[Lak]

Over the past several years I've had the opportunity to own and use several good digital cables with my 5-watt 2A3 tube system and solid-state system. I still own and use the following digital cables: Illuminati D-60, Kimber Select KS 2020, and Onix Grand Master, i2 Digital X-60 and Midnight Silver Edition gen. II
Digital Link (from now on referred to as the Digital Link).

To cut to the chase, the Digital Link is the best sounding digital cable I've ever had in my systems. I didn't think it was possible for a digital cable to improve the overall sound of a two-channel system, but I'll be the first to admit I was wrong.

Just as the MSE Gen.II interconnects and speaker cables are extremely smooth, fast, neutral, transparent, and allow one to hear deep within the music and convey the force, speed and robustness of a live performance, so does the Digital Link.

What shocked me the most about the Digital Link was the entire bass became tighter, cleaner, deeper, with more punch and slam. The midrange was natural and musical with no sighs of artificial harshness. The treble was extended and smooth. The bass, midrange and treble had more dynamics in the area of micro details and resolution. Details that I had heard faintly in the background while using other digital cables suddenly became more apparent and obvious.

Soundstaging and imaging of the Digital Link was deep, wide and expansive. The only limiting factor would be the other components in your system. A mediocre or poor recording will continue to sound poor; however, good recordings will improve.

The Digital Link appears to be very well engineered and constructed. It is attractive to look at, very flexible, and lightweight. In addition, it has a very easy-to-read yet non-intrusive directional arrow and is clearly marked "MSE Digital.”

In conclusion, I realize that audiophile componenty is system dependent, and what sounds good in one system doesn't always work well in another. In this case the Digital Link sounds excellent in my tube and solid-state systems, and I highly recommend you give it a try if you're in the market for a new digital cable. I don't think one could lose with a 30-day money-back return policy.  

[lonewolfny42]

Lak, That's what I heard in my system too. The only way others will know is by their own audition.......  ( Lak, now don't take this the WRONG way! Others who read your post might think ''There he goes again, pushing that Ridge cable - must have some deal with them"....... I don't look at it this way, I've tried the cable and it worked for me . Others have tried Ridge, and it worked for them also. Thanks for you input, as you see I always request home auditions for AC members. This way everyone can hear what it sounds like in their system. Tomorrow I will be placing my order with Ridge for a full set of cables for my system. I tried'em, I liked'em, I bought'em !)

[Mad DOg]

Lak,

thanks for sharing ur impressions!

[Mad DOg]

... The only way others will know is by their own audition...Thanks for you input, as you see I always request home auditions for AC members...

lonewolfny42,

i totally agree! unfortunately when i tried to get on the audition list, i was told i was too late and that it was only for a limited number of members. c'est la vie...in the meantime, i'll have to be happy w/ what i've got...

[lonewolfny42]

... The only way others will know is by their own audition...Thanks for you input, as you see I always request home auditions for AC members...

lonewolfny42,

i totally agree! unfortunately when i tried to get on the audition list, i was told i was too late and that it was only for a limited number of members. c'est la vie...in the meantime, i'll have to be happy w/ what i've got...

Yes, I'm sorry that a limit was placed on the number of people who could get to audition those cables. If it was a product that I produced, I'd would want everyone to try it. Hey, can't make any money keeping it a secret  - if your in business, the object is a quality product and excellent sales. Thats just my $.03 cents!!!!!!!!

[Mad DOg]

...If it was a product that I produced, I'd would want everyone to try it. Hey, can't make any money keeping it a secret  - if your in business, the object is a quality product and excellent sales. Thats just my $.03 cents!!!!!!!!

yep, if it were my biz, i'd want the world to know about how awesome my service or product was...go figure...no biggie...

that just means more money for the minimax or purist if it sounds better than my aurum in my system!  

[satfrat]

Thanks Lak for doing the review of the Midnight Silver Digital Link. I had a personal interest in this review for a few reasons. First and formost, I like Lak's review style, it's always a good read with plenty of detail. Second, he's always been right on with his product impressions paralleling my own in the products that we share in. The Ridge Street Digital Link is no exception. And third, it's Lak's exprience and the lack of my own. This is my first and probably only high end cabling purchase and it's always reassuring to hear from someone of Lak's experience having the same reactions that I have had with my system purchases. This has held true for the Ridge Street cabling line and of Chris VenHaus's power cords, specifically the VHAudio cryoed flavor 4 PC for high powered amplifiers. I also have one last reason for appreciating Lak's review, both of my 2 MSE Digital Links have dual Bybee's in them and for sure this accounts for a dynamic increase in the presentation, but how much? To hear Lak's detailed descriptions of his reactions of his Bybee/less Digital Link so parallel my own gives me the comfidence that it wasn't all just Bybee bliss I was experiencing. Not that it would really have mattered as it's my own musical bliss that matters most as it should be for each of us. And Ridge Street has given me mine. Thank you Robert Schult. Regards, Robin

[Robert C. Schult]

Hello again ‘Circlers.

Thank You! Lak for investing your time and energy. I don’t know what to say except I am so appreciative of Lak, audiojerry, Beezer, Lonewolf42ny, satfrat, and to phsycicanimal who really was a catalyst in people taking a chance with us. I’m glad our efforts have contributed so positively to your music listening enjoyment.

