[jimdgoulding]

I discovered something just tonite swapping out digital interconnects and would like to know if others have ever heard this and who might have a suggestion or two.  I have used Canare cable for a very long time but decided to try out a cable from an outfit called Signal Cable along with a high current power cord from them.  Read a review, you know.  At first it sounded a little quicker with finer resolution.  I suspected it that it might be just jacking up the high end but it did sound as tho there was more extention along with resolution and it is more exciting.  Then, in November, I had my ears irrigated.  I can now hear high frequency info that was all but missing before.  But, then, over time, I began to hear a bit of an icy, sort of a metallic coating on some transients and higher notes on mostly redbook CD's from the 80's but not limited to that time that are flat out offensive.  So, I put back in the Canare for comparison and, guess what, I'm hearing appreciably less of this.  The sound is a bit duller and a bit less expansive but that doo-doo is much less in evidence.  So, I'm thinking I may be in the market for another brand of digital interconnect.  I want that expansiveness and excitement I was enjoying but without that "digititus", if that is the correct assumption.  I can use a glass interconnect which I read was good with my particular DAC, a Bel Canto 1.1, in lengths of 2 meters (Wes Phillips).  Anybody been down this road?   Can you offer me your experience and suggestions?  I will very much appreciate it.  Thank you.

[satfrat]

Just from my limited comparisons between digital coax and toslink, the coax won out for me hands down. The VH Audio Pulsar is a very good digital cable and for price is hard to beat. I'm presently using a Crystal Cable Digit but for the price, you don't want to go there. JMO, YMMV. 


Cheers,
Robin

[NewBuyer]

...I'm thinking I may be in the market for another brand of digital interconnect.  I want that expansiveness and excitement I was enjoying but without that "digititus", if that is the correct assumption.  I can use a glass interconnect which I read was good with my particular DAC, a Bel Canto 1.1, in lengths of 2 meters (Wes Phillips).  Anybody been down this road?   Can you offer me your experience and suggestions?  I will very much appreciate it.  Thank you.

An alternative opinion:

I've been down that road too. Glass optical fixed it, as did using balanced AES/EBU. I marginally prefer the balanced AES/EBU over the glass optical, but it's really close! Coax can sound nearly as good in my opinion, but only when there is a good pulse transformer in either the sending or the receiving unit. Even then however, the other two options still offered better sounding performance (remember all this stuff is very system specific too).

[jimdgoulding]

Thank you, compadres.  Are we talking Radio Shack glass optical here?  I'm hearing KCI Johns has a good cable.  Anybody have experience?

[Gordy]

Jim, try to find a Stereovox HDXV cable, they were available on A'gon new/sealed for $75, don't know if the guy is still selling them though.  The HDXV comes fitted with BNC's and includes the RCA adapters, which was great for me as I use BNC anyway!  In my system it replaced a Pulsar cable as I heard a slightly warmer/fuller midrange. 

[Jim N.]

Jim -try to get glass optical if possible and not plastic. I prefer coax and use Blue Jeans Canare/Belden and prefer it to the VH Audio Pulsar with WBT NextGen RCA. I've tried Better Cables, Monarchy and a few others. Stuck with the Blue Jeans. If you switch/move cables alot be careful with the hand made (ie techflex/mesh covered) cables as the RCA connection can be delicate. My VH was very touchy.

[KCI-JohnP]

Hi Jim,

Though so may disagree with me I feel that digital cables fall in the same realm as analog interconnects, they can be very system dependant and some can be warm & smooth, some can be bright and edgy etc. As mentioned above look for a cable rated at 75 ohms and make sure that includes 75 ohm connectors! I bought a glass toslink cable from a vendor on audiogon, if I remember correctly he sells them for around $25-30. It works great in my theater but was a tad thin sounding in my two channel system. There are quite a few vendors out there that offer a trial period with a money back guarantee so try and stick with them that way if you're not happy all your out is shipping costs. I saw your pm so will respond to that as well.

Sincerely,
John

PS-I love that 80's stuff but what you're hearing is mostly whats on the discs from that era. REALLY crappy recordings on alot of the stuff from back then.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

[satfrat]

Hi Jim,

Though so may disagree with me I feel that digital cables fall in the same realm as analog interconnects, they can be very system dependant and some can be warm & smooth, some can be bright and edgy etc. As mentioned above look for a cable rated at 75 ohms and make sure that includes 75 ohm connectors! I bought a glass toslink cable from a vendor on audiogon, if I remember correctly he sells them for around $25-30. It works great in my theater but was a tad thin sounding in my two channel system. There are quite a few vendors out there that offer a trial period with a money back guarantee so try and stick with them that way if you're not happy all your out is shipping costs. I saw your pm so will respond to that as well.

