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

[Alphah]

I'm happy to get my NHB-18NS next week and I like to achieve the best result of audio performance connecting the NHB-18NS to my 2 years old NHB-108.

What kind of BNC 50-ohm cable do you use?
May I order standard BNC 50-ohm cable from Amazon or is there a better solution with BNC 50-ohm cable from a special manufacture?

Currently I use the incredible Aural Symphonics Chrono b2 balanced interconnects.
Will the audio performance increase using the BNC 50-ohm darT outputs/input instead of using the XLR interconnection?

 

[asiufy]

They're entirely different equipments when hooked via the 50 ohm links.
Dartzeel supplies the 50 ohm cable, if you want. Ask your dealer. It wasn't extremely cheap (like you could get from Amazon), but it's not too expensive either. I think I got 3 meters for 1000 CHF.
I'd start with the Amazon-supplied cable, then work from there, if your dealer could supply you with the Dartzeel sourced cable.
My guess is that with the cheapest 50 ohm cable, the system will sound better than with your current interconnects


alexandre

 

[Alphah]

Thanks Alexandre for your answer.

I'd ask my dealer before I'd order the NHB-18NS and he said, the difference between the two variants is not essential.
But I will ask him to lend me the Dartzeel sourced cable or try the Amazon-supplied cable and if the is a positive difference I will order the Dartzeel cable.

Stefan

 

[treitz3]

But I will ask him to lend me the Dartzeel sourced cable or try the Amazon-supplied cable and if the is a positive difference I will order the Dartzeel cable.

Hello Stefan and welcome to the WBF! What you said above is the best possible scenario. Having possession of both cables and trying them out first hand in your system is the best way to find out for yourself. Hopefully your dealer will oblige.

 

[microstrip]

They're entirely different equipments when hooked via the 50 ohm links.
Dartzeel supplies the 50 ohm cable, if you want. Ask your dealer. It wasn't extremely cheap (like you could get from Amazon), but it's not too expensive either. I think I got 3 meters for 1000 CHF.
I'd start with the Amazon-supplied cable, then work from there, if your dealer could supply you with the Dartzeel sourced cable.
My guess is that with the cheapest 50 ohm cable, the system will sound better than with your current interconnects


alexandre

Please do not assume it - you will find that some of the cheapest 50 ohm cable don't sound good. We could hope that as soon as the cables are matched at the source and receiving with low impedance the effect of the cable would disappear, but IMHO it is not true. When I tried the Dartzeel's they came with a pair of 2m Dartzeel BNC intercoonects. As I needed a longer length and also thought all 50 ohm cables are the same I used a cheap, but from a respected supplier 8m long cable - it was a disaster compared to the shorter genuine one. Only some days later when I received the 10m long ones I could separate the set.

 

[Alphah]

Please do not assume it - you will find that some of the cheapest 50 ohm cable don't sound good. We could hope that as soon as the cables are matched at the source and receiving with low impedance the effect of the cable would disappear, but IMHO it is not true. When I tried the Dartzeel's they came with a pair of 2m Dartzeel BNC intercoonects. As I needed a longer length and also thought all 50 ohm cables are the same I used a cheap, but from a respected supplier 8m long cable - it was a disaster compared to the shorter genuine one. Only some days later when I received the 10m long ones I could separate the set.

Thank you for the information. I will compare my Aural Symphonics Chrono b2 balanced interconnects against the original Dartzeel BNC interconnects and after that I will come to a decision.

 

[rad]

I'm happy to get my NHB-18NS next week and I like to achieve the best result of audio performance connecting the NHB-18NS to my 2 years old NHB-108.

What kind of BNC 50-ohm cable do you use?
May I order standard BNC 50-ohm cable from Amazon or is there a better solution with BNC 50-ohm cable from a special manufacture?

Currently I use the incredible Aural Symphonics Chrono b2 balanced interconnects.
Will the audio performance increase using the BNC 50-ohm darT outputs/input instead of using the XLR interconnection?

Hi Alphah,

As stated in a previous thread above the darTZeel equ. performs best using the bnc-50 cables. This is fact.
That being said the dart cable is a fine cable to use & I highly recommend it. But, If you are looking to Upgrade that cable I would recommend the Evolution Acoustics BNC Links.
These are a substantial upgrade over any cable I have ever tried. They do BNC, XLR, RCA, Speaker Cables, & Power Cables. Contact Jonathan at Blue Light Audio....
You will not be disappointed........

Gary

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Hi Alphah,

As stated in a previous thread above the darTZeel equ. performs best using the bnc-50 cables. This is fact.
That being said the dart cable is a fine cable to use & I highly recommend it. But, If you are looking to Upgrade that cable I would recommend the Evolution Acoustics BNC Links.
These are a substantial upgrade over any cable I have ever tried. They do BNC, XLR, RCA, Speaker Cables, & Power Cables. Contact Jonathan at Blue Light Audio....
You will not be disappointed........

