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  #21  
Old 05-01-2022, 04:38 AM
field field is offline
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Originally Posted by Clark2 View Post
Dear Field -- Helpful reply, but I'm missing something here: TOSLINK is an optical cable, so what kind of (presumed electromagnetic) shielding could help it? Or are you talking about some kind of exotic optical shielding? -- Clark2
The optical cable uses a woven metal shielding. I find them preferable to ordinary unshielded optical cables and coax cables as well. For me digital interconnects solved, I could not ask for anything better.
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  #22  
Old 05-01-2022, 09:25 AM
cleeds cleeds is offline
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The optical cable uses a woven metal shielding. I find them preferable to ordinary unshielded optical cables and coax cables as well ...
From the product descriptions, it looks like these cables use a braided metal jacket for durability and to prevent kinking. I don't see any mention that the braid is actually tied to ground. Of course that could be verified with a multimeter.
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  #23  
Old 05-01-2022, 03:31 PM
Clark2 Clark2 is offline
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Originally Posted by field View Post
The optical cable uses a woven metal shielding. I find them preferable to ordinary unshielded optical cables and coax cables as well. For me digital interconnects solved, I could not ask for anything better.
Dear Field -- Sorry, but I need more help finding what you are recommending.

I'm looking at both the EMK site itself (doesn't work well for me) and the Amazon version of it, but I'm not seeing any metal-braided TOSLINK cables. I do see several styles from EMK ranging in cost from $6 to $25(!) for 3' length. Some have grey plastic connectors and some have gold-plated (for whatever reason) metal connectors. The braid ranges from cotton to nylon ("Blue Series" and "Silver1") to nylon with double-PVC (possibly too stiff).

Elsewhere I see that you can spend up to several hundred dollars(!) on multi-fiber TOSLINK cables that are supposed to reduce jitter, etc.

I guess the bottom line here is what features do I actually need (and how much do I have to spend) to get a 3' cable that will carry 24bit by 192 kHz PCM flawlessly? -- Clark2
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  #24  
Old 05-01-2022, 04:48 PM
Clark2 Clark2 is offline
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Originally Posted by W9TR View Post
It also strongly implicates the DAC itself...
W9TR -- FYI, I switched from digital coax to TOSLINK optical between my BlueSound Node 2i and my D50s, and it seems to work fine nearly all the time. (The D50s is reputed elsewhere to have displayed difficulties with digital coax input.) On a couple of occasions I have experienced what sounds like bursts of high-frequency "static" -- not the same as the earlier "crackling" and far better than actual dropouts -- over the music. (My Qobuz is currently limited by the Node 2i to 96 kHz.)

Although I've pretty much put this issue to bed, I'm still puzzled by what could cause "static," unless it's some kind of EMI creeping into other parts of my system... -- Clark2
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  #25  
Old 05-01-2022, 05:53 PM
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Yes, the D50s has known issues with the coax input. I did not use this input when I had my D50 so I’ve not experienced it. Other Toppong products have had issues with static susceptibility. Some have failed catastrophically destroying headphones connected to them.

It’s still very likely you have a DAC problem, but the only way to know is to buy something better and try it.
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  #26  
Old 05-02-2022, 01:13 PM
Clark2 Clark2 is offline
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Originally Posted by W9TR View Post
...It’s still very likely you have a DAC problem, but the only way to know is to buy something better and try it.
W9TR -- Well this is my entry into the world of separate DACs, having started with the built-in one in my BlueSound Node 2i. According to www.audiosciencereview.com, the specs on the D50s are MUCH better, at $250 the price was right, and it sounds pretty good to me.

I'm not ready to spend vastly more money to experiment with another DAC. (I'm also not sure I'm ready to spend a couple of hundred on a glass TOSLINK cable just to see if it's noticeably better than plastic.) Is there a DAC for a reasonable price that would be a step up (preferably with a working digital-coax input)?

Cheers! -- Clark2
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  #27  
Old 05-02-2022, 01:26 PM
Clark2 Clark2 is offline
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Originally Posted by field View Post
The optical cable uses a woven metal shielding. I find them preferable to ordinary unshielded optical cables and coax cables as well. For me digital interconnects solved, I could not ask for anything better.
Dear Field -- Back to you again if you're still here. What resolution/sample-rate are you listening to through your EMK TOSLINK? (I assume it's a plastic fiber, since EMK does not appear to make glass.) Have you ever tried glass fiber? I'm not sure it's worth the huge increase in price. 24 bit X 192 kHz is my goal... -- Clark2
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  #28  
Old 05-02-2022, 05:28 PM
clpetersen clpetersen is offline
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Hello Clark2 -
you were right about metal shielding on a optical fiber. It may provide a mechanical benefit, but nothing else as far as the signal. Optical communication is impervious to electronic and magnetic noise. For short runs (1-2 meters), either plastic of glass will work fine. Glass and newer plastic fibers can provide higher transmission bandwidths over longer distances, so high sample rate multichannel audio is best with these fibers.

The original TOSLINK (TOShiba LINK) is a very old standard, developed around the time of the original CD format in the 1980's. However, the transmission rate possible has increased a lot since then. So, it depends on the capabilities of your specific hardware.

https://www.audioholics.com/audio-vi...history-basics


That all being said, I agree with Tom, you might have a DAC issue.
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Last edited by clpetersen; 05-02-2022 at 06:23 PM.
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  #29  
Old 05-03-2022, 09:33 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Clark2 View Post
W9TR -- Well this is my entry into the world of separate DACs, having started with the built-in one in my BlueSound Node 2i. According to www.audiosciencereview.com, the specs on the D50s are MUCH better, at $250 the price was right, and it sounds pretty good to me.

I'm not ready to spend vastly more money to experiment with another DAC. (I'm also not sure I'm ready to spend a couple of hundred on a glass TOSLINK cable just to see if it's noticeably better than plastic.) Is there a DAC for a reasonable price that would be a step up (preferably with a working digital-coax input)?

Cheers! -- Clark2
I’m a fan of Schiit DAC’s. Modius is decent, Bifrost is the start of what I consider to be decent DAC’s. I current own a Yggy and it is a great DAC. There are plenty better but at 5x to 10x the cost. I can also recommend the Benchmark DAC 3. Another excellent DAC.

Spending money in a glass toslink cable will do nothing. Toslink just works, even with plastic cables.

Using asr as the only source of information on a product is a path to audio disappointment. I bought my D50 on a glowing asr recommendation. It is by far the worst sounding DAC I own. I’ve relegated it to a gaming system.
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  #30  
Old 05-03-2022, 10:53 AM
Clark2 Clark2 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by W9TR View Post
I’m a fan of Schiit DAC’s. Modius is decent, Bifrost is the start of what I consider to be decent DAC’s. I current own a Yggy and it is a great DAC. There are plenty better but at 5x to 10x the cost. I can also recommend the Benchmark DAC 3. Another excellent DAC.

Spending money in a glass toslink cable will do nothing. Toslink just works, even with plastic cables.

Using asr as the only source of information on a product is a path to audio disappointment. I bought my D50 on a glowing asr recommendation. It is by far the worst sounding DAC I own. I’ve relegated it to a gaming system.
Tom -- Thanks much for the info (again). Much appreciated! -- Clark2
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