Cabling up a DAC: short digital cable, or short analog?

[Rols]

Hi all

My preamp is 6m away from my PC.

Do you think it better to have a 5m USB cable to the DAC, and 1m RCA leads to the amp, or vice versa?

I have a long USB at the moment, but am thinking that if I get a new DAC with XLR connectors, then it would be better to keep the digital cable short.

Or is this not worth any thought? (I have trouble acceptin that usb cables can make any difference to sound, but I can hear that some interconnects sound different from others).

 

[Crocodile]

The former. A low level audio signal will degrade more over distance than a digital one. The digital sholdn't degrade at all as long as you stay within specs & use a reasonable quality cable. By which I mean something well made & of reasonable thickness rather than something costing a small fortune based on being constructed from unicorn hair & shielded with fairy dust.

Edit - That's the former in your post as the title is the opposite way round.

 

[WX]

"a 5m USB cable to the DAC, and 1m RCA leads to the amp".

This should work fine, if this USB cable is of a decent quality! (which doesn't really have to cost a whole lot)

Do try to avoid the cable running along any electrical equipment and/or power-cables.

That way you can be sure it's signal isn't compromised at all.

If it's possible in your set-up, always try to get the PC/Mac closer to the DAC unit.

 

[Rols]

Thanks