Digital
USB, ethernet, optical, coaxial and AES/EBU cables for streaming and digital audio. The connections between computers, servers, streamers and DACs.
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Digital cable, and why it is not only data
A digital cable either delivers the data or it does not, but that is only half the story. Timing errors and electrical noise travel along the cable alongside the signal and arrive at the DAC, where both affect what comes out of the analogue stage. This is why digital cables can sound different from one another despite carrying identical data.
Choose by connection first. USB is the most common link from a computer or streamer to a DAC. Ethernet carries network audio and is the fastest growing area in digital hi-fi. Optical isolates two components electrically, which helps where noise is a problem, but has bandwidth limits at high sample rates. Coaxial S/PDIF generally handles higher rates and keeps a direct electrical connection. AES/EBU on XLR is the professional standard and appears on higher end transports and DACs.
Impedance is not optional on coaxial and AES/EBU, at 75 ohm and 110 ohm respectively, so a standard interconnect is not a substitute even though the plugs fit. Tell us the source, the DAC and the sample rates involved and we will tell you which connection to use.
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From£115.83Ex. VATAudioQuest Carbon Digital Optical cable is constructed with Narrow-Aperture Synthetic Fibers and precision polished fiber ends all contained within a black/Gray woven weave jacket.
Please note: this cable comes with a 3.5mm mini Toslink adaptor attached to one end. Please remove this to use a standard Toslink connection at both ends.
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From£157.50Ex. VAT
AudioQuest USB Type-C cables featuring conductor materials and construction techniques that have allowed AQ’s other USB cables to achieve “Best-In-Class” recognition worldwide.
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From£83.29Ex. VAT
AudioQuest USB Type-C cables featuring conductor materials and construction techniques that have allowed AQ’s other USB cables to achieve “Best-In-Class” recognition worldwide.
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Tellurium Q
Tellurium Q Black II USB Type A to Type B CableSKU: Tellurium Q Black II USB
(4 reviews)From£327.50Ex. VATThe Black series by Tellurium Q was a multi-award-winning cable, but Tellurium decided that to overhaul the whole series. The result is an upgrade on those already exceptional cables, but delivered at the same price as the previous generation! This product is the new version of the Black USB A to B cable. Bearing in mind the exceptional quality of Tellurium's analogue cables, and the success of their AES/EBU & Digital RCA cables, we would consider this USB A to B to be a worthy candidate for any high-end system.
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From£140.00Inc. VATThe LAN-8 is Furutech's first CAT8 ethernet cable, and offers fantastic performance. It features an NCF treated shell, which eliminates static and converts thermal energy into infrared, and by using nano ceramic and nano carbon powders Furutech are able to achieve further dampening. This cable can transmit data at up to 40Gbps and is Category 8 compatible. -
From£1,082.50Ex. VATOver the past several years there’s been a revolution in the way people store, distribute, and access digital media (in real time), including photos, movies, and, of course, music. -
From£253.33Ex. VATThe Carbon comes with 5% Solid Silver. While AES/EBU can be single-ended, balanced, or optical, here we refer to the balanced-digital interconnect. -
From£178.33Ex. VATThe Blue II USB has been “tweaked” from the original multi award winning version. No longer the baby brother of the original Black USB, it stands in its own right as you will hear when you plug it into your system -
SALEFrom£1,080.00 £1,200.00Ex. VAT ✓ Save £120.00The brand new, redesigned Chord Signature Digital Super ARAY digital interconnect. New Super ARAY conductor geometry – inspired by Chord Sarum Super ARAY Digital and optimised for high speed digital signal transmission. -
SALEFrom£297.00 £330.00Inc. VAT ✓ Save £33.00Shawline Streaming interconnects are designed to offer the very best musical performance from streaming audio systems. They are built to Chord's exacting standards and rigorously tested at their UK facility. They are part of the Shawline range which includes digital and analogue interconnects, loudspeaker and power cables.
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From£83.29Ex. VATAudioQuest USB Type-C cables featuring conductor materials and construction techniques that have allowed AQ’s other USB cables to achieve “Best-In-Class” recognition worldwide.
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From£29.96Ex. VATChroma 8 USB brings the rewarding sound quality of Uni-Path design down to a price that is only slightly higher than standard cables. Like all Wireworld USB cables, the noise-absorbing power conductor improves sonic purity. Exceeds official USB high-speed specifications. These flat cables utilize Wireworld’s exclusive Uni-Path conductor geometry, Composilex 3 insulation and noise-absorbing power conductors to improve the fidelity of music and video. The designs were developed through listening tests that compared prototype cables to virtually loss-free direct connections between components.
