Digital cable optimal length?

Plenty of reading material and links if you do a search for "length" in the Digital forum over at Audio Asylum. You can also search the Digital forum on Audiogon. I've never had the opportunity to compare different lengths of digital cables. My understanding is that the shorter 1/2 meter cables are not the best way to go. The 1 1/2 meter length appears to be the recommended length for regular SPDIF. I thought that I read somewhere that Kimber states that the Orchid AES/EBU performs best at a 1 1/2 meter length also. I do not know if that would apply to all AES/EBU cables. Apparently the length affects how resistant the cable is to "back reflections" of the digital signal that can cause added jitter.

I agree with MrDerrick. See the post by Tobias, and the subsequent comments by me and others, in this thread:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?fcabl&1233206618

The technical factors for digital audio transmission are completely different than for a phono cable, due mainly to the much higher frequency spectral components that are present in digital audio signals, as well as cartridge sensitivity to cable capacitance (for moving magnet cartridges), very different signal amplitudes, etc.

Regards,
-- Al

1.42 meters..Tom

what sonic differences can one expect to hear when using a cable too short or too long?

Too short means confusion and lack of coherence. Musical phrasing is smeared, timing seems subtly off, the image is out of focus. Instruments are harder to place and lack definition. Soundstage is vague. It's easy to spot the difference if you compare two lengths of the same cable.

I've never heard too long but I imagine the effect must be about the same, since the problem--timing of internal reflections--is the same.