Why do digital cables sound different?


I have been talking to a few e-mail buddies and have a question that isn't being satisfactorily answered this far. So...I'm asking the experts on the forum to pitch in. This has probably been asked before but I can't find any references for it. Can someone explain why one DIGITAL cable (coaxial, BNC, etc.) can sound different than another? There are also similar claims for Toslink. In my mind, we're just trying to move bits from one place to another. Doesn't the digital stream get reconstituted and re-clocked on the receiving end anyway? Please enlighten me and maybe send along some URLs for my edification. Thanks, Dan
danielho

Showing 6 responses by palerider

I`ve done a test like Osgorth did, and with optical AT&T as a reference.(A-B-C test) First; optical outplayed any "high-end" (high price) coax, actually no match. Even if we could observe some minor differences between the coaxes, they was totally outplayed by the clean open sound from/through the optical cable.
Tryed out some DIY`s too, air-insulated coax and stuff, but none came close to the AT&T digital. Until I made up a coax of my reference IC; the TV-coax Vivanco KX-710. And for some reason this coax just does it all right. Now we were up in the same league as the optical, and after some switching we could observe that the Vivanco-coax was definetly a bit cleaner in both ends, much like the same way it outperforms all other IC`s, then in twin configuration.

Even if I have my thoughts about why they sound different I woun`t try to come up with some answer/guessing. But one thing is clear; there`s a lot more to soundreproduction then what those "theory-heads" comes up with :P
"The question is : why people pretend to hear a difference ?

Or why they THINK they heard a difference ? "

Anyone can hear the difference if just the right and wrong cables are put up against eachother. But most cables are about the same, no big diff.
And the confusion gets complete when folks starts to make up theoretic "answers" to why.
quote me:

"Anyone can hear the difference if just the right and wrong cables are put up against eachother. But most cables are about the same, no big diff. "

Strange; do I say they all sound the same? Or do I say most cables are much the same, but some stick out in either direction..
09-03-08: Rja
I am asking your experience with digital cables since you seem to know quite a bit about them as well as peoples perceptions of them. Surely your opinions must be based on something. Very simple Palerider."

Really? From where do yoy get that? To repeat myself; I avoid spending time on confusing theorys trying to tell why they sound different, I only conclude they shure do.
When some find it hard to hear any difference it might be simply because the involved cables do not vary that much, most doesn`t. To evaluate a digital coax you`ll need an AT&T optical reference. They outperform any overpriced mumbo-jumbo "hifi-coax" I`ve ever heard. All but the TV-coax Vivanco KX-710 :P
If you`ve ever had the opportunety to use a AT&T digital as a reference you would know what I mean.
09-05-08: Rja
Palerider,
Why do you assume no one here has used AT&T digital cables?
And why do you consider it better than other digital interconnects?
You keep making statements with no supporting information."

- as I sayd..