Digital XLR vs Digital RCA

Amount of silver and type makes a difference in a digital cable? Really? Someone should tell those people that make cables that work in the 10's or GHZ or higher. They will be thrilled to find that out.

I have tested side-by-side pure copper, silver and silver-plated cable combinations.  The material used in digital cable absolutely affects the character of the sound.  This is just another medium you can use to help tune the sound to what you want.

I’m with @rego on this one - the type of connector i.e. whether you use IEC, BNC or XLR, is mostly immaterial when it comes to cable performance.

If you are looking at the cable performance itself (i.e. the wire), then this statement is generally correct.  However, when looking at digital cables, the type and impedance of the termination drastically affects the performance of the digital cable.  I have done many tests on different RCA connectors, using RCA that are designed specifically for digital (i.e. DH Labs RCA-75) as well as several extremely expensive and high end analog RCA (such as WBT, Furutech, etc.).  In all cases, a good low-cost BNC connector was superior to all RCA connectors.  The problem with RCA is the lower impedance, which allows reflections caused by the target S/PDIF receiver to flow back down the cable to the transmitter.  This causes distortion and timing errors in the source square waveform pulses.

In all my results, the audio high frequencies were not as well defined or clear with all RCA cables.  The high frequency extension and resolution was always better with a pure BNC cable/sockets. 

If you don't have true BNC connections on your source/DAC, the next best thing is to use a true BNC cable with BNC-to-RCA adapters on the end.  Nordost makes all their digital cables this way, but you can always do a DIY cable. 

I found the Blackcat BNC-to-RCA adapters are the best and have the highest resolution.

BNC and @buff on this site often has NOS Nordost cables at quite reasonable prices.

Twisted pair on XLR are the standard connector for AES3 balanced at 110 Ohm, BNC is the standard connector for AES3 unbalanced 75 Ohm and can be used for longer distances. RCA/Toslink are standard connectors for variant 2 known as SPDIF at 75 Ohm. AES3 balanced is used mostly in professional installations. To interchange XLR 110 Ohm balanced with unbalanced 75 Ohm you need an impedance converter. Mostly you'll see BNC to XLR converters. Which one sounds the best I have no idea I doubt I could tell in a controlled test. I use mogami XLR 110 Ohm cables. 

There is nothing wrong with the engineering approach. Alchemy was long abandoned and science had prevailed.
The understanding of what is going on in a digital cable is better than ignorance.
The so called digital cable is not a mystery. It was actually designed by engineers, from PHILIPS Netherland and SONY Japan in the late 70’s.
This is why it is called SPDIF (Sony Philips Digital Interface):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S/PDIF
I love the silver over copper say, that is even better than snake oil.
The element silver conducts better electricity by 5% over copper but costs 131 times more. 5% in conductivity can be compensated with 5% additional cross section of copper. it may cost 5% more, rather than 131 times (13,100%) more. Be my guest and go for it. You may also throw that amount of $$ into the toilet and flash it down. You will earn the very same feeling.
On your fantastic hearing, we had some fantastic examples over medieval ages and later, when it was enough that two sister came out, saying they dreamed you are a witch, to burn you alive. Hearing the difference, is way more easy and no consequences, but drain your wallet dry. You can claim whatever you want, even if it is unmeasurable?
At age over 60! When did you tested last your hearing?
Up’s sorry! it;s tested by an engineered instrument. Not by a doctor’s or nurse hearing to compare with. Go get your glasses that way...
The human ear was never nominated as an instrument. Hearing is individual. The best part of "I can hear the difference" is that no one can doubt it. Even if it doesn’t exist.
Many audiophiles are in love with LP and tubes. They are in love with a lot of IM and THD, poor Fr. response and compressed dynamic range. Those all measure bad, but many like it.
I don’t!
I remember last concert, the guy next to me claimed to his wife, that the sound is not as good in concert sa with his LP/Tube sound system :-)

I remember last concert, the guy next to me claimed to his wife, that the sound is not as good in concert sa with his LP/Tube sound system

doodle6
01-10-2020 8:30am

"we have friends whose seats at the Myerson Symphony Hall in Dallas sport a brass socket embedded in the floor, a socket where the main microphone is placed when recordings are made in that hall. Needless to say that the sound there is wonderful. But, swear to God, I’ve experienced better sound from my home system. Being a dyed-in-the-wool skeptic, I was blown away when that happened - couldn’t believe that it could be possible. After reflecting on it, it dawned on me that the engineers who produced the SACD could shake out the compromises and/or imperfections of the hall. At any rate, it was really an eye opening phenomenon."