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

@audphile1 

Sorry about the grumpiness. I'm grumpy a lot. I'd say it has to do with age, and it does, but I've been accused all my life of being a bit cantankerouus (sp?) 

Okay, so I will try the $14 digital coax when it comes in a few days to see if it sounds any better. I'm listening to the RCA interconnect and it sounds really good. In theory, a highly jittered signal should be straightened out at the Moon's DAC. After I test the $14 cable I will order the D750 from DH Labs and see how it sounds. 

It does strike me that a 44.1 kHz signal out of the transport sounds better than a 44.1 kHz signal from my streamer. Obviously, when the sampling goes up the sound gets better. Although I can play SACD and Audio DVD on my McCornack multi-disk player, the Moon 280D will only receive the 44.1 signal. I play the SACDs and DVD audios through the McCormack's DAC. Which really isn't that bad. When I listen carefully, I can hear that the Moon's DAC is better on Redbook CDs. But I do have to listen carefully.

Okay. More on the experiment later.

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

@soix 

I plan to do what you're suggesting. I have read a lot of audio mags for more years than I care to admit, and I have never read anyone talk about the difference a cable makes into an asynchronous DAC. Probably because they're new. Anyway, perhaps I will have the chance to be the firs to weigh in on the subject.

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
8,121 posts
 

@audio-b-dog 

Sorry about the grumpiness. I’m grumpy a lot. I’d say it has to do with age, and it does, but I’ve been accused all my life of being a bit cantankerouus (sp?) 

Nothing new at this point.
 

It does strike me that a 44.1 kHz signal out of the transport sounds better than a 44.1 kHz signal from my streamer. 

I have no interest in telling how you can improve your streaming to equal or better your cd transport because all that will accomplish is trigger another wave of arguments based on your incomplete understanding and inability to absorb any information in less than 5 attempts. May be someone else will volunteer. I’ll be here with my popcorn. 

dr-hooves's avatar
dr-hooves
48 posts
 

In my experience the better the cohesive standard of a system, the more likely it is that optical data transfer is better, for example optical isolators in DAC's.

If you get a large improvement from the use of Coax then there is something wrong with the system conductivity.

Mains Coherence is important as generally there is always a problem with such, seen or unseen

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

And I will continue my experiment, keeping it at a reasonable $ amount. Dr. Hooves threw in a real wringer. My equipment is the problem, not the cables. Oh, well. A hobby with almost infinite permutations.

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