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steve dixon
08-01-2010, 17:47
just bought a caimen dac from the website and am awaiting delivery, i previously had a tc7510 which i sold on here. i've read the blurb on the home hifi website about connecting up the dac to the computer (in my case a mac mini) and wondered if the fancy russ andrews usb cable is a SIGNIFICANT improvement on the optical connector i use already, which is an ixos. or perhaps a new optical lead would be a better investment, i've read all the blurb about 'real' glass leads.

anybody been down this route before me?

i'd hate to pay £58 for a cable and fail to be impressed.

ultimately all recommendations will be treated with sneering contempt of course, after-all this is audiofoolery.

thanks
steve
Themis
08-01-2010, 18:47
Don't buy any fancy USB cable.
If a cable makes a difference, then the interface is mediocre. If the interface is mediocre, no cable can fix it. ;)

Best is to connect your computer on S/PDIF. Are you sure you don't have S/PDIF ?
Also consider this : http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4880
ZebuTheOxen
09-01-2010, 21:32
The audio ports on Mac Minis are dual purpose.

You will need an SPDIF minijack to SPDIF cable. :)
Themis
09-01-2010, 22:32
The audio ports on Mac Minis are dual purpose.

You will need an SPDIF minijack to SPDIF cable. :)
+1
Phil Bishop
09-01-2010, 23:25
Steve,

I am a total cable cynic. Any old optical lead with a mini jack adapter for the Mac will do fine I am sure. I have used a variety of optical leads of varying length between my Airport Express and Caiman and can't tell a jot of difference!

I once posed a similar question to a well known hi fi man and an Apple devotee. He told me the digital signals that come to our home via cable pass through miles of optical lead. Do we worry about this? Then why worry about the quality (within reason) of the digital leads connecting our hi fi boxes?

I imagine one of Stan's optical leads is a good compromise. You can also get leads with a mini jack on one end a normal jack on the other which is a bit neater than using an adapter (but probably makes little difference to SQ).

Phil