Preferred digital coax...

steveinaz
steveinaz Posts: 19,538
edited July 2008 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
What digital coaxial cable do you prefer? If you select "Other" please specify in your reply.

**********************************

"Other" brands/types mentioned:

- Goertz...1
- Heartland Cables...1
- Tributaries Silver digital...1
- Belden 1694A...1
- Monoprice premium...2
Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
Post edited by steveinaz on
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  • MKZ
    MKZ Posts: 1,068
    edited May 2008
    Preferred to use optical cable instead of digital coax if it is available. I think most comes with both these days.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited May 2008
    Toslink poll is coming soon....
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • MKZ
    MKZ Posts: 1,068
    edited May 2008
    Make sure you include monoprice :D
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited May 2008
    Yep, I missed it on this one--I would have put it in place of Nordost...
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited May 2008
    Goertz.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • Gaara
    Gaara Posts: 2,415
    edited May 2008
    Same as Analog ones, Heartland Cables. Specifically Belden 89259 w/ bullet plugs.

    May I ask why the sudden excess of polls? Just for fun or something more sinister?
    The Basement HT
    PC Rig
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited May 2008
    Many new people wonder what cables are popular, or are looking for suggestions--so here it is.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • Gaara
    Gaara Posts: 2,415
    edited May 2008
    steveinaz wrote: »
    Many new people wonder what cables are popular, or are looking for suggestions--so here it is.

    Thanks.

    In that case it would be cool if when the survey was over they could be made into stickies, maybe combined into one thread. That way when the question of "What are a good pair of ****?" comes up we could reference these threads.
    The Basement HT
    PC Rig
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited May 2008
    Maybe if enough members request it, they'll get "sticky" status.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • phuz
    phuz Posts: 2,372
    edited May 2008
    Any. I have not been able to tell a difference in digital cables.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited May 2008
    phuz wrote: »
    Any. I have not been able to tell a difference in digital cables.
    As long as they're shielded properly, there shouldn't be much difference. The only reason why I switched from BJC to Goertz was for better termination.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited May 2008
    Phuz,
    That's fine, but what are you currently using?

    I'm also looking at other aspects such as build quality, value, performance, etc. This poll is more of a question about what you have selected based on your own needs, and what you define as a good value/performance product, not necessarily a "comparison" thread. If you're not hearing differences in dig coax, you're probably focused more on build quality--this information is useful as well.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • Rivrrat
    Rivrrat Posts: 2,101
    edited May 2008
    What MKZ said, but where I'm using coax, it's Monoprice "premium" cables.
    My equipment sig felt inadequate and deleted itself.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited May 2008
    Got it. Updated.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited June 2008
    Frank gets my HT business.
    Michael ;)
    In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
    NORTH of 60°
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  • bigsid05
    bigsid05 Posts: 12
    edited June 2008
    Another vote for MonoPrice 'Premium'. Their 'regular' cables are great too but the premium are slightly thicker and look nicer (while only marginally more expensive).
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited June 2008
    Updated.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited June 2008
    Tributaries Silver Digital. Love it.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited July 2008
    Updated...
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • fbm211
    fbm211 Posts: 1,488
    edited July 2008
    I just got a DH Labs D-75 that is modded by moon audio.He terminated the cable with cardas instead of the standard DH uses,soldered w/cardas silver solder and applied deoxit gold to the RCA plugs which I thought was a nice touch. http://www.moon-audio.com/index.htm
    SDA-2BTL with custom IC
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    Revelation Audio Labs Prophecy Cryo-Silver Reference AES/EBU
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    4 Furutech FP-314Ag with FI-11cu Plugs/FI-11AG IECs--- Power Cords
    DH LABS REVELATIONS ICs-amps
    Revelation Audio Labs Paradise cryo-silver ICs-Source to pre
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,201
    edited July 2008
    The goal with a digital coax cable is to have a 75ohm connection. No bends in the cable or any signal flow restrictions.

    With that being said, I have used just about everything on the block and around it. The key is to have a correct connection/ termination. This is what seperates the good cables from the not so good cables.

    I use Audioquest now and have for years. I didn't get any benefit from coming from Straight wire, Kimber Kable, Transparent , or Monster cable. I also tried silver cables from Monster and Franks. No difference. All cables where properly terminated and worked to spec. I have also tested alot of cable to make sure that they where 75 ohm cables. They all passed.

    I have yet to hear any difference between any Digital coax cable that was properly terminated and had a 75 ohm design.

    You can construct a perfect cable out of regular Rg6 with RCA ends. As long as the termination is correct, there isn't a cable on the planet that can out perform it for Digital transfer and thats up to 100 feet. Hell you could probably make a 500 foot cable and it would work.

    All cables I listed are all great digital cables and built very well. there is no magic cable thats better then the other in this department. Analog is a completely different story.

    Dan
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • Dennis Gardner
    Dennis Gardner Posts: 4,861
    edited July 2008
    Dan, a 500 foot RG6 cable with no bends in it? Just how long is your listening room?;)
    HT Optoma HD25 LV on 80" DIY Screen, Anthem MRX 300 Receiver, Pioneer Elite BDP 51FD Polk CS350LS, Polk SDA1C, Polk FX300, Polk RT55, Dual EBS Adire Shiva 320watt tuned to 17hz, ICs-DIY Twisted Prs, Speaker-Raymond Cable

    2 Channel Thorens TD 318 Grado ZF1, SACD/CD Marantz 8260, Soundstream/Krell DAC1, Audio Mirror PP1, Odyssey Stratos, ADS L-1290, ICs-DIY Twisted , Speaker-Raymond Cable
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  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,781
    edited July 2008
    The goal with a digital coax cable is to have a 75ohm connection. No bends in the cable or any signal flow restrictions.

    I am curious how a bend in the cable restricts signal flow. I've never heard that before.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited July 2008
    Maybe kinks?
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • Gaara
    Gaara Posts: 2,415
    edited July 2008
    WilliamM2 wrote: »
    I am curious how a bend in the cable restricts signal flow. I've never heard that before.

    If you have to sharp of a bend or if a cable gets crushed then the distance between the dielectric and conductor changes...altering the dielectric constant...and therefore changes the impedance of the cable. This is part of the reason why real HT installers use round clips instead of straight ones when attaching cables to studs, to keep the cables impedance the same.

    P.S. I still use Heartland Cables but now use Canare L-5CFB, it is very similar in design and specs to Belden 1694A.
    The Basement HT
    PC Rig
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  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,781
    edited July 2008
    I see, I guess it's just differing terminology. I would call that folding, or crushing the cable, not a bend. All my cables have bends, they have to, going from the back of one component to another, that is either above or below it.
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  • nikolas812
    nikolas812 Posts: 2,915
    edited July 2008
    Signal Cable.

    I don't think there is much difference between digital cables except build quality. So for the price to build quality ratio. Signal gets my money every time.
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