Thanks, very helpful. The clock is Mutec Ref 10, and they recommend the 50 ohm connection with the Esoteric K1. I was also puzzled, perhaps should check directly with them.
Recommendations for a good audiophile digital coax (BNC-BNC) 50 ohm cable?
Needed for a connection between DAC and clock. Most good cables out there are 75 ohm, and the 50 ohm coax cables easily available are mainly for video, with clearly poor insulation, cable quality and solidity (albeit very cheap! :-). It is my understanding that using a 75 ohm cable for this connection might be OK for extremely short distance (1-2 ft) but for not recommended for "normal" use (1 m or more). Was wondering if I missed something?
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Rajah, Short cables (<1ft) don't have to be impedance matched for average CDP to DAC connection, but your clock provides, according to description, "a very high slew rate", making it necessary to match impedance. Also, this cable normally should be >1.5m, but because of this high slew rate 1m should be fine. You can find 1m BNC-BNC 50ohm cables in Digi-Key or Amazon, like this one: https://www.amazon.com/SDTC-Tech-Coaxial-Antenna-Connector/dp/B07Q3BJ8BV/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=50ohm+coaxial+bnc+cable+1m&qid=1577289259&sr=8-3 |
I am also a firm believer in Wireworld wire, use their BNC terminated cable between my Esoteric player and word clock. You can also try cables from HAVE, Inc., they have standard ones as well will make up special cables for you with any ends that you may need. They use both Mogami and Canare wire products. |
Oh, I see the Mutec has both 75-ohm and 50-ohm outputs; I’d guess the K1 has a 50-ohm circuit, so Mutec suggests you match it. If you bought one of these Amphenol cables (almost free) you would at least have a baseline for assessing the boutique ones. Amphenol has been designing and selling radio-frequency cable and connectors for generations for commercial and military use. It’s hard to imagine that a specialist cable manufacturer working out of a small shop knows RF technology better. With such a cheap baseline, you can decide for yourself (you might want to ask Mutec their opinion -- they are sensible people). |
Thanks guys, indeed several options to go for. It seems (reading between lines) that matching the 50 ohm impedance is more critical than getting a "beautiful looking" audiophile cable, so it might be my best bet to go for a baseline one then stay tuned for a more audiophile for future upgrade (I will indeed try to confirm benefits of such upgrade with Mutec). |
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