Cable Asylum: REVIEW: The Bolder Cable Company 1695a Digital Interconnect Cable by Sean H

Model:	1695a Digital Interconnect
Category:	Cable
Suggested Retail Price:	$65
Description:	Digital Interconnect
Manufacturer URL:	The Bolder Cable Company
Model Picture:	View

Review by Sean H on September 18, 2001 at 15:09:00
IP Address: 216.243.207.214

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After acquiring the peculiar Art DI/O DAC, I began thinking about a digital interconnect. Should I buy one? Make one myself? Based on my experiences in the past I knew that the quality of a digital interconnect was important, hearing this first hand when I graduated from a standard Monster Cable brand video cable to a Canare cable back when I owned an MSB Link DAC. How the heck does the quality of a cable carrying 0's and 1's make a difference in the sound? I soon learned how and why.
I had decided to make my own digital interconnect to marry my Art DI/O to my Audio Refinement CD Complete, which was now delegated to the roll of being a "transport." I could all but hear the CD Complete moaning and groaning about having to relinquish the D to A responsibilities, looking at me with drawer wide open shouting "what and the hell is this thing you are connecting me to!?" After perusing the latest in DIY digital interconnect recipe's, I noticed the popular Belden 1506A was getting a lot of good comments as a good base cable to use. With some left over 89248 I had lying around I checked the Belden web site and realized it was nearly identical to the 1506A in terms of design and materials. Using fairly budget RCA's I built a one meter cable.
The sound of this cable was actually pretty good. At least as good as a Canare digital cable I once owned, if my memory is correct. Intrigued by the sound of this cable I decided I'd look into some better connectors and through this I realized much of the recent discussion of DIY digital interconnects involved using the slightly larger Belden 1695A cable. It was then, through this, that I found Wayne and The Bolder Cable Company. Intrigued by Wayne's enthusiasm and the design of his rendition of a 1695A based digital interconnect, that I decided to give one a try.
The Bolder Cable Company's digital interconnect is made of Belden 1695a Teflon insulated, 75 ohm, coaxial cable with an added external shield and a capacitor. This design helps to isolate EMI, ground out RFI and help reduce jitter pickup. Canare True 75 ohm RCA connectors are used to insure correct impedance matching. Available with RCA or BNC connectors, I have a RCA type. I was immediately impressed by the fit and finish, exhibiting a very high degree of craftsmanship and top quality construction. With cable installed and the CD Complete seeming in a better mood, I plopped in a CD which the CD Complete gobbled up with new enthusiasm. (ok, ok, enough with the annoying jokes).
The first thing I noticed was an immediate sense of increased air and dimensionality, an apparent increase in fine detail and transparency. There was a much increased sense of air around instruments, a fuller more palpable sense of space in which sounds were within. With the increased sense of air and space notes seemed to hang on longer and and were more telling of the acoustical environment. The high frequencies were smoother as well, airy and extended but very smooth and refined. I hadn't realized it but the Bolder cable made me realize just how edgy and slightly harsh the highs were before. I also noticed that the lower treble and upper mids were very smooth and liquid, where before there was almost a "shouty" character. This cable is also very quiet, seemingly lowered noise in the background, allowing better contrast among sounds, lending to a much more relaxed and effortless presentation of fine detail.
I was immediately reminded of another quality digital interconnect I once owned, an FMS Dataline Digital (retailed for $300): full, musical, clean, dimensional. If there was one word that could describe the Bolder digital cable it's definitely "musical," in my experience. For the first couple weeks I could sense a slightly rounded character in dynamics. But in time this seemed to have evened out. Wayne at Bolder Cables said the bass would deepen in time too, but I have to say I really didn't notice any lack of depth or quality of the bass. Not that I even cared in all honesty, the sheer musicality of this cable had me riveted upon first listen.
One note about using this cable with the Art DI/O. The Art seems to be very sensitive to the quality of the digital cable connected to it. I've tried three different cables with it and in each case I not only heard differences in the sound but also in the Art's ability to lock on to the digital signal. Though the Art still has some trouble locking on to the digital signal every once in a while, it's much less frequent with the Bolder cable. Sonically, I found the Bolder cable to be a great match for the Art. In my experience, the Art could sound a tad tense and at times seem a little overly excited in parts of the spectrum. With the Bolder cable in line the Art is more relaxed and more liquid, most notably from the upper mids through the treble.
I would have a hard time thinking that anyone would not like this cable, especially based on any sonic character it might seem to invoke of it's own. If open, clean, transparent, yet musical and smooth is your cup of tea then this cable might be right up your alley. I am sure much of this is due to the additional outer shield and capacitor. Whatever it is I simply loved the sound of this cable the moment I put it in my system. It made a huge impact and improvement and at $65 it's one amazing deal. My suspicion is this cable would give cables several times it's price a run for the money. Wayne at The Bolder Cable Company definitely has a skill in constructing cables, which is mirrored in all the other cables I have received from him, which I hope to report on soon. A pleasure to work with and noted as being "fast and friendly," I highly recommend his 1695A digital cable - and so does the CD Complete ;)
Sean H
Associated equipment click here or click A next to my name

Product Weakness: None in my experience.
Product Strengths: Build quality, construction and connectors. Additional shielding. Able to sound open and detailed while remaining very musical and smooth.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	.
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	.
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	.
Speakers:	.
Cables/Interconnects:	.
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	.
Room Comments/Treatments:	.
Time Period/Length of Audition:	45 days
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	.
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition):	.

Product Weakness:	None in my experience.
Product Strengths:	Build quality, construction and connectors. Additional shielding. Able to sound open and detailed while remaining very musical and smooth.