Just to sidetrack here for a moment, Lonewolf brought up a good point I would like to further clarify. Lak would seem to be the only true RSAD cult follower who continually, on what seems to be a regular basis, spills ink on our products in a formal manner (BTW, others are invited to do so also). Lak is afforded the opportunity for several reasons. First, he really enjoys doing mini reviews and I like to accommodate him. Secondly, he’s acquired a pretty broad scope of products and their performance by exposing himself to different gear from different cryo’d outlets, to system racks, to electronic gear, cabling, tweaks and probably anything else I may be missing. Thirdly, regardless where you put the pedigree of his system(s), he has an excellent handle on its strengths and weakness’ and he understands his own listening filters and biases. All these things make up for pretty honest evaluations IMO. To make sure, Lak is not my “patsy” and I have no guarantee that just because he has one of our products to evaluate he’s going to automatically take favor to it. I hold my breath anytime I know somebody is going to evaluate one of our products and report on it. Neither do I inappropriately trade any kind of favors for positive comments. As Ridge Street Audio Designs has predominantly enjoyed win / win, audition / commentary situations, I’ve done nothing to minimize the risk involved save for making good product just as I do when a client makes a purchase.

On to the MSE Gen.II Digital Link. It is a very special cable that I am quite proud of. Hell, I’m proud of all our stuff but a digital cable is very easy to get wrong and requires more effort comparatively in our approach to cabling. As with all our cables, my premise of neutrality and transparency took precedence with what we wanted to accomplish, and we feel we’ve met those criteria. Elements we considered important to realize our goals were no self-induced artifacts that introduced timing faults and storage affects, for example. It’s our opinion that this digital cable is about as “wide open” as you’ll get and it can be mesmerizing…and I’m an analog fan!

Other than that, I think Lak’s comments nailed it. I would only add this; this cable offers more than an intellectual exercise in listening to music digitally. If the transport, DAC and the rest of the system, and if the recording has captured it, the emotional impact the music can communicate can be experienced full throttle. I don’t think this is a commonly experienced attribute of digital playback.  BTW, the MSE Gen.II Digital cable is available in a single ended and true balanced version. They are both wonderful and I would encourage you to give us a listen!

[BikeWNC]

I've had this cable in my system for the past week as part of the Ridge
Street Audio audition pack.  First let me say the music I want from my
system is not, perhaps, the typical audiophile sound if there is such a
thing.  I don't really care if I can hear the chair squeak under the
violinist in the third row during a solo.  What I want is fleshed out
palpable reproduction of the diva standing in front of me.  I even
thought of rigging a spray gun that would spit on me whenever words
beginning with st are sung.  What I'm saying is that I like my system a
bit on the warm side.  Not syrupy, slow or muddy, just in my ears
humanly real.  And relaxed (not to be confused with laid-back).  I've tried
to select components that give me that sound and would prefer that my
ICs be as neutral as possible.

Because of this bias I've had a love/hate relationship with digital (redbook)
reproduction of music.  I have thought and have said on this board that
I hear and feel an ease to analog (vinyl) that, compared to digital, is
like taking a weight off of my shoulders.  Totally relaxing. Not
forward, edgy or tense as some digital can be.  Enter the Ridge Street
Audio MSE digital cable to my system.  Digital music took a giant step
away from me, not in a soundstage way, but in a out of my face way, a
weight off my shoulders way.  The details were still there, that damn
violinist's chair and all but in a presentation that was less edgy and tense.
Low level resolution is outstanding and fast and I found this cable to be
very neutral and extended at both extremes.  It is open, transparent and
dynamic without being aggressive or harsh.  The end result is that my
system is one step closer to what I want to hear, and perhaps feel,
coming out of the speakers.

Andy

[wreilly]

Well based on all the glowing reports here, I ordered a Digital Link this morning. I also ordered 2 Poiema IC and a set of 12 ft ( Ouch! ) Poiema speaker cables.

Had a very pleasent chat with Robert and the cables should arrive in about 2.5 weeks.

I have digital and analog cables to compare but the speaker cables will have to stand on there own as it would be compairing apples and oranges.
My current speaker cables and many of the interconects are Gronnenberg.
Clearly ( and hopefully ) not in the same league.

I do have a set of KAS silver IC and some Cardis Quad link, so I can compair them. However I think in the interest of all I will refrane from actually doing a review.  

Regards,
Bill

[audiojerry]

Hey Bill,
you don't mess around - that's one sizeable investment - congratulations!

Clearly ( and hopefully ) not in the same league

Be prepared for a revelation!

However I think in the interest of all I will refrane from actually doing a review.

 No Way!   You are obligated to your AC brothers to provide a review!  

[wreilly]

However I think in the interest of all I will refrane from actually doing a review.

 No Way!   You are obligated to your AC brothers to provide a review!  [/quote]

It was a humbling experience  But if you guys can stand the experience... I'll keep my day job and practice equipment reviews

[lonewolfny42]

Well based on all the glowing reports here, I ordered a Digital Link this morning. I also ordered 2 Poiema IC and a set of 12 ft ( Ouch! ) Poiema speaker cables.

Since the audition package that's going around is Ridge Street's MSE Gen. II cables, your review would be important to all the members. Thanks !! [/list:u]

[wreilly]

Well based on all the glowing reports here, I ordered a Digital Link this morning. I also ordered 2 Poiema IC and a set of 12 ft ( Ouch! ) Poiema speaker cables.

Since the audition package that's going around is Ridge Street's MSE Gen. II cables, your review would be important to all the members. Thanks !! [/list:u]

Hi lonewolfny42, Ok, good point, will do!

Regards,
Bill

[lonewolfny42]

Thanks Bill !!!