What digital IC would you buy for a Scott Nixon Tube DAC+ ?

claud · « **on:** 25 Mar 2004, 04:27 am »

I would like to keep the cost within reason, around $100 , but might go up to $150. Rest of system is Rotel 971 integrated and CDP. IC is Silver Audio Hiacynth, Speaker wires are AP Oval 9, and speakers are Von Schweikert VR1s. This is my office system. I think the SN DAC will give it new life.

bubba966 · « **Reply #1 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 04:51 am »

Something with WBT NextGen RCA's on it. They're very excellent plugs. And the termination on a digital makes a hell of a lot of difference. Get great plugs, and you'll have a great digital. Get mediocre plugs, and you'll have a mediocre digital...

This'd work well if ordered with the copper NextGen's. Silver NextGen's would be even better, but I don't know if any more have arrived in the country from Germany yet.

MikeCTM2 · « **Reply #2 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 05:04 am »

the bolder cable company offers a nice $75 digital cable. with the WTB connectors they're $115 and up. also you can get a hold of nathanm here at AC and see if he'll make you one, which'd be even less. and then if you want the hottest thing now you could get the Aural Thrills new silver nextgen WBT gold digital cable. here's the link someone else posted: http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/auc.pl?cablintr&1079148304&item&auc

gold digital with silver Nextgen connectors $150
active gold digital, copper Nextgen connectors $165
active gold digital, silver Nextgen connectors $195

MaxCast · « **Reply #3 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 11:52 am »

nice avatar, Mike !!

el-cee · « **Reply #4 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 12:17 pm »

Nordost Moonglow - unique Nordost connectors and light weight (a real plus with the diminutive Tubedac) - very detailed, but unshielded (braided design does help reject noise). About $100 used for 1m/RCA.

byteme · « **Reply #5 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 12:46 pm »

I've tried about 6 digital cables. Started with Harmonic Tech cyberlink copper, then Cardas Ultrafast, Audiomagic Scepton, Virtual Dynamics Audition Digtial, Kimber Illuminati D60, then an Audience AU24 and now currently have a Stereovox HDXV. Each was better than the prior except for the Illuminati which just didn't do it for me. I just ordered and active digital gold w/ nextgen copper plugs from Aural Thrills. We'll see how that works out! The stereovox is VERY nice though and right at your $100 limit. I fear the only issue I'll have with the Aural Thrills cable is where to ground the Nixon side of the active cable, since the Nixon is all ABS that could be tough!

Whoops, forgot two, I also have the Nixon digital cable, which is OK, I use it for my DVD to pre/pro right now. Also, I tried the Boulder digital cable with bullet plugs which I didn't like as much as the VD Audition.

MttBsh · « **Reply #6 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 03:48 pm »

A few months back I bought the Stereovox HDVX digital to connect my Sony DVP7700 to my Tubedac+. The cable replaced a very good LAT international digital, and bettered it in every way. The HDVX is absolutely amazing, the best digital cable I've heard, and it was only $75.00. I can't recommend it highly enough.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #7 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 03:51 pm »

claud,

Hantra · « **Reply #8 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 04:02 pm »

Chalk me up for HDXV. It champions many more expensive cables.

bubba966 · « **Reply #9 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 04:15 pm »

The HDXV is a very good cable. But it is rather bright. I definitely recommend trying one of those out first before buying one. It's an impressively detailed cable. But so bright that I couldn't listen to it for more than 30-45 minutes without it being painful to listen to.

Hantra · « **Reply #10 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 04:20 pm »

Quote

The HDXV is a very good cable. But it is rather bright.

Not with this DAC.

bubba966 · « **Reply #11 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 04:25 pm »

Quote from: Hantra

Quote
The HDXV is a very good cable. But it is rather bright.

Not with this DAC.

So it's not too bright in your setup. But maybe it won't be that way in Claud's setup. It might work great in his setup, it might not.

Some people have had great results with it, some people have found it way to bright to use at all.

