Why do digital cables sound different?

I have noticed that there ARE differences, but that they do not seem to correspond to price, etc.

Fiber optic, IMO, is the best, and the cleaner the optics, the less distorted the signal , so theory would go.

But I do notice that, even my $20 Monster Toslink outperforms my $200 "digital" coaxial cable.

The cheif designer of Musical Fidelity products swears that ANY transport will do when using digital links to the DAC! I am not an expert, but I did notice that my Panasonic DVD player soundes better using the Toslink than my Rotel does via the coax digital. This is odd, since the Panasonic set me back around $70.00, and the Rotel about $450...USED!

In Rotel's defense, however, I simply LOVE their DAC (RDP 980). I have compared it to a few others consting WAAAY more, and the Rotel seems to hold its own NO PROBLEMS!

Water dripping sounds, drum beats/cymbal decays, and plucked strings are all quite remarkable via the Rotel DAC.

Mickey Hart, "Planet Drum" and Bela Fleck "Live Art" are two of my fave discs to show-off my Hi Fi system.

Bela Fleck "Perpetual Motion" is another great disc, and I can hear subtle differences between interconnects SIMPLY by listening to Fleck's fingers slide up and down the banjo strings.

Even the cheapest fiber optic cables reveal THREE times more detail than the coaxes, in my system...

your mileage may vary.

Joe M.

Over spring break, I had a chance to listen to my Rotel/coax vs. my Panasonic/optical.

The first impression was one of much more oppeness, and a deeper sound around instruments with the optical output.

*HOWEVER*, cymbal crashes, esses, fingered strings, etc all sound FAR better via the coax!

For highly digital source material, like "The Matrix," the optic input adds a nice effect, making everything "feel" digital. It also seems to portray a tad mote bass (but it actually just muddies it up, when compared a/b).

I used my own, and a friend's copy of the Rolling Stone's "Love You Live" disc, and could simply switch between the two units on my Rotel DAC. The crowd sounds bigger, the clapping more real, and the music more convincing via the coax.

I'll admit I was hasty the first time I posted, and I'll think twice, er, listen twice before running my mouth next time!

end of msg.