Mostly a lurker here, but think I can make a valid contribution to this thread. I have a Technics SL-1300 TT that recently needed a new cable. I did tons of research and what's important with the cable from the TT to the preamp (built into your amp or stand alone) is capaticance. The lower the better. Capacitance is measured by the foot/meter, so the longer the cable, the higher the capacitance will be. In my case, the TT cable is wired (soldered) to the TT PCB. I ended up purchasing a very low capacitance RCA cable from KAB Electro Acoustics - a Mogami W2528 6ft (I needed the extra length in my situation), for $22.00 + $5.00 shipping. I verified the capacitance with a dedicated Capacitance meter and it was as stated. Of course, I had to cut off the connectors on one end in my situation. If you run a stand alone preamp, the cable from it to your amp can be any good quality cable since you're now at a line level signal and capacitance is not a big deal (as long as it's reasonable). No need to break the bank! My situation requires a 40' run from my preamp to the receiver; and it sounds great IMHO. I did have a custom low capacitance cable made for the long run (but only because it was such a long run). I am also running an Ortofon 2M Blue and very happy with it. As far as the stock TT cables go; it would be interesting to check them with a meter just for fun. I've tested a lot of cables, and expensive certainly doesn't equate to low capacitance !! And a lot of manufacturers don't even know what the capacitance of thier cable is !!!!! The only way to know for sure is to get your own meter. Hope this info helps.