I recently purchased a Technics turntable on eBay. It is in working condition and sounds really good, but the stock cables are really old and feel like they are going to just fall apart.
I was wondering - for the ground wire - if it matters what awg wire I use. I think the one that is on the player now is about 24awg or so. Should I replace it with the same awg wire, or is it ok if I use some 14awg wire I have laying around.
I don't know the answer to your question. Just wanted to point out that the original replacement ground wire from Panasonic (part no. SFEL028-01E) is not expensive. It costs around USD 4.
The main point of the ground lead is to function as a Faraday shield. The size of the wire isn't the issue as much as just being connected. Heavier wire just makes it easier to break terminal that were made for lighter wire. This is one place where bigger wire won't do anything better than the original size.
G²
The main point of the ground lead is to function as a Faraday shield. The size of the wire isn't the issue as much as just being connected. Heavier wire just makes it easier to break terminal that were made for lighter wire. This is one place where bigger wire won't do anything better than the original size.
G²
I believe the normal connection for a turntable is to use a ground wire to the chassis which is NOT connected to the signal shield ground. Any convenient sized wire should work fine. Dragging a needle through the grooves of a vinyl record (or maybe just the record spinning in the air) creates a lot of static electricity which can lead to a spark that makes a loud pop on the stereo.