AudioQuest HL 5 Tonearm Headshell Leads

Litz Headshell Leads for a Standard-Mount Tonearm and Headshell

These are AudioQuest's HL 5 headshell leads, sold as a set of four — the short wires that carry the cartridge's output from its pins to the tonearm's own wiring. They are litz construction, and they fit a standard-mount tonearm and headshell.

Headshell leads are the shortest and most overlooked part of the signal path, and they are also the part most likely to be damaged. Clips get bent, wires break inside their insulation, and a cartridge change loses one down the back of the rack.

Litz Wire, Standard Fittings

Fit and Materials

Litz wire uses many fine strands individually insulated from one another rather than one solid conductor. AudioQuest builds cable for a living, and the HL 5 leads apply that to the four connections between cartridge pins and headshell.

They fit a standard-mount tonearm and headshell, which is the common arrangement: a detachable headshell with four exposed cartridge pins. An arm with captive internal wiring and no removable headshell has no leads to change, so check yours before ordering.

Who Are These Leads Best For?

• You have a broken or missing lead — they are sold as a set, and a mismatched replacement is worse than a new set
• Your clips have gone slack — a lead that will not grip a cartridge pin is a channel that cuts out
• You change cartridges regularly — clips fatigue with every removal, and this is the wear item
• You want litz construction — many fine insulated strands rather than one solid conductor
• Your tonearm has no detachable headshell — captive internal wiring cannot be changed this way; see turntable parts and add-ons for what does fit

How Do You Fit Them?

Work with the headshell off the arm and the cartridge in good light. Pull each old lead off its cartridge pin by the clip, never by the wire. Fit the new leads one at a time, matching the colors: red and green to the right channel, white and blue to the left. Push each clip fully onto its pin so it grips.

Pairs Well With

What most owners fitting a tonearm part shop next.

• Cartridge alignment tools — anything that moves the cartridge means re-checking geometry
• Stylus force gauges — and re-setting tracking force afterwards
• Phono cartridges — the component all of this is in service of
• Test records — for hearing whether the change landed

Frequently Asked Questions

How many do I need?

One set. A cartridge takes four leads and they come as a set of four.

Will they fit my tonearm?

They fit a standard-mount tonearm and headshell — the usual arrangement with a detachable headshell and four exposed cartridge pins. An arm wired straight through to the cartridge has no separate leads.

Which lead goes where?

The convention is red and green for the right channel, hot and ground respectively, and white and blue for the left. Cartridge pins are color coded to match.

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