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Why does my DAC sound so much better after upgrading digital SPDIF cable?

I like my Mps5 playback designs sacd/CD player but also use it as a DAC so that I can use my OPPO as a transport to play 24-96 and other high res files I burn to dvd-audio discs.

I was using a nordost silver shadow digital spdif cable between the transport and my dac as I felt it was more transparent and better treble than a higher priced audioquest digital cable a dealer had me audition.

I recently received the Synergistic Research Galileo new SX UEF digital cable.  Immediately I recognized that i was hearing far better bass, soundstage, and instrument separation than I had ever heard with high res files (non sacd),

While I am obviously impressed with this high end digital cable and strongly encourage others to audition it, I am puzzled how the cable transporting digital information to my DAC from my transport makes such a big difference.

The DAC take the digital information and shapes the sound so why should the cable providing it the info be so important. I would think any competently built digital cable would be adequate....I get the cable from the DAC to the preamp and preamp to amp matter but would think the cable to the DAC would be much less important.

I will now experiment to see if using the external transport to send red book CD files to my playback mps5 sounds better than using the transport inside the mps5 itself.

The MPS5 sounds pretty great for ca and awesome with SACD so doubt external transport will be improvement for redhook cds


128x128karmapolice
celander's avatar
celander
1,502 posts
 
I guess I need to upgrade the speakers in my iPhone X. I only can discern the differences of random jitter noise from that website link on my iPhone, regardless of file samples. 

Yet I fall into Steve’s (@audioengr) camp regarding discerning obvious SQ differences due to a high quality jitter clock or external reclocker that produces ultra low jitter (e.g., 10 psec jitter output at the end of a BNC-terminated coaxial cable) when listening to digital music playback on my home audio system. A digital audio signal having psec-levels of jitter readily manifests itself as an improved analog audio SQ effect on the dimensionality of the reproduced sound field and the realism of instruments and vocals conveyed therein. 
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celander's avatar
celander
1,502 posts
 
@bluesmen:
I have owned both the AA DTI and the SF Ultra Jitterbug. Both are great digital signal reclockers, significantly reducing jitter in the resultant digital stream and yielded greatly improved SQ. I can’t recall the DTI’s output jitter levels, but the Ultra Jitterbug output jitter level was < 40 psec.

The EA Synchro Mesh reclocker takes this principle to another level with a reported output jitter level of 7 psec. I can’t recall, but I think one has to have Steve modify the SM design (remove the output transformer?) to get that reduced jitter level. It’s an inexpensive mod. Here’s a link: 
http://www.empiricalaudio.com/products/synchro-mesh
mzkmxcv
777 posts
 

@audioengr

I know an iPhone isn’t resolving, just giving a reference point. However, did you use that link and take the test? Be honest if you actually could differentiate the 2 microsecond (random or periodic) with music playing; even if you could, now imagine the difference being ~91,000 times smaller (2 microseconds vs 22psec).

And again, customer feedback proves nothing, as placebo is more likely be factor.

As for a “personal attack”, Empirical Audio/you sell a $700 reclocking device, so I was pointing out it would be unlikely for you to admit, the truth, that jitter in Toslink cables is a non-issue.

Suggesting that for the time it takes for the speed of sound to travel 0.0000002979 inches (22psec), which is also a phase shift of 0.0001584° at 20kHz and 0.0000001584° at 20Hz, to be audible is on the verge of insanity.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

Jitter is an issue with every piece of digital gear, even Toslink.  Toslink has the additional issue of conversion from electrical to optical and optical back to electrical.  Each of these stages adds jitter.  Even a single gate adds jitter.

If you don't think you can hear these differences, fine.  I have hundreds of Synchro-Mesh customers that do hear the difference.  I don't need your business.

The only reason that I respond to your posts is to debunk what you are saying, which may lead other audiophiles down the garden path.

It's like debunking the record crowd size claimed at the Trump inauguration.  Somebody has to do it.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

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