[feelingears]

 
What is cables length?

 
Mine's 1m. Shorter is supposedly better.
 
@bombik I've spoken with Dave the owner/cable builder at http://www.zenwaveaudio.com/ and he was a wealth of information. Generally speaking, he said to expect copper to add warmth and silver to reduce it while adding detail (leading edge attack) to the sound. Anyway, he might be a good cable resource for those of us who don't know how to pronounce solder from soder or solider, and don't want to cut our fingers trying to splice cable ends. 

 

[nano35]

Thanks.
I am glad I made a right decision....purely based on forum comments.
 
My source:
MacBook Pro 2012; (moshi optical cable)
AGD NOS-19; (ACSS to C-2)
C-2 pre-amp; 
Yamaha HS8 speakers;
A-T ATH-M50X headphone
 
The DAC is equipped with the Amanero 384 USB module.
I did a comparison between USB and optical, I personally preferred optical cable.
 
Burn-in time is about 50 hours now. I may not have the most sensitive ears; I can't tell if it is better but it still sounds "smooth as silk".
I replaced all power cords with Belden power cables and no, I did not hear anything difference : (
 
The headphone is great. No complaint at all. (Purchase was also based on comments. If professional studios use them, it's gonna be good.)
 
I was thinking about the massdrop x HD6XX...then it was already over. wow!

 

[Astral Abyss]

  Thanks.
I am glad I made a right decision....purely based on forum comments.
 
My source:
MacBook Pro 2012; (moshi optical cable)
AGD NOS-19; (ACSS to C-2)
C-2 pre-amp; 
Yamaha HS8 speakers;
A-T ATH-M50X headphone
 
The DAC is equipped with the Amanero 384 USB module.
I did a comparison between USB and optical, I personally preferred optical cable.
 
Burn-in time is about 50 hours now. I may not have the most sensitive ears; I can't tell if it is better but it still sounds "smooth as silk".
I replaced all power cords with Belden power cables and no, I did not hear anything difference : (
 
The headphone is great. No complaint at all. (Purchase was also based on comments. If professional studios use them, it's gonna be good.)
 
I was thinking about the massdrop x HD6XX...then it was already over. wow!

 
ATH-M50x is a good headphone.  I have it as well and use it often.  
 
Keep your eyes open on the Massdrop page.  Yes, the drop for the HD6xx ended, but they really screwed up the ordering and many people accidentally ordered 3-5 pairs while just trying to get their order in due to lag/timeouts on the page.  I bet they'll be putting the drop back up today or tomorrow after they remove those phantom purchases.  If you're observant, you might still be able to snag one.

 

[Pharmaboy]

  The DAC-19 is a great sounding DAC I've owned for only about five months, and the inputs have unexpectedly been fabulous for experimenting with some different cables and inputs (USB vs. coax RCA vs. coax BNC) because for better or worse, I can hear differences in my system easily with the DAC-19.
 
Well, I've been feeding my DAC-19 via RCA coax with a Wireworld Starlight 7 coax RCA cable, and it's no slouch, but I felt like I just wasn't getting the upper frequency speed and transparency I've heard with other configurations in my system. Because someone here or at CA suggested silver BNC as superior to RCA (for at least the impedance matching of BNC over RCA), I found an Oyaide FTVS-510 5N silver coax BNC cable on eBay outta HK for $165 or so and it arrived today.
 
Chain is: Airport Express optical out via Analysis Plus optical cable to W4S Remedy (Uptone LPS-1 power), coax BNC out via Oyaide silver BNC cable to Audio GD DAC-19 coax BNC input.
 
Normally I burn things in before listening because I just don't like the early listen disappointment I've experienced in the past. And if I don't listen for a week, nobody (including myself) can accuse me of expectation bias or any other bias (except that humans are always biased, but I digress). Well, you know where this is going...
 
I gave it a spin to make sure the cable worked. WHOA! WOW. I guess the DAC-19 is just the kind of DAC that really shines with a good input, and as good as the Amanero is, BNC coax with silver may have USB beat (and I have a microRendu with the Sonore/Cardas adapter on USB, which should tell you something).
 
This is preliminary, but man if it's this good 100+ hours out, and if the bass and midrange hold up as well then this combo is a real winner (with iTunes, no less!).
 
Anyway, YMMV as usual. I just wanted to share the silver BNC love.

 
I'm pretty sure this Oyaide coax cable you're so impressed with is the DB-510. I have the DR-510, the same cable terminated w/RCA's instead of BNC's. And like you, I found it sounded audibly superior to what I'd been using (a more than decent 1.5M Billy Jeans cable) immediately, with no burn-in, on my Audio GD NOS 19.
 