Gary

++++1

 

[Mike Lavigne]

i'd also add that i've tried a few different 50 ohm cables in various places in my system with my dart amp and pre, Playback Designs, and my King Cello tape repro which has the 50 ohm 'zeel' interface.

the Evolution Acoustics are easily the best ones. but the darZTeel 50 ohm cables from Herve are the second best and quite reasonable....and i've tried others. i use the EA cables between my amp, preamp, and digital. but i use my 8 meter darTZeel cable between my preamp and the King Cello. and the darTZeel cables are very thin, so i can tuck them into a seam in my floor where the wood and carpet come together so i can have my RTR decks on the other side of the room. the darZTeel cable still easily surpass any conventional cables in performance.

the EA cables are very very stiff. you need to plan on how they will lay out and that is there room to allow for the bend. for instance; if you have a 1.5 meter cable between your preamp and digital and they are on shelves right above/below each other, you will not be able to have your rack right against the wall. they will push your gear around. OTOH they sound so good you will gladly deal with the issues.

oh and, congrats on your NHB-18NS......it is wonderful.

 

[electrontinkerer]

A bit late to the thread but here goes...

Experimented with RG142 and RG400 coaxial in place of the Dart original one. Physically both are the same diameter, roughly twice that of the original Dart one. Visually they all look the same, with a handsome tan FEP outer sleeve.

The RG142 has a silver-plated solid core steel inner conductor versus a silver-plated copper stranded core on the RG400. Both are double-insulated with a PTFE dielectric.

Mine are terminated with mil-spec 50-ohm silver-plated BNC plugs.

Due to a combination of failing eyesight and dim lighting I literally tried both sets of cables blind, and only identified them after I'd formed conclusions as to the sound. Sound-wise, the RG400 is to my ears slightly more refined than the stock Dartzeel 50-ohm cable while giving the same resolution and air. Apart from that very little to separate the two.

The RG142 OTOH is slightly less resolving compared to the other two but it nicely smooths the top end out. Might be just the trick for systems suffering from over-enthusiastic tweeters...

YMMV, and all that.

 

[alistairm]

I have also settled on the Evolution Acoustics BNC Links and think they're a very worthwhile cable upgrade. However, as said above, even the stock BNC cable from Herve is excellent and likely better than any other ICs you'll find. I preferred the to Jorma Prime.

 

[SCAudiophile]

I cannot comment on the Dartzeel equipment usage for 50-ohm cables but this impedance does come up as needed in 10 Mhz master clock applications for which I have seen a marked difference moving from an 'Amazon-sourced' quality 50-ohm cable to something like a Kubala-Sosna "Emotion" custom-built (as K-S does not stock 50-ohm in the same way normally as they do 75-ohm) 50-ohm version. Soundstage breadth, depth, width, musical correctness of all notes, etc...all took a step up when I went with a higher end 50-ohm cable. In short, it makes a difference IMHO,....No matter what you do or where you get one, watch carefully that the correct 50-ohm connectors are utilized; I've seen situations where someone will use the correct cable/wire to 50-ohm, but then slap a 75-ohm BNC on it by mistake....very important to get both the over-the-wire and connector impedance matched to the 50-ohm spec...

 

[asiufy]

I have also settled on the Evolution Acoustics BNC Links and think they're a very worthwhile cable upgrade. However, as said above, even the stock BNC cable from Herve is excellent and likely better than any other ICs you'll find. I preferred the to Jorma Prime.

Yeah, given the price difference, I really didn't want to believe there'd be a difference in performance... But there was, and not a subtle one! That said, the Evolution BNCs are not only worth it for the performance, they also do look the part, being extremely well built!

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Yeah, given the price difference, I really didn't want to believe there'd be a difference in performance... But there was, and not a subtle one! That said, the Evolution BNCs are not only worth it for the performance, they also do look the part, being extremely well built!

considering the state of the art gear you have alistairm, get the Evolution BNC's. they are the way to go.

 

[alistairm]

considering the state of the art gear you have alistairm, get the Evolution BNC's. they are the way to go.

Absolutely Mike... Poor choice of language by "settled on", I've been running them for two years!

 

[gpu123]

Electrontinkerer,
Did you make your cables yourself?

 

[luiscesar]

I've been using since i purchased (preamp + amp) the Harbour Electric M17/128-RG400 coax cable. 5 meters lenght. (Also pretty cheap)
Pretty good sound. Slightly better/pretty better than the Transparent Reference MM2 Balanced I was using with my ARC+KRELL gear. (Also I tested it with the Dart combo)
So i saved a lot of $$$
(i live in spain so not a chance to hear Evolution cables)

 

[redandgold]

For some weeks I have a NHB-18NS for evaluation. I change sometimes between XLR and BNC. My god, the position of the BNC connector at my 458 is really bad. If you have a thick, stiff loudspeaker cable like me, there is near no space to plug my BNC signal cable.

 

[microstrip]

I've been using since i purchased (preamp + amp) the Harbour Electric M17/128-RG400 coax cable. 5 meters lenght. (Also pretty cheap)
Pretty good sound. Slightly better/pretty better than the Transparent Reference MM2 Balanced I was using with my ARC+KRELL gear. (Also I tested it with the Dart combo)
So i saved a lot of $$$
(i live in spain so not a chance to hear Evolution cables)

No experience with the Evolution, but all industrial or laboratory BNC cables I tried were very inferior to the DartZeel original cables.

 

[MadFloyd]

Question for all the experienced dart users:

Does a zeel cable need to break in? Just got a new one and tried it between my CH P1 and the 18NS and it's much lower in volume than my ZenWave D4s and very thin & shrill (like bad digital).

If this type of cable doesn't change with break in then I would have to assume my CH P1 BNC outputs aren't very good!