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In Reply to: RE: Experiences from Inmates using a toslink connection. posted by beppe61 on March 14, 2016 at 02:10:17
The toslink is fine. One way to improve it is to buy some expensive optical link gel. To place in the connections. (I do not use this)The best toslink for a low price are medical grade, bought from a medical supply. Usually $14 to $20 The killer often is shipping. Most are not the retail free shipping sort. So the shipping alone will be $20
I bought six toslink just to never have to buy any again!
There is a link in old posts about medical toslink. If you search you can find the place etc.For RCA digital I use ordinary IC. I have one custon made for digital IC. But it does not seem any better than ordinary IC.
Then I also use one aes/ebu cable, as my DAC has an input for it. So I use the aes/ebu out of a device I have which can convert toslink to aes/ebu.Personally I do not find ANY difference in the sound with any of the various digital cables. Way more difference with a power conditioner on the devices than from the sort of cable used. IMO of course.
I use a DAC I paid $250 for used 12 years ago. It is just as good as a DAC I tried which cost $2,200. (which I returned)
The rest of my stuff averages $5K a pop (even my IC cost $300 a pop LOL)
Then I use CD changers I find off eBay.
My Sony SACD 777ES does sound a tiny bit better than my Yamaha $80 used eBay changer plus $250 used Acom DA700 DAC.. But not enough to say it is a no brainer which to use.So IMO the talk about toslink vs whatever is rather old hat. If you want to use a toslink, no problem. If the connector fits well, it is good.
Edits: 03/23/16 03/23/16Follow Ups:
Hi and thanks a lot for the very valuable advice.
Very interesting points indeed.
I admit i am a little obsessed about connections, especially after some experiments of jus cleaning them.
Anyway, i see that you recommend to look for power conditioner.
" Way more difference with a power conditioner on the devices than from the sort of cable used "
what are you using specifically ?
May idea would be to try one for the digital source + dac. So 100VA unit should be enough.
I have slightly dirty mains i guess.
Thanks again.
Kind regards,
bg
I would say you have to just do some research. I started out with an Adcom one long ago. Then a smaller Monster Cable. Then a bigger Monster cable one. Then I lucked into a used Furman REF 20i for a great low price. And i still use the Furman for the main non digital equipment for over five years now.For my digital gear...
The conditioner which I am really glad I was able to find was not so much brand name as the fact it is able to adjust the output frequency.
Adjustable AC output frequency is a very very rare bird in a conditioner.The PS Audio P600 I found used (and long out of production) had an added (optional when new) board which allows it to output any frequency AC sine wave from 60Hz to 120Hz.
I am using this AC regenerator at a 110Hz Sine AC output on only my digital components.I read about 'alternate' AC frequency use in a blurb in Stereophile years back. The gist of the article was the higher AC frequency power input made for better sound. It made so much sense to me I decided I just had to try it. But finding any conditioner with such an ability is tough to do!
(I would guess liability of not using 60Hz is part of the problem for the makers, plus endless queries about HOW and WHY to use it.. PITA I would think. Plus certain types of power supplies do not play well with this sort of alternative AC)The PS Audio P600 normally was not able to do this, but with an optional board (originally designed mainly for turntable use ?) I am able to adjust the entire output of the P600. The P600 was just about the ONLY regenerator with this even as an option. I know of no other AC conditioners capable of alternate Hz output (added: apparently the PS Audio P300 also had the adjustable AC out as an option). AND the board option was not common, and is no longer available even if you find a P600 without it.
So, that really makes it near impossible to find such a device.
So.. How can I recommend a device you cannot buy? (Plus I paid $1000 for it 5 years ago and considered that a steal! What with its rarity and uniqueness)
With this 110 Hz in I found my old Adcom DA700 is the equal of a new $2,200 unit. Not better, but equal (My Sony SCD777ES is a tiny bit better than the Adcom and a $80 used CD changer off eBay, Barely.SO... MY recommendation is go find the rare needle in the haystack, which if it breaks you will be totally SOL... LOL
I am surprised no conditioner makers have such a product. It does need to be a regenerator to do this. And PS Audio is the main product maker for this type. Someone should ask them for this AC variable frequency to be added to the current product line!!
Anyway, long read.. But I suggest starting with any easy to find cheap used conditioner. You have to just read up on them, and watch the adverts.
Then some power cords. Pangea or Shunyata both have low priced good cords.Conditioners are just like most stereo products. They have a sound you may like or hate, all different. The main single feature I would say is they add clarity and reduce grain, but at the expense of thinning out the sound.
In general they (almost) all do this to some extent. (big bucks for ones which don't at all) If you system already sounds thin.. You will be unhappy 100% with adding a conditioner. If your system sound is full and rich, adding one may or may not make you happier.Added: my conditioners all made me happier because I am a clarity nut. I LIKE clarity and want more all the time. No mud or grain for me! So even though the sound is slightly thinner, I am happy. For others, this would not be the case. My system is just near the point of being lean. Which is OK. But I cannot get any 'leaner' or it sounds wrong..! So it is a balancing act. All I can say.
Edits: 03/24/16 03/24/16
Hi and thanks again a lot for the very helpful advice.
I will study the conditioner issue ... and also mains filtering.
By the way i like your Adcom DA700 from what i see in the web.
The fact that with the right supply sounds so good it tells me that a little mod in the power supply could do the trick.
Basically it must be very well designed and built.
I will look for one.
Thanks again.
Kind regards,
bg
Naturally the foam has to be insulated from the circuitry. I use the black anti-static foam designed for IC chip safety.
Rolls are available from various electronic supply places. Avoid the pink stiff.
Anyway you just fill the case with it to block internal RFI. It does not cause overheating.
My first batch was Radio Shack 6" squares. Then I bought a few large (36") sheets from some big industrial supply co.
Hi and thanks a lot again for the advice.
I will try. Maybe shielding also the mains transformers.
I read many posts around and now i am a believer of smart tweaking.
Starting from mains noise, than EMI and finally vibrations suppressions.
A sort of fine-tuning.
Of course the unit must be well designed and built at the start.
Thanks a lot again.
Kind regards,
bg
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