[stereovox]

... I've already discovered the cable is not that well shielded though. Don't ask me how I know this

Hi Sa-Dono,

The D-60 was shielded really well, so I'm not sure I understand what you mean. It employs two helically-wound shields giving greater than 99% coverage so, unless something has changed since I was manufacturing the cable for Illuminati, the D-60 should be sheilded to the gills.

Cheers!

Chris

[stereovox]

Your response worries me. Next thing we know, you're going to be in the paper as the next Kobe  (Forgive me...Sport's Bar humor ).

Yikes!

I completely understand this. Well if you guys ever do release an I2S cable, I would certainly love to give it a try.

I've actually sent some proto material to a friend in Russia who is very pro-i2S and very pro-Perpetual Tech. He is going to give me some feedback on the material performance and we'll consider our options for the next leg of development (if any).

Chris

[MaxCast]

Hi Chris, and welcome to AC.

Could you explain the use of the BNC connectors?  I assume everyone uses the RCA adaptors for connection.  And if so, I don't understand why RCA's can't be used instead.

Thanks,

[stereovox]

Hi Chris, and welcome to AC.

Could you explain the use of the BNC connectors?  I assume everyone uses the RCA adaptors for connection.  And if so, I don't understand why RCA's can't be used instead.

Thanks,

While many use RCAs as their connection, 75 Ohm BNCs appear on some high-end DACs and on more high-end video projectors. When we experimented with these particular 75 Ohm BNCs we found that using the adaptors was equivalent to connection directly to a quality RCA, and giving the consumer the flexibility of "universal" adaptability became a viable feature that no one else seemed to be offering.

The feedback we've been getting has been stupendously positive, regardless of the presence of one or both adaptors but - given my personal preferences - direct 75 Ohm BNC connections are the best standard for digital and video.

Chris

[Hantra]

direct 75 Ohm BNC connections are the best standard for digital and video.

So I would assume you would recommend a mod to change RCA's to BNC's, right?  Are the sonic benefits worth the effort?

Thx!

B

[JoshK]

I much prefer BNC connections given the option.  Not only the performance difference theoretically obtained but I think they are a much better connector to use and to change, no tugging the hell out of the back out your gear to unhook them.

[Fathom7]

I am anticipating arrival of my HDXV any day now (according to the tracking number) and have been auditioning digital cables in my humble    system.  If it is anywhere near what the others who have tried it say -- I'll have a host of cables to off-load in the near future.  

Current PLAN (these things have a way of changing):

CD Player ====> Audio Alchemy DTI Pro 32B via HDXV
AA DTI ======> CI VDA-1 DAC via AcousticZen MC2
(both of these cables are BNC terminated to work with the AA piece)
CI DAC ======>Amp via Bolder Cryo'd Bybee's Nitro.

Anyway -- as you can see there room for an addition HDXV of for switching etc.

Special thanks to Chris   for directing me to a dealer who could handle shipping the cable.  There's no dealer in my area -- yet.  

F7

[stereovox]

direct 75 Ohm BNC connections are the best standard for digital and video.

So I would assume you would recommend a mod to change RCA's to BNC's, right?  Are the sonic benefits worth the effort?

Thx!

B

I believe that using precision 75 Ohm connectors wherever there is a 75 Ohm load (digital and video) will result in better performance. Having a quality 75 Ohm BNC input on a DAC is more important than having the output on a transport (impedance matching is more critical at the load), so if you were to mod anything, I would mod the DAC. Don't get a 50 Ohm BNC, though ...

Chris

[duff138]

so does this cable not use rca connectors?

[stereovox]

so does this cable not use rca connectors?

The HDXV cable is terminated with 4GHz-rated 75 Ohm BNCs and is extended with BNC to RCA adapters.



Cheers!

Chris

[Horsehead]

Hi Chris,

Welcome aboard! How long before you introduce an AES/EBU digital cable?  Also will you be bundling 3 HDXVs in one jacket for a component cable?  Anyway to keep the costs down on a 12 meter component cable?  I don't even want to guess the retail on that

Did you lend your design genius to the Kimber Select series of digital cables?  I am currently awaiting delivery of a 3 meter HDVX to go from my Proceed PMDT to Proceed PAV/PDSD and use a .75 meter Kimber Select 2120 from the PMDT to the Pass Labs D-1.  I'd love to try one of your new AES/EBU designs (whenever it is released) against the 2120.

[stereovox]

Hi Chris,

Welcome aboard! How long before you introduce an AES/EBU digital cable?  Also will you be bundling 3 HDXVs in one jacket for a component cable?  Anyway to keep the costs down on a 12 meter component cable?  I don't even want to guess the retail on that

The AES/EBU cable is in development now, but ETA is unsure. It will likely be released for the Reference line and not for the Studio line, though. The good news is that it will have my XLR designs on it (I have another company, Xhadow, that specializes in connector designs).

We do bundle the HDXV in 3 and 5 cable component bundles for those with component video needs - excellent results here. Reference level video systems need HDXV pumping video.

Did you lend your design genius to the Kimber Select series of digital cables?

I did not, but I think that they may be using a version of my Uncommon Ground circuit in miniature within their 2020 - I'm basing this on a description of its functionality that I read in a review, so I'm not entirely sure if they are using the tech or not. I did do the industrial design of the metallic break-out ends on the loudspeaker cables, though.

