SME -RCA conversion

[arunvenkatesan]

Friends
Need some help for converting SME 3009 tone arm ( II improved with fixed head shell) din 4pin connector to RCA. as my original 4 pin horizontal connector is kind of loose and comes out when the cable is moved. May be i can fix it but would like to know if converting to RCA sockets will make some improvement. have seen some conversion kits on the net but not sure how to go about it.has anyone got some experience in this?

also would like to know a decent Preamp ( with mm/mc) which can go with Nad 2100 /sansui QRX 7001.(later on with some better power amp also) have used the phono stage of QRX . will there be an improvement if I use a separate preamp/phono stage with sansui receiver.
Haven't listen any other real TT setup other than my incomplete gear. eager to listen some of our chennai FM's setup if it is not a trouble ( will be home 2nd week)

thanks
Arun

 

[captrajesh]

Conversion should be possible if you take it to a competent mechanic. I know of one in Chennai. If I may ask you, why are you fixated on the above two amps. Do you have them already? NAD2100 appears to be a power amp whereas the Sansui QRX7001 is a quadraphonic receiver. Doesn't the latter have phono input?

 

[G401fan]

The old 4-pin arrangement on the SME 3009/3012 was poorly thought out, and resulted in loose contacts over time. It makes good sense to get it replaced by an RCA connection for which there are a few available on the net.

I'd changed my own 4-pin to the one in the link below. Apart from improving the connection, it also eliminated hum altogether, to the extent that I no longer needed to run an earth wire to the phono stage. You could buy it directly from the site, or from eBay where they also advertise.

Analog Tube Audio | RCA CONVERSION KIT

Other similar options on eBay include:

phono RCA conversion kit/ adapter for SME 3009/3012 SERIES 2 tone arms | eBay

All you need is a soldering iron, or someone who's adept at soldering.

 

[jls001]

The Analog Tube Audio kit suggested by G401fan is very good (and very bad). Good because it is solidly built. Bad because they sometimes send bad sockets. The two long stainless steel tube/pipes connect the structure that holds the dual RCA sockets to the under side of the oval SME tonearm base (onto a threaded hole) using two very long screws.

Due care and expertise is needed to solder the 28 or 32 AWG tonearm leads to the appropriate points in the RCA socket and also the ground point.

One thing you must "budget" for if you want to use this kit - ensure that your plinth has enough height to be able to handle the extra height of the adapter (it is very tall), plus the added height needed by the two RCA interconnects that will connect to them (L-bent RCA connectors will really help, if you can find it). I can tell you that a stock Linn LP12 plinth is not tall enough to accommodate it without some careful modifications to the above mentioned tube/pipe and RCA interconnects. So my advice is don't do it if you don't have enough room at the bottom of the tonearm.

 

[quad]

seems to be so diy-able - a piece of electrical switch board sheet, or
a broken acrylic license plate from your vehicle and drill 10mm holes
for the RCA sockets. (local make nickel plated MX RCA sockets need
a smaller hole - 8mm, if I remember right).

 

[G401fan]

One thing you must "budget" for if you want to use this kit - ensure that your plinth has enough height to be able to handle the extra height of the adapter (it is very tall), plus the added height needed by the two RCA interconnects that will connect to them (L-bent RCA connectors will really help, if you can find it). I can tell you that a stock Linn LP12 plinth is not tall enough to accommodate it without some careful modifications to the above mentioned tube/pipe and RCA interconnects. So my advice is don't do it if you don't have enough room at the bottom of the tonearm.

Absolutely correct, and yes, I had the same issue when I was using an LP12. Not any longer with the 401. If height is an issue, then the second option - with the side connector - would work out better.

 

[jls001]

seems to be so diy-able - a piece of electrical switch board sheet, or
a broken acrylic license plate from your vehicle and drill 10mm holes
for the RCA sockets. (local make nickel plated MX RCA sockets need
a smaller hole - 8mm, if I remember right).

Absolutely! If I were to need one again, I would definitely DIY it. 2 mm Acrylic sheet (or even bakelite), 2 gold plated RCA sockets from MX or Neutrik, and a pair of 5 or 6 cm long M3 bolts with appropriate nuts - is all one needs. For Neutrik or MX RCA sockets, I use a 21/64 inch drill bit. It fits really well.

 

[arunvenkatesan]

Capt/G401/JLS001/QUAD- Many thanks for your prompt reply.

Capt

Yes I have both QRX and 2100. Have tried phono stage on QRX. sounded good. but sine I did not set my system well and havn't heard any other TT setup, I cant say it is really good especially with my loose connector with the tonearm.
I will be going for a better preamp/amp but before that I would like to listen to some of the real setups from our chennai friends and see how the good set up really sound.

