@syntax He also offers the option for direct wiring …. Hm….is it blasphemy to think about it?
That is an intersting question.
I had 2 FR64S one silver wired, one copper wired. I sold off the copper version - it was not in the same league in terms of precision and transparency as the silver wired version.
What I have found is that it can be useful, if you are changing cartridges from time to time, to be able to change the eletrical parameters of the phono cable, even for moving coil.
Example, I primarily use MIT for phono - I make my own from the original verilay wound inner cable used in the 330 as a building block. Now in some instances I can get a sgnificant improvement using a "shotgun" version. I also have to hand the MIT Oracle Phono Interconnect as a reference.
MIT is very capacitive and there is an argument for using a capacitive block for MC cartridges - Manley use to use it in their preamp.
Used correctly can yield improvements in timing and coherency which is why I hear significant differences even with MC’s with different constructs.
For moving magnet cartridges, I use a ultra low capacitance Audiplan silver cable, from the 80’s which was never available commercially -$2k per metre in 1985.
So I have had to make up multiple phono cables with DIN connectors.
If the FR 64S had internal wiring running out to a pair of RCA phono then the ability to change cables would be much easier.
The other consideration is how long a cable do you need to get to the phono stage. This is important because the longer the distance, then the more the cable will affect the sound. All cables lose - they never win - it is a matter of how much you lose and at what cost ( transparency, timing etc ).
Ikeda himself was a fan of "mixing cables" to achieve the sound he liked - he use to suggest that if your arm is silver wired, then use a copper based phono cable.
So in my view you have 3 options
Keep DIN - means you can change phono cables with DIN
Run short run to RCA’s - makes changing phono cables easier and you can experiment without having to buy a dedicated phono cable.
Hard wire to phono plugs - I would only do this if the cable length required is relatively short, and you are confidant that the wire is so much better than anything else available
Which leads to my question for you - what wire.
For me the best wire is the Kondo fairy wire, but given the difficulty of rewiring the FR and the fragility of the Kondo it may be a risk in the long term. CARDAS is garbage. Audio Note 3 wire silver is quite good, but again fragie. I dont have any experience with the Ikeda silver wire or if it is available.
I know Audio Origami has both Kondo and Ikeda silver - he may be able to advise.
What are you thoughts on tonearm wire ?