I am currently awaiting delivery of a 3 meter HDVX to go from my Proceed PMDT to Proceed PAV/PDSD and use a .75 meter Kimber Select 2120 from the PMDT to the Pass Labs D-1. I'd love to try one of your new AES/EBU designs (whenever it is released) against the 2120.

Definitely report back once you have the HDXV in the system and working its magic ... very interested to know your opinion!


Cheers!

Chris

[Sa-dono]

... I've already discovered the cable is not that well shielded though. Don't ask me how I know this

Hi Sa-Dono,

The D-60 was shielded really well, so I'm not sure I understand what you mean. It employs two helically-wound shields giving greater than 99% coverage so, unless something has changed since I was manufacturing the cable for Illuminati, the D-60 should be sheilded to the gills.

Cheers!

Chris

Hey Chris! Let's just say I tried it in a setup with a ground loop, and the cable did allow the hum through (it was setup where the D-60 was the only connection that could possibly allow the hum in..don't ask). I am not sure how old the cable is, whether the product has been changed since your initial design, or if my cable is flawed. It was not shielded well enough to kill the hum in that setup though. I'll try and finally actually give a listen to the cable soon though.

[viggen]

That's odd. I actually found the build quality lacking. I already killed one of the connectors, just taking it off a player I honestly wasn't trying to this time too I haven't given a listen yet for sound quality. I guess I should one of these days. I've already discovered the cable is not that well shielded though. Don't ask me how I know this

Sa-Dono, What does your username mean anyways?  Sound like ebonics,"I dunno..."  

In my previous post, I meant to say the construction is the most intricate rather than "heavy duty".  Although, I wouldn't say the cable is fragile by anymeans.  Atleast, I haven destroyed the connectors.  Then again, I've yet to destroy any cable's connector.  And, all my cables have Eichmann Bulletplugs... Regarding shielding, I've used a buch of other shielded and non-shielded cables and only the Mapleshade gives hum.  It goes away when I twist the connection in just the right direction.... go figure.

So, maybe we don't agree on the construction of the D-60 cable.  But, we both think it sucks.  

[Tonto Yoder]

so does this cable not use rca connectors?

The HDXV cable is terminated with 4GHz-rated 75 Ohm BNCs and is extended with BNC to RCA adapters.

A picture, as they say, is worth 1,000 words--


Looking closely, one can see the BNC at the back and the RCA "screwed" into it.
BTW, Chris, keep us posted about offering the Xhadow connectors to the DIY crowd.

[eico1]

Hey Chris! Let's just say I tried it in a setup with a ground loop, and the cable did allow the hum through ...

Sheilding will not have any affect on a ground loop, though the digital connection should be transformer coupled which should avoid creating a loop.

steve

[stereovox]

BTW, Chris, keep us posted about offering the Xhadow connectors to the DIY crowd.

Xhadow RCA plug connectors for OEMs and DIY'fers should be available around the beginning of the year. Stay tuned!

Chris

[stereovox]

Hey Chris! Let's just say I tried it in a setup with a ground loop, and the cable did allow the hum through (it was setup where the D-60 was the only connection that could possibly allow the hum in..don't ask).

Hi Sa-Dono,

Strange, indeed ... sounds like there may have been something amiss at the digital input of the DAC - i.e. for some reason there not being a pulse transformer installed? Which DAC was it? In any event, it's not very likely that the cable shielding permitted the hum to be induced from stray fields, etc ... this sounds as if it was something piping down the ground plane of the transport, over the ground/shield of the D-60, and somehow into the ground plane of the analog circuit of the DAC.

Buuut - I'm sure you must have tried other cables to better effect, so my question would be: Did the hum go away with other cables and were those cables "directional" ? i.e. did they have the ground/sheild lifted at one end (usually the source end)?

Chris

[audiojerry]

Hi Chris,
It is obvious you are highly qualified to talk about wire, so if you have time here are a couple of issues that maybe you could offer your views on...
   
Speaking of directionality...,
what is your position on directionality as an inherent characteristic in the wire itself. I've read that the wire extruding process can have an effect on which way the signal will flow best. I've also read that burning a wire in will establish directionality, and that once a wire is burned in, it should always be installed in the same direction. But I've also read that because the signal flows in both directions, directionality is a myth.  

Wire architecture...,
We have some members on the AC, some of them EE's, and designers of  amplifiers who say that audiophiles are wasting their money on high-end, esoteric, overpriced wire. Some state that $30 for the right type of Belden interconnect (impedence and inductance) is all anyone needs, and that it is impossible to do any better. These nay-sayers also accuse anyone who disagrees as being delusional and only think they can hear a difference, but physics dictates otherwise.      

PS: If I keep my modified P-1A and P-3A, I will be looking to upgrade my 2 digital interconnects: a stock I2s between the p1 and p3, and a Jena Labs XLR digital between my p1a and transport.

[Hantra]

Good questions Jer.  I would also like to know what the proper direction is for this cable.  I have just made sure I kept it on the same way, and haven't tried it the other way.  But the ends are different colored shrink, so maybe there is something to it. . .

but physics dictates otherwise.

I submit to you that what we do know about the laws of physics pales in compariosn with that which we don't know.