Sharing a quick update on a successful experiment.
I bought a mid-range RCA-XLR adapter (RCA-Male to XLR-Male), using this with a newer Audioquest Diamond AES cable (it comes with the newer-style DBS Carbon pack) as the link cable between Master and Companion. So the connection is like this:
Master (RCA) ==> RCA(M)-XLR(M) adapter > AQ Diamond AES ==> Companion (XLR)
It works! And holy cow it sounds very different, a lot more open than my old combination of AQ Diamond RCA with the RCA-XLR converter at the Companion end.
Possible takeaways from this:
- Newer AQ AES cables that are shipped with the newer DBS pack should not have the problems the old cables did when used as the link cable.
- A balanced (XLR) cable might sound better for the Link cable than an unbalanced coax cable.
Edit / Addition:
Master (RCA) ==> RCA(M)-XLR(M) adapter > AQ Diamond AES ==> Companion (XLR)
On the RCA(M)-XLR(M) adapter, I find that disconnecting / blocking Pin 1 (the shield ground pin), gives a more natural, larger sound. This would leave the XLR cable shield grounded only at the receiving (Companion) end.
My rationale is both my Master & Companion are connected to the same power outlet, so they should already be at the same ground potential, and I wanted to avoid having another ground path between them that creates a ground loop. I also have no other cable connecting my Master & Companion so they are otherwise isolated.
Another reason is if using the RCA-XLR adapter, if both Ground and Negative pins are tied together (they usually are on these adapters), then the Ground wire and shield could actually pollute the Negative signal and I wanted to avoid that.
I bought a mid-range RCA-XLR adapter (RCA-Male to XLR-Male), using this with a newer Audioquest Diamond AES cable (it comes with the newer-style DBS Carbon pack) as the link cable between Master and Companion. So the connection is like this:
Master (RCA) ==> RCA(M)-XLR(M) adapter > AQ Diamond AES ==> Companion (XLR)
It works! And holy cow it sounds very different, a lot more open than my old combination of AQ Diamond RCA with the RCA-XLR converter at the Companion end.
Possible takeaways from this:
- Newer AQ AES cables that are shipped with the newer DBS pack should not have the problems the old cables did when used as the link cable.
- A balanced (XLR) cable might sound better for the Link cable than an unbalanced coax cable.
Edit / Addition:
Master (RCA) ==> RCA(M)-XLR(M) adapter > AQ Diamond AES ==> Companion (XLR)
On the RCA(M)-XLR(M) adapter, I find that disconnecting / blocking Pin 1 (the shield ground pin), gives a more natural, larger sound. This would leave the XLR cable shield grounded only at the receiving (Companion) end.
My rationale is both my Master & Companion are connected to the same power outlet, so they should already be at the same ground potential, and I wanted to avoid having another ground path between them that creates a ground loop. I also have no other cable connecting my Master & Companion so they are otherwise isolated.
Another reason is if using the RCA-XLR adapter, if both Ground and Negative pins are tied together (they usually are on these adapters), then the Ground wire and shield could actually pollute the Negative signal and I wanted to avoid that.
Devialet 1000 Pro CI - AQ Diamond AES RCA-XLR Link
PC - ifi iDefender+ - FIBBR Alpha Optical USB + "Studer 900" LPS - Singxer SU-6 - AQ Diamond AES
PSB Imagine T3 - AQ William Tell Zero / Tornado / DBS Level-X - PliXir Balanced AC
