You're digital connection?

Wind Chaser · « **on:** 30 Oct 2017, 06:23 am »

Bonus question... How many methods and cables have you tried?

zoom25 · « **Reply #1 on:** 30 Oct 2017, 06:51 am »

USB, optical, AES, coax, BNC, HDMI, and ethernet (in a sense).

AES: Mogami 3173 and Grimm TPR. These can be used for analog as well with excellent results. For live events, have used other cheaper Mogami and Hosa as well.

Coaxial: Mogami 2964, if coaxial needs to be used. Prefer AES in general. Other generic cables. Same goes for BNC.

Optical: all over the place. Nothing expensive.

USB: Audioquest Forest, Belkin Gold (double shielded), and many generic ones.

HDMI: WireLogic (comes with directional arrows), Monster from back in the day, Rocketfish, Belden, and a crap ton of general stuff.

Ethernet: Cat 5e, 6, 6a (including S/STP) from mainstream professional brands. All the UTP is Belden, Tripp Lite, and other generic brands.

pstrisik · « **Reply #2 on:** 30 Oct 2017, 04:07 pm »

AES/EBU

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #3 on:** 30 Oct 2017, 06:11 pm »

I'm getting the impression that most folks don't have preference probably because like myself they haven't tried a variety of different methods?? I've been using coax from the beginning, but I am open to trying something new.

zoom25 · « **Reply #4 on:** 30 Oct 2017, 06:48 pm »

Depends on the product. USB has improved quite a bit over the years and is recommended as primary by some manufacturers. AES is what I use on my BDP-1 after having it compared to coax and USB. Optical is great for complete electrical isolation, but prone to higher jitter - in some cases I've preferred the tradeoff.

I have been experimenting around a lot with Ethernet cables, routers, switches, LPS for these units and shielding. The other day I brought out my AM radio and used it to see the interference level, pattern, and proximity of how various devices can put out airborne interference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofN1EsZVoGY

Read this:

http://www.psaudio.com/pauls-posts/usb-vs-ethernet/

http://www.psaudio.com/pauls-posts/ground-hash/

pstrisik · « **Reply #5 on:** 30 Oct 2017, 07:20 pm »

My preference isn't in your poll choices

.

I've used toslink spdif aes/ebu. toslink usually only goes up to 96/24, is more fragile, but best for minimal signal interference. coax/spdif has higher bandwidth and, in practice, would likely be indistinguishable from aes/ebu. aes/ebu is better than coax in theory for ground isolation and less noise. I've not gone USB.

Don_S · « **Reply #6 on:** 30 Oct 2017, 07:26 pm »

None of the above.

I use AES/EBU

Larkston Zinaspic · « **Reply #7 on:** 30 Oct 2017, 08:24 pm »

I'm still on Firewire, which is not only None of the Above, it's just not even mentioned. I can't get with the times over here.

The Oyaide Neo d+ was pretty good, but I still like the cheaper GoldX better. Who? Old news, I know.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #8 on:** 30 Oct 2017, 09:29 pm »

I use coax, optical and AES.
Another non mention is the difference between RCA and BNC comnectors.
Sadly I have no BNC cables...

I use the optical from my CD changers.. all they have.
Then the Behringer DEQ2496 AES/EBU to my DAC.

I own no products I use a USB with.

Another connection is the HDMI.. Too new for me except on my DVD player to my TV.
But some DAC now have it.

*Scotty* · « **Reply #9 on:** 30 Oct 2017, 11:31 pm »

As my source of music is PC based, the simplest connection for me is USB. I use a WireWorld Starlight USB cable. I feed the SPDIF optical output from my OPPO 103D to my Auralic Vega via a fused silica "glass" fiber optic cable. Works great and the 35ft. cable was way cheaper than an good coax cable.
Scotty

HsvHeelFan · « **Reply #10 on:** 31 Oct 2017, 12:41 am »

None.

My music pc has the ASUS Sonar Essence STX sound card in it and I send analog out to my Parasound Pre-amp. It sounds just fine and sounds better than the various Yamaha CD players, the Denon Player and the Marantz CD players I had.

To go digital, I would have needed to add an external DAC and I didn't see the need for that since the ASUS board has a perfectly fine DAC in it anyway. It uses the Texas Instruments PCM1792A DAC. That's a 24 bit 192khz capable dac.

