View Full Version : Black Cat digital cable - holey moley!
Been looking again at digital hookup from, my Transporter to the Dac...
Initially, was using a Belden 1694A with Canare 75ohm plugs for BNC hookup, surely all I needed?
BNC is the accepted "best" connection according to the Transporter's designer, yet I preferred the sound of Lifatec/Mark Grant glass optical cables in my system.:scratch:
The troops thought so too at a get together at mine.
So thought I'd try a "better" BNC digital cable.
Had a rummage online and Stereovox/Black Cat cables kept coming up, along with the name Chris Sommovigo.
Apparently this guy kinda wrote the book on digital interconnects - literally...his research came up with the 75Ohm standard.
So the guy knew his onions and he had a range of cables out under the Black Cat brand.
Thought I'd take a punt.
http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq61/gazjamster/Kit%20pics/Cables/3.jpg
http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq61/gazjamster/Kit%20pics/Cables/1.jpg
http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq61/gazjamster/Kit%20pics/Cables/6.jpg
A BNC cable, 1.2m long with BNC-RCA adapters.
Its quite thin but VERY heavy cable, the BNC connections are the tightest fit I've seen in a cable.
Build quality is superb.
Replacing a Belden BNC cable, I plumbed it in.
Immediately it sounded "different", especially at the top end which was a lot smoother but with the same detail.
However it seemed a bit shut in, as though the music had taken a step back into the soundstage.
Have a few hours on it now though and its opening up nicely. Sounding very different to how it was when first plugged in.
Superb bit of kit, didn't know my Transporter could sound this good!
This is the best digital cable I've ever had in my system by a mile, and its a keeper.
Digital...done.
brian2957
28-10-2015, 21:08
Have to get up for a listen to this mate . Get the biccies in :lol:
Got a link to where you got it from?
Got a link to where you got it from?
Sure thing.
http://www.highendcable.co.uk/Stereolab%20Silverstar%2075%20Digital.htm
Spectral Morn
28-10-2015, 23:55
http://stereomatic.com/
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/blackcat2/1.html
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/blackcat/veloce.html
Audio Advent
29-10-2015, 00:35
Any guess what the lump under the white heatshrink is? A thin ferrite ring?
brian2957
29-10-2015, 08:41
Think that's a fair guess Sam .
Not sure Sam, good guess as Brian says, but cant be sure.
There's summit under there anyway.
Stratmangler
29-10-2015, 10:35
If it is a ferrite then that's a bit curious, as the SPDIF transmission is at something like the frequencies that ferrites are meant to attenuate.
Just saying ......... :eyebrows:
Stratmangler
29-10-2015, 10:51
A further thought on data transmission via cable - the cable length is of great significance.
I know that from installing telecoms kit.
Cabinet interconnecting cables on telephone systems are of fixed length, and usually it's a lot longer than you'd physically need, and they're that length for a reason - it's to do with our old friends capacitance, inductance and signal reflectivity.
1.5m is the minimum recommended length for SPDIF connections, and yes the missing 27mm on the Black Cat could be significant.
It would be interesting to see how the cable measured up on a 'scope.
So thought I'd try a "better" BNC digital cable.
Had a rummage online and Stereovox/Black Cat cables kept coming up, along with the name Chris [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]Sommovigo.
Apparently this guy kinda wrote the book on digital interconnects - literally...his research came up with the 75Ohm standard.
Eh!? I thought is was Bell Labs back in the late 1920s. ;)
I love the box it comes in. But that also concerns me. It is just a bit of wire, not expensive jewellery so why is it in such a fancy box?
It was sony and philips i think hence the name ..... Dont know when but would need to be in digital times i would think
? SPDIF is Sony/Phillips but the use of 75ohm was adopted after the research of Bell Labs in the late 1920's along with 30, 50 and I think 90Ohm....
I love the box it comes in. But that also concerns me. It is just a bit of wire, not expensive jewellery so why is it in such a fancy box?
Its printed cardboard! :)
? SPDIF is Sony/Phillips but the use of 75ohm was adopted after the research of Bell Labs in the late 1920's along with 30, 50 and I think 90Ohm....
Of course your right enough there Neal, not many dacs around in the 1920's though. ;)
Was more meaning he brought the first true 75ohm end to end digital interconnect to market (I think).
His story is on google.
Cable was illuminati D60, which I think was bought over by Ray Kimber.
Its printed cardboard! :)
It is still pretty fancy for a cable. Last cable I bought was just wrapped in polythene.
.....
Was more meaning he brought the first true 75ohm end to end digital interconnect to market (I think).
His story is on google.
Cable was illuminati D60, which I think was bought over by Ray Kimber.
What, the one fitted with RCA connectors? :D
http://echohifi.com/images/product/5791_4.jpg
Anyhow, I'm happy the cable is working for you, they can make a surprising difference!
wee tee cee
29-10-2015, 17:11
Interesting Gary, whats it doing better than the glass opticals?
