Ideal Cable Length

[mrspock]

Not sure if this forum is the right place to ask, but I am planning on connecting my Auralic Aries to my DAC via AES/EBU and then I'm using balanced XLR interconnects between the DAC (which also functions as a preamp) and my power amplifier. All things being equal, is there either a "minimum" or "Ideal" cable length I should use?? I recall reading somewhere that 1.5m is the minimum cable length to use... don't recall the reasoning behind that. Given the cost of high-end audio cables, I would prefer to use the shortest practical length.

 

Thanks!

 

Phil

[monteverdi]

Shorter is better except for digital cables if they are not impedance matched. So for aes/ebu it has to be 110 ohm. Only it is difficult to verify the manufacturer's claims. Otherwise more than 1.2m should space the signal reflections from the signal that they have a less obtrusive effect.

[Speedskater]

That 110 Ohm Radio Frequency Characteristic Impedance is only important on longer AES/EBU cables (say about 10 meters/33 feet).

For shorter runs any good balanced interconnect will do.

[lkong]

That 110 Ohm Radio Frequency Characteristic Impedance is only important on longer AES/EBU cables (say about 10 meters/33 feet).

For shorter runs any good balanced interconnect will do.

 

There was actually an article discussing cable length:

interconnection: Is it better to have short interconnects and long speaker cables or visa-versa? : Empirical Audio

digital: spdif

 

It was said 1.5m is a good length to eliminate ghosting/reflections caused by impedance mismatch

[Speedskater]

But that was in Empirical Audio Fantasy Land.