HsvHeelFan

jk@home · « **Reply #11 on:** 31 Oct 2017, 12:54 am »

Currently using coaxial out of a Raspberry Pi / Hifi Berry HAT, to a MiniDSP / multiple DAC setup. Using all Apogee Wyde Eye cables, which is much more flexible than the BJC 1694/95 stuff I have used before. Not a big cable spender, but probably due for an upgrade. Have tried optical on several occasions and upgrades, never really heard an advantage of that format. Also used AES/EBU years ago in my Behringer/ Monarchy DIP days. MiniDSP is just easier now.

guest61169 · « **Reply #12 on:** 31 Oct 2017, 05:25 am »

USB for Foobar2000 and coax for all other applications.

JLM · « **Reply #13 on:** 31 Oct 2017, 12:28 pm »

Primary is USB (10ft from my laptop to near-field setup). Tested 9 (see critic's circle). Ended up with $74 Straightwire, 15ft $3 Blue Jean as back up.

Also use a 35ft $6 Monoprice optical for background listening. Works fine.

I'm an old-fart and don't believe in putting serious money into wire.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #14 on:** 31 Oct 2017, 11:13 pm »

I am using coax, though primarily because my DAC does not do all formats via USB.

I use an M2Tech usb-coax converter and then a Bolder Nitro coax cable. Love the locking WBT connectors.

Mike-48 · « **Reply #15 on:** 1 Nov 2017, 12:54 am »

I have used both USB and AES3, and between my Auralic Aries and Classe CP-800, I don't hear a difference. Ditto for digital cables.

Oscillate · « **Reply #16 on:** 24 Dec 2017, 12:01 am »

"To go digital, I would have needed to add an external DAC and..."

This what I thought / believed also. Then I connected one of the HDMI
outputs from my Nvidia GTX760 video card to the HDMI input of the
Anthem AVM-60 and selected it as the 'defualt' audio output in Windows
8.1 'playback devices'. Whoa! ...quite a difference from the sound card's
S/PDIF to the AVM-60's coaxial input. And it will play PCM, AC3/DTS,
DTS HD, Dolby TrueHD, ect... Total cost $25, for a another HDMI cable.

To paint a clearer picture of my set-up; The PC has an ESI Julia-XTe
sound card installed (not exactly a slouch) which is used for TOS link
or S/PDIF output. The difference in sound between the HDMI vs S/PDIF
is the S/PDIF seems warmer and not as extended. The HDMI seems much
clearer, detailed and wider bandwidth. HDMI is the connection I use most
often (can be switched on the fly on the AVM-60 & Win 8.1). The video
card's other HDMI output goes to a projector and the AVM-60 does no
video processing at all

Do other AudioCircle members use HDMI also for audio from their PCs?

rollo · « **Reply #17 on:** 24 Dec 2017, 12:50 am »

I2S [ RG45] between dedicated transport and DAC. USB between music server and DAC. I have compared ALL to I2s and to my ears it was clearly better. I use Aqua and Innuous gear.

charles

WGH · « **Reply #18 on:** 24 Dec 2017, 02:09 am »

I have been using HDMI for years but my configuration is a little different than yours.
A low powered music server with JRiver is connected by ethernet to the noisy Intel i7 main computer in another room. I use the main computer as music storage.
The i7 computer also has an ATI Radeon HD6770 Vapor-X graphics card with HDMI output which has plenty of power for 1080p video and DTS-HD Master Audio. HDMI is connected to an Outlaw 975.
Movies and music videos look and sound fantastic using HDMI, especially when the DTS-HD scrolls across the Outlaw screen.
I use a 30' long HDMI cable, the Monoprice Active Series High Speed HDMI Cable with RedMere Technology from the computer to the Outlaw in the next room with excellent results.

For people new to this make sure Windows speaker setup is configured to 5.1 or higher if you are doing surround.

And 24 bit, 96000 Hz

Wayne

srb · « **Reply #19 on:** 24 Dec 2017, 07:07 am »

I am not a digital connection, but I do use Coaxial S/PDIF in the primary audio system.

Poll

Which do you prefer?

You're digital connection?

guest61169