01-May-2016, 00:53
(This post was last modified: 01-May-2016, 00:57 by deviousalet.)
I've now listened for a few months to three digital coax RCA cables used as my D400 master-slave/companion link.
After reading how much people liked upgrading from the Crystal Cable supplied with the D400 I tried two others and wound up with an AudioQuest Eagle Eye as my preference.
I also tried the Mad Scientist HDC, which was initially tonic to my dissatisfaction with the Crystal Cable. The HDC has far more bass, far less harshness, and a larger soundstage than the Crystal Cable. The HDC is exceptionally good at reducing what I hear as digital hardness, making my D400 sound more like the best analog systems I've heard. However, in comparison to both the Crystal Cable and Eagle Eye the HDC lacks detail. This is forgivable vs. the Crystal Cable because the Crystal Cable's apparent detail comes from a lack of bass and increased treble emphasis (thus detailed but harsh and thin sounding). The Eagle Eye is more detailed than the Crystal Cable while having much better bass, less harshness (if more than the HDC), and a larger soundstage (if smaller but more focused than the HDC). However the HDC betters the Eagle Eye in sounding lush and relaxed. The HDC is euphonic and emotional while the Eagle Eye is revelatory and technical. For example the Eagle Eye lets me hear finger movement over strings and the mechanics of instruments, while the HDC masks those but by doing so concentrates on the sound of the musical notes instead of how they are produced. I personally love the details and feel that the HDC filters out too much, but my friends who love analog might prefer the HDC for its lack of harshness. Unfortunately the HDC also fails to transfer high-res. music to the slave/companion because it is electrically incompatible with the Devialet and while I don't have much high-res. music I do want to play it out of both speakers, which the HDC fails to do. That ended the comparison easily.
I am amazed how much difference upgrading the master-slave/companion cable makes, and am enjoying the improved sound. I think that the Crystal Cable advertises the Devialet's precision at a very high cost of harsh treble and lack of bass and soundstage, so does a great disservice to the Devialet because it emphasizes what people criticize in Class-D amps while hampering the Devialet's ability to sound precise without being harsh. I highly recommend upgrading from the Crystal Cable.
After reading how much people liked upgrading from the Crystal Cable supplied with the D400 I tried two others and wound up with an AudioQuest Eagle Eye as my preference.
I also tried the Mad Scientist HDC, which was initially tonic to my dissatisfaction with the Crystal Cable. The HDC has far more bass, far less harshness, and a larger soundstage than the Crystal Cable. The HDC is exceptionally good at reducing what I hear as digital hardness, making my D400 sound more like the best analog systems I've heard. However, in comparison to both the Crystal Cable and Eagle Eye the HDC lacks detail. This is forgivable vs. the Crystal Cable because the Crystal Cable's apparent detail comes from a lack of bass and increased treble emphasis (thus detailed but harsh and thin sounding). The Eagle Eye is more detailed than the Crystal Cable while having much better bass, less harshness (if more than the HDC), and a larger soundstage (if smaller but more focused than the HDC). However the HDC betters the Eagle Eye in sounding lush and relaxed. The HDC is euphonic and emotional while the Eagle Eye is revelatory and technical. For example the Eagle Eye lets me hear finger movement over strings and the mechanics of instruments, while the HDC masks those but by doing so concentrates on the sound of the musical notes instead of how they are produced. I personally love the details and feel that the HDC filters out too much, but my friends who love analog might prefer the HDC for its lack of harshness. Unfortunately the HDC also fails to transfer high-res. music to the slave/companion because it is electrically incompatible with the Devialet and while I don't have much high-res. music I do want to play it out of both speakers, which the HDC fails to do. That ended the comparison easily.
I am amazed how much difference upgrading the master-slave/companion cable makes, and am enjoying the improved sound. I think that the Crystal Cable advertises the Devialet's precision at a very high cost of harsh treble and lack of bass and soundstage, so does a great disservice to the Devialet because it emphasizes what people criticize in Class-D amps while hampering the Devialet's ability to sound precise without being harsh. I highly recommend upgrading from the Crystal Cable.
