[Crgreen]

Of course, it doesn't follow that they're no better than cheaper cables where the advertising budget is much less. Each product has be judged on its own merits. Whether a more expensive cable produces better sound and if so, whether it's worth the cost can only be determined on a case by case basis. Apologies if that's all too obvious.

 

[Rob Watts]

OK I have had a chance to listen to some BNC cables. I have a 0.5M BNC to BNC, a $500 audiophile BNC, and a 2M BNC to BNC.

To remove variations due to cable upsetting other things, I used MSI lap-top > USB > Blu 2 > BNC cable > Dave > Audioquest Nighthawks.

The first test was the 0.5M against the audiophile cable - and the $500 was smoother, with better depth.

Next I tried the 2M BNC against the 0.5M BNC - and the 2M was better than the 0.5M cable. Moreover, it also was a bit better than the $500 audiophile cable.

The longer length is perhaps surprising; until one realizes that longer lengths means more RF filtering by the cable itself.
So I have on order some more cables, of 1M, 2M and 5M lengths, together with ferrite clamps on cores as this should further improve RF isolation. I will report back.

Conclusions? Yes there is a small difference; so far don't spend huge sums on audiophile cables, just quality RF cables.

Rob

 

[adyc]

Can you let us know the length of your audiophile BNC cable?

Could it be that BNC cable may not be truly 75 ohms and the reflected signals travel longer and cause less interferences to the transmitter?

 

[Rob Watts]

It was 1M.

Perhaps; but actually my (albeit only just) preferred 2M cable was RG-58 cable - that is 50 ohms. The cables I have on order are 75 ohms, RG-59 cable. The 0.5M (the worst sounding) was RG-59, 75 ohms.

The issue is the amount of RF noise that gets injected into Dave's ground plane - hence why I have ordered some ferrite cores too.

 

[Malcyg]

It was 1M.

Perhaps; but actually my (albeit only just) preferred 2M cable was RG-58 cable - that is 50 ohms. The cables I have on order are 75 ohms, RG-59 cable. The 0.5M (the worst sounding) was RG-59, 75 ohms.

The issue is the amount of RF noise that gets injected into Dave's ground plane - hence why I have ordered some ferrite cores too.

I have always found BNC to be my least preferred input and so it is with the Dave. USB, AES and optical all sound better, so I was surprised that you went with dual BNC for the connections between Dave and Blu II. Why was that out of interest? I presume because of data transfer levels, but that is based upon ignorance.

 

[Rob Watts]

I have always found BNC to be my least preferred input and so it is with the Dave. USB, AES and optical all sound better, so I was surprised that you went with dual BNC for the connections between Dave and Blu II. Why was that out of interest? I presume because of data transfer levels, but that is based upon ignorance.

The SQ issues with BNC are solved with galvanic isolation; the method of isolation is vitally important too; normally for BNC it is done with transformer coupling, but the inter-winding capacitance is too large so it's too slow with poor RF isolation; but I have implemented a similar scheme to Dave's USB isolation. So this is very fast, and has very low coupling capacitance, so ensures very low RF noise coupling.

 

[Malcyg]

The SQ issues with BNC are solved with galvanic isolation; the method of isolation is vitally important too; normally for BNC it is done with transformer coupling, but the inter-winding capacitance is too large so it's too slow with poor RF isolation; but I have implemented a similar scheme to Dave's USB isolation. So this is very fast, and has very low coupling capacitance, so ensures very low RF noise coupling.

I guessed it was the interwinding capacitance Rob. Anyway, I'm looking forward to my Blu II which I hope is coming very soon......

The emoticons are missing, so the irony in my message is lost. I don't fully understand you, but I don't care because I have learnt to trust you through my journey of DSX1000 to Dave, Mojo and, soon to be Blu II.

 

[jelt2359]

Does anyone else think that their Blu2 gets really hot when on standby mode? Am I doing something wrong? I use the remote to put it into standby.

 

[onsionsi]

Does anyone else think that their Blu2 gets really hot when on standby mode? Am I doing something wrong? I use the remote to put it into standby.

Congratulation @jelt2359, looking forward to see your opinion and review for Blu2 with Dave.

 

[Malcyg]

Does anyone else think that their Blu2 gets really hot when on standby mode? Am I doing something wrong? I use the remote to put it into standby.

I don't think that very many units are out there yet for anyone to comment.

I just looked on the Chord website to see if there was any update on units shipping and, on the Blu II page in the 'downloads' section it says 'roon ready'. Does anyone have any idea what this means?

 

[oscarnr]

Does anyone else think that their Blu2 gets really hot when on standby mode? Am I doing something wrong? I use the remote to put it into standby.

Hi. I received my Blu2 this wednesday and I have been out for work so I have had not much time listening to it. My prime use is the M-Scaler, and I discovered that it works with the unit in (the not so) "stand-by" mode. If you not turn off the rear switch the unit is fully working! The off button in the remote only sends the CD player to sleep, but not the unit. That is the readon that the Blu2 in "standby" is hot. This is not well stated in the manual. So if you like to really turn it off you have to change the rear switch.
In my case I also had the problem that connecting my BNC cables to DAVE's BNC 1 and 2 I had a slight sound dropout every 2-3 minutes. Then I changed to BNC 2&E and the problem solved.
The sound is so good. Huge soundstage and a lot of textures. Impressive.

 

[onsionsi]

Congratulation @oscarnr, looking forward to seeing your comprehensive review for Blu2 with Dave if you have a time.

In my case I also had the problem that connecting my BNC cables to DAVE's BNC 1 and 2 I had a slight sound dropout every 2-3 minutes. Then I changed to BNC 2&E and the problem solved.

I didn't understand you correctly, what did you mean by changing to connect Dave to Blu2 via BNC2&E.
AFAK from Blu2 manual you have to connect Dave to Blu2 via connectors shown no.9 in manual.

 

[Rob Watts]

Does anyone else think that their Blu2 gets really hot when on standby mode? Am I doing something wrong? I use the remote to put it into standby.

It only puts the CD player into standby; the M scaler power reduction is automatic with digital silence. Even so, it's still 2A in standby...

 

[oscarnr]

I didn't understand you correctly, what did you mean by changing to connect Dave to Blu2 via BNC2&E.
AFAK from Blu2 manual you have to connect Dave to Blu2 via connectors shown no.9 in manual.
[/QUOTE]

Sorry, it's a typo. I connected the BNC cables to DAVE's BNC plug 3 and 4. Problem solved

 

[oscarnr]

It only puts the CD player into standby; the M scaler power reduction is automatic with digital silence. Even so, it's still 2A in standby...

Sorry Rob. I don't fully understand this. I have played music from my macbook connecting an USB cable to Blu2 and DAVE showing Double-BNC 705.6 KHz with the unit in stand by mode, with the CD player in stand-by. Is this correct? No digital silence in my unit, it is fully working.
Thanks
Oscar