Head shells; head shell wires

jimdgoulding · « **on:** 9 Apr 2012, 12:37 am »

Anyone have any respectable head shell wires in very good condition that you would sell to me? A headshell, too, perhaps. Thanks

S Clark · « **Reply #1 on:** 9 Apr 2012, 02:00 am »

What are the main characteristics of these wires? Are they simple small gauge solid or stranded copper?

catastrofe · « **Reply #2 on:** 9 Apr 2012, 02:04 am »

Might be easier to just order them here:

http://www.thecableco.com/category.aspx?cid=-1&mid=-1&criteria=headshell

S Clark · « **Reply #3 on:** 9 Apr 2012, 02:42 am »

Quote from: catastrofe on 9 Apr 2012, 02:04 am

Might be easier to just order them here:

http://www.thecableco.com/category.aspx?cid=-1&mid=-1&criteria=headshell

WOW! Did you look at some of those prices???? $18000 for a set of tone arm wires??? I understand that wires do sound different, but DAMN!!!!!

BaMorin · « **Reply #4 on:** 9 Apr 2012, 09:41 pm »

The silk wrapped headshell leads, like in the link provided, is what I use. I have a sneaky suspicion that stiff headshell leads vibrate.

neobop · « **Reply #5 on:** 10 Apr 2012, 12:43 am »

The Audioquest ones in the link are LC OFC and should do the job nicely. On the other hand you can get a set of regular copper wires for $5, or a set of fancy silver ones for hundreds.
http://www.lpgear.com/product/HIQHDSHWIRES.html

http://www.partsconnexion.com/ftech_72820.html

Are you also looking for a headshell? It would help to know what it's for - SME type? heavy or light? or just something that works?

catastrofe · « **Reply #6 on:** 10 Apr 2012, 12:53 am »

I went with the DH Labs silver leads for $50. . .

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #7 on:** 11 Apr 2012, 11:01 pm »

Thanks, fellas. I ordered some Sumiko Litz wire leads from The Needle Doctor. $9.00 and some change for postage. Wow.

TONEPUB · « **Reply #8 on:** 18 Apr 2012, 04:41 am »

Checked that link, didn't see any $18,000 headshell wires. Might have been a misprint...

S Clark · « **Reply #9 on:** 18 Apr 2012, 04:58 am »

Quote from: TONEPUB on 18 Apr 2012, 04:41 am

Checked that link, didn't see any $18,000 headshell wires. Might have been a misprint...

Yep, it's not there anymore... they must have sold out!

neobop · « **Reply #10 on:** 18 Apr 2012, 11:02 am »

Maybe it was these $18K tonearm cables?
http://www.thecableco.com/Product/Empress-Crown

Think I'll save up and be the first on my block.....

What do you think Wayner, good investment?
You'll need one of those $15K Clearaudio carts to go with. Of course you'll be breaking the rules, spending more on the cables than the cart.
Sorry, that's the priciest cart I could find.

Nick77 · « **Reply #11 on:** 18 Apr 2012, 12:11 pm »

Quote from: jimdgoulding on 11 Apr 2012, 11:01 pm

Thanks, fellas. I ordered some Sumiko Litz wire leads from The Needle Doctor. $9.00 and some change for postage. Wow.

Not finding that product, got a link??

neobop · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 Apr 2012, 11:54 am »

Quote from: Nick77 on 18 Apr 2012, 12:11 pm

Not finding that product, got a link??

I couldn't find it either. The only Sumiko leads I found were $27 for LC-OFC. I noticed the price of the Sumiko headshell almost doubled. It used to be $50, now it's $90. Maybe they saw the deal on the wires Jim got and then jacked up the price?

If you want LC-OFC wires, the Audioquest are a couple of dollars cheaper. If you want a headshell similar to the 12g azimuth adjustable Sumiko, here's one:
http://www.lpgear.com/product/LPGZHEAD.html

These wires might be good.
http://www.lpgear.com/product/LPGSOARHD4.html

If anyone needs some Y adaptors, here's a good deal:
http://www.needledoctor.com/Monster-Cable-A-YM2F-H-Audio-Y-Adapter-RCA-Male-to-2-Female?sc=12&category=-112

neobop · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 Apr 2012, 05:25 pm »

John,
Blame me for linking to the $18,000 tonearm cable and asking Wayner what he thought. It just seemed like a good follow up to the earlier comment. It never ceases to amaze me; what could possibly be in a cable to make it worth $18K, a modern form of alchemy?

TONEPUB · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 Apr 2012, 05:55 pm »

I have to agree with you.

I've listened to quite a few and my favorites have been the Furutech AG-12 (about $600) the Furutech Silver Special (about $1100) the AudioQuest LeoPard (also about $600) and the new Audience that is impedance matched for about $1100.

