Recommendations For 75 Ohm Digital Wire

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You may already have a video cable with RCAs on it; look for a red/white/yellow triple RCA cable that has a larger diameter cable for the video. I'm holding one that evidently was bundled with a satellite TV box, since it says "Dish Network RG-59/U" on the video cable.
 
Hi guys I'm looking for recommendations for the most realistic sounding 75 ohm, digital wire you've heard that comes available with RCA connectors. I want to let everyone know in advance that I truly appreciate any time you've taken to respond.


Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)

Any wire made for the cable TV industry will be 75 ohms. The trouble is that most will be terminated with F or BNC ends. You can buy high quality adapters.

But also all that old cable used for "composite video" or "component video" was 75 ohms and will work fine. But the new multi-shielded cable TV rg-59 with compression F or BNC ends is the best quality stuff. Then put RCA to BNC adapters on the ends.
 
You don't need high quality cable, as signals only go up to around VHF; just avoid rubbish quality. A decent screen may help - so avoid cheap coax with poor screen/shield coverage. 30-40 year old TV antenna coax would do, but modern versions skimp on the copper.

Actually the new quad shield stuff is really good. You need a speaci tool to install the compression fittings and I've never seen RCA compression fittings but I have seen RCA to BNC adaptors. You can even buy this stuff at Home Depot now.

There of course is a certain class of audiophile who would be disappointed that such a common and cheap cable works. He was hoping to spend $100 per foot on some kind of "magnetically aligned silver" wire.
 
I genuinely what to thank everyone who replied. However from the numerous responses similar to "any wire used for "composite video" or "component video" is 75 ohms and will work fine" I received. I think these replies were generated by those here at diyAudio.com who believe wires don't or can't have a unique sound of their own! This belief of mine was further galvanized by ChrisA's misguided, denigrating and disparaging comment that I was hoping to spend $100 per foot on some kind of "magnetically aligned silver" wire. Which I can assure everyone is blatantly false.

The reason I asked my question was because I heard differences in the different 75 ohm, S/PIF, coax wires, when they were inserted between my Goldenote Stibbert, tubed, CDP ---{used strictly as a transport}--- and my Audio-gd Reference 7.1 DAC. Now ChrisA despite the fact that I hear differences in these wires. That doesn't mean I want to spend $100 a foot on wires. I just want the wires that will sound the best, period! In fact last year I replaced $10K ICs I picked up dirt cheap in my system with $500 ICs because IMHO the $500 ICs sounded better. In my eyes that's hardly the action of a guy who wants to use expensive wires.

I simply want the wires that will make my system sound it's best. Hopefully they won't have to be expensive, because I hate spending a lot of money on wires. However "if" a wire dramatically improves the sound of my system. I'm also not opposed to spending money on those wires either. It's a matter of what sounds best, not what costs more. Thanks again to all who took the time to respond. Your time and effort is appreciated...

Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)
 
I simply want the wires that will make my system sound it's best. Hopefully they won't have to be expensive, because I hate spending a lot of money on wires. However "if" a wire dramatically improves the sound of my system. I'm also not opposed to spending money on those wires either. It's a matter of what sounds best, not what costs more. Thanks again to all who took the time to respond. Your time and effort is appreciated...

A well engineered 75ohm cable will be best and these have already been mentioned, I cannot understand how such cables would make a difference and despite numerous pointers to the facts about digital people are still convinced that analogue phenomena can be attributed to digital.
I am awaiting some revelation as to why digital cables can sound different...
 
If you must retain RCA type connectors for your 75ohm digital connection, just go to bluejeans cable and get their Canare rca plug terminated Beldon cable. It is really good value and performs up there with much more expensive digital cables.

If you want to go better, use the same Beldon cable from bluejeans but with BNC termination and mod your equipment to use 75ohm BNC termination. Google bluejeans cable.

I am not in anyway involved with the company but I have saved many a friend from spending lots of cash on "super cables" that do not work any or much better than what the people at bluejeans sell.

Cheers,
David
 
Quad shield? The assumption being that if one shield is good many more must be better? Why not have ten shields? I suppose naive specmanship gets everywhere these days.

For most purposes, including digital audio, one good shield is all that is necessary. The price of copper means that nowadays that may involve two layers with only one being copper.

The reason for four of them is pretty much as you say. If one shield can attenuate the signal by 90dB then two can do 180 dB. They need the shield mostly to contain the signal. Cable TV uses relative high amounts of power and it is EVERYWHERE. The cable is on every utility pole in the city and gets amplified in thousands of distribution boxes. Collectively an entire city wired for cable TV would be a transmitters if not for the high levels of shielding.

Inother words they are trying to keep the signal in, not trying to keep stuff out. Cable TV is a transmitting system.

Copper is expensive but the real reason they use foil is the higher frequencies. It is simply better once you get above some frequency in the GHz. So they use both.
 
Read this
DKD Instruments

It's basically a matter of matching. If output, input and cable+connectors are matching, the cable it self will not affect the sound (remember that this is not analogue signals). Think digital transmission as the whole chain - looking at just the cable makes no sense.

Kjeldsen I thought proper matching was probably a very important issue to consider. That said, I still believe the digital wire will have a unique sound after it's properly matched. However in case I am mistaken in my belief, I'll do some very serious listening after I've properly matching the transport, digital wire & DAC, to see if I no longer detect the different digital wires each having their own unique sound.

Still I was hoping someone else here might, possibly share my outlook of; a properly matched transport, digital wire & DAC will have a unique sound, and as such have a recommendation of a certain digital wire(s) for me!

Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)
 
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