Hello motown-l. The cable quality is critical. Yes, it's "just" ones and zeros. But how distinct is the difference between them? How "fast" is the cable? Is the difference between them quick, clean, and sharp? You hear about "jitter." That is time smear in the cable. For cheap high speed cable, use the stuff TV cable companies use to hook up your cable tv box to the wall. BNC to Phono adapters are available if you can't solder. That cable carries very high frequencies and should perform well for you. Can you use an optical cable? Happy listening.
How crucial is the quality of a digital cable?
I recently purchased a Cambridge Audio CX 81 integrated amp. The analog inputs sound great, but I find the internal DAC to be a disappointment. It uses the ESS Sabre ES9016K2M chip. I use a mid-level Rotel RCD 951 CD deck as a transport via the digital coax. I also hooked the deck via the analog out, just to compare. The analog interconnects are entry level AQ's. The digital coax is an Amazon purchase in the $15 range. I find the internal DAC of the 20 year old Rotel to be superior to the new AX 81, when doing an A/B.
What then confuses me is that the Blue Tooth streaming from the amp is quite good. It is HD aptX, 24-bit/84kHz capable. But, wouldn't that also go through the same internal DAC? Could it be the mediocre Amazon digital coax cable? I always assumed that digital cable quality was less significant than analog cables. Just bits and bites, right?
If someone knows of a decent digital coax for under $50, I would be very grateful. I would also appreciate any advice on an entry level power cord for the amp. Can a decent power cord be had for under $100?