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Do I need an expensive digital cable?

I have been using a fairly inexpensive optical cable to connect my CD transport to my Moon 280D streamer. I was told that an SPDIFcoax cable would sound better. For an experiment I purchased an inexpensive Pangea coax cable. It didn't sound at all because its terminator ends did not fit snugly in my equipment. I consulted chatgbt who often gives me audio advice. It advised that for the short run of 1 meter, an RCA interconnect would work. It did. And sounded much better than the optical. Chatgbt said that RCA interconnect was good enough.

Now, there is a twist to this story that might make those doubters think twice. A digital cable carries packets of information that are rechecked to assure that the streamer is recieving correct information. There is the timing concern, though. But my Moon 280D has an asynchronous DAC with a clock as part of the DAC. Any information sent by my transport, whether it is clocked by the transport or not, will go through the Moon's asynchronous DAC's clock. So ;there shouldn't be a timing problem. Should there?

Can anyone make a case that I should buy a "better" coax cable?

audio-b-dog
daledeee1's avatar
daledeee1
677 posts
 

I probably won't explain this right.  I had a copper Pine Tree Audio digital coax.  I bought a new streamer and dac, actually used.  Salesman suggested a Nordost Purple Flare USB.  USB uses the DAC clock.  COAX relies on the streamer clock.  I balked at the 160 but it definitely sounds better.  A DDC on the other hand was hit and miss whether there was much of an improvement.  I no nothing about DDC except no standards like other data cables

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
8,125 posts
 

audio-b-dog's avatar

audio-b-dog OP

573 posts

 

Here is Simaudio's answer to my question about the Moon 280D's asynchronous DAC: Yes, that is correct. The 280D’s asynchronous DAC applies across all digital inputs, including optical and SPDIF. The DAC's clock takes precedence over the CD transport’s clock.
 

👍

audio-b-dog's avatar
audio-b-dog OP
883 posts
 

@audphile1 

I think the above information from Simaudio suggests that the quality of the cable running from the CD transport should not matter at all. My $14 one (on the way) should work as well as a $4,000 one. Anyway, I will test it against the RCA analogue interconnect that does seem to work quite well.

soix
11,253 posts
 

I think the above information from Simaudio suggests that the quality of the cable running from the CD transport should not matter at all. My $14 one (on the way) should work as well as a $4,000 one.

That’s just simply not true.  Try a $200 cable from DH Labs, Veritas, Morrow, Triode Wire Labs, etc. who I think all offer free trials and you’ll see what you’re missing with little/no risk.  That you already heard a significant difference between a cheap optical and RCA interconnect should tell you digital cables most certainly make a difference. 

audio-b-dog's avatar
audio-b-dog OP
883 posts
 

@soix 

I haven't received the 75 ohm optical coax yet. So, I'm still waiting for that test. Which dealer do you suggest whom you know will take back a cable? I deal a lot with Music Direct. Maybe they will? On paper, technically, there is a good argument that a cheap cable will work as well as an expensive one since the signal will be clocked after it is received by the streamer.

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