Sakura Systems OTA Cable Kit

Slawney: Mark (Palmnell) discovered that a slight "twist" was required when using the OTA as phono IC's (in order to reduce hum/interference). We discussed this outside of the forums and I recall that the twist/cross was every 1" to 1.5" (which is easy enough to try if you are using the OTA RCA's @ the phono preamp connection). I am still waiting on a few parts (male IEC and cartridge leads) before I tear into my TT, but will be replacing the IC's with the OTA once all of the parts are here. Mark had noted that this slight "cross" did not close in the sound as I have noted that doing this to analog IC's does. Let us know if this works out.

Asa: Hovland was the next phono cable I was going to try. What length are you running? Dekay: I considered twisting the OTA phono cables. After all, Simon Yorke twists the TT arm cables very tightly. Likewise, I thought that I would have to twist the phono cables rather tightly to achieve a shielding effect, and I was worried about breaking OTA. Also, I was worried about stress at the plugs, with all of that force applied to the wires to keep them wound around one another (PhonoCube is pretty small and light, and I can easily imagine the unit being lifted off of its feet by this). If you say that 1" twists are enough and that there is no degradation of the sound, I will try it. But I am very pleased with the existing set-up (straight 25 cm runs of OTA under my DIY RFI shields). The next step is to by-pass the female RCA plugs on the Simon Yorke TT completely and connect the phono cable directly to the termination pins of the SY TT arm wires. This will require an additional DIY component: an insulated cable support system to hold the four wires apart so that they do not touch and short out. In the end, this OTA phono cable experiment is a "dream come true" for me: phono cables were one of the biggest single disappointments for me over the years, and I had always dreamed of shortening this connection to the minimal. Hence always my purchase of small-size phono stages that I could situate on the platform next to the TT. The success of OTA in this application was beyond my expectations: I am in awe. Keep us posted on your OTA phono cable experiment, dekay. I am going to try your OTA digital cable design soon enough.

Slawney: Yes, I need to figure out a good "stress" relief system as well (for making hard connections on IC's). They have a tendancy to break off @ the solder connections. I will check the local hardware store for something made out of Teflon. You might try contacting Mark directly in regard to the phono IC's that he attached to his Linn TT (he may have further info/comments available by now). I also have a sample of an Amp-Cool product which silver coats copper and I was thinking of applying this to the OTA before soldering it with silver bearing solder. Don't know what effect this will have, but I am curious as to whether it will improve the connection. This is a powdered silver product which forms a chemical bond with the copper when applied cold.

Slawney,

I agree with you that OTA can be tricky in a phono cable and that using an additional shielding can be a value added. My findings also correspond to yours in respect of the lenght being an important factor when used as phono cable. In my particular case, I am using it in a shortish run (50cm) and without shielding.

Actually, Kimura was surprised when he heard that I am using it as a phono cable as well as it was not the original intention for this cable. Only better solution I heard so far in my setup was the integral run of wire from cart to PhonoCube (with part going out from tonearm being shielded), but for reasons of me a) changing wiring of my tonearms (other than under b) frequently b)modified Koshin 801 I am using at the moment would not allow for a rewire (well, maybe it would but it is a brand new one and I would hate to mess around it as yet). Besides, I just love it as is. :-)

Fortunately (otherwise it would not make any sense to discuss this cable as anything even worth mentioning and not something extraordinary) these occurences are not present when used as digital, linelevel interconect nor as a speaker cable. Actually, (although I have not used specifically Shun Mook shielding), my experiences with shielded OTA in a non-phono cabling are not very positive.

Have you tried it yet in your digital setup or between preamp and your VAIC's and/or speakers?

Best regards,
Sead

p.s. Did you get my mails? I sent them from 3 accounts, just in case. :-)

I would never twist the OTA cables, even in the 5" distance. The degradation in sound occurs in any kind of twisting. They have to be free and loose in order to achieve the best performance.
Ivo