Would like to hear from folks who have tried different analog cables with this DAC.
Was there a big improvement in SQ with a better cable?
Al, short answer the DS does sound different with different analog cables. Longer answer, last year I spent a bit of time trying to find the right pair for my setup. If you do a search you should be able to find one of those earlier DS threads where I posted some about my impressions.
Was running Kimber Hero XLR out of my DirectStream and have upgraded to Kimber Select 1136. Major improvement that really shows how good the DS does it job.
Yes, I’ve run various cables though, each having it pluses and minuses, before I settled on MIT Oracle 3.2 XLR. But analog out of the DS DAC is only one part, you need to find a cable that also mates well with whatever device is receiving that analog signal.
I’ve been using VooDoo Cable, first an UltraLinear, then a Stradivarius and finally a Stradivarius Cremona Edition. All have sounded good, the latter two are a bit better sounding, the Cremona sounds the best. Very happy.
I use Verastarr flat foil, which have received great reviews in Stereotimes and Dagogo. The Grand Illusion copper is a fine cable, I got my best results from using the Signature (silver foils) after trying Synergistic, Tara, Kimber, etc. They also make an excellent USB cable.
Wow !!! Some of the cables mentioned so far exceed the cost of the DAC itself.
tpauline said I settled on MIT Oracle 3.2 XLRSame here.
alcarp said Wow !!! Some of the cables mentioned so far exceed the cost of the DAC itself.Which in itself raises a host of often troubling questions.
Wish that I would have listened to Belden’s new interconnects in their entry level and second tier versions. The top, OCC version is quite good but hardly affordable. Stay tuned…
Kubala-Sosna emotions, which is what I used with the previous DAC. Silly expensive but upgraded twice (90% trade-in value) so the complete silliness was attained over several years: it is a slow boil and you don’t notice the rising heat or your own demise.
Oh, and they are very nice cables. At the “emotion” level, quite revealing. Need to be careful to get rid of any noise in the system and carefully place them so that they don’t run parallel to power cables, but that is good practice with all cables.
wglenn said Wish that I would have listened to Belden's new interconnects in their entry level and second tier versions. The top, OCC version is quite good but hardly affordable. Stay tuned...Paid $1,400 for my KS 1136, used obviously. While there was nothing wrong with the Kimber Hero cables I was using before, the improvement the top model from the same manufacturer wrought well worth the $$$.
The word from the designer of the cables is that the sweet spot is the OFC version. Not that the OCC’s aren’t better but one certainly has to think about spending $5k+ on and interconnect. At least I do.
I have excellent results with the JPS Labs Aluminata Reference RCA cables (still using the PWD Mk.II), so I guess that they will be even more impressive on the DS. Also the Shunyata Python ZiTrons are awesome cables for the money!