Here is some insight by a cable builder, including a rant, why 4N ought to be good enough.
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Aliexpress Cables
- Thread starter dougms3
- Start date
If money is tight, you could try to DIY an AC filter. Lukasz Fikus has published his design many years ago. Here is his philosophy behind it. And here is some practical advice by a guy who built it.
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For power, I'd agree 4N is good enough.
For more sensitive things like interconnects, speaker cables, headphone cables, I'd imagine 7N would be a noticeable upgrade.
Just be careful with the internal wiring on the diy power conditioners. I think its best to go as thick awg wire as you can fit / afford.
The reason why is that pure copper has a much lower melting point than CCA. While it may never happen, an incoming surge or rush of electricity may cause the wire to melt. Its highly unlikely but its possible and its a fire risk. CCA has a much higher melting point and can handle alot more voltage before failing vs pure copper.
I was going to build my own power conditioner and may still do it but safety first.
There is a massive onslaught of HiFi accessories by a company named TODN ("Brand from Denmark") on AliExpress. They are very affordable. I wonder, whether anybody has experience with them.
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pashkaam
100+ Head-Fier
For those who use optical cable,
I can recommend a cable from Amazon Optical glass cable , which is not expensive. I bought a 3" one for $35. The play actually became more detailed, the bass was super low and not booming, everything got better. Real good cable . The same glass optical cable famous ones same ask more then $300. This is the only one glass cable that I found on the Internet for good price .
AMAZON : GLASS OPTICAL CABLE
I was banned from forum , the site audiosciencereview.com. for saying that glass cable sounds better than fiber
I can recommend a cable from Amazon Optical glass cable , which is not expensive. I bought a 3" one for $35. The play actually became more detailed, the bass was super low and not booming, everything got better. Real good cable . The same glass optical cable famous ones same ask more then $300. This is the only one glass cable that I found on the Internet for good price .
AMAZON : GLASS OPTICAL CABLE
I was banned from forum , the site audiosciencereview.com. for saying that glass cable sounds better than fiber
Attachments
Haven't tried much in terms of optical cables, just a couple to compare against the usb connection.For those who use optical cable,
I can recommend a cable from Amazon Optical glass cable , which is not expensive. I bought a 3" one for $35. The play actually became more detailed, the bass was super low and not booming, everything got better. Real good cable . The same glass optical cable famous ones same ask more then $300. This is the only one glass cable that I found on the Internet for good price .
AMAZON : GLASS OPTICAL CABLE
I was banned from forum , the site audiosciencereview.com. for saying that glass cable sounds better than fiber
Something with the optical connection, it definitely has way more bass, the lower frequencies in general seem to come through better while conversely the usb seems to accentuate the higher frequencies. This is A/B testing on the same device and pressing a button to switch back and forth. I prefer the usb connection, although it could be I used a $5 cable matters optical cable vs the odin usb.
Don't worry about getting banned from there, its like a badge of honor, kind of like if you were banned from special ed classes because you're too smart.
pashkaam
100+ Head-Fier
Thank you for your kind words.
Sometimes it's hard to be alone because everyone doesn't understand you.
Now let's get back to the music.
Read reviews on Amazon about glass cable. I’ll say on my own behalf, at first it seemed to me that the low frequencies disappeared and there was more high frequency clarity in the sound with this glass optical cable, but then I heard that the low frequencies became lower, denser, more natural and the buzzing went away, there was more vibration, more details
I listen to music from a 2012 Mac mini i7 for a long time, I listened to it via USB. The optics were not much different, there were too few differences, but this was with an ordinary monster optical cable. ODIN USB did not work with my DAC, perhaps Ali doesn’t know that there is characteristic impedance. Any short good silver USB cable will be the best choice. To get better sound from USB, people use a DDC converter. The USB signal is converted to SPDIF optical and coaxial and connect to the DAC. I read this a long time ago and now it’s time to try it.
Today, after a long search, I bought an SMSL PO100 PRO DDC converter. This converter has a USB-C input since I plan to upgrade my 2012 Mac Mini to a Mac Mini M1, people have repeatedly emphasized that the sound has improved with the Mac M1 due to the fact that Apple has made a cleaner USB output. I want to try it and as soon as I come to conclusions I will post it. By the way, the 2012 Mac Mini and the 2012 and 2013 MacBook Pro sound different, I did not find any information and conducted tests my self .
Small note: An external linear power supply for a Mac Mini does not provide anything, but for a MacBook Pro there is no difference at all.
The Mac Mini sounds fuller if it is connected to two phases AC (USA only) total 240 volts. All my equipment is on two phases 240 volts where there is a switch for 220v.
