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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
mpmoody
6 posts
 
Just listen.
dpac996's avatar
dpac996
676 posts
 
Because the components that connect the transport and DAC are themselves connected to the ac-line source via possibly different power cords...and we know from a thread elsewhere that AC Power Cords have an effect on frequency response (digital or analog)

Geez guys it was soooo easy ;)

Cheers and happy listening!

DPac
audiofowl
7 posts
 
maybe it's not what goes through them; how about what "gets out of them" ie, emmissions => noise...
theaudiotweak
2,778 posts
 
Less makes for more. More musical results from less error correction. That be a fact Jack...Tom
spatialking's avatar
spatialking
610 posts
 
Actually, if a digital waveform is distorted to the human eye on a scope, then it is distorted. There are built in test parameters you can put in to determine if the waveform is in spec or out of spec over a period of time.

Check out this link:
http://www.scientificarts.com/logo/logos.html

You don't need to know the math to see what they are talking about. There are some eye diagrams there which are very "open" and hence have excellent data transmission with no errors and there are some which are "closed" which are filled with errors.

Just 'cause its digital doesn't mean it isn't lossy.
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