Amazing to me this improved my system to this degree as the clock cable does not transmit any sound or audio information.
I know it’s crazy. But it’s amazing to me that you didn’t think that the Alpha X can be better than BJC. No matter the placement or a type of cable.
BJC is what it is and Shinyata equal it isn’t. BJC is a baseline. Nothing more. I have a BJC coax and compared Audience FrontRow reserve to it. Difference is insane. It was a loaner and I don’t need this cable but just like BJC interconnects their digital cables work but they are nowhere near top performance.
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@audphile1
I just was just very skeptical that the quality of the Clock cable would have such an impact. Others had told me it would have minimal impact. Going in if I knew a very expensive clock cable would make a substantial difference then Shunyata would have been my first choice.
I plan another post about my experiences with Shunyata ground cables
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Was it the cables tested the Sigma v1 and Omega v1 as those are discontinued.
I am also looking to upgrade my Sigma v1 clock cable,. I did try the Sigma v2 and did not like it, surely more clarity, definition and tighter bass, but found it more distant and not as full and rich sounding.
Was your new Alpha x less resolute but easier and fuller sounding over the Sigma and omega clock cables you tested?
I too felt on the Sigma v2 clock cable that the noise reduction filters were too string and was stripping away harmonics in my system.
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I ordered some Mil Spec 75 Ohm and 50 ohm BNC cables from Pasternack.com.
Not all 75 Ohm cables use 75 Ohm connectors. Some "75 Ohm" cables are constructed with 50 Ohm connectors and vice versa.
Their site let's you choose cable type, and connectors to ensure you are getting the true impedance you are looking for.
https://www.pasternack.com/cable-assemblies-category.aspx?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Pasternack%20-%20Branded&keyword=pasternak%20cable&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=148564121&gbraid=0AAAAAD9oPYPRx5CUJy23WdyCnvHd6nKbJ&gclid=CjwKCAjwt-_FBhBzEiwA7QEqyOLAk55TAYRtie7TjLeVQ67tYcGFDaSCXH1qL7UqwdJZnr56te7VzRoC8_4QAvD_BwE
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The reason you hear such a big difference is because digital cables aren't really digital. The signal going through the cable is analog. You can't send a bunch of 1's and 0's through a piece of wire. The signal is actually an analog representation of the digital signal. That means it can be affected by the same things as any analog cable.
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@oddiofyl let us know what and how they work out.
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@052rc correcto mundo
@jfrmusic you should also take a few Ethernet cables out of lending library for a spin. I’d recommend Shunyata, Audience and WireWorld. Go for top of the line WireWorld. I use their mid tier WW Starlight 10 Twinax on Roon Nucleus One and Audience Hidden Treasure on my Meitner DAC. The WW cable was a very nice surprise especially for the money.
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@justubes2
You described the issue I heard with the Sigma and Omega Clock cables. More subdued presentation because of additional noise filtering . And yes the X version also added a more refined and laid back presentation but also noticeably improved soundstage, imaging and detail retrieval.
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@052rc - I'm not quite sure what you're getting at, as ALL my digital cables are wire, and they seem to send 0's and 1's quite effectively. Including my USB cable. So I don't see why audiophile1 agrees with you. I do know they have a send/receive function in the associated equipment, so maybe that's what you're meaning?
And, speaking of 75Ω digi cables, I've now measured, across all possible points, about 8 digi coax cables, and NONE of them measure 75Ω, across any two points. They just measure like any other 'normal' phono cable. So where does the 75Ω label come from, and why don't they measure 75Ω if there's no 75Ω measurement anywhere? I've tried shorting + & - at one end, and measure across the other end, but no 75Ω result! I've also measured two 110Ω AES/EBU cables, and I can't get a 110Ω reading from anywhere. My Fluke meter is working perfectly btw, before someone blames that.
I, and several 'Audiophile' friends who own the other cables would be very interested to hear any explanation, as the 75Ω naming makes no sense to us.
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It’s the analog signal, in case of copper digital cables, that carries 1s and 0s in form of electrical pulses - basically voltage fluctuations. Variables - type of material, quality of conductor and connectors.
With optical toslink cables it’s the light pulses.
No need to start a discussion on whether cables make a difference or not. Search the forums and read up on opinions from both camps. There’s no reason to start this here. It’s been covered ad nauseam.
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Thanks for sharing you experience.
It is amazing. The pursuit is so full of non-intuitive realities. That analog cables matter, digital cables matter... power cables matter. I think there was a saying from the 70's that sticks no mater what... everything matters.