I did compare it very briefly to the NOS 19's USB input (Amanerro mod, latest/greatest), but coax sounds better to me. It did from the start, and has with all 3 DACs I've owned. I'm on my 2nd Musical Fidelity V-Link (started with the 24/96, and earlier this year snapped up a perfect condition used 24/192) and coax has sounded better all that time--8 yrs or so.
 
Funny thing is I wasn't even aware the Oyaide cable was made of silver until you pointed it out. BTW, you got a terrific price. I bought my 1.5M cable direct from Oyaide/Japan, and it was over $200. Still, the money is just a distant memory now, and that great sound keeps on giving...

 

[feelingears]

   
I'm pretty sure this Oyaide coax cable you're so impressed with is the DB-510. I have the DR-510, the same cable terminated w/RCA's instead of BNC's. And like you, I found it sounded audibly superior to what I'd been using (a more than decent 1.5M Billy Jeans cable) immediately, with no burn-in, on my Audio GD NOS 19.
 
I did compare it very briefly to the NOS 19's USB input (Amanerro mod, latest/greatest), but coax sounds better to me. It did from the start, and has with all 3 DACs I've owned. I'm on my 2nd Musical Fidelity V-Link (started with the 24/96, and earlier this year snapped up a perfect condition used 24/192) and coax has sounded better all that time--8 yrs or so.
 
Funny thing is I wasn't even aware the Oyaide cable was made of silver until you pointed it out. BTW, you got a terrific price. I bought my 1.5M cable direct from Oyaide/Japan, and it was over $200. Still, the money is just a distant memory now, and that great sound keeps on giving...

 
Yes, thanks for the correction. DB-510. Oyaide have a bunch of cables and this one was a little harder to find on eBay. I was worried it was a fake but after seeing the package, and testing it, I'm satisfied that it's the real deal. I've been listening for a couple hours now, and while USB has a certain "good edge" to it, the coax is fuller, smoother, and to my taste more enjoyable. I wouldn't advise anyone to sell their mRendu because those are "there" too, and my point in posting is to say it's cool to find that other inputs are up to the same/better sound. Seems like this is a good thing until the world settles on an audio data standard like maybe AoIP. We're really closing the gap on the megabuck gear (except speakers--can't fight physics).

 

[Pharmaboy]

No doubt that multiple digital inputs enable all manner of experimentation. We have settled on coax as preferred/best; others end up liking optical or USB (horses for courses).
 
Honestly, I think we're years away from a unified audio standard to replace USB et al. 25 years ago CDs & CD players sold millions of units, a commercial force that readily moved markets; if those companies had elected (for their own peculiar reasons) to ditch 1 standard & back a new one, it would've happened. But there's nothing equivalent to that now. I don't see any big commercial force behind 1 new standard.
 
Anyway, back to coax: I like having technical "upside" via various sound upgrade for SPDIF converters. You have 1 such converter that some say does different things & does them better than my V-Link. Others on this thread (some sharp contributors here--I've learned a lot) recommend the new Singxer F-1 & SU-1 converters, especially the SU-1.
 
The SU-1 is on my wishlist, along with the Surpa USB 2.0 cable that another contributor here recommended (inexpensive but praised everywhere). I'm also thinking of getting the Curious Cables 200m connector to replace the short/flexible one linking the USB Regen to the USB input of the V-Link (couldn't accomodate the shorter, unibody connector Regen provided & recommends). Eventually I may play around w/an external PS for the Regen.
 
All to say there are multiple ways remaining to "goose" these digital inputs, further enhancing the already excellent sound from the Audio GD DAC. That kind of incremental, not terribly expensive upgrade stuff is what keeps me interested in this hobby...I like having ways to improve sound that's already very pleasing.

 

[desik]

   
Mine's 1m. Shorter is supposedly better.
 
@bombik I've spoken with Dave the owner/cable builder at http://www.zenwaveaudio.com/ and he was a wealth of information. Generally speaking, he said to expect copper to add warmth and silver to reduce it while adding detail (leading edge attack) to the sound. Anyway, he might be a good cable resource for those of us who don't know how to pronounce solder from soder or solider, and don't want to cut our fingers trying to splice cable ends. 

Sorry to inform you, but you got it totally wrong.
 
1. Length. I did read the topic extensively and there's a wide consensus that for digital - LONGER IS BETTER. 1.5m+ to be exact. I'm outraged when people compare digital cable models forgetting to say the length. Some other say VERY short would be better, but there's no empirical evidence for this. maybe it is cable length that made the difference for you?
 
References:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/469253/digital-coax-length-question#post_6357580
http://forums.slimdevices.com/archive/index.php/t-84751.html
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/jitter-and-75ohm-cable-length

2. Material. You are confusing digital cable with analog cable. For digital, there's no knowledge of material making a difference. The connector quality is WAY more important. Please don't spread heresy.

 

[desik]

  No doubt that multiple digital inputs enable all manner of experimentation. We have settled on coax as preferred/best; others end up liking optical or USB (horses for courses).
 
Honestly, I think we're years away from a unified audio standard to replace USB et al. 25 years ago CDs & CD players sold millions of units, a commercial force that readily moved markets; if those companies had elected (for their own peculiar reasons) to ditch 1 standard & back a new one, it would've happened. But there's nothing equivalent to that now. I don't see any big commercial force behind 1 new standard.
 
Anyway, back to coax: I like having technical "upside" via various sound upgrade for SPDIF converters. You have 1 such converter that some say does different things & does them better than my V-Link. Others on this thread (some sharp contributors here--I've learned a lot) recommend the new Singxer F-1 & SU-1 converters, especially the SU-1.
 
The SU-1 is on my wishlist, along with the Surpa USB 2.0 cable that another contributor here recommended (inexpensive but praised everywhere). I'm also thinking of getting the Curious Cables 200m connector to replace the short/flexible one linking the USB Regen to the USB input of the V-Link (couldn't accomodate the shorter, unibody connector Regen provided & recommends). Eventually I may play around w/an external PS for the Regen.
 
All to say there are multiple ways remaining to "goose" these digital inputs, further enhancing the already excellent sound from the Audio GD DAC. That kind of incremental, not terribly expensive upgrade stuff is what keeps me interested in this hobby...I like having ways to improve sound that's already very pleasing.

I believe you Oyaide sounds better. Question is by how much? Wouldn't you get more for same $200 for a better SPDIF transport or better amp? If you have time, please do a shootout when you get a new transport and try to make a ranking of combinations cable+transport.

 

[feelingears]

  Sorry to inform you, but you got it totally wrong.
 
1. Length. I did read the topic extensively and there's a wide consensus that for digital - LONGER IS BETTER. 1.5m+ to be exact. I'm outraged when people compare digital cable models forgetting to say the length. Some other say VERY short would be better, but there's no empirical evidence for this. maybe it is cable length that made the difference for you?
 
References:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/469253/digital-coax-length-question#post_6357580
http://forums.slimdevices.com/archive/index.php/t-84751.html
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/jitter-and-75ohm-cable-length

2. Material. You are confusing digital cable with analog cable. For digital, there's no knowledge of material making a difference. The connector quality is WAY more important. Please don't spread heresy.

 
@desik No need to apologize for correcting me. My ego isn't particularly fragile to begin with, and I like being corrected when I'm wrong, so thank you.
 
#2 first: Cables are analog. I'll grant you that there is a difference between application (analog vs. digital) but "no knowledge of materials making a difference"? Let's agree to disagree. I trust my ears, you trust yours, others trust others. End of story, and I'll spread whatever heretical experience I experience while being willing to be corrected as I stated. So I'll read your links but I trust my ears. Oh, and yes the connectors: the point of BNC for me was to ensure I got the intended 75 ohm electrical value that that input specifies. RCA is supposedly much more difficult to "get right." You know, I'm not an electrician or EE, and I don't play one on t.v., so I have to trust my ears. But thanks for posting the links; I'll review.
 
#1. Maybe I'm confused here, but I seem to recall that the experts I was reading suggested impedance (again, the main reason along with silver that I was trying BNC to begin with) was better at shorter lengths. Whatever, I don't need 6 meters of cable and I don't care if it's 0.7m or 1.0m because in the end, it's just sound that makes me happy. My attempts to interest others in MUSIC played thru simply GOOD audio gear have largely met with what's known as good enough syndrome (i.e., the reason VHS beat out Betamax). Regardless, my cable fits my system and I wanted to share how great things sound now ("end-game" good, in fact) with these affordable products/tweaks/cables as @Pharmaboy points out.
 
Cheers, Desik.

 

[Pharmaboy]

A shootout is a good idea (24/192 V-Link vs Singxer SU-1, all else being the same). I'll try to do that when the time comes. Not sure how many out there have V-Links like mine, but probably fewer have Singxer SU-1's than the other/older SPDIF converters, so maybe that comparison will be of iinterest.
 
