Coax or optical

I recently upgraded the optical cable going to my NOS dac (Dig password variety) and was quite impressed by the extra improvements. The cable is just a £25 Ixos but I was wondering whether there were any advantages of trying out a coax digital cable.

As I don't really have a suitable coax cable so would need to go out an buy one has anyone out there have preference for coax over optical ?

 

Coax is better, since no 'conversion' is necessary, as it is with optical. Make sure you do get a well-shielded, true 75ohm coax though, as a poor coax is inferior to an optical.

 

Optical is better for long distance though so it depends how far away your source is from your dac.

 

when we were doing the squeezebox / transport shootout we connected the dpa transport up to my decade using optical. the result was to drag the dpa down to the sb1's level so i'd say if at all possible use coax. all imho and ymmv of course.
cheers


julian

 

It depends very much on the components used. The skew vers frequency on a optical cable is less, but if the optical converter causes excess skew then the coax will be better.

Chris

 

If the optical converters are "good" go for an optical link (this was Robb Watts prefered thinking, at least in his dpa days I believe, and I've noticed little difference with dpa equipment between the two - possibly optical is a tad "smoother" but this may just be expectations or whatever) or else get a decent digilink - dpa black slink is good, I've used various Kimber cables and found the D60 pretty satisfactory.

Neil

 

I'm using a £25 AudioQuest that I got about 8 years ago, is there much difference between coax digital cables? What ones are recommended?

 

Originally I bought a 5m length of unbranded optical cable as the DVD player is under the TV. So there was a 5m optical to the NOS dac which was then connected to the amp with a 1m length of Nordost Blue Heaven. It was ok for classical but disappointing on anything rockier.

Over the last week I had some time off so had a play. I have a 1m length of optical which I use to connect the dvd player to a home cinema amp and a 3m length of QED Qunex to connect the analogue outputs from the dvd to hifi amp so I can listen to sacd/dvd-a. I swapped the optical cables around and move the dac closer to the dvd to do this and used the QED Qunex cable from dac to amp.

This was a huge improvement and the rockier material started to sound a lot better especially stuff such as Thea Gilmore, Beth Orton, Tanya Donnelly, etc.

So much better that I finally started to prefer it over my Linn Mimik.

Either the dac didn't like the long length of optical cable or it didn't like the Nordost cable. The dac is about 0.5m away from the dvd player at the moment which is why I was thinking of using a coax cable.

 

I use a 'glass' TOSlink cable for connecting my DAB tuner to an Audio Authority 'Signal Sensing Digital A/V Input Selector' box which outputs to my NOSdac and quality of sound is excellent.

There are a number of cheap 'plastic' TOSlink cables sold on eBay for a couple of quid which no doubt can affect sound quality but if one sticks to the better quality branded cables there should be no problems.

As my HiFi system is sat next to my computer equipment I have changed were possible to TOSlink cables in order to avoid any interference from the electronic gubbins in my computer tower.

I have just purchased a further 3 metre 'glass' TOSlink cable to use between a new computer system that I am putting together (Onkyo SE-90PCI PCI Digital Audio Board - when available!) and my Audio Authority switching box.

Aitcho

 

I make my own high quality 75 Ohm Coaxial Digital Cables using military spec silver plated OFC conductors WBT Silver Soldered to Eichmann Silver Bullet Plugs, which sound and look fantastic! Cost to make approx. £40.00.

They replaced all sorts of very expensive branded digital cables in my system as they sound far superior!

 

Griffo: Generally keeping digital cables as short as possible is a good thing.

 

Thanks for your replys.

I'm off to go and purchase a 0.5m coax cable to try out. Not sure I could make my own cables - too cack-handed.

 

Giffo

I'll happily make you a digital cable as described above for what they cost me to make, if you want something better than a cheap coax!

Regards.

Spenny

 

I might be interested in one too Spenny, if you're thinking of starting a production line

 

Hodgesaargh

Not a problem, I'll make a few up at the weekend. What length of cable do you need?

Regards.

Spenny

 

I've got 8 Eichmann Silver Bullet Plugs left so could make up 4 Digital Cables this weekend using 75 Ohm Silver Plated OFC Coaxial cable, WBT Silver Solder and the Eichmann Silver Bullets.

I use these cables in preference to Nordost Moonglo and Audioquest Digital as they sound better.

If anyone is interested, they can have a 0.5m to 1.0m cable for cost price of £40.00.

 

Two cables gone, only 2 left!

 

Neil

I need your address to send you the cable, I've sent a PM but no response!

Send me a PM and i'll post it today.

Spenny