AES/EBU vs XLR cables for digital connection
I did look to see if this issue was addressed in earlier discussions but couldn't find any specific information, so here's the story: I've ordered a Sonnet Hermes streamer to complement my Sonnet Morpheus DAC, and since the DAC doesn't have the I2S port (it's USB instead, though I understand I can change this if I want to), the best available connection will be via AES/EBU. I already have a pretty good XLR cable (Clarus Aqua) which I previously used for analog connection but I'm wondering if there's any advantage to using a true 110-ohm AES/EBU cable or if the standard XLR (the impedance of which I don't actually know) will work just as well. Have any of you done an A/B comparison between these two types of cable? Opinions are welcome. Thanks.
I use the Shunyata Omega AES/EBU Digital 1.5 m cable and like it very much. It connects my Aurender N20 server to my MSB DAC. I experimented using an USB vs AES/EBU cables. After testing for 2-weeks, the AES/EBU cable sounded much better. I use the Shunyata Sigma V2 interconnect XLR cable, 1.5 meters cable to connect my DAC to my amplifier. |
110 is only the design parameter. The analog XLR will probably work well. No risk to try. The only valid SQ comparison has to be done by you. Get some digital cables with return privileges and happy listening. As an anecdote an Audio Envy analog IC was the best sounding cable for a SPDIF connection that I have tried. Before it broke. Good luck, happy trails. |
@cooper52 You might get lucky using an analog interconnect (both regarding no signal dropouts and/or good sound quality) but there are reasons for using digital-specific interconnects: First, impedance is very important in supporting the timing and clocking of transmitting packets of data from the source to the DAC. AES cables follow a 110ohm resistance to support this timing specifically. With proper timing of packet transmission and reconstruction, the digital signal will produce an analog signal that sounds completely in focus. If it is not, it is similar to a photo taken with a lens just slightly out of focus, which may be a bit "blurrier", or it may even result in added dropouts to the signal. Second many digital cables implement grounding and shielding a little bit differently to preserve jitter from affecting the delicate signal while still aiding in the speed of the transmission of the data. This can result in less noise/fatigue vs analog cables of the same make/model. But as mentioned, there's no risk in experimenting. Using analog cables in the digital chain shouldn't break anything. |
