Turntable Interconnects?


I want to upgrade my interconnects and ground wire from my Project RPM3 (Hanna SL MC cartridge) to the Project Tube DS preamp (goldenlion tubes) and to my receiver/preamp. Currently using Blue Jean interconnects. Not sure if turntable interconnects are a different category than digital sources, so need help on what to choose. no more than $500 each would be a nice limit. Thanks.
deanshias
You can use regular interconnects with your TT but if possible phono specific cables can have an edge.  I used Audioquest Niagara on my VPI Classic and then swapped for Audioquest Leopard.  Both are very nice but the Leopards are better in this application.  I'm not sure the reason, some say it has to do with capacitance and its interaction with the cartridge. 
Digital interconnects are supposed to be interconnects with a 75 Ohm characteristic impedance.   The catch is you can't get that with an RCA jack, it isn't physically possible.   Bryston uses a 75 Ohm BNC connector just for this reason.  There is a decent chance the digital cable will have too much capacitance. 

Cartridges don't care about the characteristic impedance of the cable but they are sensitive to capacitance, which loads the cartridge.  The cartridge manufacturer / datasheet will tell you the needed capacitance to load it, of which the cable is part of that and the rest of it is in the preamp / step up input.  

Moving coil cartridges typically use low impedance inputs on the preamp or step up device.   Inductance in the interconnect has more affect on the sound when faced with a low impedance than a high impedance.   So, the preferred cable for a MC setup should have low inductance. 

So, you could call Blue Jeans back and find out if they have a unique very low capacitance / low inductance cable for MC phono cartridges.  The concept here it is easy to add capacitance to properly load a cartridge but one cannot remove capacitance if the cable has too much.  If you opt not to go the Blue Jeans approach, I suggest you find the lowest capacitance cable out there with a good dielectric - air, Teflon, polystyrene, etc. and a great shield. 

On my system here I am using the manufacturers cables on both of my tonearms, as they also match the cartridges I am using.  However, I will say that ideally you would find a suitable interconnect that matches the cartridge you are using.   If you ever switch to another cartridge, reevaluate the interconnect parameters before you hook everything up.  You might just need a different interconnect.
What don't you like about the BJCs?  Are you using the LC-1?  They have low capacitance which makes them an excellent choice for use on a turntable. With the level of the rest of your gear you might be better off spending the money somewhere else.  Or saving yourself 500 bucks.
Standard interconnects for line level signals are not made of low capacitance cable. When you have a low amplitude signal such as a phono cartridge, you need low capacitance so the cable doesn’t roll off the high end. All the more important with a high impedance moving magnet cartridge.