Question RCA interconnect

[Gray]

Sounds interesting! Completely over my head though

It just means there's no physical electrical connection between the devices Doug.

I started by connecting the digital board of my RPi to the Cyrus amp with a coax cable.
But there were random sound dropouts - making me think the Cyrus had a problem.
But the symptom was more noticeable when switching unrelated mains electrics.

Swapped to using an optical link - no electrical connection - no further problem.

Doubt there's any problem using coax in the majority of cases - don't know if you've ever tried coax between PC and CDP, but I'd say your optical is the best choice.

 

[podknocker]

I hate Toslink, because it's an odd shape and often tricky to locate, but at least there's no chance of electrical gremlins getting involved.

 

[WayneKerr]

It just means there's no physical electrical connection between the devices Doug.

I started by connecting the digital board of my RPi to the Cyrus amp with a coax cable.
But there were random sound dropouts - making me think the Cyrus had a problem.
But the symptom was more noticeable when switching unrelated mains electrics.

Swapped to using an optical link - no electrical connection - no further problem.

Doubt there's any problem using coax in the majority of cases - don't know if you've ever tried coax between PC and CDP, but I'd say your optical is the best choice.

Cheers, Gray, excellent layman's terms to suit my brainOnly got the choice of coax output from PC, no optical out available. Only ever experienced sound issues with Foobar once and it was due to buffer length setting, once I got that correct no issues ever again.

 

[Shrek]

🙈

 

[Shrek]

Sorry just noticed ! was meant type im lost now 🙈

 

[WayneKerr]

im lost now 🙈

You're not the only one!

 

[Roog]

I will switch to balanced via XLR just as soon as I get a power amp which accepts such a connection, but for now I have an RCA connection between my DAC and power amp. I have used several different cables including home made versions and never noticed any difference between them, I ended up using the most expensive one because, well I paid more for it, so it must be better mustn't it?

That is until I tried to remove it to make a change to my system. I was really tight, a good thing you might say, but not if it risks pulling the RCA sockets out from the back of my DAC! After a couple of changes to my system swapping boxes in and out, I decided it was not good for my system any more so I switched to an Amazon Basics RCA cable.

To my ears the Amazon basics cable sounds no different to the more costly silver conductor cable it replaced, it is nice and flexible, unlike the other one and doesn't grip the RCA socket so hard as to risk damaging my stereo when I want to disconnect it.

 

[Shrek]

My experince of the quality of some of the back of my Amps shows where they skip on this Simple.

 

[Shrek]

The RCA plugs at the back of some Amps ive had . After the the very tight connection i unplugging the RCA looked at the back of the Amp the sockets are loose at the back of the Amp. poor Qualatity .

 

[abacus]

The RCA plugs at the back of some Amps ive had . After the the very tight connection i unplugging the RCA looked at the back of the Amp the sockets are loose at the back of the Amp. poor Qualatity .

If the plugs on all cables are tight fitting then then poor quality of the amp connections are most definitely a problem, however if it is only the odd cable then it is the plug on the cable that is of poor quality. (Expensive magic ones are the usual culprits)

Bill

 

[Al ears]

If the plugs on all cables are tight fitting then then poor quality of the amp connections are most definitely a problem, however if it is only the odd cable then it is the plug on the cable that is of poor quality. (Expensive magic ones are the usual culprits)

Bill

You have to be very careful as some RCA plugs need to be screwed up to clap securely. So unscrewed to release before you attempt to pull the cable out otherwise you will damage the sockets on the bank of the amp.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

(Expensive magic ones are the usual culprits)

The result of extensive double-blind testing, I hope...

 

[abacus]

The result of extensive double-blind testing, I hope...

Nope, just basic engineering principles.

Bill

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

You are stating that 'posh' ones are of poorer quality. That cannot be deduced from principles, only testing. I am pulling your leg, but as you insist on scientific method to back others' opinions, the same should hold for you, no?

 

[abacus]

You are stating that 'posh' ones are of poorer quality. That cannot be deduced from principles, only testing. I am pulling your leg, but as you insist on scientific method to back others' opinions, the same should hold for you, no?

I gathered that, that's why I didn't expand on it, however as you mentioned method, we are talking connectors (Plugs/sockets) not cables, which means they have to be engineered to a standard so that they work together, if they don't then one of them is of poor quality as they don't meet the engineering standards required. (Hence basic engineering principles)

Bill

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Indeed. Though I take it you don't genuinely mean that there is a correlation between cables being expensive and their connectors being poorly-engineered, which is what you were saying.

As my leg-pulling has met with something of a humour deficit, I'll bow out here!

 

[TrevC]

More expensive interconnects = higher profits all round. Sound quality is unaffected.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

More expensive interconnects = higher profits all round. Sound quality is unaffected.

Ah but speaker cables are important.

You only need to read this quote, currently on another forum:

'I'm thinking of moving my system but that means buying longer speaker cables. I'm not in a position to spend thousands again on pure silver cables so was looking at a massive step down at around £300!'

 

[Al ears]

Ah but speaker cables are important.

You only need to read this quote, currently on another forum:

'I'm thinking of moving my system but that means buying longer speaker cables. I'm not in a position to spend thousands again on pure silver cables so was looking at a massive step down at around £300!'

Please stick to the thread even though I think this one might have run its course....., Thank you.

 

[Shrek]

Its been a interesting debate too say the least !
and a good experence for me experimenting with my system and my ears 🔌
And good too hear others experience and knowledge .

 

[Terry H]

Hi All I am looking to upgrade my interconnects as they are about 10 years old my question is how much should i spend without going over board and how much difference will these make ?
my system is all Marantz 6005 CD Amp and streamer the speakers are Wharfedale 12.3 these are my most recent upgrade and wow they are brilliant.
my first post BTW . I listen too all genres of music . Thanks all.

I find it hard to understand why some interconnects are supposedly directional, surely a cable is a cable ?

 

[Al ears]

I find it hard to understand why some interconnects are supposedly directional, surely a cable is a cable ?

In my opinion it's a nonsensical gimmick.
Those little electrons know which way to go.....

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I find it hard to understand why some interconnects are supposedly directional

You're not alone Terry.
Said to be something to do with the structural alignment caused by the direction the cable is pulled during manufacture.

As Al says above, it's just nonsense.
Are we supposed to believe people could tell the direction just by listening?
Those 'audiophile' fuses are said to be directional, which tells you all you need to know 🤨

 

[James105]

What on earth is wrong with you people, don't you know if it wasn't for the little arrows the sound wouldn't know which way to go and your speakers would end up acting as microphones? Jeez

 

[jjbomber]

don't you know if it wasn't for the little arrows the sound wouldn't know which way to go and your speakers would end up acting as microphones? Jeez

So that's where I'm going wrong!