Just adding my 2 cents about the Petra cables. When the original cables on one of my TTs went bad, I put on fairly inexpensive ones I had laying around. It sounded awful...dead...no highs etc. After I read this thread, I ordered a pair of 6 ft Petra vid cables to try...put them on today and the difference is amazing. The sparkle and life is back. Highly recommended! Esp. if you need a little length. 6 ft is no problem.
Petra Cable for phono interconnects
- Thread starter hakaplan
- Start date
Jonesy09
Super Member
Look out! I've got a soldering iron!
My Petras are on the way. Since I have extra tables to sub while the victim is down I tore into it just to see what I'll be dealing with. I was a little surprised to find clip-on connectors instead of solder joints in this Dual 1246. Although with the infamously crappy quality of stock Dual interconnects I suppose it shouldn't be all that surprising.
A couple questions:
Each right and left lead has another, unmarked black lead coming out of the same wire with it's own connection. Is this another ground? There is already a separate ground spade. I'm assuming the core of the Petra will connect to the regular right and left leads. What portion of the Petra do I need to feed to this other connection?
Should I get some new crimp-on connectors or should I solder directly to the terminal. The terminals are inside a little enclosure so getting in there may be difficult, particularly for a beginner like me.
I am eager to hear the difference and excited that I will no longer have an intermittently buzzing channel. I have two more Duals (502 & 510) that will be up next if I don't put myself in the hospital.
Pics for reference....
My Petras are on the way. Since I have extra tables to sub while the victim is down I tore into it just to see what I'll be dealing with. I was a little surprised to find clip-on connectors instead of solder joints in this Dual 1246. Although with the infamously crappy quality of stock Dual interconnects I suppose it shouldn't be all that surprising.
A couple questions:
Each right and left lead has another, unmarked black lead coming out of the same wire with it's own connection. Is this another ground? There is already a separate ground spade. I'm assuming the core of the Petra will connect to the regular right and left leads. What portion of the Petra do I need to feed to this other connection?
Should I get some new crimp-on connectors or should I solder directly to the terminal. The terminals are inside a little enclosure so getting in there may be difficult, particularly for a beginner like me.
I am eager to hear the difference and excited that I will no longer have an intermittently buzzing channel. I have two more Duals (502 & 510) that will be up next if I don't put myself in the hospital.
Pics for reference....
Attachments
hakaplan
Needs professional help
Yes, those black wires are the signal or channel ground. Corresponds to the green and blue pins on the cartridge and the outer circular part of the RCA plug. That is carried by the shield on the cable. When you get the Petras, gather up the shield wires and twist them into a single wire.
And yes, absolutely crimp on (or solder--your choice) lugs and then just plug them in as on the originals--much easier that way.
Jonesy09
Super Member
Just the info I was looking for. Thanks.
Yup, finally got the courage up to follow Howard's instructions the he posted, what, over a year ago or more, and redid the cables on my Pioneer PL-600 with the Petras. Had my heart in my throat for the whole procedure scared I'd screw something up, and of course I did, but a local buddy helped me out of the jam.
Damn turntable sounds world class to me now.
Howard, you rock!
Damn turntable sounds world class to me now.
Howard, you rock!
bsujeep
Go Boise State!!!
Did the same with my SME 3009 this past weekend and I figured I was going to seriously screw something up, but I succeeded!! I soldered the petra's directly to the Tonearm wire's and attached the petra's to the base of the 3009 and the bottom of the plinth so I would not put any strain on the tonearm wires or the solder joints.
Same responses as above, I was pretty nervous but it worked out and sounds amazing. I could hear a clear difference.
If your try it this way, be careful those wires are friggin tiny :yes:
Same responses as above, I was pretty nervous but it worked out and sounds amazing. I could hear a clear difference.
If your try it this way, be careful those wires are friggin tiny :yes:
hakaplan
Needs professional help
Thanks much, Mike. Glad you got up the courage. I knew you could do it! (sort of)
I don't know how I have missed this thread for the past couple of years...amazingly, the original link provided by OP still works!
My latest TT (TD-147) has been modified with base-mount connectors, so it will be very simple for me to try the Petra! I will purchase a six-foot length, and if the third strand "zips off", I will use it to rewire my Concept 2QD.
Thanks for the heads-up, Howard! :thmbsp:
My latest TT (TD-147) has been modified with base-mount connectors, so it will be very simple for me to try the Petra! I will purchase a six-foot length, and if the third strand "zips off", I will use it to rewire my Concept 2QD.
Thanks for the heads-up, Howard! :thmbsp:
hakaplan
Needs professional help
Not only does it zip off, but the colored, connector caps unscrew off outwardly, so you can swap them around so that no two cables are the same color.
hakaplan
Needs professional help
Just plain old rosin core solder from Radio Shack.
bsujeep
Go Boise State!!!
+1
I used the .032" diameter 96% tin 4% silver because I had it. I have some .062" diameter 60% 40% also but it was too thick for my crappy skills and I found the thinner stuff to be much easier to solder the thin tonearm wires with. I have very little experience and if someone with more experience suggests otherwise I would listen to them.
Just finished my first re-cabling of my SL-1400. I kept loosing a channel on it. I know at 33 years of age it was due. When it would go, I would spray some contact cleaner on the RCA connectors and it would work for a month or so then go again. So the time was today to swap them out. Went smooth:thmbsp: If anyone is considering this, let me tell you, its not all that hard. Just watch out for any loose strands and take your time. Thanks Howard:ntwrthy:
circlesky73
Active Member
Direct attachment, or did you use RCA outputs? This is what I'd like to do, but if it's too hard I'll go the direct route. I've a Kenwood, with the granite/resin base.
I did the direct attachment, but I don't think going with female RCA outputs would be any harder. It is pretty much a straight forward install:thmbsp:
Saw this thread last week and ordered the cables for my Kyocera turntable. The cables came today and I'm pleased with the results. Usually it's difficult for me to identify the impact of tweaks to my system but these cables make an obvious improvement. Thanks for the tip.