Preferred aes/ebu 110 ohm digital cable you have tried

SCAudiophile

Well-Known Member
Sep 11, 2010
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Greer South Carolina (USA)
Probably should stay out of this one, but since I am here...............

There is no way to predict how any digital cable will sound, in any system. Yes, they all have one very significant parameter, that should be adhered to, but there is no way to cross-correlate how it will sound.

Even if there was...............

Any system has 3 parts: transmitter (source/transport), cable, and receiver (DAC). All three must have the same impedance. Does not matter what that value is, as long as all 3 are identical. (SPDIF is 75R, AES/EBU is 110R.)

So, what sounds bright in one system can sound dull and/or bass-heavy, in the next. Who knows? No one does. Yes, dorky nerds like me can measure something, and say "It is 'x'", but that is all it is worth. Unless you are the guy who sells it, calling it "x" when it is really "q". Which they have been known to do.

Hope you found something to your liking.

Well said and right on!
 

pke10000

Well-Known Member
Jan 22, 2018
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Hello

I'm sorry to post to old subject.
These days I compared several digital cables between my aurender n10 and mark no30.6

I audited siltech golden eagle2 aes/ebu vs transparent reference xl aes ebu vs blackcat tron bnc to rca vs shunyata anaconda bnc with telegartner bnc to rca.

Siltech was the most real.
It seems to seperate the instruments, to add power, then to mix. Those makes super real dynamics.
I could hear all of minor sounds like as small glitch of guitare and violin.
The bass was good enough, but the high is really outstanding. so I thnk bass is sacrified by high.
Many people say siltech has a special feeling at high, I could also see that clearly. It was very special, it always made me a state of positive tension, without any nervous.
But it made me analytic during the listening, I contineously try to find out the weakness. Of course I failed to find anything, but I couldn't enjoy. I didn't know why.

Transparent was the most musical.
I already use reference speaker cable, and reference xl power cables. those were natural without any coloration. But the aes/ebu cable insisted who he was.
It had super-slam bass, transparent and wide spectrum, and smooth. Those made the sound more quality than real.
When I listen the violin of anne sophy mutter, it was realy fantastic. Rockstar of Post Malone fullfilled my living room.
Even the piano looked some soft because a lot of reverbe, it was acceptable.
High was not enough but open enough.
It was really touched me, and made me surprise when I heard its price. ^^

Blackcat tron showed what the reference should be.
It had very deep bass, wide spectrum, perfect dynamics without any coloration.
If I would be a recording engineer or a musician, I must use this cable.
But I'm a just audio lover, it did not appeal to my heart.

Shunyata was at my home for a long time.
When I bought this, I compared it with kimber orchid, and wireworld's. it was the best.
Until now I didn't do any complain for this cable.
But now, unhappily, it shows the limit in front of 2~4 times price cables.


Thanks
 

bmichels

Well-Known Member
Nov 30, 2012
109
2
260
Since I am myself looking for a 110 ohms AES cable for my Denafrip TERMINATOR DAC, I was happy to see that there seems to be a consensus in favour of the transparent reference xl aes.

But since it is out of my budget, I wonder how the transparent reference (NON XL) compare to it's big brother Reference XL at 1/2 it's price.

The reference's 2000€ price is indeed the max I am ready to invest in a digital cable ! ( any alternative suggestion BTW to the transparent reference - non XL ? )
 

Iamrael

Member
Nov 3, 2017
87
4
8
Since I am myself looking for a 110 ohms AES cable for my Denafrip TERMINATOR DAC, I was happy to see that there seems to be a consensus in favour of the transparent reference xl aes.

But since it is out of my budget, I wonder how the transparent reference (NON XL) compare to it's big brother Reference XL at 1/2 it's price.

Hi,
I have the Totaldac d-12 DAC which uses two aes cables. Since the cost of two ref XL’s would have been crazy I thought that I would give the non xl a try. In my system it was a NO GO. In fact everything else I tried was better. I thought the Siltech worked best for me and haven’t really thought about looking further.

The reference's 2000€ price is indeed the max I am ready to invest in a digital cable ! ( any alternative suggestion BTW to the transparent reference - non XL ? )

Since I am myself looking for a 110 ohms AES cable for my Denafrip TERMINATOR DAC, I was happy to see that there seems to be a consensus in favour of the transparent reference xl aes.

But since it is out of my budget, I wonder how the transparent reference (NON XL) compare to it's big brother Reference XL at 1/2 it's price.

Hi,
I have the Totaldac d-12 DAC which uses two aes cables. Since the cost of two ref XL’s would have been crazy I thought that I would give the non xl a try. In my system it was a NO GO. In fact everything else I tried was better. I thought the Siltech worked best for me and haven’t really thought about looking further.[/U
 

Speedskater

Well-Known Member
Sep 30, 2010
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Cleveland Ohio
With AES 3id (AES/EBU) being a very robust interconnect system, it's not going to matter unless the cable is very long. But my first choice would be a Belden cable, followed by Canare and Mogami. This is a type of cable that should be manufactured by a big bulk cable company.
 

elescher

Member Sponsor
Sep 12, 2010
201
1
0
New York
With AES 3id (AES/EBU) being a very robust interconnect system, it's not going to matter unless the cable is very long. But my first choice would be a Belden cable, followed by Canare and Mogami. This is a type of cable that should be manufactured by a big bulk cable company.

