Cable information.

[coonmanx]

So lately I have been on a bit of a cable quest. I'm not trying to go out and spend a lot on cables, just trying to eliminate some of the cheaper RCA audio cables that I have had for some time.

Most of the time I can find some decent cables for $10 or under (3 foot or 6 foot cables). My question is about the cables labeled as being for S/PDIF. It would appear that they are just the same as regular RCA audio cables but maybe with better construction and shielding. Am I correct about that? I have seen some of those for decent prices as well. I am talking about the cables with the RCA ends and not the Toslink ends.

 

[coonmanx]

Lets try this: RG59/U


I actually do have one set of patch cords hooked up to a tuner and they are of the type RG59/U.

 

[sb47]

Boy! Man that’s a loaded question around here.
RCA interconnects can be cheap in price to ultra high priced.
In my opinion some of the things like S/PDIF are gimmicks or snake oil if you will. And some may have some better sonic qualities to them. But remember the test that are used are done with very high sensitive equipment and may or may not show some deference’s between cables. But the question is, is your hearing good enough to tell the deference?
Things like oxygen free copper and other things make it sound like its worth the money.
If looks are important as well as quality, then a better cable may be for you.


As far as the way a cable looks is not important if you can’t see them anyway.
There are better made cables and they look nice too, but if you’re not getting any RF interference with the ones you are using then you’re not really making better sound.

Personally, I can’t tell the deference in them myself, as long as there shielded well, they seem to be all the same to me.
But, I may be half def anyway!lol

 

[cratz2]

Cables are a hot topic around here and some folks on both sides can get quite... Uhhh... Emotional.

I'm of the opinion that as long as your interconnects don't crackle or pick up interference, and as long ss they arent the cheapest of the cheap, they won't make a tremendous difference in how your system sounds.

I do like connectors that I can take apart and resolder if needed and I prefer a dielectric other than PVC. Other than that, I don't really care too much. Having said that, cables with silver-plated copper wire and polyethylene or Teflon dielectric can be found on the relative cheap so that's what I go with.

I've compared cables off and on for years and I like to think I have a pretty good ear. Basically if I'm not comparing the cables back and forth, I can't hear a difference. That is to say I can't listen to my system one day with $40 worth of copper cables and then three days later with $400 of silver-plated cables and speak on the differences with any sort of accuracy.

That's my experience anyway. Be very aware of folks tgat speak in absolutes on either of the extreme opposite sides as, with most extremist views, they are wrong and they see no point in allowing for the opposing viewpoint.

 

[coonmanx]

Well I am more on the cheap end of things but still looking for quality. I also get the whole loaded question thing. I believe that marketing them as S/PDIF is more just a ploy than anything else. Also sometimes they get called "subwoofer cables".

I am looking at some Atlona cables at the moment that seem to be of decent quality and construction. As I said my purchases will remain under the $10 level but there does seem to be quite a few options in that price range. I'm just trying to get rid of the few thin looking RCA cables that I have had for some time. They still work fine but I may have even had them for thirty years or so now. Some new cables won't hurt. The Atlonas are actually labeled "audio cables" as well.

Funny thing is I got a really decent set of 6 foot RCA audio cables off of Ebay for a great price (actually RCA brand). Now he is out of that particular cable but has an almost exact single cable that says "Digital" on the end of it instead of having the red and white stripes. It is probably exactly the same cable.

I'm not trying to start any flame wars about cables here. Merely noting that some cables that look just like regular audio cables get labeled as "S/PDIF" or "subwoofer" cables.

 

[sb47]

One thing I have noticed with the high priced cables is the RCA connectors being very tight when plugged in. I have actually pulled the female connector rite out of the back of the unit. Especially if they have been connected for a long time! So now I use a dab of electrical grease on them. Makes them slide on and off very easy.
As for age, 30 years is a long time and the rubber or pvc or what ever the insulation is made of, is probably dry rotted and that’s as good a reason to replace them as any.
I do like the heavier looking wires that look like they have thick insulation and are shielded better, over the thin ones.

I think anything under $30.00 is fine for most if not all applications.


