[mca]

I've never used an outboard DAC in a system, so I have no experience with digital cables. I just bought a Red Wine Isabellina to use with my Squeezebox Duet so I am now in the market. Can anyone suggest a good cable that won't break the bank?

[TONEPUB]

Talk to Pat:

[email protected]

Best one I've ever heard, and its not expensive at all.  I believe a normal length
one (I bought a 16 footer) is about 100-150.

Highly recommended!

[Big Red Machine]

Highly recommend a Pegasus from KCI.

[mcullinan]

I found a good one...
I have this http://www.audiosold.com/dig1digitalcable.htm
Previously I had a MIT cable about 10 years old.
I got the Eichmann bullet gold upgrade... I think its great! Better bottom, openess and resolution.
Mike

[Jon L]

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0706/stereovox_xv2.htm

Stereovox XV2.  I don't know how Sommovigo did it with this puny cable, but it's perhaps the teflon capacitor of the digital cable world..

[Spidey9534]

Well 'break the bank' is rather subjective, but I just went through this same experience. I recently bought a Bel Canto Dac 3 and I was not thrilled with the toslink connection from my SB3 compared to a Modwright CD player I have. It seemed a little thin. It was much better than the SB3 directly into my integrated amp, but still thin compared to the CD player.

I was poited by an audio friend to the Sterevox line of digital cables specifically the newer XV2. At ~$160 not an overly expensive cable new and I was able to buy one used for less than half that. Honestly I haven't received the cable so I can't speak from experience, but if my friend recommends it I am sure that I will be very pleased. If you're in no hurry I'll give you my impressions as soon as I get the cable and can compare. Meanwhile you could Google up the cable and read some pretty nice reviews that are related to the Slim Devices/Logitech gear so it's comparable to your proposed setup and is to mine as well.

Cheers and happy hunting,

[jaspal kallar]

Talk to Pat:

[email protected]

Best one I've ever heard, and its not expensive at all.  I believe a normal length
one (I bought a 16 footer) is about 100-150.

Highly recommended!

What other cables have you compared this cable to? Did you use any BNC-RCA adapters?

I went over to the site and checked out their digital cable.   Seems interesting... the price is $200 for 16' (minimum).  Thanks for the tip btw.

  jaspal

[rajacat]

Talk to Pat:

[email protected]

Best one I've ever heard, and its not expensive at all.  I believe a normal length
one (I bought a 16 footer) is about 100-150.

Highly recommended!

Hmm....I noticed that it uses just an ordinary copper center conductor and foamed Teflon dielectric. I wonder if there is any difference between it and a 16' Blue Jeans digital cable with the Teflon option and BNC connectors?

[TONEPUB]

Talk to Pat:

[email protected]

Best one I've ever heard, and its not expensive at all.  I believe a normal length
one (I bought a 16 footer) is about 100-150.

Highly recommended!

What other cables have you compared this cable to? Did you use any BNC-RCA adapters?

I went over to the site and checked out their digital cable.   Seems interesting... the price is $200 for 16' (minimum).  Thanks for the tip btw.

  jaspal

Nope, my transport and DAC both have BNC...

[Jon L]

Talk to Pat:

[email protected]

Best one I've ever heard, and its not expensive at all.  I believe a normal length
one (I bought a 16 footer) is about 100-150.

Highly recommended!

Hmm....I noticed that it uses just an ordinary copper center conductor and foamed Teflon dielectric. I wonder if there is any difference between it and a 16' Blue Jeans digital cable with the Teflon option and BNC connectors?

Their spec says bare copper center conductor and bare copper braid shield, which is different from BJC Belden 1695a, which has tinned copper braid plus aluminum foil shield.  Belden's center conductor is also 18 AWG, so that might be different from AWG of the other cable.  Fact is, there is precious little actual information on what exactly constitutes Analogue Research digital cable, which is a separate issue from how they might sound.

[The_KiD]

I have had great success with the Digital Platinum Cable by Harmonic Technologies. It does take a while to break in, but when it does it sounds fantastic. I use one  on my Squeezebox to my ECD-1 DAC. You can occasionally find them used on Audiogon.

Here is the manufacturer's link:http://www.harmonictech.com/products/digital_platinum.html

Good Luck!

-Chris

[mcullinan]

The Ubyte is very similar to the Morrow digital cable I suggested.
Just an fyi.
Mike

[rajacat]

The length of the Analog Research cable seems to be its most unusual characteristic. Also the exclusive use of BNC connectors is not common. Maybe the addition of these two elements could make almost any regular digital cable sound better.

[satfrat]

I've never used an outboard DAC in a system, so I have no experience with digital cables. I just bought a Red Wine Isabellina to use with my Squeezebox Duet so I am now in the market. Can anyone suggest a good cable that won't break the bank?

Guess that leaves out my Crystal Cable Digit,,, which is an excellent digital cable using a silver/gold alloy but unfortunately this cable is not bank friendly. But what this digital cable replaced is,,,that being VH Audio's Pulsar digital cable which is very good in both sound and price.


Cheers,
Robin

[Imperial]

I'm quite sure the best option for the Isabellina is the USB option...
It does away with the spdif conversion ... sporting I2S... direct...
I'd really choose that route if possible!!
I've got no take on a digital cable for it... can't add anything there I'm afraid.

Imperial

[Jon L]

I'm quite sure the best option for the Isabellina is the USB option...
It does away with the spdif conversion ... sporting I2S... direct...
Imperial

I wouldn't bet the farm on that yet, as I'm directly comparing USB-direct I2S vs. spdif input on my own USB DAC, and the dang, maligned spdif sounds better to me..

[satfrat]

I'm quite sure the best option for the Isabellina is the USB option...
It does away with the spdif conversion ... sporting I2S... direct...
Imperial

I wouldn't bet the farm on that yet, as I'm directly comparing USB-direct I2S vs. spdif input on my own USB DAC, and the dang, maligned spdif sounds better to me..

What are you using for a soundcard?

[Jon L]

I'm quite sure the best option for the Isabellina is the USB option...
It does away with the spdif conversion ... sporting I2S... direct...
Imperial

I wouldn't bet the farm on that yet, as I'm directly comparing USB-direct I2S vs. spdif input on my own USB DAC, and the dang, maligned spdif sounds better to me..

What are you using for a soundcard?

Lynx 2B, modded to accept any spdif cables, Stereovox in this case..

[*Scotty*]

mca, you might try this glass fiber optic cable from MCM.  I have had good luck with it,at $26.99 it won't break the bank. See link   http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/24-6485
Scotty

[jimdgoulding]

Stereovox it is in my system.  Got that right here.  Ordering PDQ.  Anybody got a used XV2 or know where I might get one?  Thanks.