It matters (to me) if one sounds better than the other.
 

bmichels

Well-Known Member
Nov 30, 2012
109
2
260
Has someone tested the FRENCH JCT aes/ebu One from hifi-cables.com

At 460€ ( 600 $) it seems a very good deal based on the very positive french review

JCT.jpg
 

SCAudiophile

Well-Known Member
Sep 11, 2010
1,156
435
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Greer South Carolina (USA)
I have not but of the large number of digital cables I have used over the years, the one that is the best ever and in my system for quite a while
now is the Shunyata SIGMA line of digital cables, both AES and Clock cables (50-ohm in my case).
 

bmichels

Well-Known Member
Nov 30, 2012
109
2
260
I have not but of the large number of digital cables I have used over the years, the one that is the best ever and in my system for quite a while
now is the Shunyata SIGMA line of digital cables, both AES and Clock cables (50-ohm in my case).

Thanks for the advice. It looks like the most raved digital cables are Transparent Reference and Shunyata SIGMA ! !

I will therefore investigate those Shunyata SIGMA to use between my Aurender W20 and my Denafrips TERMINATOR R2R DAC. I just wonder what will sound Best : COAX or AES ???

PS: I am not too fan of this strange looking glass part. I hope it is really usefull and not just for marketing purposes to impress the customer !

PS2: during my initial tests, I had the impression that I could play DSD Ok with USB but not with the Coax connection !* is it normal or did I configured something wrong ?* . Will AES have the same limitation for DSD than Coax ?
 
Last edited:

SCAudiophile

Well-Known Member
Sep 11, 2010
1,156
435
1,205
Greer South Carolina (USA)
Thanks for the advice. It looks like the most raved digital cables are Transparent Reference and Shunyata SIGMA ! !

I will therefore investigate those Shunyata SIGMA to use between my Aurender W20 and my Denafrips TERMINATOR R2R DAC. I just wonder what will sound Best : COAX or AES ???

PS: I am not too fan of this strange looking glass part. I hope it is really usefull and not just for marketing purposes to impress the customer !
.
PS2: during my initial tests, I had the impression that I could play DSD Ok with USB but not with the Coax connection !* is it normal or did I configured something wrong ?* . Will AES have the same limitation for DSD than Coax ?

I've not experienced the W20 much and the Denafrips at all so I could not comment. I can say with other equipment I've owned, I've come to appreciate and prefer 110-ohm AES over 75-ohm S/PDIF but YMMV.
 

Sablon Audio

Industry Expert, VIP Donor
May 22, 2015
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Best bear in mind when making comparisons or extrapolating data points that a bnc terminated spdif will comfortably outperform an rca terminated one as the latter (and equipment jacks) are seldom 75 ohm compliant.
 

tarquineous

Well-Known Member
Jun 25, 2011
76
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913
With AES 3id (AES/EBU) being a very robust interconnect system, it's not going to matter unless the cable is very long. But my first choice would be a Belden cable, followed by Canare and Mogami. This is a type of cable that should be manufactured by a big bulk cable company.

It matters with any length of cable. This goes for digital cables, analog interconnects, speaker cables and power cords. The metals, surrounding materials and winding geometry all make an audible difference. Which one is preferred is a practical and financial issue. In other words, we have to try them.
 

cuprone1

Well-Known Member
Feb 10, 2013
41
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Italy
Hi all.
I apologize if I resume an old thread.
I am buying a Transparent Reference Digital Aes Ebu 110 ohm ( I need a pair) but, on the online used markets, I find some cables with different connectors than the newest. From TA web site the newest cable is this https://www.transparentcable.com/products/reference-110-ohm-aes-ebu-digital-link .
It means that used cables I find is the old version? the cable itself seems the same but connectors are different. Even the price is similar. They sound the same? It is a mystery. I wrote to Transparent with no reply yet. Can anybody help me please?
 

jfrech

VIP/Donor
Sep 3, 2012
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Transparent did refresh their digital cables a while back. No version or name change. I might contact a Transparent dealer and see about certified used cables...that way if getting the most current version is important to you...you have more certainty.
 

gipe

Member
Oct 15, 2019
25
6
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France
Hello,

I own a Streamer Soundaware D300 Ref connected to a DAC Terminator with a Swedish BIBACORD AES/EBU cable.

I'm very happy with it and I chose it among several others.

It's a remarkable cable, particularly well adapted to my system. It is warm and very detailed.

It has always given me the impression of a certain "nobility" in its musical restitution. It is coherent, rich, beautiful, present without being ostentatious in any way.

Beyond these qualities, the richness at the bottom of the spectrum undoubtedly won the decision. It goes down low, with a very beautiful bass restitution on Harbeths SHL5+.

Finally, the sound stage is wide, beautiful with very diverted instruments.

It's really a very nice achievement musically speaking, like the obvious quality of its finish.
 

Zappadaddy

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2020
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Czech rep
Just taken delivery of a Reference XL (admittedly an S/PDIF but I've heard the AES too). I've tested the Reference on my system too and the XL is way better. The Reference has some qualities of the XL, but the XL is almost perfect in every way.
Hi, so if I just bought older Transparent Reference cable I made a wrong choice and should not have bought it? I am going to receive it this week, right now I am using Grimm AES/EBU cable with pretty good results.
 

jfrech

VIP/Donor
Sep 3, 2012
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Austin
Hi, so if I just bought older Transparent Reference cable I made a wrong choice and should not have bought it? I am going to receive it this week, right now I am using Grimm AES/EBU cable with pretty good results.
hard to say. I guess if it's on the way I'd try it. Transparent does have a trade in program, so you can swap it for a current model via a dealer...
 
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Zappadaddy

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2020
270
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Czech rep
hard to say. I guess if it's on the way I'd try it. Transparent does have a trade in program, so you can swap it for a current model via a dealer...
Really, even if when I bought it second hand?
 

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