[gnomen]

apparently optical cables don't all sound the same. I left with this to try at home and i'm DEFINITELY keeping it

I’ve recently discovered this too. As it was only for my smart tv connection, I just went for Kabeldirekt. Amazing difference. I was prepared for differences with electrical signals but not with optical as well. Now you have me wondering if I should stretch to the QED. Let’s know how you get on.

 

[adrianm]

I’ve recently discovered this too. As it was only for my smart tv connection, I just went for Kabeldirekt. Amazing difference. I was prepared for differences with electrical signals but not with optical as well. Now you have me wondering if I should stretch to the QED. Let’s know how you get on.

Not sure if it's worth it for movies, but it was pretty obvious with music. It's like that weird blurring effect some MQA tracks have on Dave was always there with the other cable and this one just removed it, i'll keep testing and let you know.

 

[iamoneagain]

Not sure if it's worth it for movies, but it was pretty obvious with music. It's like that weird blurring effect some MQA tracks have on Dave was always there with the other cable and this one just removed it, i'll keep testing and let you know.

Think that’s good way to describe bad optical. At first it may sound better because of the blurring. I sort called this rounded. But with that you lose precise soundstage placement. Also felt like was a layer between the music that wasn’t there with good usb.

 

[kenray536]

As a side note, though i would've called snake oil , i think part of the reason the m-scaler sounded so bad on optical was because the cable was crap and apparently optical cables don't all sound the same. I left with this to try at home and i'm DEFINITELY keeping it :

Wow...a lot going on in this thread....lol

I am tempted to buy this cable right now on Amazon. I run a Bluesound Node 2i into the mscaler or Dave.

You could hear that much of a difference?

 

[kenray536]

HF filter On or Off?

I have been running mine Off, but wanted to get everyone else's thoughts. I have Dave + MScaler.

 

[doraymon]

Thanks for sharing! What were the differences between Lumin optical vs Lumin USB into Dave and between optical from PC and optical from Lumen into Dave? Cheers!

Lumin optical vs usb very difficult to tell the difference. There is still something in the bass which sounds better to my ears with optical but we are talking really nuances.
As such, differences between PC optical and Lumin optical are the same as I describe in my post.

 

[doraymon]

Guys, anyone in Dubai with a Dave who is available to do a test hooking my Lumin via optical and checking if 24/192 is working?
it might not be ideal during COVID times but let me know if you are around. Thanks

 

[adrianm]

HF filter On or Off?

I have been running mine Off, but wanted to get everyone else's thoughts. I have Dave + MScaler.

I've been running it off since i got Dave and didn't notice much of a difference with it on, i do mostly listen to flacs on tidal though, no hi-res stuff.

 

[adrianm]

Wow...a lot going on in this thread....lol

I am tempted to buy this cable right now on Amazon. I run a Bluesound Node 2i into the mscaler or Dave.

You could hear that much of a difference?

I would say so, but it's a new day. Let me make a cappuccino and test some more to make sure.

 

[adrianm]

You could hear that much of a difference?

Wow, it really is. Using this track https://tidal.com/browse/track/107380557 the differences are obvious, it's like a veil has lifted. The image is more focused, the movement of the guitar strings is better delineated and voices a bit clearer.
That blur effect of the old cable was amplified by the m-scaler to ridiculous amounts, i almost want to try it again with this cable, but there's still the brightness issue.
The bigger issue though is the fact that a 150$ cable sounds so different from a 10$ one puts into question Dave's jitter immunity. I can imagine my crappy Realtek ALC1220 integrated soundcard puts out much more jitter of it's own than the delta between cables.

 

[adrianm]

The bigger issue though is the fact that a 150$ cable sounds so different from a 10$ one puts into question Dave's jitter immunity

I'm sure this isn't news and i'm a bit late to the party. I can see why the usb streamers now, as usb data gets reclocked.

 

[adrianm]

voices a bit clearer.

Scratch that, a lot better. I keep switching them around and i can't believe i have been living like that lol. on https://tidal.com/browse/track/115895791 voices sound a lot better , as does piano on fan favourite Band of Horses- the funeral . Overall everything sounds MUCH less fatiguing. Yet tons of measurements and blogs claim optical cables don't matter, they all sound the same, margin of error, etc.
I think that Dave, and even more so, the m-scaler's, upsampling shines a spotlight on the effects of jitter, and any other things that might affect the original signal. I never noticed the softness with my old cable untill the m-scaler just completely blew it up out of proportions, which got me thinking the optical did sound a bit softer than my laptop usb and i should test a higher end one.
That said, i'm definitely getting the m-scaler back for another listen, but i'm getting it with a lpsu and some decent bnc cables. And even if i do switch to a lpsu usb streamer (0 jitter, it should theoretically be best) i'm still keeping this cable, it's pure gold.

 

[miketlse]

Scratch that, a lot better. I keep switching them around and i can't believe i have been living like that lol. on https://tidal.com/browse/track/115895791 voices sound a lot better , as does piano on fan favourite Band of Horses- the funeral . Overall everything sounds MUCH less fatiguing. Yet tons of measurements and blogs claim optical cables don't matter, they all sound the same, margin of error, etc.
I think that Dave, and even more so, the m-scaler's, upsampling shines a spotlight on the effects of jitter, and any other things that might affect the original signal. I never noticed the softness with my old cable untill the m-scaler just completely blew it up out of proportions, which got me thinking the optical did sound a bit softer than my laptop usb and i should test a higher end one.
That said, i'm definitely getting the m-scaler back for another listen, but i'm getting it with a lpsu and some decent bnc cables. And even if i do switch to a lpsu usb streamer (0 jitter, it should theoretically be best) i'm still keeping this cable, it's pure gold.

Read the section on optical cables in post #3 of the Mojo thread, and check whether you are comparing apples with apples.
Do both cables have lens caps on the end of the fibres?
Are all the lens caps clean, or are some of them contaminated with finger sweat?
Are the cables short - long cables with lots of coils will have lots of sidewall reflections, which will impact the wavefront at the start of each pulse of light?
Are all the plugs secure in the sockets - if not the light beams can get misaligned, which can cause problems.

 

[adrianm]

Do both cables have lens caps on the end of the fibres?

They did, if you mean the plastic protectors.

Are all the lens caps clean, or are some of them contaminated with finger sweat?

Erm, no, the old cable probably was, i've wiped the lens at both ends with a cloth (not sure what the proper way to do it is, i'll try alcohol too) and it does seem to sound better now.

Are the cables short - long cables with lots of coils will have lots of sidewall reflections, which will impact the wavefront at the start of each pulse of light?

The cheap one is 3m long and the new one is 2m long.

Are all the plugs secure in the sockets - if not the light beams can get misaligned, which can cause problems.

The cheap one is secure but it doesn't take much for it to fall out, especially in the m-scaler i could never get it to click in, it just kind of hung in place and would fall if touched.
The qed one locks in place very firmly.
Overall i still think the qed one sounds a bit clearer ,but the delta is smaller now.

 

[Triode User]

On a different note:
"Trip Trap" is a fantastic track. Thanks to everyone who recommended it! I'm a guitarist myself but I have a soft spot for bassists from Jaco to John Myung. Marcus Miller's talent... the stuff of legends.

If you like Marcus Miller, have you tried Victor Wooten?