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Why do digital cables sound different?

I have been talking to a few e-mail buddies and have a question that isn't being satisfactorily answered this far. So...I'm asking the experts on the forum to pitch in. This has probably been asked before but I can't find any references for it. Can someone explain why one DIGITAL cable (coaxial, BNC, etc.) can sound different than another? There are also similar claims for Toslink. In my mind, we're just trying to move bits from one place to another. Doesn't the digital stream get reconstituted and re-clocked on the receiving end anyway? Please enlighten me and maybe send along some URLs for my edification. Thanks, Dan
danielho
gmkowal5c1a
91 posts
 
Sorry, I guess we got a little carried away with the technical aspects but I learned alot in this thread and also thank those who enlightened me. The music quickens my pulse but I also enjoy the understanding of how it all comes together.
dragont
19 posts
 
Daniel,
I've just posted a reply saying that if you cannot hear a difference between a Cardas Highspeed and a Cardas Lightning 15 digital cable, you have a low fi system.I would like to retrack this statement.
What I really meant was, if you cannot hear any difference between these two digital cables, then the question whether different digital cables sound differently should not concern you because you are one of those few in the CANNOT HEAR DIFFERENCE CAMP. In that case, the question of why digital cables would sound different should not concern you either.
Go try out these cables and see if they sound diffently to you and then pursue the balance of your question as to what makes them sound different.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Whether different digital cables sound different is very dependent on the DAC design. Digital cables will typically NOT drop bits. Any degradation has to do with jitter that is introduced due to the cable losses. DAC's that completely re-clock the data stream will be much less sensitive to the quality of the digital cable and any jitter that the cable causes. However, most DAC's are not like this and therefore have some sensitivity to jitter.

Digital interconnects that exhibit low-capacitance, low-dielectric-absorption and generally low-losses will introduce the least jitter into the digital bit-stream.

This is why they sound different.
sean
6,231 posts
 
Audioengr ( hi !! ),

What part do you think vswr and impedance mismatches between source, cable and load play when it comes to transferring signals from transport to DAC ? Since we are dealing with an RF based signal, transmission line theories DO directly apply here.

Your statements about low dielectric absorption intrigue me. Shouldn't a cable that has a higher velocity factor be less prone to signal deterioration / absorption due to the signal spending less time in the cable ? If that is correct, than a cable that is "slower", such as those that make use of a teflon dielectric configured in a standard coaxial design, would be a relatively poor performer. If that is the case, cheaper "foam" insulated cables "should" perform appr 13% better than more costly Teflon versions given equivalent conductor materials. Any thoughts or comments on this ? Sean
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zilla
46 posts
 
Due to different configurations they act as tone controls. And I DOOOOO hear quite a difference in some. Most to me sound way too bright. Some interconnects produce quite a difference in the sound of a system. Price does not seem to me to be a big factor, rather finding one that shapes the sound to my ears preference. I rewired a system for a friend that thought he had good sound (very harsh). The results were jaw dropping even to him (Tin ears). His ears at least are better than Julian H. He cost me a lot of money buying on his recommendations. YIKES!!!!
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