If one can afford $50,000.00 for a system, a few hundred dollars for interconnects are a no brainer, but for the rest of us, “keep it simple stupid”
Not calling anyone stupid, it’s just an expression. lol

 

[kray]

Well I am more on the cheap end of things but still looking for quality. I also get the whole loaded question thing. I believe that marketing them as S/PDIF is more just a ploy than anything else. Also sometimes they get called "subwoofer cables".

I am looking at some Atlona cables at the moment that seem to be of decent quality and construction. As I said my purchases will remain under the $10 level but there does seem to be quite a few options in that price range. I'm just trying to get rid of the few thin looking RCA cables that I have had for some time. They still work fine but I may have even had them for thirty years or so now. Some new cables won't hurt. The Atlonas are actually labeled "audio cables" as well.

Funny thing is I got a really decent set of 6 foot RCA audio cables off of Ebay for a great price (actually RCA brand). Now he is out of that particular cable but has an almost exact single cable that says "Digital" on the end of it instead of having the red and white stripes. It is probably exactly the same cable.

I'm not trying to start any flame wars about cables here. Merely noting that some cables that look just like regular audio cables get labeled as "S/PDIF" or "subwoofer" cables.

Digital cables are rated at 75ohm. That's why they are different. Here's an explanation from Blue Jeans Cable.*

Digital audio cables (or, as they're often called, SPDIF cables) provide a handy way to route multi-channel audio from one device to another with minimal to no signal loss. The specs for a coaxial digital audio cable are the same as for a typical video cable: 75 ohm impedance, coaxial construction. A good impedance match, and wide bandwidth, help keep the digital square-wave signal from rounding off to a point where data loss occurs, so impedance consistency and wide bandwidth are important here, just as in video cabling.
​

 

[petehall347]

only time i have ever seen S/PDIF cables is inside computers for connecting the disc drive audio . same cable different ends

 

[cratz2]

I'm kind of on the other end of the digital/video/subwoofer vs audio cable decision. I've taken to pretty much using only digital/video cables for all my needs. In general, digital cables used for L/R audio cables will sound very slightly brighter. I don't know enough to know if that's a resistance or a capacitance thing. I just figure if a cable is has a good enough conductor and shielding for digital signals, it will probably be pretty decent for L/R audio as well.

Not offering that as advice, but it's what I've moved towards.

 

[JoeESP9]

Standard RG59 cable used for TV is 75 Ohm coax. The only difference is that it has F connectors on the ends.

Some "Pro" oriented gear has BNC connectors on it's SPDIF interface and is specified for use with 75 Ohm coax.

 

[transmaster]

One thing I have noticed with the high priced cables is the RCA connectors being very tight when plugged in. I have actually pulled the female connector rite out of the back of the unit. Especially if they have been connected for a long time!

Blue Jeans Cable uses Canare RCAPs these are the best RCA plugs I have ever used. See the PDF below. When you start these plug onto the jack they slide on smoothly for sort distance then stop a little more pressure and they "snick" home thanks the the "leaf spring" clasps inside. They come off smoothly without the feeling you are going to pull the guts out the the rig.

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/pages/technicaldocs/canarercap.pdf

 

[charles 1973]

While I believe good cables are important, I would never spend big $ on cables. They don't have to be Expensive IMO. I wouldn't hesitate to buy Blue Jeans Cables However. They have really good 6' low capacitance RCA pairs for about $40. Pretty much what I paid for my Monster Cables (which have very tight connectors, but otherwise are fine).

 

[coonmanx]

I'm kind of on the other end of the digital/video/subwoofer vs audio cable decision. I've taken to pretty much using only digital/video cables for all my needs. In general, digital cables used for L/R audio cables will sound very slightly brighter. I don't know enough to know if that's a resistance or a capacitance thing. I just figure if a cable is has a good enough conductor and shielding for digital signals, it will probably be pretty decent for L/R audio as well.

Not offering that as advice, but it's what I've moved towards.

Interesting and I have thought the same thing.

