Digital cable recommendation request (1 Viewer)

[Gerard Martin]

I am currently using a RCA Video cable for my Yamaha RX-V1, Adcom GCD700 connection can I expect a major improvement with
Monsters Datalink 100 or better cables silver serpent. As always thank you.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Nope.

Digital signals are very insensitive to the cable compared to analog. (You cannot tell if this message comes to you from my Sun workstation with a T1 connection, or my home sat modem that travels through the atmosphere.)

Stick with that video cable. It does the job just fine.

 

[David*RT]

Try Zu Firemine digital (www.zucable.com). Currently, Zu is running a promo on www.harmonicdiscord.com for 25% off all their stuff. A 3/4 meter cable will cost ya $50 minus 25%. I have it, and it has a great articulate nature that works great for home theater and audiophile stereo.
Other highly raved quality cables are: Acoustic Zen Photon ($99), DH Labs (ebay for best prices), JPS Labs (www.jpsdirect.com).....oh and www.mapleshaderecords.com (a really hyped-up cable that's supposed to be a true giant-killer--though it's really delicate...not recommended if you have cats).

 

[Phil A]

My advice on any cabling is to listen for yourself on the components you will use and make your mind up whether or not an upgrade is worth the premium. As anything goes in audio, the higher up the chain you move does not mean you will get proportionate improvement. A cable that costs $80 is very unlikely to be a 100% inprovement over one that is $40. The signal on a digital cable is not 1s and 0s being transmitted, it is carried analog. A video cable is 75 ohms the same impedence as specified for digital coax and will of course carry the signal but not not perform as well as something specifically designed as a digital cable. That does not mean that the difference in price will be justified to everyone.

 

[Mark Rich]

I'd give my vote to the Jon Rische design. Having started with Monster and working my way through to the above I'd say they are worth every penny.Amazing performance fo rthe buck. You can make them yourself or purchase pre-made from one of the following.
Boldercables.com
diycable.com
Rhinocables.com

 

[Andrew Pratt]

I just saw the new Black Cat cable on Link Removed and it looks really cool. I use a few of their cables incl one for my digital connection and really appreciate their build quality and sonic advantage over more poorly constructed cables.

 

[Phil A]

I would concur with Mark's assessment about the Belden 1506. It is relatively inexpensive and to get better performance that may be a few to several percent more would involve costs many times the price of what it can be purchased for at the sites indicated and to the majority of people would not be worth the incremental improvement as such a premium.

 

[Chu Gai]

If your present cable is in some way defective or improper for the job at hand, then you will likely experience a postive benefit by purchasing one from the companies you are consdering. You may well also experience a similarly positive benefit by purchasing one that is generic or made by a company such as www.partsexpress.com (their Dayton line). Often the conumer feels the company that designed their equipment has not provided a solidly engineered part such as a cable and seeks something better. They object that the cable was mass-produced and does not posess sufficient heft or that it is of a molded design. In some cases the consumer may not prefer the type of connection as it may be too tight or loose. Cost effective choices in those cases are readily available. While occasionally such replacement is warranted, it can result in a condition I politely call "AudioNervosa" and is quite contagious. One will find that this desire for something better extends to subsequent replacement of power cords, and then to possibly opening the unit inside and replacing components such as capacitors and resistors and possibly any copper wiring with something such as silver.
One will rarely if ever see generic cords evaluated in a magazine or website as they are looked upon as being quite pedestrian. Rather the reviews will be from established players (who once were little companies) such as Kimber, AudioQuest, Cardas, etc. as well as the smaller boutique companies some of which have quite catchy names with equally inventive names for their cables. With little exception, these reviews are of a sighted nature which basically means the reviewer is well aware of which cable is in the system. Some of the reviews are quite creative using phrases such as ('detail I always suspected was there, but never heard until I put Brand A in' or 'it was as if Beethoven himself were playing before me' or 'I was totally enveloped, feeling as if I could pinpoint not only where each instrument was, but the look on the trumpet player's face as he reached for a note that was humanly impossible' or 'now this cable truly defines the meaning of soundstage'). As to how the consumer is to make any sense of this and make a meaningful purchasing choice I've yet to determine.
If you choose to investigate the cables be aware that in the issue of mail or web orders while they do typically have good return policies, you will be responsible for s/h both ways and may under some circumstances be subject to a restocking fee. Monster and even generics can usually be obtained locally (Circuit CIty, Best Buy) and if you don't like them they can be returned with no penalty to you other than your time. I encourage anyone who has taken the effort to go so far as to browse website, read magazines, and gone so far as to post here or in other places, to at the very least enlist the aid of a friend in performing a blind test. Typically it doesn't take very long and makes for an entertaining and hopefully learning experience. If you wish, details can be provided.
If you simply wish an over-engineered cable that vastly exceeds the requirements for your components, Mark has provided sites where the financial hit isn't too bad.

 

[Lee Bailey]

I ordered some DHLABS Silver Sonic Digital cable and 2 of the Connex 'WBT' type RCAs with locking collars and built my own digital coax. It was very easy and straightforward, and it does sound better than the Monster Interlink Coax I was using. More detail than before on movies. The RCAs are only 9.95 a pair, and the coax is $4.05 a foot, making for a very inexpensive digital cable. You just need to have some skill or tools for stripping the cable back, and soldering skills. I used the ideas on this website:
Pauls' BMW, Subaru & Home Theater Page
I added an extra step of using hot glue in the interconnect as an extra isolator.
I ordered the parts from Partsconnexion
Have fun!