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Decent 6-8ft phono cable advice needed.

I know this is a loaded question but I’m looking for a decent 6-8ft cable to connect an inexpensive turntable to my HT/family room system. I’ll probably upgrade the turntable later if the family starts digging the whole vinyl thing more. I know I do now but this is our HT/family room setup so I’m easing it in. I’ve had good success with Blue Jeans cables for other applications in the past for value/performance and am wondering if I should go that route? Do I just need standard RCA cables or should I look for more insulation/etc. because of the length I need and proximity of other equipment? If it matters, I’ll be connecting to a Yamaha 1060 AV receiver with a Parasound Halo A23 via Belden 8402 cables, driving my older KEF Reference Model Two mains. I realize shorter is better but I can’t shorten the length I need for this application.

Thanks for any input.
asahitoro
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
I can second the DH Labs recommendation, very reasonably priced as well for the quality.
And I do not see 4, 5 or even 6ft as being a huge issue, but the shorter you can make it the less likely you are not to have any signal issues.
asahitoro OP
244 posts
 
Thanks,

I have DH Labs T-14 running to my KEFs (center and bi-wired mains) and Silver Sonic to my HSU sub. Good stuff, I agree.

I also have an extra 5ft pair of Belden 8402 cabes w/nickel-gold Switchcraft connectors. Is that a good route?
sjtm
92 posts
 
I am by no means an expert in this topic. but did have the same problem in my second system and needed an 8' run.  I spoke to folks at BJC and they assured me the LC1 would be fine for this.  When it arrived I a/b'd it to my VPI phono cable, placing the TT in a temporary location to allow the shorter run. My phono preamp is built into my integrated amp (Marantz PM-11S3).  I could not hear any difference between the 3' VPI cable and the 8' BJC LC1 cable. TT is Music Hall MMF-7.1 with Clearaudio Virtuoso V2 cart.
stevecham
3,340 posts
 
I just replaced both my phono cables with Blue Jeans LC-1s, one of 1 meter, the other of two meters. They are very low capacitance and are very very quiet and sound great. My other phono cables that these replace are a 1 meter VPI and a 1 meter Harmonic Technologies silver. The 1 meter Blue Jeans cable connects my VPI Aries 2 with a Lyra Delos and the 2 meter connects my Technics SL1200GR with various carts (right now a Nagaoka MP110); both tables to a Manley Steelhead. A price mismatch, heck yeah, but tonally aligned and my tables/carts have NEVER sounded better.

Go for 2 meters, you will be happy.
asahitoro OP
244 posts
 
Thanks again for the advice everyone,

It looks like I got the length needed down to 4ft so it sounds like I should be good there. I’m going to start with 4ft of BJ LC-1. I’ve got a ton of extra decent interconnects (AQ, Kimber, 8402, etc.) and I can play around with them too to see if I notice any difference. I’m going with a granite slab base on Virbrapods/Sorbothane for isolation and will tweak it from there as (if) I move up to a better turntable.

My turntable (Audio-Technica AT_LP120) has a built-in switchable phono preamp. Should I use it or the phono in my Yamaha 1060?

I’m hoping to jump up to a better $700ish new/used turntable (Rega P3?) soon if the bug catches on with the family. Maybe squeeze a better external phono preamp in later too.
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