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I use IEC extension cords with C13 to C14 conversion from my ART PS 4x4 PRO power distributor to my QUAD 66 Pre and from that (it's got a power out) into my QUAD 306 power amp.
It seems to be impossible to find any such cords for audiophiles on AE. The only thing, that seems to fit the format are the Furutech Inline Filter knockoffs. Now I wonder how stiff they are and whether one could bend them enough to act as direct connector from the ART to the preamplifier and to the amp. Though 30cm may be a bit short, especially if the length is not measured copper to copper. But they also have 1m long ones, which would be too long, however.
I know, that @DecentLevi and @dougms3 have them, maybe some others too.
It seems to be impossible to find any such cords for audiophiles on AE. The only thing, that seems to fit the format are the Furutech Inline Filter knockoffs. Now I wonder how stiff they are and whether one could bend them enough to act as direct connector from the ART to the preamplifier and to the amp. Though 30cm may be a bit short, especially if the length is not measured copper to copper. But they also have 1m long ones, which would be too long, however.
I know, that @DecentLevi and @dougms3 have them, maybe some others too.
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I personally swear by this multistrand toslink Optical cable. 1300 strand cable from Sysconcept of Canada, custom made with your choice of connectors, for around $70 shipped. Absolutely no comparison to several other optical cables I've tried, even thicker ones and I believe one glass cable some years back. Basically infinite seeming ability to reproduce all frequencies with instant detail retrieval, completely transparent and able to do anything is throw at it. I may try your suggestions though so however once I upgrade the rest of my system just to compare.
https://www.sysconcept.ca/product_info.php?products_id=365
https://www.sysconcept.ca/product_info.php?products_id=365
@pashkaam I'll bet you're getting better sound with your matchbox sized SMSL PO100 DDC converter then without one, but from the looks of things I would be flabbergasted if it could hold a candle to my 10x bigger and more expensive audio-GD DI20. Definitely try one of those if feasible, those things really scale up with upgrades such as mentioned on the ground box thread and aftermarket cables of all types.
pashkaam
100+ Head-Fier
Yes, of course, and perhaps the optical cable you presented is also good, but on their website they write that:
"It is a High Order Mode signal delay that is caused by light bouncing from side to side in the core fiber. The signal spreading in 24-μm fiber is much, much lower than the single core POF 1000-μm fiber. The smaller the fiber core the smaller the modal dispersion. Modal Dispersion is not much of a problem with 16-bit low frequency (48kHz) audio but it starts to be noticeable already with 16bit/96kHz. At 24/96 kHz modal dispersion causes the signal to fail in most Large (1mm) Single Core (SI) POF. When adding high frequency to the equation, (in single large core fiber) the pulse modes that bounce from side to side arrive slower that the modes that travel through the center of the core and causes the signal to fail. "
The Glass optical cable that I bought on Amazon, with this cable I heard changes for the better with any data transmission frequency.
I don’t know the subtleties of the influence of what happens to the information inside the optical cable, but I would buy a second one from Amazon, it seems to me it can’t be better, there are limits. .
Communicating on various forums, I constantly saw recommendations to change only to a glass optical cable. Seeing the prices for glass cables, I calmed down and forgot about it. But then I came across this cable on a recommendation; first of all, it’s not expensive, there are a lot of reviews, so I decided to buy it. And I will say yes it works.
pashkaam
100+ Head-Fier
Yes, DecentLevi , thank you for the positive instruction about choice.
Yes, many have always written that just a good USB cable from the source to the DAC does not give the maximum than the same signal through the DDC. It very much depends on the receiving USB input and a bunch of other facts.
There are many tests on the website audiosciencereview.com; you just need to write a model in the search and you can see very useful DDC information .
There is no point in buying an expensive DDC today ; anybody can find a DAC with a powerful clean USB input gor the same money . If you decide to write on their audiosciencereview website, be careful, there is no personal assessment of the sound, you will look like a stranger in that sect. For them, music is diagrams, graphs, measurements
.bodiebill2
100+ Head-Fier
I also have this Canadian cable and agree it is very good.
Just curious if you are getting the same results as me @DecentLevi @bodiebill2
The optical connection is definitely giving me way more bass than usb, but usb giving me better top end with less bass.
The optical connection is definitely giving me way more bass than usb, but usb giving me better top end with less bass.
Hey guys what you recommend for not so expensive rca cables to my subwoofer. I would need 3m. 4m maybe would be better but could possibly increase the price.
By the way odin2 usb is bang for buck now?
I am also considering 3m speaker wires, kimber vs odin gold, budget tops maybe around 120€, any suggestions aswell? Could stretch a bit.
By the way odin2 usb is bang for buck now?
I am also considering 3m speaker wires, kimber vs odin gold, budget tops maybe around 120€, any suggestions aswell? Could stretch a bit.
