. I too have a Helikon, which I prefer loaded down with 100R in a BAT P10 phono stage. Subjectively I'm not hearing your 10kHz peak, but I have not taken measurements. Possibly room effect??

5. Please clarify your speaker binding post arrangement. The purpose of biwiring is generally to separate the treble & bass arrays via separate cables back to the amp. Leaving jumpers between the w & t binding posts would defeat the purpose but would not be harmful.

Dave

Viridian, Thanks for clear cut to a point answers.

In response to item 4) The arm is SPJ that came with La Luce turn table. I believe the arm is very good. I am using Cardas freq check LP (there is 10 K HZ track and 30hz-30khz freq sweep among others)-and using Radioshack SPL meter. To be fair, the overall sound is more like neutral. The peak I mentioned is on max side, lowest peak being may be 2 db (you see the SPL meter flickers within 3-4 db during 10 k hz tone).

It may be that since the cartridge selection my taste has changed towards sound where high freq is rolled off a bit.
May be Cardas GR phono cable is the answer. ( which I tried few months back)Disconnecting ground wire reduces high freq to more neutral but boosts bass and reduces transparency. May be the new cables are not completly broken in yet.

Dgarretson, Looks like you and I posted above responses about same time.
1) Thanks for the technical insight.
2) Good. I just disconnected the ground wires and sat down for critical listening sesson. What do you know, the sound 'fell' in to place!! The highs are more realistics, midbass warmer and actually due to contarst the sound is more transparent!! Believe it of not with ground wires off the 10 Khz peak went flat. Bass has 2 db peak than before, but I can handle that.
3) I don't have din plug but RCA jacks at end of tonearm wires. That is why I had cable specially made-ground wires added at RCA/RCA end and balanced at phono preamp end. If cartridge in inherently not balanced, what is the purpose of balanced phono stages? Sounds like your phono is balanded too (BAT), How have you connected at phono input?

4) I have 100 ohm resistors on order from clearaudio, just in case, But 40 ohm may just work fine. But as I said connecting ground wires gets this 10hz peak and may be slightly lower peaks progressively from 1 k all the way to 10 k hz making the sound brighter overall. My ears and measurements don't lie.

5) It seems I may not have use jumpers, since bass is back. thx to burn in completion and ground wires off.