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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
mzkmxcv
777 posts
 
@chrisg1000

DACs do in fact have jitter reduction, and a J-Test is done when measuring them, Stereophile always performs one for instance. The test doesn’t introduce picoseconds/nanoseconds of jitter, but instead uses frequencies, so I don’t know the correlation but it’s stated as worst case scenario levels of jitter.

Chord makes good DACs, not sure which model you have, but let’s look at their $500 Mojo:

Stereophile: https://www.stereophile.com/content/chord-electronics-mojo-da-headphone-amplifier-measurements

AudioScienceResearch: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/review-and-measurements-of-chord-mojo-dac...

Both sources show it reducing jitter to below 120dB, enough for 24bit data to have zero jitter no matter how long or cheap your cables are (EMI is a different thing), and also well below your room’s noise floor. Also, take note the measurements are different as Stereophile does jitter tests for 44.1kHz and ASR does jitter tests at 48kHz, Stereophile also used a tone that’s -6dBFS and ASR does 0dBFS.

And yes, that’s the only difference a digital cable can introduce, frequency response, THD,  and everything else would be identical.

So unless you are cranking your amplifier above full scale, there will be no difference no matter the digital cable.
chrisg1000
20 posts
 
I have a Chord Qutest ($1,800). And again, the point of the new cable was *not* an attempt at better sound. But the difference in sound was definitely there. And, no I wasn’t running the amp loud. 9:00 on a knob that starts at 7:00. 
I was of the mindset that bits are bits, so I was mildly shocked. 
Not trying to argue, but tests or no tests there was a difference. 
Just sharing my unbiased opinion. 
mzkmxcv
777 posts
 
@chrisg1000

No measurements for that, but I do have for the Hugo 2: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?attachments/chord-hugo-2-dac-jitter-measurement-p...

Excellent jitter reduction as well.

Indeed, regardless of a test, you did hear a difference, and that’s all that matters at the end of the day (for you). However, tests tell us if there actually is a difference, rather than just hearing one. I said this in my initial comments for this thread, but people describe differences in a amp even though it was the same unit, so differences are heard with the same system, since you changed the system by using a different cable, it’s easy to understand that you heard a difference.
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,587 posts
 
I
indeed, regardless of a test, you did hear a difference, and that’s all that matters at the end of the day (for you).
How condescending of you.
However, tests tell us if there actually is a difference, rather than just hearing one.
Not true. No testing equipment exists that can hear. It can only grab a moment in the musical event and analyze a fragment of it, not the complete event.  Our ears take in info in a non linear fashion that no instrument can duplicate, on the fly. What equipment can discern organic vs. lean? Or separation vs. congealed? I could go on but it would be all for naught.
I said this in my initial comments for this thread, but people describe differences in a amp even though it was the same unit, so differences are heard with the same system, since you changed the system by using a different cable, it’s easy to understand that you heard a difference.
You left out "some" between the words, 'but' and 'people' which makes your conclusion a faulty, but clever, one. 

This is one sly troll. He claims he can't hear all that well, is a whizz at math, and uses links and quotes to speak for what he, himself, can't hear or distinguish. Toss in some condescendingly obtuse insults and Bob's your uncle.

This troll is not an audiophile by any measure.

All the best,
Nonoise

chrisg1000
20 posts
 
To add to my thoughts- I was so convinced there would be no difference I purchased a $30 cable. This was not some fancy audiophile cable. 
I would equate the difference to swapping speaker cables. I have no idea what a test would show, but clearly different speaker cables sound different even using the same material and gauge. 
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