Do I need an expensive digital cable?

The 280D’s D/A conversion is built around the ESS Sabre ES9018K2M DAC chipset.

That chip is used in a fully asynchronous design, with support up to PCM 32-bit/384 kHz and up to DSD256 via USB/network (depending on input).

@audio-b-dog Ok, I now understand what’s happening here. This description language is a product of its time, referring to this older, low-power ESS (portable DAC) chip as the first generation ESS DAC chip being able to operate USB asynchronously (ASRC), meaning with a separate USB interface chip and its own clock. This is nothing new in 2026, but was a novel development years ago because earlier chips used the jittery source USB bus frame clock as the audio clock. The digital inputs in your unit almost certainly function as any other DAC, and when using coax, you are using the CD transport’s clock, whereas with streaming, you are using the DAC’s internal clock.

Here is an old article (2013) with a good description of the source (e.g. computer) providing synchronous USB transfer.

@ted_b 

You are right. It uses an older ESS DAC chip, although I don't know if that makes you right about whether the transport's clock is used.

I will tell you one thing, I think the Moon 280 D was a deal. At least for me. It doesn't have a screen. The streaming interface is on an iPad or phone. It does not have a preamp or headphone amp. Just simple lights on the front telling the user the input in play and the quality (44.1, 48, 96, etc.) It does use, however, the same software as the more expensive Moon streamers. When I auditioned it I could not tell the difference between the 280D and streams costing more than twice its price. I didn't think I'd stream much, but I am doing more than I thought. I have heard better streamers, but this one errs in a musical way, kind of like tube gear. So, I'll keep it.

Look @ Apogee Wyde Eye cables as they had a good one (years ago) for less than $40.

Tried Kimber Illuminati and DH Labs D75 (superseded by the D750) as well.

DeKay

@audio-b-dog let us know what people from the Moon say. 

@devinplombier 

Any digital device that does error correction must use buffers.  Buffers also allow smoothing between the chunks of data arriving, and the drip feed out of audio samples.

I was concentrating on the loss of complete data packets which buffering on its own cannot correct.

CDs had error detection and correction worked out in minute detail from the get go, and incidentally need a 2,000 character buffer as a minimum.

It is staggering how far backwards we have come since