Ortofon LW Headshell Lead Wires

Ortofon's Own Lead Wires, Color-Coded for the OM Series

These are Ortofon's headshell lead wires, sold as a set of four, made for Ortofon's OM-series cartridges. They are the short wires between the cartridge pins and the headshell, and they come color-coded to match Ortofon's own terminal marking.

Headshell leads are the first thing to fail on an otherwise healthy cartridge. A clip loses its grip, a wire breaks inside its insulation, or one disappears during a cartridge swap — and a channel goes intermittent for reasons that look far more serious than they are.

Color-Coded Wires for an OM Cartridge

Fit and Materials

Ortofon makes these for its OM-series cartridges, so the fitting and the color coding match what is printed on the cartridge body. They will serve any standard-mount headshell with four exposed cartridge pins, which is most detachable headshells.

The convention is red and green for the right channel, hot and ground respectively, and white and blue for the left. Ortofon color-codes its cartridge terminals to match, and the green terminal is always the one used to ground the cartridge housing where that connection is made inside the cartridge.

Who Are These Lead Wires Best For?

• You own an Ortofon OM-series cartridge — these are the leads Ortofon makes for it
• One of yours has broken or vanished — replacing the set keeps all four the same
• Your clips have gone slack — a clip that will not grip a pin is a channel that drops out
• You want the coding to match the cartridge — no guessing which wire goes on which pin
• Your tonearm has no detachable headshell — captive wiring cannot be replaced this way; see turntable parts and add-ons

How Do You Fit Them?

Take the headshell off the arm and work in good light. Pull each old lead off by its clip, not by the wire. Fit the new ones one at a time and match the colors to the cartridge terminals as you go. Push each clip fully home so it grips the pin rather than resting on it.

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 of four — one lead for each cartridge pin.

Will they fit a cartridge that is not an Ortofon?

Ortofon makes them for its OM series, but the four-pin standard-mount fitting is common across brands. Check that your cartridge has four exposed pins and a detachable headshell.

Which wire goes on which pin?

Red and green to the right channel, white and blue to the left. Ortofon prints the same coding on the cartridge, so the two line up.

Why Audio Advisor?

• 40+ Years of Expertise — Since 1981, we've helped over a million music lovers find the right gear.
• 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee — Take your time. Listen, enjoy, and make sure it's right for you.
• Real Experts, Real Help — Our team is here to answer your questions at 800-942-0220, weekdays 9am–6pm EST.
• Free Shipping — On orders over $49, delivered to your door.
• Flexible Payment Options — Financing available so you can start listening now.

Learn More

Want to learn more about turntable setup, record care, or getting the most from your vinyl? Visit our Learning Center for guides, tips, and expert advice.