There are some really good advice above. I have tried about every digital cable under the sun and ended up with the Illuminati D-60 Cable. I would also recommend the KS2020 as it is a fantastic cable.
The Apogee Wyde Eye and the Canare are great cables but can come across as grainy in the wrong setup. But then again they are ridiculously inexpensive. The Benchmark I auditioned was a bit thin and analytical to begin with. I would suggest going with a cable with more of a neutral to soft side of neutral character. The Kimber and Illuminati cables are not cheap but they are not $2500.00 either..
Good Luck..
Chris |
Indeed - in that context the KS2020 would be a good investment and a long-term keeper for when you upgrade the Benchmark. |
Redkiwi, Your point is well taken that if components are not at high enough performance level then a more forgiving IC is better tolerated.
It is not always a good idea to dumb down (as in school curriculum choices), but following your thought, it is better to enable pleasing synergy until one hears and can afford still better sounding components.
On the other hand, I think many of us have had the experience of unveiling more sound enjoyment from a component upon inserting "better" interconnects (regardless of price).
If what is unveiled proves less satisfactory then this may serve as a goad to start saving for the next purchase which will sooth the restless audiophile soul. |
In my experience the KS2020 is a spectacularly good cable but too good for the Benchmark, the Zen MC2 is one of the worst I have heard (not even close to a 75ohm cable, so what do you expect), but for a cheapy that suits the rather thin and slightly strident sound of the Benchmark I reckon the single ended WideEye is a good match when terminated with Canare 75ohm plugs. |
Pjl2122, balanced model of Stereovox is a different cable. It costs around $350 if I'm not mistaking. The RCA version of Stereovox, the HDXV, is about $100. They are 2 different cables, cost and construction wise. |
I disagree with you2 guys about Stereovox nothing
under 500 is it's match. I am using the Accustic arts dac mk-3 and the AArts transport .It just gives so much more inner detail .I am using the new balanced model.
with less expensive gear it exposes all the weaknesses. |
I forgot to mention that the interconnect and power cable you use with the Benchmark will greatly affect the sonics. See my recent review of the Benchmark under Product reviews. |
The Kimber D60 is the cable I would recommend. It will compliment the clean, clear delineation of the Benchmark without creating any brightness. I strongly disagree that the inexpensive Canare cable would be a way to save money. I found it to be hard, grainy, forward, aggressive and spitty in the treble. |
Forget the rest - Go for the Kimber Select KS2020.
If you want to know let your music covered with vanilla creaminess, go for the Kimber Select. Period. |
HDXV is a good cable for the money, but I just don't think it is a good match for Benchmark. It is not a very smooth sounding cable and DAC1 is not a smooth sounding dac. I would recommend Virtual Dynamics NiteII. You can try different cables from Cable Company and AZ MC=2 is certainly one that should be added to your list. Since you are talking about HDXV, I suppose your budget is under the cost of NiteII. But once you hear this cable, I doubt you'll want to use anything else. In a long run, I think NiteII is worth every penny. I evaluated NiteII with the Bel Canto DAC2 in my system and it beat AZ Silver Bytes, Stereovox HDXV, WireWorld SuperNova 5+. I never thought there could be that much of an improvement caused just by swapping a digital cable, but that was exactly the case. |
HI UTOPIA,
I AGREE WITH TEAJAY & RJA. THE ACOUSTIC ZEN IS A VERY GOOD (& ENJOYABLE) DIGITAL CABLE. IT IS BETTER THAN THE STEREOVOX.
ALSO, YOU MIGHT WANT TO GO INSIDE YOUR DAC-1 AND JUMPER OUT THE DIGITAL CABLE SELECT SWITCH. IT IS AN AUDIBLE (& CHEAP) IMPROVEMENT. |
Yes, my experience too is that the digital cable makes a difference as large as with the other interconnects. I use a LAT International DI-30 Signature, in a balanced version, which is recommended for use with the Benchmark in order to get the best sound. In my system LAT has outshone much more expensive cables. I would try several cables before settling on one. |
Another amazing choice with highest quality and giveaway price is Encore Signature digital IC from Joe Mazzaglia at Auricle Audio Design.
His auction can be found under the search word "sucks" which doesn't seem very promising until you read the clever advertising copy. |
You answered your own question........Stereovox HDXV, you can't go wrong and for the money, it's a steal!
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In my experience there are significant differences in the sound quality of digital cables. They definitely do not sound the same. The transport to DAC connection is critical to the sound of your entire system. I would suggect that you narrow your interests to 2 or 3 cables then audition them in your system from the Cable Company. Keep the one you like and return the rest. I don't know what your connections are as far as inputs and outputs but I would suggest in order of preference: XLR, BNC, RCA. Good luck.
I am also using the Stealth Sextet. |
Utopia, to answer your question, digital cable does and can make as much of a difference as IC's and speaker wire. I would recommend you audition the Acoustic Zen Z=MC2 cable, which can be gotten used for a very reasonable price and offers great performance. The best digital cable I have ever heard is the Stealth Sextet, but it retails for $2500.00 and is worth every penny in my opinion. |
Try a Canare 75 ohm cable from Markertek. Inexpensive and as good or better than anything else out there. Good luck! |
