All else equal, the absence of connectors and solder joints is better, as Stingreen and Lewm have said. In reality, though, all else is seldom equal. The Graham Phantom Supreme has three joints before you even get to the cable (leads, wand, DIN) yet it sounds superb--better IMO than my Triplanar VII, e.g., which has a very good captive cable. I owned a Clearaudio Universal for a few years, which has a captive cable. I always thought it a bit thin and edgy, and wished I could have tried another cable. Unless you have concluded in advance that the captive cable in question is what you want for a given arm, you might find it to be the weak link. So, despite the degradation they introduce, connectors can be the better option.
Captive tonearm cable - any advantages?
Was just looking at the Clearaudio Concept turntable, and I notice that it has a captive tonearm cable. Is there any advantage to this (other than to keep me from spending too much on exotic cables)? It seems to be rather limiting to prevent one from using their favorite cable or to fine-tune system synergy. Not sure if it's a deal-breaker, but it's certainly a big strike in my book. Any opinions on the matter? Does it limit the ultimate performance of the table?
Thanks,
Scott
Thanks,
Scott
4 responses Add your response