Okay folks, I have some follow up on my under $100 cable hunt as I’ll call it now. I have tried some more cables, gotten a second tube amp (Muishare x7) and better speakers (Evoke 20s)
So this will obviously change in your system with your transport and Dac but it’s a good start. Just my opinion.
Best but not by that much was the Kimber 30 ($90).
Next three could be someone’s choice depending on variables. All together they cost less than the Kimber. Monoprice Monolith ($15). Wide-Eye Coax, ($38) and the new kid who did well, the Mogami 2964 cable from Amazon ($19). So far it’s excellent. Direction is not marked so try it both ways because it does sound better one way.
Runner ups are both Blue Jeans cables, the Pangea and the Cable Solutions ($40) dead last. in my opinion.
I have a prejudice against Toslink cables. They always sound more closed in and round off transients. Until I tried the Lifatec ($100 up). This is a really good glass cable.
Thanks to all who suggested cables for me to try. I appreciate it. I have one more coming from Ebay. A Canare 75 ohm digital ($20). I have the feeling it will be identical to Blue Jeans sound a I think they use Canare cables..
Expensive cables I rejected prior to this test were the Audoquest Carbon and Nordost Blue Heaven.
By the way, I wanted to run two RCA cables into my DAC so I got a BNC / RCA adapter. Not good. It muffles the cables a bit. I guess it will be a Coax from the transport to the DAC and the Lifatec optical in from the Blue Sound Node.
So this will obviously change in your system with your transport and Dac but it’s a good start. Just my opinion.
Best but not by that much was the Kimber 30 ($90).
Next three could be someone’s choice depending on variables. All together they cost less than the Kimber. Monoprice Monolith ($15). Wide-Eye Coax, ($38) and the new kid who did well, the Mogami 2964 cable from Amazon ($19). So far it’s excellent. Direction is not marked so try it both ways because it does sound better one way.
Runner ups are both Blue Jeans cables, the Pangea and the Cable Solutions ($40) dead last. in my opinion.
I have a prejudice against Toslink cables. They always sound more closed in and round off transients. Until I tried the Lifatec ($100 up). This is a really good glass cable.
Thanks to all who suggested cables for me to try. I appreciate it. I have one more coming from Ebay. A Canare 75 ohm digital ($20). I have the feeling it will be identical to Blue Jeans sound a I think they use Canare cables..
Expensive cables I rejected prior to this test were the Audoquest Carbon and Nordost Blue Heaven.
By the way, I wanted to run two RCA cables into my DAC so I got a BNC / RCA adapter. Not good. It muffles the cables a bit. I guess it will be a Coax from the transport to the DAC and the Lifatec optical in from the Blue Sound Node.