RCA Cable and Tonearm Cable Capacitance Reference Database: Compare Specs Side-by-Side

What this RCA and tonearm cable capacitance database does (and why it matters)

If you’re running a turntable into a phono preamp, cable capacitance isn’t just trivia. It becomes part of the electrical “load” your cartridge sees. For many moving‑magnet (MM) and moving‑iron (MI) cartridges, the total load capacitance (tonearm wiring + interconnect cable + phono stage input capacitance) can measurably shift the high‑frequency response. That’s why so many cartridge manuals specify a recommended capacitance range (for example, something like “100-200 pF” or “200-400 pF”). This page is meant to make the cable part of that equation less mysterious by putting published (and occasionally user‑measured) capacitance specs side‑by‑side.

The tool above lets you choose two cables and compare their capacitance in pF/ft and/or pF/m. When you enter an assumed length, it also estimates the total capacitance contribution from that run. That’s useful when you’re trying to decide between “generic RCA cable” and “low‑capacitance phono / tonearm cable,” or when you’re troubleshooting a system that sounds a little too bright, a little too dull, or just “off” after a cartridge swap.

A couple of practical notes before you treat any single number as gospel:

• Specs are not always apples‑to‑apples. Some sources list conductor‑to‑shield capacitance, others list conductor‑to‑conductor, and measurement methods vary. The notes panel shows the stated basis whenever it’s known.
• Revisions happen. A cable model name may stay the same while construction changes over time. If you’re buying based on a specific capacitance target, confirm with the manufacturer or measure your actual sample.
• Don’t forget the rest of the chain. Even a very low‑capacitance cable won’t “fix” an overall load that’s already dominated by tonearm wiring or the phono stage’s input capacitance setting.