Serge Auckland wrote:
Glenn, did I understand correctly that you're saying that with a
top-notch DAC, you hear an improvement by changing the digital cable
between source and DAC, or did you mean on the analogue outputs of
the DAC?
Changing cables between DAC and amplifier.
Changing digital cables is fairly futile, as long as you start out with
a decent 75ohm screened cable to begin with. Indeed a friend was for a
while using a bit of bell wire with phono plugs soldered to each end as
a digital interconnect. It sounded fine... although it did have this
habit of muting for half a second when someone turned the fluorescent
light on or off in the kitchen directly below his room... :-)
Optical v co-ax - there might be something in it, but then again it may
be psychological. I did a test a while back using a Technics SL-PS670
and a Toshiba SD-2109 as CD transports playing into a Yamaha DSP-AX620
(using the DAC in the amp), Technics connected with Toslink, Toshiba
connected with co-ax. That was more for practical reasons though as the
CD player only had optical and the DVD player only had co-ax.
The DVD player sounded better (more detail, more focus). Originally we
assumed this to be because of the optical/co-ax factor, but I later
repeated the test using an Arcam AVR-250 as the amp/DAC, comparing a
Technics SL-PG590 and Toshiba SD-530, both linked via optical. Again the
DVD player sounded better (same improvements) - both were linked via
Toslink though, so it obviously wasn't this making the difference.
I did try swapping between co-ax and optical using the DVD player as a
transport. There was a slight difference, but that may well be
psychological. The co-ax cable *might* have sounded a bit better than
the optical, but the difference (perceived or otherwise) wasn't enough
to warrant further investigation.
I've since changed the DVD player to an Arcam DV-79. This is connected
via co-ax, but this is more for practical reasons - the MD deck, Sky+
and MP3 Blaster (USB sound card) only have optical outputs, so I've
connected the DVD player and ShowCenter to the amp using co-ax. This
saves messing about with converters.
Another point:- I don't doubt the sincerity of your conclusions on
the tests you did, but I have done similar tests using two identical
inputs and a common source, and I failed to hear any difference on
any cables, between the freebies and anything else. So, either our
ears are very different, or our expectations are different; you
expected to hear a difference, so you did, and I expected to hear
none so I didn't.
The first time I ever heard a difference was following a chat with a guy
in a hi-fi shop in Newbury. At the time I was a hardened skeptic as far
as interconnects went, although I was using decent thick speaker cable
(nothing spectacular, just something with lots of copper).
The guy then did a demonstration (and invited me to look around the back
of the system just to prove there was nothing "funny" going on), firstly
putting the freebie cable in, then swapping for a Sonic Link Pink. I
was, quite frankly, astounded at the difference it made.
As I said, at this stage I was a hardened cynic as far as interconnects
went. I wasn't expecting to hear any difference whatsoever, so the
psychological effect would have worked in reverse.
As far as my hearing goes... I did a sweep test with a sine wave
oscillator a few months back to find the top end cut-off of what I could
actually hear. I could still just hear something at 22.5kHz, but above
that nothing.
I have suspected that my hearing may be better than average (in common
with most audiophiles), in fact several of my friends can't tell the
difference between music played on my AV system (Yamaha DSP-AX592, Gale
4/Centre 2/2i speakers) and my hi-fi (Arcam AVR-250, Mordaunt-Short
Avant 908/905C/903S). Whereas I clearly can.
My last g/f also couldn't hear any difference between her £99 Aiwa midi
system and £4,000 worth of separates.
Good for them, I say, cos they can then spend all that money on CDs
rather than something to play them on. Perhaps unfortunately I can hear
the differences, and I find music being played on a £99 midi system
highly unpleasant.
I'm also cursed with perfect pitch, don't know if that makes any
difference...
Have you been able to try an ABX test, where you could be listening
to the same cable twice? That would be a way of eliminating the
inherent bias between what you expect to hear and what you believe
you hear. I can't think of a way of eliminating my own bias for not
expecting to hear a difference as ABX won't help prove negative.
I haven't, but from the experiments and tests I've done so far I'm quite
happy that there is a difference. Some people can hear that difference,
others can't. And, as always, the golden rule is that if you can't hear
a difference (or if you don't think the difference is worth it) then
don't spend the money.
Supposing that if you swap the freebie cable for one that costs £15, and
you can hear a tiny difference but don't think it's worthwhile, then
spend that £15 on a new CD instead, because you'll probably get a lot
more enjoyment out of it. But if you do think the difference is
worthwhile, spend the 15 quid on the cable - that way you'll get more
enjoyment out of the CDs you already own.
And never forget, hi-fi is about music, not about technology.
--
Glenn Richards Tel: (01453) 845735
Squirrel Solutions
http://www.squirrelsolutions.co.uk/
IT consultancy, hardware and software support, broadband installation
Cables - the definitive answer
Linear Mode
