Digital Cables - Which ones?

[raygreen]

I have asked a couple of questions recently of Stan and Brian (I didn't know he made cables) so please don't take offence at opening up the question to the wider community. I admit to knowing very little about cables. I am looking to connect a DAC (Beresford TC-7520) to my CD which will need to be a digital Coaxial and also my Mac to the DAC.

There seems to be so much choice out there (like everything else with hifi I suppose) with digital coaxial cables and what do people recommend for a quality cable without paying silly money? Also, connecting the Mac I think I can use the USB connection OR use the headphone out from computer to the DAC (with an adapter) with a TOSLINK lead (need 2m here). Is either of these the better option?

I have also read about Mike Homar cables on here. Any suggestions or recommendations?

[Stratmangler]

Your Mac is probably best connected via the optical connection.
You'll often find that the headphone connection on the Mac is dual use, both 3.5mm headphone connectable and optical connectable, so no adapter is required, other that the one to fit the optical at the Mac end.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31HOJov6QoL.jpg

Mark Grant has some inexpensive SPDIF cables that are suitable http://markgrantcables.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=40_3&products_id=3

[mikmas]

Also, connecting the Mac I think I can use the USB connection OR use the headphone out from computer to the DAC (with an adapter) with a TOSLINK lead (need 2m here). Is either of these the better option?

I have connected my Mac Mini 2010 to a 7520 using both options (TOSLINK and USB) and there seemed to be very little difference I could tell, although possibly optical had a slight edge (probably in my head though) Advantage of connecting via USB is that you can easily switch to equipment connected to the other sockets on the 7520 if they don't have the USB option.

[raygreen]

I have connected my Mac Mini 2010 to a 7520 using both options (TOSLINK and USB) and there seemed to be very little difference I could tell, although possibly optical had a slight edge (probably in my head though) Advantage of connecting via USB is that you can easily switch to equipment connected to the other sockets on the 7520 if they don't have the USB option.

USB option probably cheaper too. Any particular speed required as you can get USB 2.0 AND 3.0.

[Thebiglebowski]

For 2m any well made digital cable will work fine. I'm using a QED optical cable that was about £30 and an Atlas coax which was about £12.

I'm even using a 15m optical cable to go from the TV to my DAC and about 10m of it is coiled up tightly which is a big no for optical cables and it doesn't affect the sound at all.

[mikmas]

USB option probably cheaper too. Any particular speed required as you can get USB 2.0 AND 3.0.

I used a bog standard Belkin USB 2 A-B cable and it worked fine .... I think the USB 3 cable has a different 'B' plug and no idea whether it would fit in the 7520

[roob]

I would connect your dac to Mac via a toslink to mini toslink cable(optical) this will be immune to any electrical interfence from the Mac. The usb input on your dac is not the best so best avoided. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fisual-Install-Series-Mini-Toslink-Optical/dp/B003NT6RDO works fine with my mac/dac,sounds the same as a £50 Chord cable that recently broke after a couple of years use.:(
Plenty of coax cables about for reasonable prices such as this http://markgrantcables.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=40_3&products_id=183&zenid=kbctbl44ga1a60sh837c137pd4
No need to spend silly money on digital cables and plenty come up used.