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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
grunge1000
101 posts
 

Thanks @audio-b-dog 

rbstehno
1,629 posts
 

Why would you use anything but usb if you want the higher sample rates and dsd which sounds better than cd 16/44? Toslink usually has weaker specs than coax and coax has weaker specs than usb and usb is terrible. Ethernet and i2s are better sounding than using usb. The data going  into my dac from my streamer is in the form of dsd256 and the better i2s cables make a difference.

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

@rbstehno 

Good question. I use the ethernet port on the Moon 280D streamer to connect it to WIFI. My old CD player (transport) does not have a USB port. So, I can connect the CD transport with an optical port, which I had done, or with a coax port, which I'm now doing. All the information I've heard or read says that coax is better than optical. And that's what I've heard with my own ears. But the Moon 280D's USB port must unfortunately remain unused. Unless I connect the TV to it, which I think I will do. So, now tell me anyone, how expensive a USB cable should I use?

rbstehno
1,629 posts
 

The better sounding transports use i2s to the preamp. All of those “special” links from a transport to the preamp (usually by the same manufacturer) was using i2s. 
 

You can buy the most expensive usb cable which will matter, but then what other tweaks/gimmicks will you buy to improve usb? I used many of them but sold all of them 10 or more years ago. Femto clocks, reclockers, cables that separate data and power, Berkeley’s $5000 usb enhancer box, on and on.

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

@rbstehno 

McCormack used a premium OEM transport 25 years ago. Who knows? I will hardly ever play CDs. Everything is available to stream. I'll look around the house. I may have a USB cable lying around somewhere. Otherwise I can always go to Sweetwater who sells no name quality audio stuff mainly for musicians.

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