bnc to rca adapters

marvda1
marvda1 Posts: 4,851
edited August 2018 in Going Digital
if i have to get some bnc to rca adapters, what are some good sounding ones?
or is it best just to buy cables with rca to start out ?
Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
Speaker Cables: Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
Interconnects: Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
Puritan PSM156

Comments

  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,524
    What are you trying to accomplish exactly?
  • marvda1
    marvda1 Posts: 4,851
    I have all rca's as non of my dacs or cdp have bnc, but this made me think.

    I would never buy a S/PDIF coax that is terminated to RCA's. It cannot be done cleanly without creating a big impedance discontinuity. You are better off to get BNC's and add 75 ohm RCA adapters.
    Steve N.
    Empirical Audio
    Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
    Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
    Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
    Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
    Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
    Speaker Cables: Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
    Interconnects: Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
    Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
    Puritan PSM156
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,420
    marvda1 wrote: »
    I have all rca's as non of my dacs or cdp have bnc, but this made me think.

    I would never buy a S/PDIF coax that is terminated to RCA's. It cannot be done cleanly without creating a big impedance discontinuity. You are better off to get BNC's and add 75 ohm RCA adapters.
    Steve N.
    Empirical Audio

    I call BS Marvin.

    Many cables in the past came with BNC to RCA adapters. Acoustic Research master RCA cables all came with the adapters. I think I still have some at home.

    So this guy says that Coax cable cannot be terminated to RCA without problems? But yet an adapter wont cause a big "impedance discontinuity" ?? OK then. On my coax stuff I use Canare and then use their TRUE 75ohm RCA ends. works good. Then again my system is not like many here so just maybe I'm completely compromised :p:p
  • marvda1
    marvda1 Posts: 4,851
    edited August 2018
    I noticed nordost digital cables are terminated in bnc and come with rca adapters
    Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
    Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
    Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
    Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
    Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
    Speaker Cables: Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
    Interconnects: Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
    Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
    Puritan PSM156
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,901
    Marv, it's one of those things where I doubt you'd be able to hear the difference either way. Many really good digital cables come terminated with RCA ends, 75 ohms, and nobody has ever complained or thought a BNC connection was better. Least not to my knowledge. BNC was more prevalent on gear back in the day, and BNC to RCA adapters were just a means to make them compatible with todays cabling.

    As far as sound quality benefits go, I'm a bit skeptical on that one. Maybe there is some, if measured, but as we know not everything measurable is able to be heard.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • marvda1
    marvda1 Posts: 4,851
    guess i'm just trying to figure a way to spend money.
    best I keep what I got :D
    Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
    Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
    Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
    Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
    Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
    Speaker Cables: Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
    Interconnects: Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
    Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
    Puritan PSM156
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,420
    correct Tony because commercial A/V stuff was BNC to keep the cords from coming loose on gear moved around.

    So Marvin I mis-spoke the AR stuff came with ends to go TO BNC from the RCA ends on the cables.

    I'm with Tony on this one as you can tell from my first post here.
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,342
    edited August 2018
    The thing about BNC is you get an exact 75 ohm termination where you may only get close to it with RCA. The idea is to prevent signal reflections within the cable. IIRC Canare RCAP get closest to 75 ohms with RCA connectors.

    Bluejeans has a good article on it.

    http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/75ohmrca.htm
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,874
    edited August 2018
    If you open up a seriously old-school NTSC analog TV with an analog, mechanical tuner, you would, more often than not, find a piece of nominal 72 ohm coax (RG-59) coming from the antenna inputs, terminated with an "RCA plug" and plugged into the tuner.


    7p88w6uepb7o.png


    If you look closely (top left), you'll see one on the chassis of this ahem RCA 1960s era CTC-16 21 inch round color TV chassis. Analog color TV VHF tuners were extremely critical applications.

    Borrowed image, but dang I'd love to have a CTC-16 in working condition :)
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,272
    Maybe Black Cat?
    Was just looking them up, and read that Chris Somovingo is moving back to the US...
    I disabled signatures.
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    If you have an RCA terminated cable that is spec'd for digital transmission, it will make zero difference. Belden 1694A is an excellent (and surprisingly cheap) example. See Blue Jeans cable for the 1694A, IMO it's a "best kept secret" in the digital coax world.
    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
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,420
    steveinaz wrote: »
    Belden 1694A is an excellent (and surprisingly cheap) example. See Blue Jeans cable for the 1694A, IMO it's a "best kept secret" in the digital coax world.

    Yes A VERY good cable for both music and video.

  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    edited August 2018
    I have been meaning to pull the DH Labs coax I'm running right now and put my 1694A back in, I'm just lazy as hell. LOL

    Most "audiophiles" are scared off by a $20 coaxial cable. That's dumb. Don't be dumb. In the analog world we generally don't bother with cable spec's, but rather prefer just listening to the cable to see if we like it. I think in the digital realm, specifications are of more critical importance--and here, spec's beat "esoteric styling" and "rare metals" every time. Belden doesn't mess around, they know the demands that video and digital signals require, and build/spec their cables to exceed it.
    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
  • marvda1
    marvda1 Posts: 4,851
    Amplifiers: Norma IPA 140, MasterSound Compact 845, Ayre v6xe, Consonance Cyber 800
    Preamp: deHavilland Ultraverve 3
    Dac: Sonnet Morpheus 2, Musical Paradise mp-d2 mkIII
    Transport: Jay's Audio CDT2 mk2, Lumin U1 mini
    Speakers: Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II
    Speaker Cables: Organic Audio Organic Reference 2
    Interconnects: Argento Organic Reference 2, Argento Organic 2
    Power Cables: Argento Organic Reference, Synergistic Research Foundation 10 and 12 ga.
    Puritan PSM156