Why aren’t BNC jacks common?


Digital connection between a source component and DAC calls for typically other a 75 ohm impedance or 110 ohm impedance cable. Sourcing a 110 ohm cable is easy- it’s very common. But a 75 ohm cable? Not so much primarily because just about every RCA terminated cable is not a 75 ohm cable, however, true 75 ohm cable is a snap with BNC terminations. BNC is not expensive and arguably it’s a more secure connection than is RCA. I therefore do not understand why components with BNC jacks are very rare. Perhaps you can argue the ommission of a BNC connection is justified on mass market gear but on high end gear?  Can someone provide an explanation that makes at least some sense? My DAC supports BNC (Bricasti) but my CD transport (Simaudio) does not. Thanks!! 

zavato

By long ago, I meant from the 1970's. Dick Sequerra, George Kaye, John Curl, Bob Fulton, Dick Marsh in my experiences with them (in and outside audio) all agreed and used them on their personal systems or research designs.

 

I love BNC terminators, especially with good quality cabling.

From the original post, my comment though is that I am aware of 75 Ω and 50 Ω impedance for BNC (50 Ω normally reserved for clock signals from devices like the Mutec Ref10 Series) for Word Clocks and Master Clocks, whilst the default is usually 75 Ω.

110 Ω is usually reserved for AES/EBU digital cables - another fav of mine.

My T+A DAC 200 has support for these (but no clocking) as do many others like the Holo May KTE.

Then devices like the Hegel Viking CD player also has 75 Ω BNC output.

A special case is the Chord Hugo TT2 / M-scaler which have DUAL BNC for their special upsampling to 768KHz instead of the standard limitations of 384KHz. Won't work with anything else!

I won't delve into any preference for cable brands - there are many and it's really personal preference and of course one's wallet!

I am a career electrophysiologist (neurophysiologist).  BNC cables have been the standard cable in electrophysiology labs since at least the ’70s.  Simply put, they’re reliable, flexible, quiet, easy to make, and inexpensive.  RG58 cable and BNC connectors - done.  

Why aren’t BNC jacks common?

Simply that there is no audio industry standard, and there is no mechanism to create an industry wide standard.

@kennyc I see it as a lack of courage among high end manufacturers of digital gear. They claim to strive for the best and yet incorporating BNC is so insignificant in terms of production costs it becomes inexplicable.