2. cables
  3. 1238899490

Best Digital Coax for Tube System under $300

I have been very lucky with the advice that the Audiogon folks have given me.

I am now trying to find the best digital IC that I can find for under $300 to connect a Teac VRDS Transport to a Valab non oversampling DAC. The DAC is feeding a Jadis Orchestra Reference with some great Gold Lion KT88 tubes and a pair of Mazda 12ax7s tubes. Speaker cables are SR Tesla Accelerators, Amphenol polished glass toslinks between Teac and Valab and Gabriel Gold Revelation MK2's from the dac to the Jadis. I love it so much.

Here is why I need to find a great digital IC. I just discovered that even though my Valab dac has inputs for toslink, usb and coax, I cannot run both usb and toslink at the same time.

I don't like the toslink out of the Mac Mini that I need to attach to my dac, so I am using usb to connect which is my only other choice. Since I cannot switch between toslink and usb, but I can switch between usb and coax, I need to find a great coax. Why can't life be simple?

I am going to email Steve to see if he makes a GG coax cable. I really like the Gabriel Golds.

Anyone else have a suggestion? Thanks in advance.
mattzack2
mattzack2's avatar
mattzack2 OP
175 posts
 
I am using a Virtual Dynamics Master Digital Cable while awaiting my Master 4.0 digital cable. I have to admit that it is more than I had hoped for. The music that I hear now seems to have a lot more emotion in the secondary instruments. They are much more alive and proud sounding, not competing with the primary instruments, but complimenting them in a fashion that makes them sound like they are joyously playing all by themselves.

Virtual Dynamics assured me that if I am this happy with these cables, that I am in for a bigger treat when the Master 4.0 digital cables arrive.

Just a few weeks off for them now.
jp1208
502 posts
 
Why not try the Valab digital cable?
rodman99999
6,206 posts
 
(http://www.cs1.net/products/canare/LV-77S_digital_audio.htm)
mattzack2's avatar
mattzack2 OP
175 posts
 
I think I will have the cable I am looking for in a few weeks. I bought a Virtual Dynamics Master 4.0 Digital cable about a week ago. Rick Schultz sent me a Master digital original cable until mine is ready.

I am loving it, and he says that I will be more than happy with the improvement I will see when the 4.0 comes in.

I've had several people over to hear this system and every single person has been very impressed, and sometimes awestruck.

Right now, I have no idea which component, cable, tube or speaker that I would think of upgrading. I really think I am at a very satisfying plateau for the time being.

Thanks for all of your great suggestions. I wish I had unlimited funds to try more equipment... I guess we all do.
waterzlife
139 posts
 
DH Labs Silver Sonic USB coax uses silver coated OFHC copper...detail without stridency...and inexpensive. Great reviews.
More to discover