Sincerely,
John


PS-I love that 80's stuff but what you're hearing is mostly whats on the discs from that era. REALLY crappy recordings on alot of the stuff from back then.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I have an Analyst Plus optical digital cable for $39 ay AudioAdviser and my impressions mirror yours John,,, until I compared the Analyst with the VH Pulsar w/Bybee adapter. I found I had more depth in the announcer's voice along with the background (fans in the stands) of a football game and even a bigger improvement with the Dolby Digital music channels. It's my thought that there's not much you're going to do with an optical Toslink but with a digital coax, it can be tweaked for your system preference. I found this to be big with those DirecTv concerts. Just my opinion, fwiw. 

Cheers,
Robin

[Daryl]

The advantage of digital is that nothing can affect the sound at all so long as the error rate doesn't go beyond one every now and then.

So you can connect your equipment with anything the gets the signal there.

Gum wrappers, Coat hangers, Lamp Cord....

I like the ones that look nice and don't cost too much.

The important thing is to see that you get equipment designed by someone competent and not some Pied Piper who's duped the worlds blind mice into becoming his deciples.

That is every digital componet should be responsible for timing it's own output signal directly from it's own clock so that input jitter cannot affect it's output and each componet should have a buffer with suitable capacity so that slight timing errors between componets cannot run the buffer out of data or overrun the buffer.

Also every digital componet should have an indicator which will signal you if the number of input errors becomes excessive so you won't have to concern yourself about the suitability of your interconnect.

Should you see any componet with this simple common-sense detail overlooked you should write the company and designer a heated message immediately demanding that they explain why they are passing themselves off as a designer when they are clearly incompetent and demand also that the company refund in full all of the money that everyone who bought equipment from them lost.

[jimdgoulding]

I think that the Canare cable I have is 75ohm with 75ohm rated rca's altho they look more substantial the typical rca's.  What are BNC's?  I remember Illuminati cable back then was thought to have the only true 75ohm connector.  That right?  Are they more common today?  Can I get a suggestion or two about a cable on the market today that meets the criteria?  Of the more affordable variety?  Please.  Don't be bashful.  I'm off to listen in a minute using my old Canare.  All it says on the jacket is "Canare Cable . . 306 . . Made in Japan . . LV-61S".  Is this essentially Blue Jean's cable?  I use a Sony DVD player (transport) into a Bel Canto DAC 1.1.  More refined and pleasant listening than what it replaced, I would say, an Adcom GDA700 with the HDCD chip.  Thanks, all.

[ooheadsoo]

No RCA is 75 ohms, even Canares, which Canare admits.  They simply try to do the best they can with what they've got to work with.  BNC and F connectors are available in 75 ohm configuration.  The impedance has to do with the physical dimensions of the connector itself.

[jimdgoulding]

And some suggestions of 75ohm cables with BNC connectors would be?   Thanks, Heads, digging Three Quartets any better?
I'm thinking about ya. 

[Panelman]

And some suggestions of 75ohm cables with BNC connectors would be?   Thanks, Heads, digging Three Quartets any better?
I'm thinking about ya. 

Jim,

look at the Benchmark website, www.benchmarkmedia.com

[mgalusha]

And some suggestions of 75ohm cables with BNC connectors would be?

Markertek sells a cable made with Belden 1505A and BNC connectors for $16.17 for a 6ft. length. Search markertek.com for part number 1505-B-B. They also sell one using Belden 1694A for the same price. Blue Jeans Cable sells this for about a buck less and are likely faster to respond if you have questions.

[GBB]

And some suggestions of 75ohm cables with BNC connectors would be? 

These are slightly more expensive but use very high quality Trompeter connectors, which I've found to be worth the extra cost.
---Gary

http://www.l-com.com/item.aspx?ID=7048

[jimdgoulding]

Excuse me, I thought I had a discovery, but this will take more time.  Thanks for all the info, BTW.

[kbuzz3]

Jim, try to find a Stereovox HDXV cable, they were available on A'gon new/sealed for $75, don't know if the guy is still selling them though.  The HDXV comes fitted with BNC's and includes the RCA adapters, which was great for me as I use BNC anyway!  In my system it replaced a Pulsar cable as I heard a slightly warmer/fuller midrange. 

ive been looking for a new digital coax to replace my vh audio pulsar but the prices have me distressed. Any thoughts on a warmer cable to reduce digitus

[tanchiro58]

Jim, try to find a Stereovox HDXV cable, they were available on A'gon new/sealed for $75, don't know if the guy is still selling them though.  The HDXV comes fitted with BNC's and includes the RCA adapters, which was great for me as I use BNC anyway!  In my system it replaced a Pulsar cable as I heard a slightly warmer/fuller midrange. 

ive been looking for a new digital coax to replace my vh audio pulsar but the prices have me distressed. Any thoughts on a warmer cable to reduce digitus

Zu Ash is also a warmer digital cable. I got two one is RCA the other is BNC. PM me if you need it. Thanks.