Cables can be an adventure every bit as confounding as gear swapping. Sometimes putting the cable between other components in the system helps to reveal its true signature.

I've spent many, many hours experimenting with cables and like everything else, trade-offs are the norm. If you do decide to try something different, I highly recommend the Kimber PBJ and Audioquest King Cobra cables for benchmarks.

NO1 NO! NO!....NEVER use cables any longer than 0.6 meters long between the turntable and phono preamp input (or from turntable to the phono input of an amp or preamp).

The cable capacitance of a longer cable puts too much capacitive load on the cartridge and affects its sound quality and frequency response; this is the problem you are experiencing. It will vary in degree from cable to cable because each cable has a different amount of capacitance per
meter. These cables are directly connected to the cartridge, and it is critical to keep the total capacitive loading on the cartridge within what the manufacturer specifies (which is typically around 100-200 pF).

But ALWAYS KEEP THE LENGTH AT OR UNDER 0.6 METERS!!! Longer cables will almost always have excessive capacitance and cause audible problems.

Cables from the phono preamp output to the system preamp or amplifier can be much
longer with little or no effect, because they are not directly connected to the cartridge. I suggest keeping them under 2 meters, but that is not mandatory.

I suggest that you get a pair of 0.6 meter Big Sur cables to put between the turntable and phono preamp, and then use the 1.5 meter ones between the phono preamp and your integrated amp.

Upgrades are always possible, but you appear to have a pretty good system that is
well-balanced in terms of prices and quality. I don't see anything obviously
begging for an upgrade.

P.S.- The Hana SH is a CARTRIDGE; not a stylus. Its stylus is its "needle"
that tracks the record groove. A cartridge is a transducer that converts the
mechanical movement of the stylus into an electrical signal to be amplified.

jonokino wrote:

Hi everyone. I'm fairly new to the audiophile world but I'm very enthusiastic to be here. Thanks for the warm welcome and please forgive my ignorance in advance!

Here's my current setup:
Pro-Ject RPM 1 Carbon
Acrylic Platter (Acylic It Platter)
Hana SH Stylus
Schiit Mani Phono Pre-Amp
Peachtree Nova 300 Integrated Amp
KEF Q300 Bookshelf Speakers

Anyway, I've gotten myself an Audioquest Big Sur RCA-RCA cable to audition (1.5 m), connecting from my turntable to my phono preamp. I've compared it to the stock cable that came with my turntable. And I've discovered a mixed bag. I've noticed an improved clarity, but also a harsher upper range, particularly in vocals (please forgive me if I'm not using the correct terminology). My old cable seemed to smooth out, perhaps even mask a lot of these imperfections, and the new cable has revealed the bad with the good.

What do you do in this situation? Is it a simple return, find something that works best with the system you have? Or do you attempt to work out the kinks that newfound clarity has given you?

I'm not sure if it's important, but here are the discs that I auditioned:
https://www.discogs.com/Patsy-Cline-Greatest-Hits/release/4403353
https://www.discogs.com/John-Coltrane-My-Favorite-Things/release/4381329
https://www.discogs.com/Nilsson-Nilsson-Schmilsson/release/8669476

Thanks for your guidance! I'm also keen to discover if anyone has any recommendations for upgrades to phono preamps and speakers that would pair well with my turntable and integrated.

Best,
Jonathan

You should upgrade your speakers to KEF LS50 passive stand-mount speakers. They are better than your KEF Q300, and your Peachtree Nova 300 is capable of driving the LS50.
The rest of your gears are already pretty decent especially for the money.

I suspect the higher calibre cables are revealing the weaknesses somewhere else in your audio chain...thus begins the process of upgrading each component to match the cables!!

However, this may be a simple case of the cables being too long. I am not well versed enough to be certain cable length is the culprit; however, I can render direction: swapping your AQ Big Sur for shorter cables if possible would be my first start if this were my system; preferably having BOTH your current and the shorter cables on hand for the audition. Most online shops and certainly local shops would allow you to return the set of cables you decide not to keep at the end of the audition period (usually 30 days). You just have the inconvenience of being charged for two sets of cables temporarily.