Need to get the wires inside my turntable arm replaced.

Danberg · « **on:** 16 Mar 2005, 01:51 am »

I purchased a used Clearaudio turntable and inadvertently broke the wires inside the arm when assembling the arm to the base.

Spent several hours attempting to repair (solder) back on to the shielded RCA cable as well as to the short wires that clip onto the cartridge. Needless to say, after my handy work, the extreemly thin and delicate arm wire is now too short (after breaking it numerous times in attempting to strip the insulation off and solder).

Where can I purchase GOOD quality cable (color coded; red, white, blue, green and black) to replace the ones that are presently too short? Any suggestions on a good source to send my arm to to have the cables properly replaced? Any other suggestions that may help my situation?

Marbles · « **Reply #1 on:** 16 Mar 2005, 02:05 am »

Cardas makes some good wire I think, but I used Robert Schult of Ridge Street Audio and am VERY pleased with the results.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=12590

jcoat007 · « **Reply #2 on:** 16 Mar 2005, 02:06 am »

I messed up my Spacearm and ended up sending it back to the factory in Nottingham, England to have it fixed.

With the exchange rate right now, it was not cheap!!!

WEEZ · « **Reply #3 on:** 16 Mar 2005, 02:08 am »

Try any Cardas dealer near you- or check the Expressimo website. Maybe even Diycable here on Audio Circle.

good luck.

WEEZ

Ulas · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 Mar 2005, 03:17 am »

Danberg, if you choose to DIY with Cardas wire, you don’t need to strip the wire. The colored insulation is PVC, which will shrink and retract as soon as you touch it with a hot soldering iron. Be sure to use a heat sink lest the PVC retract too far. Then you have to tin the fine copper wire strands, which are individually insulated. The insulation will burn/melt with the heat of molten solder.

zachslc · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 Mar 2005, 03:11 pm »

i rewired a maggy unitrac with cardas wire and directly soldered the headshell leads. You can also get the 5-pin connectors bu cardas if you need to replace them. Michael Percy sells everythign you should need.

Every arm is different. It usually takes a lot of time and patience, not to mention very good solder and a clean, fine tip. Tonearm wire is fiddly and frustrating to work with. It is an experience I don't care to ever have again. Good luck.

Also, I found when I got to the base of the arm that a little teflon tape wrapped around each strand made it easier to keep in place and get where I wanted. Be careful when going into the arm tube not to damage the internal damping.