Which BNC 50-ohm cable for NHB-108 and NHB-18NS interconnection

manjy

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Aug 31, 2011
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According to Fremer’s 468, Dartzeel issued a new BNC cable. I consulted the local dealer. They told me there’re 3 models, with 3 levels of diameter: 6mm, 8mm and 10mm. I ordered a pair of 10mm. Wait to see if it works well.

The older version of the Dartzeel BNC cable doesn’t sound well. The sound is thin and lacks a bit of power, compared to XLR with good quality cables. I am now using a “cheap” 50ohm BNC from Sommer. It sounds much better than the old Dartzeel cable. I hope the new 10mm version could beat Sommer.
Hi,
Please do post some photos and your findings on the new 10mm cable.
 

ShawnZH

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Sep 20, 2020
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Hi,
Please do post some photos and your findings on the new 10mm cable.
Will do. the dealer may need 2 months to send me the cables.
 

DasguteOhr

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Sep 26, 2013
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Ecoflex 15mm a really good 50ohm bnc cable

J-BNC-BNC.jpg
P.S 10mm also available
 
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Nemal1

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I use an esoteric mexcel IV between my clock and CD player. Excellent build quality and sound.
 

Mike Lavigne

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Are the Zeel 50ohm cables directional?
never tried to determine that in either the Herve's original zeel cables or the Evolution Acoustics zeel cables. i have both in my system.

my guess is that they are not directional, but after years of using them in one direction you should continue with that direction.
 
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Zeotrope

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Thanks Mike, that’s what I assumed as well. I try to use the text direction as the signal direction; but I got one channel connected the other way. The cables are brand new, so I won’t worry about it. They were a pain to install due to my component placement, and the 10mm are quite difficult to bend.
 
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microstrip

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Many years ago when I owned the NH10 and NHB108 I tried both directions of the BNC cable and could not find any difference.

As I had access to many 50 ohm BNC laboratory cables I tried them in the Darts. I found that they sounded different, but no one sounded better than the DartZeel supplied cable, even some more expensive ones. Later I ordered some long 8 meter cables from Herve, and when I got the bag from DartZeel I recognized the label of a company manufacturing cables for CERN.
 

ShawnZH

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Sep 20, 2020
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Many years ago when I owned the NH10 and NHB108 I tried both directions of the BNC cable and could not find any difference.

As I had access to many 50 ohm BNC laboratory cables I tried them in the Darts. I found that they sounded different, but no one sounded better than the DartZeel supplied cable, even some more expensive ones. Later I ordered some long 8 meter cables from Herve, and when I got the bag from DartZeel I recognized the label of a company manufacturing cables for CERN.
Hi Mike,

I haven’t received my new DTZ BNC yet, a lot of delays happened for various reasons.

Do you have a chance to compare the new DTZ BNC cable with the old one, very slim/light brown BNC cables which I found not that good. I’m now using a Nordost Odin XLR, expecting the new DTZ BNC.

I heard that connecting with BNC, the input gain is 6db less than the XLR or RCA connection between 108 Pre and 458/468 Amps. Is it true?
 

dandylinpsst

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Jun 12, 2010
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BNC Zeel is Current signal transmission or Voltage signal transmission

Some reviews on the Internet say BNC Zeel is the current audio signal transmission as krell CAST?
Is it true?
I read many interviews with Hervé Delétraz.
He doesn't seem to mention this part .
Can any electronics engineers or Dartzeel experts explain?
Thanks
 

Zeotrope

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Feb 11, 2021
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BNC Zeel is Current signal transmission or Voltage signal transmission

Some reviews on the Internet say BNC Zeel is the current audio signal transmission as krell CAST?
Is it true?
I read many interviews with Hervé Delétraz.
He doesn't seem to mention this part .
Can any electronics engineers or Dartzeel experts explain?
Thanks
I think it’s simply about matching impedance (i.e., resistance) between pre-amp and amp.
For why this is important, it’s explained in summary in the recent Stereophile 108 Mk II review and in detail in this 6-part series: https://www.stereophile.com/news/10825/index.html
 
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manjy

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Aug 31, 2011
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Will do. the dealer may need 2 months to send me the cables.
Hi, did you get the 10mm cables? Please post your findings and some photos if possible. Thanks.
 

ShawnZH

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Sep 20, 2020
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Hi, did you get the 10mm cables? Please post your findings and some photos if possible. Thanks.
I finally got the cable 2 weeks ago. I’ve been playing with the cable since then. It needs pretty much burn-in. When I connected the pre/amp with the new 10mm BNC, it was not ideal, while thin-sounded and bass was poor. But it improves along the using. After almost 2-3 weeks, the sound opens up with more details and bass. I’m quite happy with the cable. It is way better than the old version (pinkish color slim cable).

Connecting with BNC, it is dead-quiet, more than any other way to connect, XLR or RCA. The sound is clean and fast and it doesn’t have any “signature”, very natural And transparent.

656E3138-3722-4FF2-A341-219A30629D2B.jpeg
 
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Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
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For the true story of why Herve uses the ‘zeel’ 50 ohm BNC interface; here is an article he wrote in the Sept 2001 issue of Stereophile, page 59 to 69. “Reflections, Echos and Music”.

this article was written prior to the brand 'darTZeel' being launched.

22D026F7-67E8-4861-8742-1D5B9DB362F5.jpeg
 
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manjy

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Thank you.
 

Zeotrope

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Nice! Do you have the other pages in the article?

This is the Zeel 10mm cable, correct? I have it too, although I didn’t have the previous versions, so can’t compare.
 

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 25, 2010
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Nice! Do you have the other pages in the article?
doing each page and posting it might be pushing the copyright rules of the Forum. i don't have permission. figured i could do page 1 without too much grief. then people can search it out if their EE credentials are up to understanding it. i can say mostly the article sails over my head.....lost of graphs and equaltions.
This is the Zeel 10mm cable, correct? I have it too, although I didn’t have the previous versions, so can’t compare.
i have the original zeel cable from darTZeel i use between my King Cello phono and dart pre, 11 meters of it.

but the best sounding 'zeel' BNC's (even better than the latest dart version) are the Evolution Acoustics version. i have a 7.5 meter EA zeel set between my dart pre and my dart 468 monos. very heavy and stiff. Kevin Malmgren, who builds these cables, and designs and builds the Evolution speakers, uses darTZeel electronics and is the darTZeel North American warranty guy. it's no accident that these are the best sounding..
 

manjy

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Aug 31, 2011
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Is the 10mm cable stiff or is it reasonably flexible?
Also, what is the retail price on these?
 

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