Zoom25, would you provide your perspective/comparison of the Mogami vs. Grimm cables? Would be very interested in same.
Thank you, -dGB
With the BDP-1 feeding my DAC (Dangerous Music Source), I've tried the following:
1) Mogami 2964 for S/PDIF (2 feet, 6 feet, 10 feet)
2) Mogami 3173 for AES (10 feet and 18 feet)
3) Grimm TPR (2 feet)
All of these cables were custom made by Pro Audio LA. I placed the order for each cable type at the same time, so it can be assumed the same cable in different lengths is from the same roll of wire.
I cannot directly compare the 3173 and TPR as their length doesn't intersect. However, there is some overlap happening, such as 2 feet of 2964 vs. 2 feet of TPR and 10 feet of 2964 vs. 10 feet of 3173.
I have done those comparisons at equal lengths as mentioned above, along with just testing how things change as you go up and down the length of the same wire. There does seem to be a pattern. Length aside, there also does seem to be a difference in the presentation between the different connections (AES and SPDIF). It's present and consistent at both 2 feet and 10 feet.
As an aside, I also find my DAC can sound subtly different in presentation when fed by my iMac w/USB. I've tried a Jitterbug and Belkin Gold, generic, and Audioquest Forest there as well.
I think the differences are subtle, which can easily be verified by hard A/B testing in short interval testing. However, one can become sensitized to it over time and so the differences can start seeming bigger than they actually are just because you are so involved. The differences start to matter more over longer listening sessions. I did spend an unreasonable time comparing them.
The changes are on a spectrum and what may suit one's rig/gear can vary depending on the particular music played at the time or whether your testing involved long listening sessions or hard and fast switching. I've often picked opposite things depending on if the testing involved fast changes vs. longer intervals.
Bottom line (applies with control for length and at varying lengths):
- S/PDIF connection sounds more upfront, appearance of being more locked-in with more detail, sharper on transient and drier sounding (especially noticeable during belts)
- AES sounds more laid back (plane), holographic, and more liquid. Where the SPDIF gives the impression of being more locked-in, the AES comes off as more diffuse (but in a good way). In quick testing, it can seem less detailed than other connection. AES is my preference over SPDIF or USB from my computer or even the BDP-1. There is this liquidness to the overall timing (big point!) and especially transients that makes it sound more natural and easier over the others, especially in long-term listening. When I just listen to one connection without switching, I find the AES is the most involving and least distracting. SPDIF and USB on lot of modern pop/hip-hop with respect to vocals, or tonality on classical pieces can sound a bit plasticky. The air around the vocals feel slightly manufactured and unnatural.
Every few months when I return to do some testing between inputs, my brain tells me I'm wrong for liking AES over the SPDIF of USB because they make the image more locked in and come off as more detailed, but as I continue to listen and listen without changing, the AES comes out on top. I wonder if it's all down to the timing aspect which makes the AES sound more liquid and easier on the brain.
Regarding length:
The longer the cable gets, the more diffuse the image gets and transients also get softer. Shorter digital cables are more locked-in and detailed. I am currently using a 2 feet TPR as I have the BDP-1 and my DAC on different racks to maximize air flow. Later on, I might try a 1 footer or 6 inch if I were to stack them.
For analog use, I'd definitely recommend the TPR or the Mogami 2549 over Mogami 3173 (Shield Current Induced Noise). I don't like what the 3173 does for analog.
For digital, it's hard to conclusively recommend the TPR or 3173 since I don't have them at same lengths.
In the end, one can try out different connections, different brands or wires, and different lengths and come to their own conclusion. At this point, I am internally well aware of how each connection and configuration sounds. In fact, that aspect hasn't changed much since I first started comparing. What does change is how I make sense of those changes that I hear and whether I like one over the other, or if I think one is more or less detailed, or which has lower/higher jitter/noise etc. It's the interpretation part that still hasn't been 100% convincingly settled for me.
Enjoy!