That's why I'm saying he should try one out before he buys one. If it works for him, great, he'll have a hell of a digital cable. But if it doesn't work in his setup, he's not going to want to use it at all.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #12 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 04:34 pm »

Quote

Some people have had great results with it, some people have found it way to bright to use at all.

That's why I'm saying he should try one out before he buys one

Well, the offer is there. Both Bubba and satfrat have tried it in their systems.

Oxia · « **Reply #13 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 05:05 pm »

Sorry, this isn't a cable recommendation for the Nixon DAC, but just my thoughts on the remark that the HDXV is bright.

I tried the HDXV too, and although I wouldnt describe it as exactly "bright", it was a bit lean in the lower midrange and upper bass in my system, and over time I became weary of this characteristic. I ultimately switched to glass optical, which dramatically restored the spectral balance to neutrality, while offering more apparent detail to my ears. I suspect that I had a ground loop or RFI contamination problem with the HDXV. As such, I believe my problem was an issue of system "synergy" as opposed to the HDXV being inherently bright. The optical cable simply avoids those electrical issues, and for me at least, it was a change for the better.

byteme · « **Reply #14 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 05:09 pm »

Quote from: Oxia

The optical cable simply avoids those issues, and for me at least, it was a change for the better.

However, impossible to use with the Nixon gear. Too bad, because it sounds like a great option.

Oxia · « **Reply #15 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 05:15 pm »

Sorry about that, byteme. I don't mean to get the conversation too offtrack, but I hoped my post might have some relevance to people using or hoping to use the HDXV, who may be turned off thinking it was inherently bright, which I don't believe is the case. I'll stop my digression here, and let the regularly scheduled program continue...

bubba966 · « **Reply #16 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 05:22 pm »

Quote from: Oxia

I don't mean to get the conversation too offtrack, but I hoped my post might have some relevance to people using or hoping to use the HDXV, who may be turned off thinking it was inherently bright, which I don't believe is the case.

I'm certainly not the only one around here that found the HDXV to be too bright to use.

But there's plenty of people that didn't have such a problem with it, and are most pleased with it.

I was just saying there's a decent chance that it'll sound too bright, and that it should be demo'd if possible beforehand if you're interested in purchasing it.

byteme · « **Reply #17 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 05:25 pm »

Oxia, no problems!! Most of these threads veer off every now and again anyway - contributes to a lot of learning usually!

Bubba, I think that's the beauty of used cables (and equipment) or return policy dealer/vendors. You can give pretty much anything a shot in your own system now-days with your only risk being shipping costs or slight loss on resale. Ain't it great!

HChi · « **Reply #18 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 06:16 pm »

I am in the process of finding a good DAC and am very interested in TubeDAC+, too. Obviously a good digital cable is also needed. Stereovox HDVX also shows up on my radar during the search. In hope of auditioning the cable before purchasing, I contact Stereovox for the local dealer info. Here is the reply I got and this could be helpful to some of you.

****************
We've got no one in your area right now so I'll refer you to:

AUDIO REVOLUTIONS
4720 Benton Smith Rd.
Nashville, TN 37215
WEB: www.audiorevolutions.com

Offers 30-Day Money Back Guarantee on HDXV
(615) 742 4283

As for an AES/EBU cable ... while it is in the development queue, there are many products ahead of it. Hang in there!
********

Hantra · « **Reply #19 on:** 25 Mar 2004, 06:57 pm »

Quote

So it's not too bright in your setup. But maybe it won't be that way in Claud's setup. It might work great in his setup, it might not.

FYI, my friend is using my TubeDAC and HDXV in his setup right now with B&W Nautilus 803's. We've also tried it with anotehr guy's system and he has some BRIGHT Meadowlarks, and it was quite pleasant.

IMO, the HDXV could be ruthless in the wrong system because it really lets everything come through. OTOH, if you have any decent transport, and Scott's DAC, or any of the Audio Note DAC's, I would find it hard to believe you could make this bright.