I seem to be getting192/24 via optical - will coax sound better?

[ProJules]

?

 

[Brava210]

I would say not really

 

[Brantome]

They’re both delivering bit perfect output so any differences, if indeed there are any, will be imperceptible I’d say

 

[Achim1811]

That's one of the bombshell questions in HiFi forums
I deny differences in soundquality! But sometimes there can pop up environments where the optical connection avoids possible influences of electrical interferences.
But even if that will change the soundquality will (for me) remain in esoteric spheres
So, take what is handy for you. And if you can hear a difference....its ok also.

 

[ProJules]

 

[effortless]

I had troubles getting a firm mechanical contact (192kHz/24bit resolution, but shrill/no sound) with my optical cables other the short one that came with the WiiM Pro. I use Coax now for the WiiM.

These mechanical issues aside, I can’t hear whether a digital signal was traveling as a lightwave in a fiber or as a electromagnetic field in a wire. However, if only I could spend a fortune on high-end cables, the sound should become colored by an additional psychoacoustic field, I imagine.

 

[ProJules]

Yeah I don't fall for that expencive cable BS

 

[BMoreJazz]

Yes, you will. The true test will be if can you hear it

 

[onlyoneme]

The Pro output is not isolated so it will sound different if a ground loop occurs.

 

[Achim1811]

My way in such situation would be: identify and finish the ground loop. Not ignoring it and silence it only with another cable. A ground loop never is good.

 

[canard]

there is a good chance that at the input of the dac there is a pulse isolation transformer ... murata or pulse etc.
to observe. .
if the case, the absence of insulation on the source side is really not a concern
(and for more than 96k...coax is probably more sure in many case..)

 

[Mr Ee]

That's one of the bombshell questions in HiFi forums
I deny differences in soundquality! But sometimes there can pop up environments where the optical connection avoids possible influences of electrical interferences.
But even if that will change the soundquality will (for me) remain in esoteric spheres
So, take what is handy for you. And if you can hear a difference....its ok also.

Yep.
Everybody else's opinion is worthless...
For any question like this, the answer is always suck it and see.
Although... maybe my opinion is worthless too.

 

[Smartplug]

Yeah I don't fall for that expencive cable BS

Lol like the audio quest price?

 

[ProJules]

OK I am using coax

And happy with it

For a second I though it was better

Did I A/B test?

No!

 

[Mr Ee]

OK I am using coax

And happy with it

For a second I though it was better

Did I A/B test?

No!

Happiness is in the ear of the believer
Enjoy.

 

[Maurizio]

I come from years of listening to good old vinyl with a hi-end turntable and different cartridges.
I should have ears trained to perceive differences.
Well, my opinion is that between COAX and SPDIF there is no audible difference.

 

[HatOfTheCat]

NO. Neither can sound better than the other as they are transferring identical digital data. The only difference is if you are getting failures so experience actual audible drop outs etc. Either can suffer from these due to kinks in optical cable or poor electrical connection for coax. Remember these signals are only travelling a metre or two between your WiiM and DAC or amp, you are not transferring signals over tens of kilometres so you don't need cables made by NASA and sprinkled with "magic pixie dust" to get a good connection.

 

[audiobliss]

I started using coax, tired of fiddling with that crappy little toslink plug.
I dug up a old Monster D100 coax out the closet, to my surprise it fits perfectly in the Pro and sounds great.