Choir Audio, Inc.
Rega Turntable and Tonearm Upgrades
The Chords AgCu tonearm wire and Custom Rega Plinths
Click here for the "Super Rega"
The "Chords"
Designed with Steve Hallick of MAC (My Audio Cables, Inc.) and based on the wonderful and well known MAC silver/OFC 32AWG cable. The Choir "Chords" are being offered as a superior upgrade for the 300/600 and 1000 series of the Rega RB family of tonearms. With close attention to detail and using the finest materials, this modification can raise the performance of all stock Rega arms to a new level of musical presentation.
As we all know, the electrical signal from any cartridge will be the smallest and most delicate of any in your system. Ranging from .15 mV to 7mV, this signal can easily be 1000 times less than the line level signal that is being received from your standard CD player. With this in mind, special attention needs to be taken to assure this signal is delivered with a minimum amount of interruption or degradation.
Typically in a standard Tonearm with a removable headshell, you will see as many as three points where the signal cable will be broken and then reconnected to another cable before moving further down the stream to amplification. With each break in this signal path, the signal looses both strength and clarity.
With this age old problem, we decided on the most simple of a solution… No Breaks or interruptions in the signal path, hence the C/M was born.
The Chords were configured to offer a Pseudo Balanced configuration, therefore offering a superior unbroken signal transfer from the cartridge to the preamplifier. Many companies will configure either one or both of the L/R channel signals with the negative (-) signal cable soldered to the earth ground and the shield, therefore placing an inferior signal into the path prior to beginning its journey towards amplification.
Both the L/R positive and negative signal conductors of the Chords run uninterrupted and without contact with either the earth ground or Shield for the entire length of the interconnect. The full shield that is used for EMI/RFI protection is mechanically mated to the tonearm via our machined solid CuA15 alloy cable support (Arm Plug) which mounts mechanically to the tone arm offering both superior conductivity and support. The Earth Ground is also connected to the Arm Plug and soldered to the shield again offering superior continuity combining the shield and earth ground with the tone arm, but without placing any unwanted interference into the original signal.
Pseudo-balanced cable: This is a term used to describe a cable that has two or more sets of identical conductors. This type of cable design is also referred to as balanced or semi-balanced. However this does not mean that a pseudo-balanced cable carries a balanced signal. The term is used to describe a cable where both the signal and the return are carried by identical sets of conductors. Pseudo-balanced cables have a lower noise floor and transmit dynamic and timbre information more accurately than co-axial designs.
The Chords come standard with 1 meter interconnects, all contained in a single umbilical which splits 6” from the RCAs for ease of connection. Contained within the Umbilical are the MAC conductors protected within a PTFE Teflon tubing, surrounded by a full braided shield, with the Earth Ground placed between the Shield and the outermost protective flexible shielding.
Each pair of Signal conductors are terminated to gold plated RCAs for superior connectivity, all terminations are made using WBT Silver Solder.
Each Kit also contains:
4 each Cardas PCC Ag/Rh plated cartridge clips with color coded heat shrink and WBT Solder.
$ 229.00 USD per kit or $259.00 USD Installed plus shipping
Special Introductory Price $199.00 plus shipping
The Choir "Chords" AgCu Standard 1 Meter Interconnect
Designed with Steve Hallick of MAC (My Audio Cables, Inc.) and based on the wonderful and well known MAC silver/OFC 32AWG cable. The Choir "Chords" are being offered as a superior upgrade for the 300/600 and 1000 series of the Rega RB family of tonearms. With close attention to detail and using the finest materials, this modification can raise the performance of all stock Rega arms to a new level of musical presentation.
As we all know, the electrical signal from any cartridge will be the smallest and most delicate of any in your system. Ranging from .15 mV to 7mV, this signal can easily be 1000 times less than the line level signal that is being received from your standard CD player. With this in mind, special attention needs to be taken to assure this signal is delivered with a minimum amount of interruption or degradation.
Typically in a standard Tonearm with a removable headshell, you will see as many as three points where the signal cable will be broken and then reconnected to another cable before moving further down the stream to amplification. With each break in this signal path, the signal looses both strength and clarity.
With this age old problem, we decided on the most simple of a solution… No Breaks or interruptions in the signal path, hence the C/M was born.
The Chords were configured to offer a Pseudo Balanced configuration, therefore offering a superior unbroken signal transfer from the cartridge to the preamplifier. Many companies will configure either one or both of the L/R channel signals with the negative (-) signal cable soldered to the earth ground and the shield, therefore placing an inferior signal into the path prior to beginning its journey towards amplification.
Both the L/R positive and negative signal conductors of the Chords run uninterrupted and without contact with either the earth ground or Shield for the entire length of the interconnect. The full shield that is used for EMI/RFI protection is mechanically mated to the tonearm via our machined solid CuA15 alloy cable support (Arm Plug) which mounts mechanically to the tone arm offering both superior conductivity and support. The Earth Ground is also connected to the Arm Plug and soldered to the shield again offering superior continuity combining the shield and earth ground with the tone arm, but without placing any unwanted interference into the original signal.
Pseudo-balanced cable: This is a term used to describe a cable that has two or more sets of identical conductors. This type of cable design is also referred to as balanced or semi-balanced. However this does not mean that a pseudo-balanced cable carries a balanced signal. The term is used to describe a cable where both the signal and the return are carried by identical sets of conductors. Pseudo-balanced cables have a lower noise floor and transmit dynamic and timbre information more accurately than co-axial designs.
The Chords come standard with 1 meter interconnects, all contained in a single umbilical which splits 6” from the RCAs for ease of connection. Contained within the Umbilical are the MAC conductors protected within a PTFE Teflon tubing, surrounded by a full braided shield, with the Earth Ground placed between the Shield and the outermost protective flexible shielding.
Each pair of Signal conductors are terminated to gold plated RCAs for superior connectivity, all terminations are made using WBT Silver Solder.
Each Kit also contains:
4 each Cardas PCC Ag/Rh plated cartridge clips with color coded heat shrink and WBT Solder.
$ 229.00 USD per kit or $259.00 USD Installed plus shipping
Special Introductory Price $199.00 plus shipping
The Choir "Chords" AgCu Standard 1 Meter Interconnect