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Cable suggestions

Definitely a novice. But figuring this out based on research, advice, and trial / error. Remodeling our home. Have a big, L shaped room with the listening position in front of the short wall with a big offset room behind to the left. 
 

I live in Cave Creek. Have great components. D’Agostino Momentum HD preamp. Currently upgrading my M400 amps to MxV since they are down the street, with Wilson Benesch Resolution speakers with REL 32s. 
 

for my digital side I have an Aurender W20 for my streaming source. Have an Aurender MC10 master clock to time it. But just changed from a Chord DAVE DAC to an MSB Reference DAC which has its own internal clock. 
 

I’ve always used BNC connections from streamer to DAC. But it seems I have two possible issues. 
 

should I use AES EBU connections instead?  And if so, what do you recommend?  Seems that is the better option. And should I get rid of the MC10?  Seems redundant and would free up funds for better cables. 
 

Thank you in advance. I appreciate people’s insight and value your responses. 
 

Cheers

wjcasey3rd
lanx0003
1,939 posts
 

Trust me. Cables matter although I could not discern the difference it makes from power and usb (a to b) cables. 

roadcykler
340 posts
 

You won't hear a difference doing objective, blind testing. But you've obviously already spent a lot of money so what's a few thousand more to say you've got "better" cables too?

ted_b
72 posts
 

@wjcasey3rd for my digital side I have an Aurender W20 for my streaming source. Have an Aurender MC10 master clock to time it. But just changed from a Chord DAVE DAC to an MSB Reference DAC which has its own internal clock. 

Your Chord DAVE had its own internal clock as well, but you weren’t using it, and you won’t be using your new DAC’s internal clock either with AES EBU.

The DAC’s internal clock is used only with a USB connection. With the other connection types (e.g. SPDIF, AES EBU, I2S), your source’s (Aurender) internal clock is the master. If you did not notice any difference with the MC10 before, you probably won’t now either. 

It would be well worth your time to contact MSB about this for an opinion. They offer multiple input modules and make a big deal of their USB architecture performance, which is the only solution that makes the MSB DAC’s clock the master. Nobody here knows more about this DAC than they do.

jmrrobbie1
86 posts
 

Nice system....  really nice!

I went with AES between my Aurender N20 and my Berkely Audio Dac....using Shunyata Research Omega...it is a keeper. I talked to both Aurender and Berkely beforehand = both indicated AES was the way to go & both indicated the 2nd most important cable in your system...next to speakers.

kerrybh
679 posts
 

I thought the MSB reference would buffer and reclock the incoming signal using its Femto clock, but I certainly agree it is worthwhile contacting MSB. You might also watch the latest edition of the HIFI 5 podcast wherein the MSB gurus were guests and this very point was addressed. The MSB guys are of the Ed Meitner school of thought that better performance is gained by having the clock as close as possible to the conversion function. They are not advocates of external clocks even though they could likely sell a bunch of them if they so chose.

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