What is the best BNC Digital Cable under $4,000?

Ban that person!

Observation: since digital cables are directional just like any other cable or power cord or fuse it’s probably rational to assume that it’s the quality of the voltage and current traveling through the digital cable that’s the case, not 1s and 0s. You know, 1s and 0s would be still 1s and 0s no matter which direction the digital cable was connected. 

Why would a recording studio have any digital cable, even a $10 one? 🤔

axeis1
To the several folks that say it’s only carrying ones and zeroes please cut open the cable and tell me if 1’s and 0’s fall out. Digital cable is carrying analog electrical pulses that represent digital.

>>>>That’s so true. CDs don’t contain 1s and 0s either. The laser reading process is strictly analog. I.e., it’s not only the sequence of reflections and non reflections that’s important but also the length of each, which varies, both of which are predetermined. It’s a little complicated. The conversion to a digital stream occurs downstream. So, whoever said timing is critical is correct.

mzkmxcv765 posts06-04-2019 9:36pm@geoffkait 

Sighted listening tests are useless data unless combined with double-blind, quick-switching, and level-matched, as a way to demonstrate bias. 

>>>>If you can’t tell the difference between a change in the sound and some sort of psychological hobgoblin then I probably can’t help you.

There is no proof of anything in audio. There is evidence, though. Empirical evidence such as listening tests appear to support the proposition that there are differences between all types of cables. Speaker cables, interconnects, digital cables, power cords, Ethernet cables, HDMI cables. And there are audible difference in plain old wires, too. If someone can’t hear differences in any of those things he’s in the very small minority and is therefore an outlier. And thus can be thrown out. We’re all quite familiar with the Juror no. 3 from 12 Angry Men, “You can’t prove it!”

For one thing by the time the data gets to the digital cable it’s already been corrupted by the scattered laser light and the vibration of the CD while the data is being read in the transport. So, who cares if digital cables sound different? The damage has already been done.  Look for the root cause. 👀 Garbage in, garbage out. I know what you’re thinking 🤔...”But the Reed Solomon codes fix any errors during the data reading process.” 😛

Next thing they’ll be saying Ethernet cables all sound the same and HDMI cables all sound the same. The more things change the more they stay the same.

Good question. All you have to do if listen to any digital cable first one direction, then the other. The 1s and 0s sound better one way.

I was waiting for the term pro audio to raise its ugly head. When it comes to cables I suspect there can be no proof, only evidence. Like most things in audio, actually.

I hate to judge before all the facts are in but there are apparently other factors, as I just commented. I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree. 

I just answered your question in my previous post.

I have never heard a Toslink cable so I can’t comment. I am pretty sure I would hear differences in conductor metal, dielectric material, shielding, and directionality. 

mzkmxcv
@geoffkait

So what, you are saying a USB cable between a source and DAC can make the sound warmer because it has more voltage?

>>>>No, I’m not saying that at all.

If a data cable doesn’t have sufficient bandwidth, the signal either drops out or stops to buffer.

>>>>>I’m not addressing a cable with insufficient bandwidth.

Transient response, soundstage, imaging, tonal balance, etc. are all impossible to alter with a digital transmission.

>>>>I obviously disagree.

Noise rejection & jitter are the only differentiating factors, and even then not by much (unless talking super long runs). Or, are you claiming that you can easily hear these differentiating factors which are lower than -100dBFS?

>>>>>>No, I’m not claiming that.

I will repost my comments:  digital cables are like any other cables inasmuch as their performance is a function of the quality of the voltage and current being transmitted.