Digital coax - or half of a regular phono cable?

goldtop

At the risk of starting a hifi-mains-cable-style bunfight... can I use a bog-standard RCA-to-RCA phono cable for reliably hooking up two SPDIF devices? Or do I need a special "digital coax" cable?

I did Google it honest, but it appears to be a can of worms, and I'd like some opinions from electronic music bods with experience. Might my Les Paul with PAFs tone become less buttery? Etc.

Danny1969

Yes you can use a standard phono, always worked fine for me

Sporky

For short distances a phono cable is probably fine.

If it isn't fine it'll be really obvious unless you're listening to Merzbow.

mr-mac

Go for digital cable.  Often find phono cables are not 75ohm cables which can sometime effect performance.  Doesn't need to cost loads or anything but make sure it's a proper 75ohm cable

spark240

My googling of the same thing a while ago suggested no difference, tried one,.... didnt work...!.

mr-mac

Yes at some point a cable won't work depending on the two bits of kit and how long, out of spec cable is.  But before that stage the data timing can be effected (called jitter) the more timing is effected more it will effect sound.  So yes a crappy, non specific, phone cable should be avoided and basic, quality digital coax 75ohm should be used

Danny1969

Well I've used up to 2 metres with standard phono  going spdif from protools 192 to the older 888 series boxs

Technically you can't get a 75 Ohm cable with phono ends 

Edit : in the studio we had one of those Tascam CF card recorders SPDIF'ed up to a DM4800 with a cheap phono as well and that was fine

mr-mac

Yes you can as some phononplugs are designed to be 75ohm

mr-mac

And yes some/most phono cables will produce sound but if recording and want best quality it would be advisable to go with a cable designed for purpose 

mr-mac

Just to clarify I am not extoling virtues of exotic cables.  A basic well made coax 75ohm cable is all you need nothing expensive 

mrkb

I tried a couple of standard audio phono cables and I had lots of connection issues, a cheap SPDIF cable from eBay fixed that instantly.