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Why does my DAC sound so much better after upgrading digital SPDIF cable?

I like my Mps5 playback designs sacd/CD player but also use it as a DAC so that I can use my OPPO as a transport to play 24-96 and other high res files I burn to dvd-audio discs.

I was using a nordost silver shadow digital spdif cable between the transport and my dac as I felt it was more transparent and better treble than a higher priced audioquest digital cable a dealer had me audition.

I recently received the Synergistic Research Galileo new SX UEF digital cable.  Immediately I recognized that i was hearing far better bass, soundstage, and instrument separation than I had ever heard with high res files (non sacd),

While I am obviously impressed with this high end digital cable and strongly encourage others to audition it, I am puzzled how the cable transporting digital information to my DAC from my transport makes such a big difference.

The DAC take the digital information and shapes the sound so why should the cable providing it the info be so important. I would think any competently built digital cable would be adequate....I get the cable from the DAC to the preamp and preamp to amp matter but would think the cable to the DAC would be much less important.

I will now experiment to see if using the external transport to send red book CD files to my playback mps5 sounds better than using the transport inside the mps5 itself.

The MPS5 sounds pretty great for ca and awesome with SACD so doubt external transport will be improvement for redhook cds


128x128karmapolice
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

So, it should be obvious that if 2 million psec is not easily differentiable with music playing, than your original statement of going from 22psec to 7psec being a drastic difference should show you why I stated it was bogus, even if your gear and room are near silent,

It is not bogus. I have been demonstrating differences in jitter for 10 years at RMAF, THE Show, LA Audio Show and others. I can measure it and I can hear it with my systems. My customers feedback proves that these differences are audible. You need a system that provides pinpoint imaging and deep wide soundstage. You cannot get with this an iPhone.

Of course, given your job, I highly doubt you would state otherwise

What the hell is that supposed to mean?  Is this a personal attack?

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

boxer12
8,656 posts
 
Thanks celander
celander's avatar
celander
1,503 posts
 
I guess I need to upgrade the speakers in my iPhone X. I only can discern the differences of random jitter noise from that website link on my iPhone, regardless of file samples. 

Yet I fall into Steve’s (@audioengr) camp regarding discerning obvious SQ differences due to a high quality jitter clock or external reclocker that produces ultra low jitter (e.g., 10 psec jitter output at the end of a BNC-terminated coaxial cable) when listening to digital music playback on my home audio system. A digital audio signal having psec-levels of jitter readily manifests itself as an improved analog audio SQ effect on the dimensionality of the reproduced sound field and the realism of instruments and vocals conveyed therein. 
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celander's avatar
celander
1,503 posts
 
@bluesmen:
I have owned both the AA DTI and the SF Ultra Jitterbug. Both are great digital signal reclockers, significantly reducing jitter in the resultant digital stream and yielded greatly improved SQ. I can’t recall the DTI’s output jitter levels, but the Ultra Jitterbug output jitter level was < 40 psec.

The EA Synchro Mesh reclocker takes this principle to another level with a reported output jitter level of 7 psec. I can’t recall, but I think one has to have Steve modify the SM design (remove the output transformer?) to get that reduced jitter level. It’s an inexpensive mod. Here’s a link: 
http://www.empiricalaudio.com/products/synchro-mesh
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