New digital coax burn in

[NHT]

Hello all. I just got the Harmonic Technology cyberlink platinum digital coax for my Denon 2900 and my first impressions of it is its a little thin. Do digital coaxials need a burn in time? I swapped out a $35 Straightwire digital coax and found the HT to be a less than desirable sound. It sounds as if Im listening through a veil of some sorts. Like the sound is holding back. If this is the best it gets, then I am utterly disappointed. Whats the best way to burn it in? Does anyone have digital cables suggestions over these? Should I just give it more time? If so, would it be that dramatic of a difference? Maybe theyre just not the right cable for my system. Thanks for you help

[aud19]

I'd return it and email Doug at Cat Cables with what your gear, tastes and budget are. He'll get you a cable for your specific needs and I do believe he pre-burns them in for ya to boot

Jason




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[Lex]

Some say digital coax do break in. Others say a digital cable is a digital cable, and they will make no difference. I certainly don't fall into that camp, however, I'm not convinced they break in quite the same way as analog cables though.

I expect if your disappointed now, your always going to be disappointed. Perhaps there's just no synergy between your system and this cable.

If you can tell me budget, I can make some recommendations. I have a few cables that aren't even on the site. I don't recall the last time someone was disappointed with a CAT digital.

Doug

[NHT]

I think I might have it figured out. From what I understand, the digital cable to hook up my system is ideally supposed to be 75 ohm. The cable I just purchased without any research is 110 ohms! Is this the culprit or does it play no role?

[Lex]

110 ohm is a very different cable. It's basically a twisted pair with shield, so it's a 3 wire connection. 75 ohm is a single conductor and shield with a much thicker dielectric. I'm confused though, as AES/EBU is an XLR connection. Digital coax is typically an RCA connection. So, I'm not sure how you got AES/EBU coax, but with an RCA configuration?

No matter, send that cable back, as it's not correct.

Lex

[Whistler]

Hi,

Ever tried to connect it otherwise around?

Denon --> read-direction on the cables lable --> pre. Some people say it makes no different but there is, don't ask me to explain I am not a technician .

Regards,

Whistler

[Bam!]

Well since Whistler replied.....what ever did you do with this problem there duder ?
:roll:

[Kevin P]

My thoughts are, if the cable doesn't sound right, chances are it isn't break in. I'm somewhat skeptical of the value of breaking in cables in the first place, but any difference it makes is likely to be subtle. Cables have no moving parts, and no parts like tubes that rely on or generate heat, and anything else that can "break in" per se. If you hear a real difference with a new cable, and that difference doesn't sound good to you, then you won't be happy with that cable.

I suggest clicking the Cat Cables banner at the bottom of this page and check out Doug's offerings. As a guy who has several Cat Cables products in his system, I can tell you you won't be disappointed with his cables. Even my Cubicle Tubicle system (the amp used is my avatar) has Cat Cables interconnects. :T

KJP

[Gordon Moore]

Cables have no moving parts, and no parts like tubes that rely on or generate heat

As long as Newton's laws are still valid and the laws of friction still apply (which they do), electrons travelling down a wire will create heat in one form or another. So at a "micro" level...yes things are still moving and creating heat, thus effecting the cable.

Whether or not break-in matters that much in a cable is a whole other camp of debate.

I would guess the impedance of the cable is what might be affecting the system.

Not a fair test...but you may want to try a pair of decent analogue cables and see what your system is doing with that...just to see how the denon is performing. Mind you....the sound is taking a different path at that point.