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:)
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).
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).