I pulled off the cheap RCA cables that were on the back of the CD player today. A decent set of Phoenix Gold 3 foot cables came today. The Phoenix Gold cables also came with the video cable but I just split that off and if I get another I can match up the spares for a set. Those cheap cables that I had been using probably came from Walmart or Target. Pretty thin stuff. Anyway, the new cables sound good no matter what and I will probably continue replacing a few more of the older and much thinner cables.

I might be heading for a cable addiction for a couple of weeks until I get rid of all of the old ones. The new ones look a lot nicer for sure. I'm pretty sure that I have at least four cables that could be swapped out for something nicer and newer.

Also Zenyatta Mondatta sounds real good.

 

[transmaster]

The beautiful thing about Blue Jeans Cable is you get a very high quality custom cable at a price you don't have to justify. I had BJC build me a 6 foot coaxial digital cable with and RCA at one end and a mono 3.5mm phone plug at the other to plug into the 3.5mm digital out on my PC's sound card. The cable is a joy to look at fantastically well made and it cost me $28.00, plus SH.

 

[sony6060]

I tried some expensive cables years ago & did not hear any difference vs well constructed cables. Some hear a large difference explained like rolling in a premium preamp tube. Perhaps their orginal cables were junk. I use fully shielded cables with a quality RCA connector and avoid speghetti diameter cables.

 

[ev13wt]

In my opinion the best way to cable is to actually measure the lenghts you need, then build your own cables with quality connectors and make the "just" long enough for each application.

Not only does it look neat, it really shortens up the entire audio signal path.

 

[transmaster]

In my opinion the best way to cable is to actually measure the lengths you need, then build your own cables with quality connectors and make the "just" long enough for each application. Not only does it look neat, it really shortens up the entire audio signal path.

I completely agree, and this is what I used to do, and still do when I need something right now. When I was informed about Blue Jeans Cable and their custom made nature that was great, the great selection of cable brands, very nice, the quality plugs they use, OK I can get those too. But When I learned they ultrasonically weld the conductors to the connectors, no solder, I decided to order a set to see what everybody was talking about. When I got my first look at these beautiful cables neatly tied up with Velcro wire ties I was pleasantly surprised, they looked like a cable costing much more. Then when I plugged them in and I actually was able to hear an improvement in the sound over Radio Shack's very best I was sold. I still make up interconnects but I always consider them temporary until I can order a replacement from BJC.

 

[sb47]

I think most of this your perception, like the placebo effect. If you had no idea of what is being used, you could not tell the deference.
Some think that if it’s expensive, it must be better.

I had a 1985 Fender American made Stratocaster that I was trying to sell. I took it to a guitar dealer and got a realistic price to ask for it, it was valued at $1,000.00
I posted adds asking $1,000.00 and never got a single call.
6 months later I reposted the same guitar and asked for $2,500.00 and it sold in 3 days.

Some people think price dictates quality, that’s not always the case.
A lot of the cost of some things are dictated by labor cost and not the actual quality of the product.

On the other hand if you have $50,000.00 tied up in a system, the cost of interconnects are not an issue. If you can afford it and you like it and it sounds better to you, then who am I to say anything deferent.

A blind test is the only way to see if it’s all in your mind or not.

 

[N8Nagel]

I can't say that I'm anything of an expert on cables, but I do agree that BJC is a good place to start. If nothing else, their web site cuts through a lot of BS about cables and their philosophy is solid.

I bought some Monoprice RCAs and was a little disappointed in the connectors, so I think they will slowly get replaced with BJC. The Monoprice ones are still better than anything available for sale locally.

 

[cratz2]

I had a 1985 Fender American made Stratocaster that I was trying to sell. I took it to a guitar dealer and got a realistic price to ask for it, it was valued at $1,000.00
I posted adds asking $1,000.00 and never got a single call.
6 months later I reposted the same guitar and asked for $2,500.00 and it sold in 3 days.

I agree. I'm not 100% on the same page as you about cables but I've done the same thing in reselling guitars and guitar amps. Sometimes I'll drop the price but sometimes I'll raise it. There's one seller on my local Craigslist that will occasionally say something like, 'Price is firm and I'll keep raising the price until it sells!'