Be good to hear it in comparison.
( heard your speakers at Toppsys place with a 300b amp....jings and cribbens!!! If thats what your rig sounds like now it will be fearsome!!)
What, the one fitted with RCA connectors? :D
http://echohifi.com/images/product/5791_4.jpg
Anyhow, I'm happy the cable is working for you, they can make a surprising difference!
True..meant to say "near" :)
Well...nearer than anyone else at the time!
Interesting Gary, whats it doing better than the glass opticals?
Be good to hear it in comparison.
( heard your speakers at Toppsys place with a 300b amp....jings and cribbens!!! If thats what your rig sounds like now it will be fearsome!!)
Tony....everything. Seriously.
Have a listen sometime...Nicks 300B amp and the Eddies are a helluva match.
wee tee cee
29-10-2015, 18:52
yup...he played some tracey chapman on his tt-Lou asked me to play it when we got back with the 57s .....much staring at feet and excuse making. Close but no cigar!!!!
Like any other system you tune into what it does....but bye fuck!! I heard something scary there!!!
Theres more to be had if ye like yer tunes!!!
Statics are magical...but there is no substitution for cubes as they say in the automotive world!!!
yup...he played some tracey chapman on his tt-Lou asked me to play it when we got back with the 57s .....much staring at feet and excuse making. Close but no cigar!!!!
Like any other system you tune into what it does....but bye fuck!! I heard something scary there!!!
Theres more to be had if ye like yer tunes!!!
Statics are magical...but there is no substitution for cubes as they say in the automotive world!!!
Always wanted to hear the 57's Tony, sound epic with the right supporting kit they say...
Alans Firebottle amp, blend of valves and solid state should be just the dab!!
All about Synergy mate, and a powerful amp with the right impedance speaker cable for the 57's (I'd take advice on this..) would make all the difference.
Get the amp / speaker combo right and I think everything else falls into line.
*For the record*
Quad suggested using Lamp flex...so I suspect it wont be that hard to find a combo that works!
Bright orange lawnmower cable, or more sensibly, Van Damme type stuff?
But Aye...as Scotty says, Ye cannae change the laws of Physics! :lol:
wee tee cee
31-10-2015, 17:31
Have some VD blue kicking about may well give it a whirl....
brian2957
31-10-2015, 17:53
Always wanted to here the 57's Tony, sound epic with the right supporting kit they say...
Alans Firebottle amp, blend of valves and solid state should be just the dab!!
All about Synergy mate, and a powerful amp with the right impedance speaker cable for the 57's (I'd take advice on this..) would make all the difference.
Get the amp / speaker combo right and I think everything else falls into line.
*For the record*
Quad suggested using Lamp flex...so I suspect it wont be that hard to find a combo that works!
Bright orange lawnmower cable, or more sensibly, Van Damme type stuff?
But Aye...as Scotty says, Ye cannae change the laws of Physics! :lol:
Aye beam me up Scotty :lol:
wee tee cee
31-10-2015, 18:00
Plumbed in some VD bLue....."she canny take much more!!!!" not quite warp factor but motoring along nicely. Keep my ears pealed for sonic klingons.
Always wanted to hear the 57's Tony, sound epic with the right supporting kit they say...
Alans Firebottle amp, blend of valves and solid state should be just the dab!!
All about Synergy mate, and a powerful amp with the right impedance speaker cable for the 57's (I'd take advice on this..) would make all the difference.
Get the amp / speaker combo right and I think everything else falls into line.
*For the record*
Quad suggested using Lamp flex...so I suspect it wont be that hard to find a combo that works!
Bright orange lawnmower cable, or more sensibly, Van Damme type stuff?
But Aye...as Scotty says, Ye cannae change the laws of Physics! :lol:
The "bright orange lawnmower cable" thing came about due to Quad realising they had forgotten to bring any speaker cable with them when setting up a demonstration. Someone popped out to the nearest B&Q and bought said cable as it was an example of no-nonsense two-core 10A cable. The fact that it was different to other cables, being bright orange, and the fact that Quad were using it, lead to many to think that Black and Decca lawnmower cable was preferred over others.
As the great, late Peter Walker of Quad (a man known for his bluff no-nonsense approach to audio engineering) once said when asked what were the requirements for a good speaker cable:
"There are only two requirements a good speaker cable should have. The first is it should be long enough to connect between the speaker and the amplifier, and the second is that the colour of the insulation should ideally match that of the carpet."
Plumbed in some VD bLue....."she canny take much more!!!!" not quite warp factor but motoring along nicely. Keep my ears pealed for sonic klingons.
Set phasers on Pun....
wee tee cee
31-10-2015, 19:24
Really don't want to allude to possible uses for proton torbedos...bring a tear to a glass eye!!!
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