Here we go again...

[Reid Malenfant]

Having noticed a difference between various forms of digital transmission & cables in the past i find myself a little eager to try similar things out but from a new perspective ;)

Quite a while ago i was using a Theta Data Basic transport along with Monarchy Audio dual 20 bit DAC when i decided to experiment with the AES/EBU balanced input. At that time i was using a decent S/PDIF cable. So having found out that MIDI cables were 110 ohm balanced (which is what AES/EBU standards require) i went along to my local music equipment store & bought a cheap 1M MIDI cable...

Having cut off the connectors & fitted XLRs i was slightly gobsmacked to hear a fair difference straight away & it was all positive! A cable costing about £3 was vastly superior to a £75 cable :eyebrows:

So i went out & bought something a good bit better to replaced this test cable & once again things got a little clearer to my ears...

Nows the fun bit, i have just received a dCS Purcell upsampler & Delius DAC that can be connected together via firewire IEEE1394. The Purcell can convert the incoming datastream to DSD & send this to the DAC via firewire allowing me to almost attain SACD quality from standard CDs :)

I was going to go the AES3 route with dual AES/EBU leads but apparently the firewire connection & DSD will out perform this. A couple of firewire leads have been supplied with the units, though i'll only need the one. They don't look anything spectacular in all honesty & having a good look about reveals that none of these firewire cables are expensive ;)

So i'm going to buy a few different ones & see if i can detect any kind of difference, just because it'll cost me less than £15 to buy a 1M IXOS & a 1.8M Belkin (shortest i could find) :eyebrows:


I'll report back once i have satisfied myself that i know the system with the standard cable supplied (got to plumb then in first though) & having tried out the alternatives :)

[technobear]

Interesting. I was recently moved to try an Audiophile USB cable and was pleasantly surprised by the results. I bought a NuForce uDAC2 for use with my laptop and headphones but it is currently doing stand-in duty in my main system until the new DAC arrives. I was on the point of returning the NuForce to the dealer as it sounded so bad with all the standard cheap USB cables I tried.

Then I read a forum post - it may even have been this forum - where guys were talking about audiophile USB cables and the name Kimber seemed to crop up a lot so I ordered one. Well blow me down. What a difference. The NuForce is now quite pleasant and could actually be described as musical. It has rhythym where there was next to none before and all the harshness is gone.

Have fun with your FireWire cables. I can think of at least one other forumite who owns a Weiss DAC2 and will be interested in your findings.

[Reid Malenfant]

Hi Chris, yes it was on here as i remember reading your posts ;) I know it appears to be a bit nuts as well, but i have also heard the differences between digital cables.

I bought the cables just after i created the thread, hopefully i'll get the two new bits of kit up & running by the end of the coming weekend using the standard supplied IEEE1394 cable. No idea what is in there but the connectors appear to be nothing spectacular :scratch: I'll give it a week or so to get used to the new upsampler & DAC running the standard cable & by then at least one of the others should be here...

The fun starts then i guess :)

[Ali Tait]

Having noticed a difference between various forms of digital transmission & cables in the past i find myself a little eager to try similar things out but from a new perspective ;)

Quite a while ago i was using a Theta Data Basic transport along with Monarchy Audio dual 20 bit DAC when i decided to experiment with the AES/EBU balanced input. At that time i was using a decent S/PDIF cable. So having found out that MIDI cables were 110 ohm balanced (which is what AES/EBU standards require) i went along to my local music equipment store & bought a cheap 1M MIDI cable...

Having cut off the connectors & fitted XLRs i was slightly gobsmacked to hear a fair difference straight away & it was all positive! A cable costing about £3 was vastly superior to a £75 cable :eyebrows:

So i went out & bought something a good bit better to replaced this test cable & once again things got a little clearer to my ears...

Nows the fun bit, i have just received a dCS Purcell upsampler & Delius DAC that can be connected together via firewire IEEE1394. The Purcell can convert the incoming datastream to DSD & send this to the DAC via firewire allowing me to almost attain SACD quality from standard CDs :)

I was going to go the AES3 route with dual AES/EBU leads but apparently the firewire connection & DSD will out perform this. A couple of firewire leads have been supplied with the units, though i'll only need the one. They don't look anything spectacular in all honesty & having a good look about reveals that none of these firewire cables are expensive ;)

So i'm going to buy a few different ones & see if i can detect any kind of difference, just because it'll cost me less than £15 to buy a 1M IXOS & a 1.8M Belkin (shortest i could find) :eyebrows:


I'll report back once i have satisfied myself that i know the system with the standard cable supplied (got to plumb then in first though) & having tried out the alternatives :)

I'd try AES/EBU as well. Nowt like finding out for yourself which is best!

[Reid Malenfant]

Mark Grant where are you when you can make a pukka firewire cable ;)

:lolsign:

[technobear]

Ahem...

http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?49662-Weiss-users-Oyaide-FireWire-cable

(and yes I do know the owner - top chap!)

[Reid Malenfant]

Ummmm, cheers Chris...

I guess i don't need an excuse to join there now as you have just given me one ;)

[Reid Malenfant]

Joined, registered & PM'd the chap, thanks Chris :)

[technobear]

We bears have our uses :eyebrows:

[technobear]

Just when you thought you had enough, how about a QED Qunex FireWire for a tenner delivered:

http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/showthread.php?t=92207

:lolsign:

[Reid Malenfant]

Hi Chris, cheers for the thought chap :) Apart from the standard cable that comes with the equipment that QED would be the longest i think. Something tells me shorter would definately be better if all things are equal.

The 60cm Oyaide is the shortest & for that reason alone, let alone it's construction it should be the logical choice. Four cables is enough to deal with in all honesty ;)

Once again though, thanks for pointing this stuff out.

[nat8808]

(oops, posted reply in the wrong thread..)

[Reid Malenfant]

Hi Nat, don't worry chap i'm quite happy :) I have heard differences in digital cables & if you care to look around this forum you'll also find a great deal of sceptical people that all of a sudden found a digital cable that made a big difference. I suggest you have a search on USB cables for starters ;)

I have now selected the best bits for the job, the Oyaide IEEE1394 60cm cable for firewire & a Mark Grant 50cm cable for the word clock output of the Purcell upsampler. Like i say, less cable has got to be better...

I don't for a minute think that stuffing everything in a single box to do away with cables altogether might be a good idea though :D


(oops, posted reply in the wrong thread..)
:lolsign: Classic, ah well at least you now have some form of reply even if it doesn't make sense to anyone else reading it :doh: