Jerry's ongoing system blog

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Well I have never had extensive use of optical cables apart from with the old QED Digit and that was clearly more musical on the metal cable phono socket compared with the toslink optical cables around then. But as with wire for signal I see no reason why the same qualities and improvements can't apply as does with them. Constraints as with all interfaces are how the circuit does its job, and the ability of the medium that passes the signal between the interfaces to corrupt it the least amount.

[_D_S_J_R_]

My ton-up Digit Opto is currently run via a dirt cheap optical and it sounds great to me A 75 Ohm screened coax made by Van Damme was actually causing glitches...

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

That was with Soundcord doing the digital link Dave

[_D_S_J_R_]

I need my soundcords for ANALOGUE sound signals, ta!!!

[jandl100]

Well, one channel of my lovely Marantz receiver (used as a headphone amp ) has developed "the rustles". I'll probably have it checked out one day, but I only really bought it as an ornament anyway and was surprised and pleased how well it performed as a 'phones amp and as a phonostage.

So, after a quick peek at ebay this beastie has arrived ....



Sexy and kool, as long as you like lots of knobs and buttons.

It's been recapped so should be fine.

Very pleased with it so far and have even hooked it up to my MBL speakers where it did not disgrace itself at all, a little on the forward side, ballsy and with really good bass.

And it sounds genuinely good as a headphone amp.

I seem to be turning a bit vintage these days, in more ways than one.

[jandl100]

I have a fibre optic from Amazon that better MG digital coax for a few pounds.



There is a 'glass fibre' optical at £26 - don't know if it will sound any better (Profigold).

Well, I've now got those 2 TOSLINK cables ... the cheap XO cable ain't half bad. Better than a standard TOSLINK, but seen off fairly easily by my co-ax of choice (Cable Talk 3 Digital)

But that ProFi Gold is an absolute corker, a really hi-res cable with excellent imaging - it's rez and imaging where TOSLINKs often come a cropper, ime.
It beats the fancy glass cable recommended to me on AOS, kindly loaned me by a Wammer http://www.lifatec.com/toslink2.html. Although that is better than the XO.
I'm having a bit of trouble differentiating between the ProFi Gold (£30 delivered) and the co-ax - both are excellent, imo. If forced to choose, I'd probably go for the co-ax, but the ProFi is bloody good!

I'm going from memory now, but I don't think the £200 Wireworld Supernova 7 was any better, I suspect it wasn't quite as good being a bit thinner / more forward in tonal balance.

Thanks for the suggestions, classicrock.

[_D_S_J_R_]

One advantage of optical with computer sources is lack of stray electrical sh*t being transmitted up the screen on a coax connection...

Jerry, those HK amps always got excellent reviews. Loads of current on tap and no funny filtering to mess up the audio band.

[jandl100]

Refund received on the NAD S500 cdp that couldn't read most of my CDs.
Strangely, the seller only had trouble with a couple of CDs he tried on its return but enough to convince him that there is a problem and it maybe needed a new laser.
Maybe the mech got bumped back into position on its return trek (to Portugal)?

Shame, very nice cdp. But it couldn't quite match the rez of my new Wyred4Sound DAC1.

And this wee beast has made a brief appearance ....



Obtained as part of a px deal on my old Virtue Audio class D amp.
The MF was already provisionally sold before I received it.
Quick "review" - fast & fruity!
-- quite gutsy with a fair amount of juicy added warmth to the sound that makes it 'interesting'. Just a bit rolled off at the top, which didn't really suit my tastes/system. I hear tell that there is quite a following for this amp. Yep, I can imagine it would suit a lot of folks who want a bit of extra rosy tang to their system's sound.
External PSU, not shown in pic.
No remote control, though, which pretty much ruled it out for me.

[Classicrock]

I have a fibre optic from Amazon that better MG digital coax for a few pounds.



There is a 'glass fibre' optical at £26 - don't know if it will sound any better (Profigold).

Well, I've now got those 2 TOSLINK cables ... the cheap XO cable ain't half bad. Better than a standard TOSLINK, but seen off fairly easily by my co-ax of choice (Cable Talk 3 Digital)

But that ProFi Gold is an absolute corker, a really hi-res cable with excellent imaging - it's rez and imaging where TOSLINKs often come a cropper, ime.
It beats the fancy glass cable recommended to me on AOS, kindly loaned me by a Wammer http://www.lifatec.com/toslink2.html. Although that is better than the XO.
I'm having a bit of trouble differentiating between the ProFi Gold (£30 delivered) and the co-ax - both are excellent, imo. If forced to choose, I'd probably go for the co-ax, but the ProFi is bloody good!

I'm going from memory now, but I don't think the £200 Wireworld Supernova 7 was any better, I suspect it wasn't quite as good being a bit thinner / more forward in tonal balance.

Thanks for the suggestions, classicrock.

Thanks Jerry. Will have to try the ProfiGold. Daft not to at the price.

[_D_S_J_R_]

I only knew the X-A1 and that was a bit light toned/solid state sounding for my tastes as they are now. No doubt this one was an improvement. I loved the 100W stereo power amp in similar casework and the XA200's were bargains at the time but could blow all too easily.