[marcmccalmont]

Just to say that I am getting stunning music using the Canare 12g-Sdi 4k Uhd Bnc Cable (6'). I have still not had a try with ferrites on this because I am enjoying the music so much (I have the ferrites, just can't be bothered at the moment).

Beware getting caught up in the expensive digital cable trap.

Beware of people who make negative comments on cables they have never auditioned! sometimes like with Blu2/Dave you have to spend serious coin to get state of the art!

 

[marcmccalmont]

Thank you.
Do you have a link for the "Fair Rite 61" ..?
I see the Cleaner Audio in the UK https://www.cleareraudio.com/products/silver-line-optimus-75-reference-interconnect , so do you add ferrites over this cable or just over the cheaper cables..?

Edit What length do you use ..? That's 2.5 k for 2mts

Ferrites reduce the ground noise in Dave caused by Blu2's fpga at 2Ghz they are a positive improvement to any coax between Blu2 and Dave (not necessary for input to either Blu2 or other sources with Dave unless you have an RF issue, then the 2.5Ghz Wurths and the 61 Fair Rites are not the proper ones) they close the gap between lesser cables and the CA coax, but the CA is more revealing than any of the other coaxes I've tried. If your on a budget use a quality coax with 2 foil and 2 braid shields (I prefer Belden to Canare) and quality BNC connectors (I prefer Trompeter to Canare) you will get 90% there on a budget

 

[rgs9200m]

Is there any problem with having 2 paths into the DAVE and being able to switch between them? Meaning:
1. Computer directly to DAVE via USB.
2. Computer to Blu2 to DAVE.
Thank you.

 

[ray-dude]

Is there any problem with having 2 paths into the DAVE and being able to switch between them? Meaning:
1. Computer directly to DAVE via USB.
2. Computer to Blu2 to DAVE.
Thank you.

This works just fine (along with all the other inputs on the DAVE). When you have the Blu2 hooked up, when you hit BNC 1 or 2, or BNC 3 or 4, it auto detects that there is a dual channel setup and switches to Dual BNC 3&4, etc.

In my case, when I was comparing BluDAVE to DAVE, I had sources connected to both DAVE and Blu2 and switched between them (with the big caveat that you lose a couple dB volume when going through the Blu...,make sure to level match if you're going to do A/B testing this way)

 

[rgs9200m]

OK, thanks, that's great. No, this would not be for testing, just actual usage.

 

[hattrick15]

If your on a budget use a quality coax with 2 foil and 2 braid shields (I prefer Belden to Canare) and quality BNC connectors (I prefer Trompeter to Canare) you will get 90% there on a budget

Can you provide a link to a place to buy the Belden cable with Trompeter BNC connectors?

 

[Silvertone4]

....like with Blu2/Dave you have to spend serious coin to get state of the art!

I couldn’t disagree more as that’s not always the case.

Please see below, I have yet to hear a BNC digital cable that bests the AmphenolRF (incidentally of Belden make) and I have tried some uber expensive cables.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cho...official-thread.831343/page-169#post-14032221

 

[Malcyg]

bit by bit, haha, I like your reference to digital.

Malc, only in one system where I have seen the light and now have Pass Labs power amps direct from Dave. In the other system I still have my lovely 845 valves and the TVC preamp.

Nick, I was assuming that you are now running SE>BluDave>Pass Labs power amp>speakers? If so, then that is what I meant by the correct path.

 

[Malcyg]

.........but the CA is more revealing than any of the other coaxes I've tried.......... you will get 90% there on a budget

I agree with the above extract from Marc’s comment. I ran with a cheap BNC and ferrites solution costing only £89 for several months and it was really quite good and, for most people, that would quite probably be good enough. But I was missing a degree of subtlety, transparency and finesse that I knew BluDave could deliver from previous testing with various cables. I discussed that last year by PM with Roy (Romaz) and we both agreed that we were hearing the same things. That reinforced my resolve to try again and I found the CA cables. Roy did try ferrites but his preferred solution was Habst cables - he posted a link some while back on this thread. I didn’t like the braided design of the Habst cables because it makes them a bit inflexible and also rules out using ferrites, should that be necessary.

