I Had a Chance to Finally Demo the Black Cat Digit-75
Well, I recently had the opportunity to try out the Black Cat Digit-75. And truthfully I was a bit skeptical about how much better it would be over my Black Cat Silverstar 75 MkII. But I was willing to give it a shot.
Wow!! Simply Wow!!
The soundstage is deeper and a tad bit wider! And if I had to describe it, it would be like saying the BC Silverstar 75 MkII is the "skeleton" (and a very fine skeleton). But the Digit-75 is the meat on the bones!! Both are magnificent, but I have a very revealing system so I can hear quite clearly any coloration or lack thereof. These cables have the same clarity, however, the Digit-75 provided more "body." The biggest difference I noticed was the increase in the midrange. It was full-bodied and warmer and in comparison, the Silverstar 75 MkII was a bit "thinner" sounding and more analytical. Both are extremely fine cables with excellent PRAT. But the broader and noticeably deeper soundstage of the Digit-75 won me over! It was as if the singers were closer to you and the arena (for live performances in particular) was larger.
I listened to Diane Krall's, Live in Paris, and it sounded like I was only a few rows back from the stage. There is a certain liveliness to the sound that the SilverStar doesn't have. There's this almost 3-D quality that is organic and not forced.
I was equally impressed by the fact the bass was actually better! But it wasn't "bloomy" sounding or overblown, just more full-bodied and robust while maintaining all the same naturalness and without any extra coloration. That is a very hard trick to pull off.
I would say the SilverStar cable leans slightly toward the analytical side of neutral while the Digit-75 leans more towards the warmer side of neutral. But both are very good and neither is fatiguing (as has been my experience with what I consider at least to be analytical-sounding cables, and why I don't like some of AudioQuest's higher-end line of cables like The Thunderbird).
The highs are nicely balanced with the mids and bass and overall the sound is beautifully cohesive and coherent. It is not as liquid sounding as some other digital cables, but just right for those who like a very balanced cable that is able to accentuate highs, mids, and lows through great layering.
Now the "perfectionist" conundrum...
Should I just go with the "top-of-the-line" TRON which is reputed to be even BETTER!! And never have to wonder, "What if??" Or go with the Digit-75 and consider the Law of Diminishing Returns?
(The advertisement says The Digit-75 is a "trickle down" TRON and costs nearly 3-times less).
Nice review! I'm always thinking " how much better is the top cable, etc..?" Sometimes the difference is too subtle; other times it's quite a bit better. Is it worth it to you? I would stay with the Digit. It sounds like a "Q" Point for your system; enjoy it! I try to keep myself " in check", all the time; The " Audio Itch " is always there, LOL! We need to sit back and enjoy and always Turn it up!
Great review!I have the Black Cat Coppertone speaker cables which I think are excellent also.I always wonder if I should have gone with the next level higher too:)But then I think about the point of diminishing returns......then come back down to earth and enjoy rediscovering my favorite music:)
Well, sad to report, I took the bait! I actually purchased the TRON.
Let me say that you are absolutely correct, there comes a time of diminishing returns. But I have pretty much decided with the exception of a streamer this will be my last major purchase (barring any cable upgrades; not even components because I'm very happy thus far with what I have). See how I tried to justify that? :)
I just received the Black Cat TRONS on Monday so I'm running them 24 hours a day at this point. But my initial impressions are very favorable!
If I had to put a percentage on the differences between the Silverstar 75 MkII and the Digit 75, I'd say the SS is 30% of what the TRON is, and the Digit 75 is 70% of what the TRON is!
The price/benefit ration would place the Digit 75 as the better "value" (around $700/meter) compared to the TRON ($1,999/meter).
But so far in my uber early evaluation with about 60 hours of burn-in time, the TRON is superior. It just is.
Just quickly, the first day I was a tad disappointed because while the depth and soundstage were there, it wasn't as articulate as I thought it would be (a tad bit muddy sounding). So I change the direction of the cable and "Voila!" what I was looking for was slowly coming to life. But there was a certain bright sheen to the highs I was not liking. After 3 days, that sheen is lessening and I can hear better depth to the soundstage already! And it seems each day there's better tonal cohesiveness.
I'll give it a few more weeks and report back! I don't see a lot of in-depth postings about the TRON on here and hopefully, I can help someone else who is in the market for it better decide!
