ToneArm Cable XLR to RCA?

Southeastern

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Im looking at purchasing a tonearm cable which is wired with XLR plugs. My Phono-stage only has RCA Inputs.

Would there by any troubles reterminating the cable to RCA plugs?
 

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No, but you might need to consider the earthing arrangements of the turntable and arm if you find an earth loop has developed afterwards.
 
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Southeastern

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No, but you might need to consider the earthing arrangements of the turntable and arm if you find an earth loop has developed afterwards.
Thank you!

The tonearm cable has its own earth cable, like my current cable and those before it, which depending on the cable is either attached or not attached to the earthing point on the Phonostage (some cables have a hum without, some with!)

Does that explain it further?
 

Paul55

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We don't know the construction of the cable, so it's not possible to be prescriptive. I presume the tonearm end is the usual DIN derivative?

In essence, if you have a pair of coaxial cables and a separate earth, the two signal pins for a channel of the cartridge find their way to the centre and screen of a run of coax, then the outer of the coax finds its way to 0v inside the preamp, which provides screening. The earth wire is then completely separate.

The XLR terminated cable probably has two runs of screened twisted pair. So now the cartridge signals run down the inner pair into the hot/cold of the XLR and the screen connects to the other XLR pin, the preamp connects this to 0v or earth according to taste. The arm (possible TT too) earth is separate.

To reterminate the XLR cable with phonos you can either run the screen and one of the inners (you want the one attached to the blue or green cartridge pin to preserve absolute polarity) to the phono shell and the other inner to phono centre, or you can separate the screen and join it with the other channel and the arm earth wire attached to the preamp earth terminal. Or perhaps it should remain unconnected.

I would go with the three earth wire approach and experiment to determine which is quietest in your environment.

If you're running a Decca all bets are off.
 
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Southeastern

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We don't know the construction of the cable, so it's not possible to be prescriptive. I presume the tonearm end is the usual DIN derivative?

In essence, if you have a pair of coaxial cables and a separate earth, the two signal pins for a channel of the cartridge find their way to the centre and screen of a run of coax, then the outer of the coax finds its way to 0v inside the preamp, which provides screening. The earth wire is then completely separate.

The XLR terminated cable probably has two runs of screened twisted pair. So now the cartridge signals run down the inner pair into the hot/cold of the XLR and the screen connects to the other XLR pin, the preamp connects this to 0v or earth according to taste. The arm (possible TT too) earth is separate.

To reterminate the XLR cable with phonos you can either run the screen and one of the inners (you want the one attached to the blue or green cartridge pin to preserve absolute polarity) to the phono shell and the other inner to phono centre, or you can separate the screen and join it with the other channel and the arm earth wire attached to the preamp earth terminal. Or perhaps it should remain unconnected.

I would go with the three earth wire approach and experiment to determine which is quietest in your environment.

If you're running a Decca all bets are off.
Blinding, thank you for taking the time to explain all of that for me.
Why not just buy a tonearm cable with RCA's?
That would be £1000+ difference as opposed to £50 on some matching RCA’s for the XLR one.

(Used ones of this item are rare).
 

Southeastern

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I'm not really understanding this. What's the turntable? Does it have XLR outputs? Does it have a captive cable with RCA plugs on the end? :unsure:

TT is irrelevant, its a usual DIN to XLR tonearm cable. Needs to be DIn to RCA for my phono stage.

Bought it now, so we shall see how I get on :)
 
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Southeastern

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There's no such thing as a "usual" DIN to XLR cable. They're unusual. And if you need a DIN to RCA tonearm cable, why would it cost £1000?

There is, a tonearm cable with a DIN plug one end and XLR plugs on the other.

The cable I want is £1500 new, but the option of a used one is £300 with XLR's. What I spend and how I spend is irrelevant to you and this post.

Thankyou for getting to spend precious life hours explaining that to you when it was all fairly clear, hence why other posters got it in one.
 
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There is, a tonearm cable with a DIN plug one end and XLR plugs on the other.

The cable I want is £1500 new, but the option of a used one is £300 with XLR's. What I spend and how I spend is irrelevant to you and this post.

Thankyou for getting to spend precious life hours explaining that to you when it was all fairly clear, hence why other posters got it in one.
What a pleasant chap. An asset to the WAM community.
 

Southeastern

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I think you made an easy question into a more difficult one, his replies were more or less how I would have replied, if your post was meant to be 'non sarcastic' then your quote would correct.

As soon as the 'why would a cable cost £1000' bs starts, you know what's being intended...
 
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I think you made an easy question into a more difficult one, his replies were more or less how I would have replied...
If the OP had said something like "I'm about to buy a tonearm but unfortunately the cable is wired with XLR connectors and I need RCA connectors" the post might have made some sense. However, he said he was going to buy a tonearm cable with XLRs even though he needed RCAs. Seems odd to start with. Then in reply to Kernow's question...
Why not just buy a tonearm cable with RCA's?
he answers...
That would be £1000+ difference as opposed to £50 on some matching RCA’s for the XLR one.
A £1000+ difference? Different to what? Matching RCAs? Matching what? doesn't make any sense to me.
I know a lot more about balanced wiring and wiring tonearm cables than the OP, so I asked for clarification in order to understand the problem and the OP's intention before offering advice.
I think I was the one being treated to sarcasm and hostility, simply for asking for clarification. I never told the OP how to spend his money, so why do I get comments like...
What I spend and how I spend is irrelevant to you and this post.
Thankyou for getting to spend precious life hours explaining that to you when it was all fairly clear, hence why other posters got it in one.

I'm willing to share my knowledge of XLR wiring (which can be a lot more complicated than it appears) with any WAM members who are cooperative, friendly and polite. I won't be offering any help to the OP.
 
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antonio66

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If the OP had said something like "I'm about to buy a tonearm but unfortunately the cable is wired with XLR connectors and I need RCA connectors" the post might have made some sense. However, he said he was going to buy a tonearm cable with XLRs even though he needed RCAs. Seems odd to start with. Then in reply to Kernow's question..
Well I understood the question, shame you didn't. In all honesty I thought the OP was well worded.
 
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