2. digital
  3. 1060968847

1s are 1s, 0s are 0s, right?

I have been in somewhat of a debate over on the "PC Audio" forum here at A'gon. In a thread titled "Sound card with external DAC."

I would like a few opinions on whether Redbook data is just data, meaning that it really makes no difference what cable is used to transmit the digital signal or which transport is used to obtain it.

It seems logical that so long as the signal is in the digital realm, that 1s and 0s are well, just that. But I digress, personally I feel that everything makes a difference. Transports and cables both can effect the sound.

Am I just hearing things? Or maybe is the end product(sound) more than the sum of its parts (data)? Your thoughts are appreciated.
distortion
hpshps
66 posts
 
Check the archives here at Audiogon and Audio Asylum. This topic has been discussed to death over the last dozen years.
And I agree, transports and cables have an impact on the sound.
sdcampbell
2,136 posts
 
The better technical articles that I've read on this subject conclude that interconnects do make a difference, but not for the same reasons that IC's affect the fidelity of an analog signal. Most of the articles I've read state that the primary factor that affects IC's carrying a digital signal is the impedance. The "best" digital cables are those with a 75 ohm impedance (which apparently minimize the reflection of the signal back toward the signal source), while cables that have a higher impedance "bounce" the signal, causing distortion.
unsound
7,304 posts
 
010101 may not sound like 0 1 0 1 0 1.
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