Your question--"Wouldn't you get more for same $200 for a better SPDIF transport or better amp?"--is good one. Logical & rational. But reality isn't always linear. When I got that cable, to me it was "end-game." I'd never heard of the Singxer boxes then, or the Supra USB 2.0, or any of the potential SPDIF upgrades I've become aware of since. I thought that was it...
 
(oh, well!)

 

[feelingears]

Everyone knows this is a hobby with rapidly diminishing marginal returns and hugely subjective perceptions, so when you feel you've reached end-game, that's a good thing!
 
This year's crop of USB decrapifiers/isolators, power supplies, and the microRendu network player changed the landscape, I think, making big strides toward end-game much more affordable. So now, as good as the Singxer and other DDCs may be, they may also return us to, well, marginal return territory (depending on your system).
 
Still, would be interesting/fun to know.

 

[feelingears]

  No doubt that multiple digital inputs enable all manner of experimentation. We have settled on coax as preferred/best; others end up liking optical or USB (horses for courses).
 
Honestly, I think we're years away from a unified audio standard to replace USB et al. 25 years ago CDs & CD players sold millions of units, a commercial force that readily moved markets; if those companies had elected (for their own peculiar reasons) to ditch 1 standard & back a new one, it would've happened. But there's nothing equivalent to that now. I don't see any big commercial force behind 1 new standard.
 
Anyway, back to coax: I like having technical "upside" via various sound upgrade for SPDIF converters. You have 1 such converter that some say does different things & does them better than my V-Link. Others on this thread (some sharp contributors here--I've learned a lot) recommend the new Singxer F-1 & SU-1 converters, especially the SU-1.
 
The SU-1 is on my wishlist, along with the Surpa USB 2.0 cable that another contributor here recommended (inexpensive but praised everywhere). I'm also thinking of getting the Curious Cables 200m connector to replace the short/flexible one linking the USB Regen to the USB input of the V-Link (couldn't accomodate the shorter, unibody connector Regen provided & recommends). Eventually I may play around w/an external PS for the Regen.
 
All to say there are multiple ways remaining to "goose" these digital inputs, further enhancing the already excellent sound from the Audio GD DAC. That kind of incremental, not terribly expensive upgrade stuff is what keeps me interested in this hobby...I like having ways to improve sound that's already very pleasing.

 
You're right about true standards. But if trends continue, there may be plenty of specialty audio manufacturers making DACs with I2S or AoIP. We don't need Sony or others, and that is what I meant by "standard." 
 
Re: Curious, etc. Try the Sonore adapter made by Cardas--it's only $50 vs. $120 for Curious. They spec'd it with input from Uptone's Swenson (and they spec'd the shortest length possible for connection between Regen and your DAC, go read it over at CA).
 
As for power, the new Uptone LPS-1 seems to be the sweet spot for performance/price. 

 

[poocaso]

   
Re: Curious, etc. Try the Sonore adapter made by Cardas--it's only $50 vs. $120 for Curious. They spec'd it with input from Uptone's Swenson (and they spec'd the shortest length possible for connection between Regen and your DAC, go read it over at CA).
 

Thanks for mentioning the Sonore adapter! Just checked out their website and looks like that could be a future purchase. FYI, the price on their website is $75 and not $50... But I'll still take $75 over $120!

 

[Pharmaboy]

   
You're right about true standards. But if trends continue, there may be plenty of specialty audio manufacturers making DACs with I2S or AoIP. We don't need Sony or others, and that is what I meant by "standard." 
 
Re: Curious, etc. Try the Sonore adapter made by Cardas--it's only $50 vs. $120 for Curious. They spec'd it with input from Uptone's Swenson (and they spec'd the shortest length possible for connection between Regen and your DAC, go read it over at CA).
 
As for power, the new Uptone LPS-1 seems to be the sweet spot for performance/price. 

 +1 on mentioning the Sonore Adapter! I checked it out (who doesn't want to save some $$?) but realized, looking at it, that I can't use it for the same physical/space reasons I can't use the short/unibody connector from Regen (hard explain, easy to see if I showed a picture). So I'll have to pony up the add'l $45 for the Curious 200mm cable, which would do the trick...that is, if I decide to upgrade that piece.
 
Thanks also for mentioning the LPS-1. I'm interested in that.

 

[feelingears]

  Thanks for mentioning the Sonore adapter! Just checked out their website and looks like that could be a future purchase. FYI, the price on their website is $75 and not $50... But I'll still take $75 over $120!

 
Dammit, there I go being wrong again! Not my day today, apparently... But glad you found it.