SPDIF Digital Cable Recommendations

I’ve been very happily using the High Fidelity CT-1Ultimate digital cable (Spdif-rca connectors) for the past 6 or 7 years. It is an excellent combination of high resolution performance with a thoroughly organic presentation. Their current cables could be even better but I’m completely happy with mine.

Charles

If you have the budget, the High Fidelity CT-2 coax starts at $1150. I find it to present music realistically with a sense of air and a smooth top-end. The next model up is $1500 which wasn't available when I made my purchase.

Revelation

@jasbirnandra 

Regarding your questions....the biggest SQ improvement in my sound came from when I added the Lucas Audio LDMS.  It was a bigger change than putting 16 Western Electric 300B tubes in my Canary Grand Reference Mono amps.  The WE tubes vs Gold Lion results  were better vocals and bass with the WE's.  

@bigkidz once told me it’d be better to use an RCA to BNC adapter and use a BNC cable rather than using an RCA connection. It’s hard to imagine why adding two conversion points would be better than running straight SPDIF, but just wanted to share the info FWIW.  Incidentally, the Apogee cable I recommended earlier is also available with BNC connectors, just FYI. 

Well, I guess I have some research to do.  Charlesdad brings up an interesting point that I forgot to include in my original topic and that is BNC vs RCA or a combination of both.  Does anyone have experience in SQ between an RCA and BNC plug?  

I have a couple of MIT power cords and have been happy with them,  I talked to the MIT rep and they have SPDIF cables in the $1k -3K range.  I wonder how much profit is in these cables...lol?  

@nonoise I think the D60 was also originally designed by Chris Sommovigo of Black Cat/Stereovox and my XV2 was a later iteration of that design.  Could be wrong though. 

@soix , Thanks for the heads up. 

I have an Apogee Wyde Eye SPDIF — it’s an excellent cable that pulls off the difficult balance of being detailed yet still musical.  I much prefer it to my highly-regarded Stereovox (now Black Cat) XV2.  My advice — pick one of these up for 60 bucks and use it as a benchmark for more expensive cables, but in the meantime I’m pretty sure you’ll enjoy improvements over what you have now.  My $0.02 FWIW, and best of luck.

https://smile.amazon.com/Geistnotes-Apogee-Wyde-Cable-WE-RR/dp/B01N5VXVA1/ref=sr_1_2?crid=16NF6C05FNVGV&keywords=apogee+wyde+eye&qid=1643827747&sprefix=apogee+wy%2Caps%2C120&sr=8-2

On another what’s the best coax cable out there, bigkidz offered some advice that I wrote down, and here is what he recommends:

Audio Envy or Kimber D60, at the entry level
and
(used) Marigo Labs, Jorma and Cerious Technologies

All the best,
Nonoise

@willgolf - For what it may be worth as I have not heard  the Wywiresw Diamond digital cable directly , but at the Cap Audio Fest in one room it was used between the Pacific and a Taiko Extreme server.

Capital Audiofest 2021 Show Report Back from the brink – with passion! CAF 2021 Show Report By Greg Weaver Of Enjoy the Music.com

The Diamond was also used in another room with the Baltic.

I have no affiliation with Wywires. Just wanted to give you something to maybe look into

Beautiful system.

Yes, probably it will make a difference. The biggest difference I have ever heard was in a digital SP/DIF cable… and it was huge… like component level. But it is component dependent. So like in all things… you have to try. Given your components I would recommend Transparent.

You discovered for yourself the difference between USB and SP/DIF. They are fundamentally different connections… it depends on your DAC and streamer. The USB transmits packets and they have to be unpacked and retimed… they added this because of PCs… SP/DIF has been around forever. On my system with a Aurender W20SE streamer ARC DAC is the two are nearly indistinguishable.

 BTW, the DAC is a Lampizator Pacific and the Media Server is from Lucas Audio LDMS.  I definitely like the sound of SPDIF vs USB.

 I believe that Spdif versus USB comes down to which one is optimized for the specific music server and DAC. If the designer prioritized SPDIF over USB,  then USB will sound inferior. It's possible that the LDMS server is optimized for SPDIF connection,  if so this will be the best sounding option.

Same logic would apply for the DAC as well. Some designers believe that SPDIF is inherently better sounding than USB. I don't think that there's much doubt a higher quality cable will make its presence felt. Another preference point is BNC connectors versus RCA. I'd confer with the designer/builder for guidance. 

Charles 

@willgolf I'm currently using a Hi Diamond Reference AES/EBU which I think is excellent value, about $1k

However the "nuts" seems to be the Shunyata Omega which is around $3k.

Hope to try it out soon. Crystal Cable is also up there but you need to demo them at home.

You have a beautiful system. You should use a S/PDIF cable that equals the quality of your components. So yes, a high-end cable. Cables do make a difference, you want a bit perfect transfer from the streamer to the DAC. It doesn’t have to be high priced, a good design is most important. In addition to design and construction, proper length plays a role in the delivery of data, typically 1.5 to 2 meters.

75ohm SPDIF coax that I have used; Acoustic Zen, Oyaide, Cerious Technologies, and currently using High Fidelity Cables. There was an audible difference between each of them.

The brand I see consistently being recommended is Black Cat.

Hi Will

how is the LDMS do you like the sound?

And what difference did you find between gold lion and the WE300B you bought.