Digital Cable Choice; how critical is it?

Are all of you (Tobias, jeffcott, Jeff_jones) referring to a lack of difference only between 75 ohm cables (either RCA or BNC), or ALL digital data cable including 110 ohm XLR. ST glass, and Toslink (plastic and glass)?
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First of all, difference between digital cables depends on a dac you're going to get. When I had a Bel Canto DAC2, I tried a lot of different digital cables varying in price from $50 to $1000: WireWorld SuperNova 3+ and 5+ Glass Toslink, Acoustic Zen Silver Bytes, Acoustic Zen MC2, Synergistic Resolution Reference, Virtual Dynamics NiteII and Master, Stereovox, and even some Monster. Difference between these cables was alway apparent. I chose Virtual Dynamics NiteII which was the best of the bunch, then I upgraded to Virtual Dynamics Master, which was in a league of its own. There are some dacs though, that don't react to the digital cable changes, so you'll have to try and find out.

If two digital (let's say S/PDIF) cables measure the same, they will sound identical regardless of price, material (copper, silver, gold, palladium, amorphous metal), dielectric or wire configuration. This might be a dangerous statement but I personally don't see why these two cables would sound differently. Do those measurements have limited value with regard to how good the cable will perform?

Chris

Nsgarch - fair question, but my better angel is telling me to just give up, take my toys and go home. If anybody is interested and has a fairly fast internet connection an insight into what is possible to take audiophile concerns (ac line effect, vibration tweaks, digital & power cables, why does my system sound different than it used to, etc.) more toward science is at http://www.dataq.com/applicat/presentation/I_A_hardware-overview.html
Happy listening!

Jeff, thanks for the link. I enjoyed the presentation.

Have you used this device to measure the things you mentioned in your audio system, or it it strictly a work tool?

I've never used anything but AT&T glass. For one thing, the Wadia DAC I used to have just had one glass input! (My new one has several different kinds.) I did try a lot of different AT&T cables though without any impressive differences UNTIL I sprung for an Aural Symphonics Optimism V2 and WOW! What an ear opening experience that was, with slightly different tonal balance depending on which way the cable was oriented. I know, according to your measurements, that should have no effect -- and it didn't with all my other ST cables.

As for 75ohm jobbies, all I know is what I've heard about connectors -- that BNC connections maintain the 75ohm continuity better than RCA connectors and therefore provide a more accurate datastream to the chips. But I don't use metal, so I haven't ever compared.
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