[NewBuyer]

Hi New Buyer

  That is really interesting, I am guessing you tried the glass cable after reading my post?  So you definitely prefer it, correct?...

No I've been using the glass optical cable (definitely preferred) for a little while now, after comparing to several nice coax digital cables including Wyde Eye and DH Labs among others.

All that I can guess here, is that the optical connection kills impedance issues and provides optimum electrical isolation between components (obviously), versus using wire (even with pulse transformer isolation at both ends). Why specifically this can make an audible difference as a consequence, I just don't have the tech savvy to confidently answer that... Perhaps others will chime in...

[1000a]

Since you're into reading you might enjoy this:

Mother of Tone

It will take a while, but fun and has many potential rewards
Rich

OK Rich now you've done it, I want the Altmann DAC,did you hear it yet?

[1000a]

Hi New Buyer

  That is really interesting, I am guessing you tried the glass cable after reading my post?  So you definitely prefer it, correct?...

No I've been using the glass optical cable (definitely preferred) for a little while now, after comparing to several nice coax digital cables including Wyde Eye and DH Labs among others.

All that I can guess here, is that the optical connection kills impedance issues and provides optimum electrical isolation between components (obviously), versus using wire (even with pulse transformer isolation at both ends). Why specifically this can make an audible difference as a consequence, I just don't have the tech savvy to confidently answer that... Perhaps others will chime in...

excellent I'll just skip buying any new coax and try whats in house for me first, I am unclear are you using glass from the DSP to the DAC?  thanks,

[1000a]

I own a Lessloss DAC and have another with superclock input and companion clockless transport in-house currently. 

Hi Miklorsmith

I see you also have the Altmann DAC or had one, how does the Altmann compare to the lessloss DAC?

[miklorsmith]

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=36518.0

more to come . . .

[NewBuyer]

excellent I'll just skip buying any new coax and try whats in house for me first, I am unclear are you using glass from the DSP to the DAC?  thanks,

No I'm using glass from SB3 to DSP. The DSP to DAC is using AES/EBU, which I also prefer over coax. The DSP does not have optical out.

Remember to try as many of these options as you can, to see what sounds best in your system too. What I'm hearing is only a "local phenomenon"

[audioengr]

When you ask why the source, namely the SB, is not the slave to the DAC which is providing the clock, you are dead-on.  This is the optimum solution.  The source should have been the slave in the first place when they first designed the S/PDIF digital interface.

Well, I have news for you.  There is a SB and a Sonos solution.  It's a reality.  Read this for more info:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=42526.0

[1000a]

excellent I'll just skip buying any new coax and try whats in house for me first, I am unclear are you using glass from the DSP to the DAC?  thanks,

No I'm using glass from SB3 to DSP. The DSP to DAC is using AES/EBU, which I also prefer over coax. The DSP does not have optical out.

Remember to try as many of these options as you can, to see what sounds best in your system too. What I'm hearing is only a "local phenomenon"

OK well I bit the bullett on a new DAC and a GW labs DSP.  I definitly wanted something between my SB and DAC.  So anyway I have a glass toslink and a sterevox HDXV, past comparisons between these 2 for me were shocking all the Vox had on the toslink was slightly more extension (or maybe slightly tipped up high end)  so slight I could not tell which one I was using unless I checked the DAC.

So following you I did the toslink to DSP coax to DAC, not that I had a choice (having only 1 coax).  they sounded fine same basic traits they held before just big time improvement cause of DAC upgrade.  well good enough.

Having my eye on the new Vox XV2, I was figuring I would try one having used the other for so long and I was happy.  But after reading about the 1.5 m minimum recomendation for digital and catching up on AAs thread on such, not to mention some ideas about super short and then others saying there is really no way to easily calculate the correct length.

I decided to follow the safest route to try and establish a base line (being my stereovox was 1m) with 1.5m 1695a Belden.   

So my g--- get to the point:

SB>>>TOS>>>DSP>>>VOX>>>DAC     much better than old DAC, the wires sound same to me- - I know wires don't sound    

SB>>>1695>>>DSP>>>VOX>>>DAC   beat easily tos/vox combo in most areas
SB>>>1695>>>DSP>>>1695>>DAC    seems about the same as above

as I was writting here I realised I have not tried tos/1695 (maybe that will bring the small sacrafices back I lost with the hugh gains I got from the 1695/vox or 1695/1695.  and now as I am editing and rereading the top it seems somewhat logical I may gain those few lost qualities by putting the TOSS infront of the 1695a, we will see tomorrow.   keeping my fingers Xed.

anyway this cable at Blue Jean is cheap enough I should have bought a few diff lengths and tryed it 6 ways from Sunday.  Although I am thrilled with the gains had and new knowledge, $$ in the bank 1695a 22.50/ VOX XV2  200.  both at 1.5 meter.  the XV2 better kick some serious ass or I will gladly keep my 170 for wire, tubes or what not.

1-Belden--VOX
2-Belden---Belden  vs    3-TOS---VOX  (really need the 4-TOS---Belden) sorry

PROS (of 1&2 vs 3)

Belden stage much larger
Hall ambience much better
far more body to instruments
Much more meat on their bones
Much smoother presentation
Better with recordings I previouisly found thin.

CONS (of 1&2 vs 3)

Belden darker presentation
less air (not tons but true)
less detail (not tons but true)

bass definition may have suffered I'll need to check that part more tomorrow

audioengr, could the difference in the length have made that much of a difference Bel vs Vox, care to guess or any of your thoughts would be appreciatted, you are why I got 1.5 m.  Mr T said super short and Mr. Risch said its just about impossible to know the correct length.  FWIW my toslink is 1 m.  Anyway, your knowledge won out.

Thanks for sharing it..

[audioengr]

audioengr, could the difference in the length have made that much of a difference Bel vs Vox, care to guess or any of your thoughts would be appreciatted, you are why I got 1.5 m.  Mr T said super short and Mr. Risch said its just about impossible to know the correct length.  FWIW my toslink is 1 m.  Anyway, your knowledge won out.

Thanks for sharing it..

If you are comparing apples and oranges, such as the Belden versus the VOX, then who knows what result you wil have.  The length criteria of 1.5m is based upon the average risetime of a transport.  The SB S/PDIF output may be faster than this, so maybe only 1m is needed.  In any case, the way to tell if 1.5m is better is to have two identical cables, one 1m and one 1.5m.  There is a magazine in Canada that did a double-blind study on this after I published that paper.  They were initially skeptical, but they confirmed my predictions in the end.  They dropped into my room at CES and gave me a copy of the magazine issue that contained the study.

If you want to really improve on the SB3, then eliminate S/PDIF completely from the output of the reclocker.  The S/PDIF interface and cabling all adds a lot of jitter.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

[1000a]

Thanks I appreciatte it

Been reading up on the other thread on eliminating the S/PDIF completely.