Just saw this post. I have tried the Silverstar Mk I against the Digit 75 and the Tron. I own both the Digit and Tron. The Silverstar was loaned from a friend.
Yours observations are very similar to mine except that the gap between the Digit 75 and Tron for me are much more than 30 %. A lot comes down to run-in. It took at least two weeks for continuous signal before the Tron really came alive. By then, you will find that the haze is totally gone and you get much more microdetail and dimensionality compared to the Digit 75. You are certainly in for a treat !
Well, it's been about 2 1/5 weeks and I'm just reporting on the differences I hear thus far. The edginess I experienced initially has lessened greatly. The soundstage sounds more settled and three-dimensional. And the overall sound is warmer. Just for fun, I let it run about another 72 hours and I haven't heard any significant changes.
I am very pleased with the overall sonic signature of the Black Cat TRON Digital BNC cables. If you're interested in them I would highly recommend you audition with your system first. But I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Thanks for the update and both honest evaluations.It's SO much more helpful to others than the usual *I upgraded to MK lll and it sounds better*.Happy listening!
I've now had the Black Cat TRON in my system for a few months. The sound staging is amazing! It has not lost any of it's PRAT, but it seems a bit more "relaxed" sounding, not quite as sterile (by comparison) as it did the first few weeks I played it. I was considering getting the Audience Front Row speaker cables down the road, but there's no need to. The sound is more open with broader dynamics. This cable pushes the entire soundstage closer to you. And for some that may not be preferable. But for me I love it!
By way of comparison, I received the Sablon Pantela cables a few weeks ago. The Sablon is very, very nice but different. The highs are slightly "buttery smooth." For someone who likes a more warm, slightly lusher sound and not quite as precise (PRAT isn't as good as the TRON), you'd love them! They're different but that should not be interpreted as bad or lesser than.
I have spoken to Mike (the owner of Sablon Audion) and for the money and sound, they would be a wonderful choice! But the TRON (though very expensive is still my slight favorite). The TRON is probably for the more discerning listener. The one who loves micro-dynamics! And for those who prefer a more "LIVE" sounding experience. And on the other end of the scale for the person who has a less transparent system, so they need to squeeze every ounce of transparency they can out of their system. Mine is very transparent and so if you have a good recording you can hear all the little nuances which I prefer.
But, if you like to be simply immersed in a very lush sound and you're not as anal about hearing the aforementioned nuances, The Sablon would be my recommendation. It gives you similar soundstage without as much micro-dynamics and it seems to excel more in the mid-frequencies and rolls off slightly in the higher ones. I mean I could listen to the Sablon Pantela all day and not grow fatigued at all! I'm using it with the Chord MScaler and Hugo TT2.
Either one would be an excellent choice! But with everything try your best to audition either one first, because system synergy is paramount.
Hi Guys I have had SS mk2 and the Digit 75 mk2 i now have the Tron and it is probably the best I have heard. I also have Black Cat interconnects and speaker cables in my system. Just beautiful
Hi Guys sorry for not mentioning the model numbers of the black cat cables. Interconnects are 3202 xlr from preamp to power amp. Interconnect 3202 rca from preamp to Dac. Speaker cables 3232 pr. I have had in the past numerous cables Mit, Cardas,Audioquest,Nordost,Mojo audio etc. and I always find something was missing emotionally until I got involved with Black Cat ( there could be better out there) and I find myself now extremely involved like you are there 2-3 row seats. Extremely coherent from top to bottom very well balance none fatiguing. My other gears are Jeff Rowland Concerto preamp,Ayre V5xe,Mojo Mystique V2plus dac,Jays Audio cdt2 mk2 Transport , Usher DMD Mini 2 speakers and a pair of Rel T7I subs. Also I have been in this hobby for over 30 years. There you have it. Thanks for looking. Fi.
Hi, I was using a Black Cat Veloce with my new Schiit Bifrost 2 Dac. It easily trounced Unison USB and other digital cables; some many times more expensive than the Veloce. Sound was more transparent, natural and 3D with the Veloce. Based on the thoughtful insight of the members on this thread, I decided to purchase a Digit 75 Mk Ii. Member mrc4U described it perfectly. IMHO there is more body to the vocalists with the other band members slightly recessed deeper in the soundstage. So natural and lifelike! Thanks guys!
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