2. cables
  3. 1238899490

Best Digital Coax for Tube System under $300

I have been very lucky with the advice that the Audiogon folks have given me.

I am now trying to find the best digital IC that I can find for under $300 to connect a Teac VRDS Transport to a Valab non oversampling DAC. The DAC is feeding a Jadis Orchestra Reference with some great Gold Lion KT88 tubes and a pair of Mazda 12ax7s tubes. Speaker cables are SR Tesla Accelerators, Amphenol polished glass toslinks between Teac and Valab and Gabriel Gold Revelation MK2's from the dac to the Jadis. I love it so much.

Here is why I need to find a great digital IC. I just discovered that even though my Valab dac has inputs for toslink, usb and coax, I cannot run both usb and toslink at the same time.

I don't like the toslink out of the Mac Mini that I need to attach to my dac, so I am using usb to connect which is my only other choice. Since I cannot switch between toslink and usb, but I can switch between usb and coax, I need to find a great coax. Why can't life be simple?

I am going to email Steve to see if he makes a GG coax cable. I really like the Gabriel Golds.

Anyone else have a suggestion? Thanks in advance.
128x128mattzack2
rcrerar
215 posts
 
There are lots of very good coax digital interconnects available for under $300 especially if you aren't adverse to purchasing used. I have used and enjoyed the Harmonic Technology Magic digital cable which I find to be one of the best for the money, and are often available used here on the 'gon for very reasonable prices. Another coax I have tried and been very impressed with is the Creative Cable Concepts Green Hornet which is currently on sale from Music Direct. The big brother to that cable the Silver Bullet is also on sale at Music Direct and is supposed to be even better but I have not tried it.
somec59
244 posts
 
Try Virtual Dynamics. They sell new and reconditioned interconnects
2chnlben
595 posts
 
You must include the Stereovox XV2 on your short list.
mattzack2's avatar
mattzack2 OP
175 posts
 
Thanks guys... so far, my short list is the Stereovox xv2, the VD Master 3.0, the Synergistic Research and the Kimber D60. I have a call into Steve at Gabriel Gold also. He only has digital cables in the Rapture line, so they may be a little more than I want to spend at this point, unless they are noticably better than the others.

I wish I could a/b these cables, but most likely I can buy the Virtual Dynamics with a return and refund policy and I think Steve will let me audition the GG's, but I think the others are you buy it, you own it. So, as anxious as I am to buy, I need to get a little more homework in.

Anyone who has compared any of these would be very welcome to add their comment in this thread.

thanks again.
More to discover