Expensive yes, but not crazy money. Don't think I'd spend 18k on a tonearm cable either.

toocool4 · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 Apr 2012, 06:40 pm »

Quote from: TONEPUB on 19 Apr 2012, 05:55 pm

I've listened to quite a few and my favorites have been the Furutech AG-12 (about $600) the Furutech Silver Special (about $1100) the AudioQuest LeoPard (also about $600) and the new Audience that is impedance matched for about $1100.

Expensive yes, but not crazy money. Don't think I'd spend 18k on a tonearm cable either.

I have to agree with you on the Furutech AG-12 that is what I use, very good cable.

When I got it I put it up against Cardas Golden Reference, in the UK the Furutech is about half the price of the Cardas. The Furutech ran rings around the Cardas.

Wayner · « **Reply #16 on:** 19 Apr 2012, 07:15 pm »

Quote from: neobop on 19 Apr 2012, 05:25 pm

John,
Blame me for linking to the $18,000 tonearm cable and asking Wayner what he thought. It just seemed like a good follow up to the earlier comment. It never ceases to amaze me; what could possibly be in a cable to make it worth $18K, a modern form of alchemy?

Sorry for my leaning comments, which I have deleted.

Many of my cost comments are driven from my engineering background. I don't mean to snipe the maker, I understand the high costs, even if I don't like it.

Let's assume that the manufacturer spent tons of dough in R and D, plus, perhaps several proto-types of this wire. Custom made wire will cost an arm and a leg, even for small quantities. And John should know this because he also is in manufacturing, that tooling cost are going to be amortized over a period of time and eventually disappear. In the mean time, those costs have to be thrown onto the product, to recover investment. To that company, they have to have the product priced at that point to recover from the investments. For the consumer, he's become a stock-holder of the company (by proxy) by simply being a participant. The moral of the story is that units sold divided by time will bring the price down.

Remember when the first VCRs or CD players came out. Their costs where out of this world, because those companies were trying to recover investment. Now you can buy a CD player in a $29 boom-box.

Wayner

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #17 on:** 19 Apr 2012, 07:33 pm »

Quote from: Wayner on 19 Apr 2012, 07:15 pm

Sorry for my leaning comments, which I have deleted.

Many of my cost comments are driven from my engineering background. I don't mean to snipe the maker, I understand the high costs, even if I don't like it.

Let's assume that the manufacturer spent tons of dough in R and D, plus, perhaps several proto-types of this wire. Custom made wire will cost an arm and a leg, even for small quantities. And John should know this because he also is in manufacturing, that tooling cost are going to be amortized over a period of time and eventually disappear. In the mean time, those costs have to be thrown onto the product, to recover investment. To that company, they have to have the product priced at that point to recover from the investments. For the consumer, he's become a stock-holder of the company (by proxy) by simply being a participant. The moral of the story is that units sold divided by time will bring the price down.

Remember when the first VCRs or CD players came out. Their costs where out of this world, because those companies were trying to recover investment. Now you can buy a CD player in a $29 boom-box.

Wayner

Brother Wayner,

I TOTALLY get that you mean well on your comments and that it is born of an engineers rationale on matters. Truly, I know you have honest and good intent to inform on these matters.

I am a fiscally conservative guy (no engineer by any means) and have been in the consumer durables business for 25 years and I think some of the costs bandied about in audio are hideous and malicious in many ways. But, I cannot let my personality enter into these discussions as it is up to each individual to decide what level of expenditures they want to make on this hobby (and in their life)

Ours is not to interfere in fair and unbiased market activities that go on in Vinyl Circle. Lending your experience as both engineer, consumer, audio sound engineer, patent holder and audio enthusiast is great...but, we (all) have to stop just shy of making blunt statements when we think a 'silly' purchase has been made.

My prior comments (and yours) were trashed as they have no relevance to the topic. I may well trash this post, too (but leave yours as it was helpful). We'll see - hopefully the topic doesn't get derailed by this sidebar.

Cheers, John

Wayner · « **Reply #18 on:** 19 Apr 2012, 07:53 pm »

I will try to make you proud, John.

W

hifitommy · « **Reply #19 on:** 28 Apr 2012, 08:12 pm »

well jim,

it looks like you got some answers. the sumiko litz and audioquest wires are definitely worth the money. the smaller the signal, the more wire can make a difference.

the hs12 shell did go up dramatically but the same shell is available from LPGear as the zupreme and still goes for $50. i have bought a couple.

the orsonic shells from juki on ebay are more pricey but i would love to have one. or two. btw, orsonic makes a 200gram relfex clamp thats pretty good, i got mine when the prices were better but it is still a fair value.