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digital cable differences

Hi all, as we all know there are differences in digital cables. I hear also a difference between cables in loudness of sound. When I insert an old Goldmund Lineal between my CD-transport and DAC not only the sound is less loud (with exact the same preamp volume level) in comparison with another cable (I'm using a very simple MITerminator IV line level interconnect as a digital link) but it also sounds less involving. Does this mean the Goldmund is not a good match for the CD-transport (CEC TL-0) and DAC (Bel Canto 1.1) or is the cable defective (conductor breach). I red once that when a digital cable is functioning properly we can hear an increase in "loudness" of sound in comparison with a cable that is not designed for digital transmission or a poorly designed one.

Regards,
Dazzdax
dazzdax
misskuma
75 posts
 
this is why I generally don't like digital separates. Pain in the butt, I say.
All coax vary (especially in tonal
balance ) in sound depending on what's connected to it.
You just have to try different digital cables to find the one
agrees with your gear/taste.

BTW, the sound can vary even amongst all 75 ohm cables ( that's
the impedance of coax cablse supopsed to be including terminations )

Once I was told that as long as the cable maintain 75 ohm, it should be a good
cables. Alas, they still seem to vary from cable to cable.
gunbei
2,327 posts
 
I've tried five different digital cables with my current setup and have heard varying degrees of differences. In some instances there were slight volume and tonal differences, and also differences in soundstage size.

75 ohm hasn't always been the best in my system either. One that performed very well was 110 ohm, and the other that was very good was no different from an analogue RCA, so you never know. Both of these threw a much bigger and more lifelike sound stage than some highly regarded 75 ohm cables.

As with anything in this hobby, it's all about synergy and sometimes specifications can't predict that.
viggen
838 posts
 
I reason that transferring digital signals between these two components is not unlike transferring digital information within a computer network. The signal conduit in computer networkds needs to be fast, high capacity and retains signal integrity through further distances. CAT cables are designed with these three factors in consideration. Since I don't think most audio/digital cables are designed with similar degree of scrutiny, I believe CAT 5 cables are better for digital audio applications than most mainstream 75ohm digital cables.

However, I can only comment on the variances in volume in terms of bits. I am guessing the lesser cable is dropping bits of resolution thus the volume sounds attenuated. This can result from the cable's inability to carry a higher capacity or doesn't have signal integrity (correct timing of bits transfer).
psychicanimal
1,738 posts
 
Try e-mailing Deano. He uses a CEC transport and has tried just about every digital cable out there, up to the 2K Kharma.
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