G401fan/Jls001/quad

have sent a mail to analog audio and received a quick reply. they say thorens plinth is not sufficient and need to heighten the feet. I don't know if I do this, still I have to keep the bottom plate open to get the fitting done. I have checked the other Item on the google and this seems to fit and the seller says no need to cut the can and it will fit in the same place of the old 4 pin socket. I don't know whether to go for this or DIY as quad indicated.
I have not removed the tonearm to check if I can do this job without having to cut a part of the can as i have seen in some site , then I don't mind doing it.if that is the case, where can I order the RCA sockets.
I will be back home from work by 14th. i am asking this early so that If i have to order some thing , i can get it delivered in the US as some of my people are coming home in 2 weeks.

any advise for a better set up is welcome

thanks
Arun

 

[kuruvilajacob]

Sorry, I did not see your post till now. When i got my SME 3012 early model with the original wiring set up, what we did was to make two RCA female pins which is connected to a good RCA cable to phono preamp. I will post a few pics for you to understand.
Regards
Kuruvila Jacob

 

[arunvenkatesan]

Kuruvilla saheb

thanks for the pictures. what kind of wire can we use for this extension. as the original tonearm wire will be of 28/32AWG (thanks to Jls001 ), will it be possible to solder a lesser gauge wire to this.can we do this by keeping the female 4pin connector in place as a support and tapping the extension leeds from the female 4 pin termination? I think if it can be done, then I can connect the female RC'S to the plinth by making holes and connect the male pins from outside.( at least I can do this when I upgrade my original plinth)

Arun

 

[jls001]

What Mr Kuruvilla has done is very clever. Just buy two good quality RCA female connectors and solder. But I would suggest securing the connectors in such a way that the thin tonearm wires do not bear absolutely any load.

 

[arunvenkatesan]

What Mr Kuruvilla has done is very clever. Just buy two good quality RCA female connectors and solder. But I would suggest securing the connectors in such a way that the thin tonearm wires do not bear absolutely any load.

That was one of the reasons I asked if we can keep the 4pin socket in place and
tap the RCA connectors from the pins so that the load will be on the connector leads instead of the tonearm wires. i dont know this will have any adverse effect on the signal quality
and about the gauge/make of the wire and RCA female connectors -need some advise where I can procure in chennai

Arun

 

[kuruvilajacob]

You can use good quality RCA wires of low capacitance and tap from the 4 pin termination. In fact you don't need to even have the female Rcs , You can directly connect it to male RCs and connect it to any phono stage or pre amp or you can connect the female RCs to plinth and use any convenient inter connects from there .

 

[jls001]

That was one of the reasons I asked if we can keep the 4pin socket in place and
tap the RCA connectors from the pins so that the load will be on the connector leads instead of the tonearm wires. i dont know this will have any adverse effect on the signal quality
and about the gauge/make of the wire and RCA female connectors -need some advise where I can procure in chennai

Arun

See the two female RCA connectors used in this picture:





Those are from Neutrik. You can desolder the current four wires (right channel signal, right channel ground, left channel signal and left channel ground) and solder them directly to the female RCA connectors. No extra wires needed. I would suggest that you eliminate the 4-pin socket entirely as it will reduce the number of joints (and four more potential points of failure and hum pickup).

If there is a fifth wire (ground wire, usually black) coming out from the tonearm base (besides the above mentioned four wires), then you need to extend that to the phono preamplifier's grounding terminal, using any thin green coloured cable (about 16 or 18 AWG wire works fine).

 

[arunvenkatesan]

Thanks again to Mr. Kuruvilla and Jls. I think when I get back home next week, I will look in to both possibilities of either tapping from the 4 pin connectors or discard the connector and connect the RCA wires. chennai friends any Idea where I can get the wire/RCA cables/jacks

 

[captrajesh]

Head To cable fort in Richie Street (in the cplx opp to Mosque) for the jacks. They also stock Belden Cables but the price is steep, about Rs. 145 per metre. MX has a showroom there (opp to Police Post) which stocks their brand of RCA plugs; they are expensive though. You'll get good cables also at 'Modern Cables' Almost at the end of Richie Steet (the road besides the police post)

 

[Tanoj]

Wow.... this idea was in my mind, however little different

i saw on ebay Turntable Tone Arm Harness 32AWG Silver Wire G P Clips | eBay , so that one end connects directly to the cartridge and other end we can solder directly to the phono stage, that way there are no Cartridge leds and connectors.

All the best

Tanoj

 

[arunvenkatesan]

CaptRajesh

thanks for the info. sent a pm

 

[captrajesh]

sent a pm

PM replied.

 

[arunvenkatesan]

Can someone tell me if this cable can be used for tonearm rewiring.
sleeved, may be i can strip off i feet of sleeve and run inside the tonearm and continue the other end connected to RCA till the preamp.
MOGAMI