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@daveteauk
ChatGPT for the answer
Great question. The “75 ohms” rating of a BNC digital audio (or video) cable refers to the cable’s characteristic impedance, not its DC electrical resistance.
Here’s what that means:
- Characteristic Impedance (75 Ω):
This is a property of the cable as a transmission line, determined by the ratio of its inductance and capacitance per unit length (geometry + dielectric material). It describes how signals “see” the cable when traveling at high frequencies (like digital audio or clock signals).
- Why It Matters for Clock Signals:
A digital word clock is a high-frequency square wave (essentially RF-like in behavior). To keep the edges clean and avoid reflections, the cable’s impedance must match the source and load. In audio/video and word clock systems, that standard impedance is 75 Ω.
- If Mismatched:
If you used a 50 Ω or random coax instead of 75 Ω, the mismatch would cause signal reflections along the cable. That can smear clock edges, increase jitter, and degrade timing accuracy—something you don’t want in a high-end digital audio system.
- DC Resistance vs. Characteristic Impedance:
If you measured the cable with a multimeter, you might see less than 1 Ω end-to-end. That’s just copper resistance. The 75 Ω rating is not a resistance you can measure with a multimeter; it only appears when the cable is carrying high-frequency signals.
So, in short: the 75 ohms rating ensures proper transmission of fast clock edges with minimal distortion and reflection.
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@jfrmusic,
Thanks, it is good to have some concensus that you also find that the higher ranges of Shunyata clock cables are not automatically superior, when noise filters are employed which is not always benefits for some systems, i guess.
How do you connect the N20 to your MSB, did you also try the Shunyata AES or spdif cable between the units or via MSB optical?
Thanks
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Digital cable that sounds better in one system can sound worse in another. It all comes to better matching of characteristic impedance. Price of the cable doesn't guarantee that. Cable might have exact 75ohm, but DAC (or source) could be less or more.
Characteristic impedance is very difficult to measure, since inductance and capacitance in the cable are "distributed" so it is necessary to try cable in the system. For that reason I wouldn't pay any attention to reviews (other than built quality and shielding)
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@justubes2
I use the AES/XLR to connect the Aurender to the MSB. Originally had a Blue Jeans cable. I upgraded to a DH Labs. Tried a Shunyata Alpha but preferred the sound of the DH Labs. Also tried the DH Labs Silver Reference but found it too bright.
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While I have NOT done a ton of experimentation with clock cables, I’ll share an anecdote from my experience. I used to run a dCS Rossini and Rossini clock. The pair came with some clock cables. At one point I wondered if I could even hear a difference if I tried something different and I ordered some Geistnote cables. My memory is a little fuzzy, so I may have this reversed, but IIRC I ordered some 0.5m cables. I tried them and I convinced myself that maybe I heard a difference and maybe I preferred the Geistnote to the stock cables it came with. But then I found some discussion suggesting that clock cables should be no shorter than 1.5m. These are really inexpensive cables, on the order of $40 at the time, so I said “why not” and ordered 2m cables of the same model. They were a revelation. There was no “maybe I hear a difference.” It was a dramatic step change. The specific improvement was a sharpening of the focus around the environment. That is, while already, in the right recordings, I was transported to the venue and you could hear the room, those details were more resolved and specific. Anyway, that’s my anecdote about just a change in clock cable length.
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@jfrmusic,
Thanks, also did the Alpha v2 Aes/ebu connecting Aurender and MSB feel likewaise too much filtering for you like as with the clock cable.
I am still contemplating what the Alpha-x clock will be a good choice. Co. Pared with the loaner Alpha v2, did the improvements that of the X seem like it was due to the filtering and again, less forgiving if i am looking for fullness and maybe a touch of natural warmth to the sound. Would you recommend a V2 instead of the X.
I would be thinking the copper conductor in the X would actually have sounded fuller and richer than the V2 which silver is used.
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@justubes2
Compared to the DH Labs XLR AES cable the Shunyata Alpha did not sound as airy and open and yes slightly warmer.
Definitely the Alpha X was superior to the previous version. Less noise and better imaging and detail while adding some refinement. It is not warmer or darker in any way
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@jfrmusic, a big thanks to your valued opinion.
I have been always wondering how practically everybody praised the v2 cables so highly.
It was better in some aspects, but i always felt there was a caveat to the areas that improved came with an ooverall subduded presentation and could never listen long to it. The ranges have a rather large difference in presenation for me based on Sigma v1 and v2 which i have.
The v1 has been wonderful for me, i was glad when the little plastic cylindrical tube on my Sigma v1 came apart by itself after the adhesive sticker lost its stickiness after these years and relieved that was empty instead of finding some crystals or power falling out.
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