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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  (Threads | Answers | This Thread) 12-01-00

Responses (101-150 of 251)

Click title to read one, or click date to read all below it. 11-11-02   Jeez, that was terrific. who are you?   Drubin 11-11-02   Actually the spdif signal is digital, not dual-phase sinewav ...   Audioengr 11-12-02: Sean While it is strictly a matter of semantics, the actual digital out signal from a transport is sent at 2.822 MHz. If one could resonate a cable that introduced a perfect non-reactive 75 ohm load at that frequency, you would end up with no standing waves. Bare in mind that terminating and feedpoint impedances are a LOT more complex than just selecting a 75 ohm cable ( we wish it was that simple ). This would allow the transport to load up easier due to a complete lack of reflections and a clearer signal path to transmit the data, which theoretically should drastically reduce jitter. This takes for granted that the transport and dac would both have nominal 75 ohm inputs & outputs though. This is something that i've been meaning to check into but just haven't gotten around to it. Sean > Sean  (Threads | Answers | This Thread) 11-12-02   Looks like you're right audioengr. i got into an argument w ...   Neilejhunt 12-10-02   Picking up on what redkiwi said about coax vs. digital, i an ...   Moto_man 12-10-02   Sean wrote: there may be no standing waves to a pure sine w ...   Audioengr 12-10-02   Forgive me for coming late into conversation... from what i ...   Spluta 12-11-02   Audioengr: tara worked with terminating impedances years ag ...   Sean 12-11-02   Gentlemen, there are always impedance mismatches.. the tric ...   Spluta 12-11-02   A 10% mismatch ( vswr of 2.0 ) at rf frequencies ( which dig ...   Sean 12-11-02   Sean, i can tell you there is an 80-90% chance that the las ...   Spluta 12-13-02   Taxes are not "mandatory", nor are "mismatche ...   Sean 12-13-02   Sean, i need to talk to your tax guy :-) i agree with you ...   Spluta 12-13-02   I would probably have to agree with the possible theory that ...   foreverhifi2000@ 12-14-02   Spluta: i was primarily refering to audio and low frequency ...   Sean 12-14-02   Sean, can i still have your tax guys number? just kidding. ...   Spluta 12-15-02   Forever, are you saying the reason the systems you site as s ...   leme@ 12-23-02   I am not well read on auditory theory, but i seem to remembe ...   Elfromage 12-24-02   "yes" is the short answer. i don't necessarily agr ...   Drubin 12-26-02   I'm jumping into this late but here goes. first, don't assu ...   Pmi_guy 12-26-02   Leme@lone.com no actually you'd be wrong!...i swear!!! in ...   foereverhifi2000@ 12-26-02   Does anyone know where i can find some thx certified lamp co ...   Voodoochile 12-28-02   Foreverhifi: i might agree with john dunlavy regarding his ...   Sean 12-31-02   Simply look at how many digital cables are being sold and bo ...   Infinity_audio 01-30-03   Impeadance matching is the most important factor. this is go ...   Larry_hb 02-05-03   Expensive digital cables sound different because you sit low ...   Eldartford 02-06-03   I still think a more interesting question is: why do ac cabl ...   Tok20000 03-07-03   Here's what you need to do... go to your local wal-mart and ...   Steven5737 04-27-03   I want a dac with a slot for pc133 sdram, a 5 1/4 drive bay ...   audiogon@ 12-30-03   This discussion died off. why? i'm in the "i can hear ...   Ampsarus1 02-23-04   I have noticed that there are differences, but that they do ...   Joemazzaglia 02-24-04   Here is my digital cable upgrade path over last 3yrs, gettin ...   Megasam 03-17-04   Over spring break, i had a chance to listen to my rotel/coax ...   Joemazzaglia 03-24-04   I was one of the original people to post on this topic, almo ...   Dtf 03-28-04   check out bryston's website.they have a simple yet accurate ...   Darinr 03-30-04   As there are in power cords great differences are to be hear ...   Theaudiotweak 04-02-04   unlike other areas in cable design that are questionable ...   Sean125 04-02-04   For sake of clarity, i am not sean125. i didn't want anyone ...   Sean 04-02-04   Sean, "departure"? what did i miss?   Edesilva 04-17-04   I use the i2s stock cable.would upgrading this type of cable ...   g.ellis1@ 07-01-04   I have a question for the engineers here. when playing arou ...   Redkiwi 07-06-04   Red: i've heard very similar sonic traits when using certain ...   Sean 08-31-04   The trick is the overshooting or undershooting from the digi ...   ading@ 09-01-04   Red - i think you're mad actually, just kidding.... i have ...   Audioengr 09-01-04   Ading - what engineering school did you go to????? ive neve ...   Audioengr 09-01-04   Spluta wrote: "from what ive seen there is a major flaw ...   Audioengr 10-01-04   End of msg.   Joemazzaglia 10-01-04   Just because the current state of engineering science (which ...   Nglazer 11-20-04   When can this issue go to the scrap heap of history?   Jburidan 02-16-05   If all this is true, how come that the purist balance digita ...   sgreent@

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