Which Digital Audio Interconnect Cables are "good enough"

[DaveN]

I'm putting together a decent system (Arcam receiver, Vandersteen speakers, Pioneer Elite DVD player, etc.) and the question is DA interconnects. I can by cable for $19 or $1900. Can anyone suggest a reliable brand or 2 at a sane price that delivers the goods? Thanks, dave

 

[MDS]

Are you talking about coaxial digital audio cables? Just about any coax cable with a 75 ohm characteristic impedance will do the job perfectly. Acoustic Research makes nice cables that are inexpensive and can be bought at your local Best Buy or Circuit City.

For optical digital audio cables, there can be some subtle differences in build quality and whether they use glass or plastic, but for the short runs in a typical HT system, they will all perform about the same.

You should spend closer to the $19 figure than the $1900 figure. Buy stock in the company selling $1900 cables because there are plenty of gullbile consumers that will buy them - just don't spend YOUR money on the cables.

 

[DaveN]

Digital Coax Cable

That's what I'm looking for. I have other AR cables and they seems to work pretty well. I just get intruigued when I read about guys switching cables and unlocking their systems potential. They sound like wine connoiseurs waxing on the subtle sound shading and transparency that the new cables deliver.

 

[jonnythan]

That's what I'm looking for. I have other AR cables and they seems to work pretty well. I just get intruigued when I read about guys switching cables and unlocking their systems potential. They sound like wine connoiseurs waxing on the subtle sound shading and transparency that the new cables deliver.

Head to monoprice.com

With digital cable, there is absolutely no difference between a $5 cable and a $500 cable, unless we're talking about long-length Toslink where the more expensive ones will use low-loss glass instead of plastic. Under 25' and it's a total non-issue.

If you end up spending more than $0.25 - $0.75 per foot (depending on length of course) for a digital audio cable you're paying too much.

 

[CAVau]

*Let Your Own Eyes & Ears Be The Judge*

I'm putting together a decent system (Arcam receiver, Vandersteen speakers, Pioneer Elite DVD player, etc.) and the question is DA interconnects. I can by cable for $19 or $1900. Can anyone suggest a reliable brand or 2 at a sane price that delivers the goods? Thanks, dave

Hi DaveN,

One thing you could do if you are curious, is to do your own test,most stores have a return policy, so just buy a few different brands and try them out, if you see or hear no difference with your system then just return them.

I agree $1900 is crazy. I did go a bit overboard myself past the .075 per foot, I use a $30.00 Optical cable, and for my DVD player my component was $45.00. running into my LCD HDTV. I never give out personal info on the Internet so Monoprice or ordering anything online is not an option for me.Its also a hassel if you do not like the product then you have to ship it back, but YES their(MonoPrice) prices are very good.

Just out of curiousity what are you using for Speaker Cable???

 

[DaveN]

Speaker Cable

I don't know the make and model but it's two pair 14 gauge in wall cable in a blue jacket.