Using a short coax cable?


I've read in the past that using a coax cable at least 1.5 m is necessary to prevent Jitter between a CD transport and a DAC. Does the same hold true for using coax cables between a streamer and a DAC? I have a 0.75 m audioquest cinnamon coax cable that I'd like to use between my bluesound node 2i and an external DAC. Should I sell this cable on eBay  and buy a longer one?,  Or, are stories like I read just neurotic rumors and theory that can never really be heard when enjoying music?
Thanks!
128x128labguy
labguy, Idea of min 1.5m cable comes from assumption that transition of digital signal is in order of 25ns. In ideal case DAC has exactly the same characteristic impedance as cable, but in reality there might be slight mismatch causing reflection from the DAC. Since signal travels at about 5ns/m reflection will come back in 15ns (5ns/m x 1.5m x 2) after beginning of transition. It will distort the shape of transition, but it will happen after 12.5ns mid point, (assumed threshold of the DAC) and won't produce any time jitter. As you can see there are many unknowns. Signal can travel faster or slower - dependent on dielectric, transport can swing faster or slower etc. It is almost impossible to measure and what works in one system won't work with another. With high quality transport edges might be as short as 5ns and much shorter cable will be still OK.  Only very short cables are free from reflections from impedance change. Time of signal propagation through such cable would have to be shorter than 1/8 of transition time. 25ns/8=3.125ns equivalent to about 2 feet counting wires or traces inside of transport and the DAC. Because of that I wouldn't risk going more than 1 foot, but even with one foot faster transitions (like mentioned 5ns) will still cause reflections on impedance boundaries.   There are so many assumptions or unknowns, that I would just try and compare the sound.  Cheaper cable might sound better than expensive one in one system and worse in another. Since it is system dependent reviews don't make any sense. I would still compare your 0.75m cable with another possibly 1.5m and even 2m cable. There is no way of knowing what is transition time of your streamer digital output.
Holy cow!  Thank you! That was the most educational and informative explanation I could have ever imagined. You relayed that knowledge very logically and without undue complication. I appreciate you providing an answer and the Logical reason of why you arrived at that answer. I honestly have no idea what that reflection would sound like or if I would even be able to notice it if it was there, but if a longer cable would reduce the odds of me encountering it it seems to be the logical choice.
-Kijanki, Thumbs up to you my good man!
As a general method for anything, and this cable specifically:

I suggest keeping your existing cable until you decide to either return or keep the new longer one. Hear no difference, you learned something, send the new one back.