2. cables
  3. 131664-90127

Digital coax cable, real world experiences?

Yes I know ANOTHER cable thread....lol
Guess that is why it has its own complete section
My question regards a cable I have not really paid much attention to previously, the digital coax connection from my media server to my preamp.
I was using a very old generic connection that is at least 15 years old but acquired a pretty cheap tributaries digital coax cable and thought oh well lets change it.
I was shocked and stunned at just how much more detail was present and the depth and solidity of bass was near overwhelming, granting I was listening to some pretty bass intense material at the time but still!
Now do not get me wrong I was once one of the biggest cable naysayers you would find and still think the majority of me now hearing changes is the quality of the rest of my system as previous "lower fi" systems just did not truly reveal any note(pun intended) worthy changes.
So my question is if I heard a significant difference with a fairly inexpensive cable what may occur with really going up the food chain on a digital coax cable? Or was it more that my previous no name very old cable was just that ..very old and poor.
Thoughts and real world experiences on digital coax cables?

128x128uberwaltz

Showing 12 responses by uberwaltz

uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
@wgutz

good time to stay with tidal.....
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
Had given the AQ Hawkeye a chance to redeem itself and after quite a few hours playing it has definitley smoothed out and is now quite tuneful with gorgeous accents on piano and female vocals and acoustic guitar, very well suited to my current hot fave listen "Mostly Autumn", a Celtic folk progressive rock band.
Even though it was purchased as used it seems like it may have had so few hours on it, if any indeed, that it required some serious break in time.

Now fairly content....for now...lol
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
I completely forgot that my vault is ALREADY MQA ready...doh!
So from last night onwards I have been running comparos between the analog out and the digital out from the vault into my McIntosh and yes I can hear a difference on the 192 analog out.
So no need to spend any money at all bar for some decent rca interconnects as I do not have any as rest of stuff is all xlr
Happy days indeed
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
@jond 
so even though my Mcintosh dac is limited to 96, an external dac could pass 192 though the analog outs direct into a set of analog inputs on the McIntosh?
Interesting, now all I have to do is research affordable mqa dacs!
thank you!
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
Just to digress a little.
My McIntosh is limited to 96 max so even though mqa is max at 192 the only way to obtain 192 would be replacing my McIntosh?
I am using the McIntosh digital input direct from my bluesound vault2 and running tidal mqa tracks.
Now I can hear a difference on the 96 vs 44.1 from comparing albums on tidal side by side.
But even if I bought a mqa capable dac, the bottleneck would still be,my McIntosh preamp yes? Or? 
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
Lot of toe tapping going on tonight
Finally got around to trying out the MQA releases on Tidal.
Even though my Mac pre is limited to 96 it is a nice improvement, bass is more taut, soundstage deeper, just more impact and presentation over all.
Nice to see some old classics reworked like Uriah Heep!
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
battery pack had not been disconnected and it is a used cable so should be well broken in by now
did not sound edgy and disjointed just terrible bass control and bloated
i have it now so will experiment later...lol
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
Just going to add another experience
I purchased a used AudioQuest Hawkeye interconnect with the 72vbs and fitted it today, should obvioulsy be better as it cost a heck of a lot more than the old Tributaries cable, right?
quack quack oops, truly a move backwards, bass is now very boomy and bloated and the air and prescence have receded far into the background.
Swapped cables back and played the same piece of music again just to make sure and back to where it was, which is actually very nice sounding to my ears so maybe it definitely is time to just leave well alone and enjoy the music!

Anybody want to buy an AQ cable?
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
@jea48 
Not yet tried that as not at home but will on Friday. Interesting as I remember having an old Monster cable digital coax that had direction arrows on the cable itself.

@janehamble 
Exactly my findings which is reason  for this thread....lol
Glad to see not just myself!
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
It does sound like there is a lot to be possibly gained by upgrading way further on this digital cable.
But I also then run the risk of chasing the rabbit down the hole on the never ending upgrade spiral yet again
I guess sometimes you just have to say enough is enough for now and leave well alone and just enjoy the darn music...which is what it is all supposed to be about right?
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
@shadorne 

Not arguing with you as that is not where this thread needs to go

HOWEVER
What I actually said was that when I had "inferior equipment" that a change of cable made no audible difference to my ears...exactly the opposite of what you are stating?

It was only when I upgraded to "superior equipment" that I started to hear differences with differing cables.

Possibly with that logic I should be downgrading again until I reach the point where no change in cable affects a difference?



uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
Interesting views so far. although I must respectfully disagree with Shadorne view
As I said my experience was with inferior equipment I heard little or zero improvement with cable change not as seems to be suggested that I would hear a big difference and then assume I have to upgrade my equipment.
I firmly believe it would be a complete waste of dollars to spend say $500 on a digital interconnect if the cd player/ transport/ dac whatever only cost $500 or $1000.
Just my thoughts and performance I have noted in my systems as they have evolved over the years
More to discover