What is the best digital cable?

Hi Viggen: I have never had problems with hum and/or RFI with the Mapleshade Double Helix digital cable, so I'm afraid that I have no advice to offer. Oddly enough I am surrounded by radio and TV stations and one would think that this would arise. I am currently using a digital IC made up of the 47 Labs OTA cable kit, but still have the Mapleshade as it is a close second. Gunbei @ this site (who lives 45" south of me) had a similar problem with his Mapleshade IC and I do not think that it was ever resolved. I have gone as far as to make DIY IC's which have no twisting, insulation or shielding, at all, and still no hum (at least when I'm around anyway:-). On the other hand I had the worst problem with their PC's, which made my system sound like a transistor radio, but both PC's checked out fine when I returned them to Pierre and others were having great results with them in their systems. Maybe try working with Pierre on the problem (he's a smart guy and nice to talk to)?

Hmmm: I think that I would probably use a pair of analog cables between a CD player and a receiver (unless the $300 receiver had a built in DAC). No wonder you can't here any difference. The right cord for the right job.

The DRC, digital reference cable by Esoteric Conductors is my favorite. Nothing comes close and is worth every penny if $450/ meter is in your budget. Amazing speed, details; the harmonics are comepletely coherent and no fatigue whatsoever. Maybe you can find a set in usedcable.com.

rch10,

What is the website for Esoteric Conductors? Did you compare the the DRC from Esoteric to the Purenote Epsilon digital? If so what were the results. I'm thinking of replacing my HT Platinum digital interconnect with the Epsilon since I'm very satisfied with the Epsilon RCA analogue interconnect which replaced my Truthlink.

Dekay, great to see you in here again bud! How are things 45" north of me?

Viggen, as Dekay mentioned I did have a problem with my Mapleshade Double Helix coax cable when I used it with my Simaudio Moon I-5. Whenever I turned my powered sub on/off it changed the sound in a very drastic manner. Eldon at Mapleshade was very conscientious in his service, he even called me to ask how things were going. In the end I decided to keep the cable and test it in a future system.

Well, I've since sold the I-5, bought an Electrocompaniet ECI-3 and also the Blue Circle BC21/BC22 combo. Guess what? The Mapleshade seems to fit very well with the Blue Circle gear, and no weird sonic anomalies either. Maybe I should have taken Eldon's advice and pestered Pierre more to find out what the original cause might have been.

I still swap around the Cardas Lightning L-15, Kimber Illuminations D60 and the Mapleshade. I must not have golden ears, because to me these three sound pretty darn close. The differences are very subtle. The D60 being the most dynamic and lively. The L-15 having a fuller balance. And the Mapleshade the easiest on the ears. But as I said the differences are VERY subtle. I'd have a tough time identifying each one if I were blindfolded.