Is buying a decent digital coaxial interconnect worth it? (1 Viewer)

[Dave_Whiting]

Is upgrading from the cheapest, about $10 usa coaxial interconnect, to a cheap decent ($30 usa) one worth it?

 

[Bob McElfresh]

The coaxial digital cable needs to be made with something called 75 ohm coax. And hopefully, the RCA plugs are somewhere near this.

All video cables are made with 75 ohm coax.

As long as the budget cable works, is well made without loose plugs, and you dont get drop-outs in the sound every few minutes, it's not worth changing.

 

[Dave_Whiting]

I don't know if the current cable is a 75 ohm coaxial. It just says high quality audio cable. Is there any way to tell. What happens if you use a analogue rca cable.

Thanks

 

[Chu Gai]

yes, it's a 75 ohm, probably multistranded as i take it the cable is probably quite flexible, no?

 

[Brian Kleinke]

I just head to Best Buy or whatnot find a nice good quality RCA video cable with good ends (AR Research is what I've been getting) cost is $10-$15 and it works great.

Some guy did a test and found using a metal coat hanger would work quite well (though it lacks shielding)

the digital signal is fairly robust, and you're already using cableing way way over what high speed computer networks use.

Analog Video conectors are another story ;-)

Brian

 

[Alf S]

I concur...stick with a nicely shielded video cable (the kind with yellow RCA connectors) and you'll get all the digital sound that any of those expensive boutique cables would for a fraction of the cost.

Enjoy!

Alfer

 

[Danny Tse]

Since this thread is on the topic of digital coax cable, I was wondering can I use two of these as analog interconnects??

 

[Paul_C]

Yup;

You can use digital IC's for analog but not recommended the other way around. The reason is that analog IC's do not typically use 75 ohm cable.

Good luck.

Paul.

 

[Danny Tse]

Thanks for the info, Paul!

 

[Dave_Whiting]

Chu Gai,

Yip my cable is pretty flexiable. So do you reccon it is a 75 ohm coaxial then.

 

[BruceD]

Dave,

The key is to buy "AV" or "Video" labeled cable to use for a digital cable.

"Video" or "AV" cable is 75 ohm cable, many audio interconnect cables are 50 ohm.

IF the package labeling says "Video" or "AV" cable then you should be fine.

 

[Chu Gai]

i reckon its a 75 ohm multistranded cable probably 20 or 22 gauge copper. i reckon

 

[Dave_Whiting]

But how to be sure? Could I test it with a multi meter?

 

[Chu Gai]

no that won't do it, in fact there's no ready method available for the homeowner to determine this. You see, this 75 ohm is what's called the characteristic impedence and it's independent of length. a 3 foot and a 1000 foot roll will both have a characteristic impedence of 75 ohms (since this is what we're talking about here). Perhaps you're thinking of resistance which could be measured by a VOM. Now if this is going to gnaw at you, go out and pick up some AR Pros or whatever floats your boat.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

But how to be sure? Could I test it with a multi meter?

No.

You need a circuit called a "LCR Bridge".