I am currently running without any ferrites at all and am very happy with it. Since I posted saying that, Marc contacted me and told me that he felt the CA cables could be improved still further with ferrites. The ones that I have won’t fit as they are too small so Marc very kindly sent me some surplus ferrites that he had so that I could try them. They are large and heavy - the postage alone would not have been cheap, but Marc has so far resisted my attempts to reimburse him - how kind is that to put yourself out in that way for a complete stranger? (I have found that there are several people on this thread who have been very generous with offering assistance to me and that is all greatly appreciated). Our house is upside down at the moment as we have decorators in, but I should be able to test the ferrites later this coming week and will be interested to hear how they affect things.

I know that it is somewhat provocative around here saying that better quality cables can (note that I say can, not will) give better results, and I am in no way encouraging people to spend money. You can get good results for £89 after all. My opinion though is always that people should test things out for themselves and make their own judgements as to what best suits them - and others should allow them to do just that. I find it amusing that quite often those who are the most emphatically opposed to a product/solution are those who have never even tried it and they are actually opposed in principle rather than something that they have observed for themselves. I prefer to keep an open mind. Opinions are helpful as a guide but, ultimately, it is our own ears that must be the judge.

 

[Malcyg]

Is there any problem with having 2 paths into the DAVE and being able to switch between them? Meaning:
1. Computer directly to DAVE via USB.
2. Computer to Blu2 to DAVE.
Thank you.

I’m going to risk being controversial, again, and say that the whole BluDave setup sounds best with one input to Blu II - for me, my server via USB - and one input into Dave, that being the Blu II. I tried having 2 paths into Dave as you described because the delay in sound processing incurred with BluDave makes multi room playback impossible because you can’t compensate sufficiently to cover the time differences and you end up with an awful echo effect from the BluDave compared to the other room/s.

The difference in sound quality is not obvious, huge, night and day or any other of those descriptions that some seem to like using. It is relatively subtle and you may not even detect a difference so, as ever, the only way is to try and let your ears be the judge. For me, a single input to Dave sounds best and it may be possible that the more items you have connected to Dave, the greater the risk of contaminating the ground plane. If that’s true, then optical could be the best bet for a second connection into Dave.

 

[etnt]

I think it's important to be reminded that the bludave combi sounds great out of the box even with the stock cables.

All the cable and ferrite talk are just attempts to squeeze that final bit out from an already amazing combination.

 

[jlbrach]

agreed 100%

 

[marcmccalmont]

I couldn’t disagree more as that’s not always the case.

Please see below, I have yet to hear a BNC digital cable that bests the AmphenolRF (incidentally of Belden make) and I have tried some uber expensive cables.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cho...official-thread.831343/page-169#post-14032221

Most Uber expensive cables are not that good but the CA's are! Borrow a set from your dealer for a listen! I have yet to see a negative post from some one who has tried them these posts seem to be from people who have never heard a CA coax in their system! Just internet speculation on their part.

 

[marcmccalmont]

I agreed 100% with cheaper coax until I took the time and spent the money to do the time consuming and costly experiment. I purchased 3 CA coaxes, 3 Black Kat coaxes, made 3 semi rigid coaxes, made 3 Belden coaxes and tried the 2 Chord coaxes, I also bought 60 Fair Rites, 60 Wurths, and 60 Topnisus. Time to break in the cables and time to listen was substantial. Now people on this forum declare their cheap cables are as good as expensive cables that they have never tried in their system? and continue to push this theme any time one posts an improvement with other than cheap coax? I hope the majority sees through these naysayers that wont put their money (or time) where their mouths are. Easy to post on the internet it's another thing altogether to take the time and money, do the experiment and post results to help others.. Now to put it into perspective Dave sounds great out of the box, better yet with Blu2 and the stock coax. But improvements can be had for those willing to try better shielded cables and either the Fair Rite 61 or the Wurth 2.5 Ghz ferrites. It's about getting every last drop of goodness out of Blu2/Dave. So stop posting in ignorance if you have not done the experiment! If some one has spent $20,000 on Blu2/Dave and wants the last 2% for another 10% investment why not? Not cost effective but neither is Blu2/Dave. Please stop posting how your cheap cable is as good as the CA's until you personally try them in your system or at least man up and state you haven't tried the CA's when you make these posts! Yes you Triode User you post just after I do every time whats your point you've never taken the time to do the experiment but try to come across as the duty expert on Blu2/Dave, you don't even take the time to try ferrites that you have purchased! Knock it off!

 

[marcmccalmont]

Can you provide a link to a place to buy the Belden cable with Trompeter BNC connectors?

I made these