Tonearm rewire help

[kardus]

Considering rewiring the stock tonearm on this Pioneer PL-550 I am restoring with cardas silver wire. In addition to the 4 standard RGWB wires it has two other ground wires it seems, which I believe are attached to two different places within the tonearm as it is not continuous? From searching around this seems to be common for some of the Japanese arms of the era.

Before totally disassembling the tonearm just wondering if anyone could provide any insight on this. From searching around I've read that one of these wires attaches somewhere inside the tonearm body and the other attaches somewhere near the bearing mechanism of the arm.

This seems a little more taxing than doing the simple 4-wire rewire like the popular thread regarding the 1200MKII arm.

 

[Big Bill]

One will attach to the tonearm pipe (usually via a folded metal "spring clip") and the other bellow the bearing block. Regarding the re-wire, why not just leave the original ground leads in place and just replace the four signal leads?

 

[jleon92f]

One will attach to the tonearm pipe (usually via a folded metal "spring clip") and the other bellow the bearing block. Regarding the re-wire, why not just leave the original ground leads in place and just replace the four signal leads?

+1:thmbsp:

 

[kardus]

One will attach to the tonearm pipe (usually via a folded metal "spring clip") and the other bellow the bearing block. Regarding the re-wire, why not just leave the original ground leads in place and just replace the four signal leads?

Well I was thinking of doing just that; however, I don't know if I'd be able to fish the new wires through without disrupting the ground ones.

The compulsive part of me is also saying if I'm redoing 4 I might as well redo 6! Perhaps I will try leaving them before jumping the gun.

On that note, does anyone have any experience with the different types of wire? I found a little kit on ebay for ~£5 that comes with 5 m litz wire (enamelled copper wire with silk), coloured heat shrink, gold plated leads, silver solder... seems affordable and they have a sold hundreds of these. On the other hand for a little more I could get this other cardas wire that have twisted pairs and shielding, which may prove better for interference and would be easier to work with as they are all together. Only downside to this is that it is double the price of the other kit, and all I'll get is a foot of wire.

 

[Big Bill]

Well I was thinking of doing just that; however, I don't know if I'd be able to fish the new wires through without disrupting the ground ones..

Remove the tonearm collar from the end of the tonearm pipe. De-solder the wires from the collar and solder the new signal leads to the existing leads using as little solder as possible. Pull the existing tonearm leads from the base of the arm which will draw the new signal leads in to place. You need to pull gently and may have to pull back and forth some in order to make the "bends". I would recommend loosing the tonearm pipe from the vertical bearings to make the process easier.

The compulsive part of me is also saying if I'm redoing 4 I might as well redo 6! Perhaps I will try leaving them before jumping the gun..

It will be easier on you if you leave the existing ground leads in place.

On that note, does anyone have any experience with the different types of wire? I found a little kit on ebay for ~£5 that comes with 5 m litz wire (enamelled copper wire with silk), coloured heat shrink, gold plated leads, silver solder... seems affordable and they have a sold hundreds of these. On the other hand for a little more I could get this other cardas wire that have twisted pairs and shielding, which may prove better for interference and would be easier to work with as they are all together. Only downside to this is that it is double the price of the other kit, and all I'll get is a foot of wire.

I like the Litz tonearm wire with the silk wrap. The Cardas Litz has thick insulation and can impede the arms horizontal motion. The silk wrapped Litz is also thinner which would be a real plus in your situation.