Advice on FW 800 cable

[DanRubin]

We did an experiment last night. From MBP to a Sonic Studio 304, which is a ULN-8, we compared a Gold-X FW cable to an budget 4 pin to 6 pin cable fronted by a 6 to 4 adapter. It worked fine. And the result...the 6-4-6 solution was clearly better sounding. I will ask my partner in crime to weigh in with the specifics as he purchased the 6-4-6 cables ($16 total, I believe).

 

Dan

 

[cfmsp]

 

http://store.cablesplususa.com/cpcgx1394ab-06.html

 

With the cable linked to above, you can combine the two techniques.

 

GOld-X 4pin to 6pin plus an adapter is what I use.

 

thanks for sharing the report.

 

clay

 

 

[ted_b]

Funny cuz I did the 6-to-6 standard (powered) GoldX vs 4-to-6 (w/adapter) GoldX just last night and sent an email to a few buddies (incl Clay). I found that the adapter'd powerless GoldX sounded slightly but consistently clearer, blacker and more dynamic than my nice standard GoldX.

 

[Mikey]

Do I understanding this correctly, placing a a 4pin firewire cable in the cable chain turns the entire firewire cable chain powerless, transmitting data only?

 

 

 

[DanRubin]

And what we need is a single 6-6 cable that drops the power out and makes a nice snug connection at both ends. But I don't think it needs to be "audiophile," so $50 or so.

 

[cfmsp]

 

someone recommended just placing a tiny strip of black mechanical tape over the area of the power pin (in a standard 6pin cable), which would be reversible.

 

I forget which pin it was, but Google should sort that out quickly enough.

 

clay

 

[Bob Stern]

I was Dan Rubin's accomplice in the test yesterday. The benefit of the 6-4-6 cable was increased "purity", by which I mean the same thing as "clearer and blacker" as described by ted_b, altho I would not go so far as to say it was more dynamic.

 

I bought my 6-4 cable and 4F-6M adapter ($8 each) directly from Wiebe Tech. Both have gold-plated contacts:

https://www.wiebetech.com/products/cables.php

 

Beware that most 4-6 adapters are 4M-6F, which is the opposite of what you need. I am pleased with the 6-4 cable from Wiebe, but the 6-pin end of the adapter does not fit very snugly. It is easy to dislodge it if you bump it. Other brands of adapters sold at NewEgg were criticized for being too tight and unreliable.

 

I think a DIY 6-4 cable could be made from a 6-6 cable by breaking off the power and ground pins from the connector at one end of the cable (not both ends). I don't see how you could cover the pins with tape.

 

It seems logical to insert the connector with the pins removed into the computer and to insert the connector with all pins intact into the DAC. Maintaining the ground connection at the DAC end of the cable would preserve the benefit of the cable shielding, even though the signal conductors are twisted pair.

 

The power and ground pins are at the flat end of the connector, according to these pinout diagrams:

http://techrepublic.com.com/i/tr/cms/contentPics/5826975-Firewire-E.gif

http://www.interfacebus.com/Design_Connector_Firewire.html

 

[ted_b]

because things come out of a blacker background, hence a bigger perceived delta between soft and loud...but no, not any louder per se.

 

[cfmsp]

 

 

Silverlight found one that works:

 

http://www.granitedigital.com/firewire9pinto4pingenderchanger.aspx

 

I've just ordered mine. Will let you know if it works.

 

clay

 

 

[mp]

I have been following this string and if I understand it correctly, I only need to replace my 6 pin to 6 pin Firewire Cable from my MAC mini to Minerva DAC, with a 6 pin to 4 pin cable plus 4 pin female to 6 pin male adaptor to effectively de-power my firewire connection and I should notice a significant sonic improvement. ... and the investment is only an inexpensive cable and inexpensive adaptor?

 

Is this correct?

 

Thanks

 

[cfmsp]

 

 

"Is this correct?"

 

Yes, it is, although 'significant' is in the eye of the be(er)holder.

 

I recommend GOld-X for the inexpensive Firewire cable, but others have reported an improvement with different cables as well.

 

http://store.cablesplususa.com/cpcgx1394ab-06.html

 

$8 for the 6ft 6-pin to 4-pin.

 

enjoy,

clay

 

 

[church_mouse]

Is anyone able to recommend a 4pin to 6 pin adaptor available in the UK that definitely works?

 

I have 2, one acquired via Amazon another direct from a merchant, however I cannot get my DAC2 to recognise my MacMini when connected using this configuration. If I take out the 6pin-4pin cable/4pin to 6pin adaptor and put my 6pin-6pin cable back in order is returned.

 

I have tested the 6pin-4pin cable and it is not faulty.

 

I have not spent much on either of the two adaptors - maybe that is where I am going wrong?

 

[Bob Stern]

The 4-6 adapter I bought from Wiebe has a 6-pin connector that is a bit too small to fit securely. You need to really push it in as far as possible and make sure it is not cocked at even a slight angle.

 

Open Audio MIDI Setup and watch for the DAC2 to appear 1 or 2 seconds after the adapter makes good contact.

 

Perhaps Apple's Firewire jacks are a bit too large. Maybe one of the adapters that users on NewEgg complained were too large would be perfect for a Mac.

 

[Purite Audio]

I tried going from 6pin MH to 4 pin to 4pin to 9pin Macbook and the MH wasn't recognised.

Keith.

 

[cfmsp]

 

Yes, that's the problem I had when the Tecnec adapters.

 

I've ordered one from Granite Digital, which Silverlight suggested worked for him.

 

Presume its not cost effective to ship to UK?

 

clay

 

[Bob Stern]

More information regarding the 4F-6M adapter that worked reliably when properly positioned, but whose 6-pin end was a loose fit so that it easily could be dislodged:

 

The adapter sold by Wiebe was in a package bearing the brand "L-com". The L-com product page for the 4F-6M adapter is:

http://www.l-com.com/item.aspx?id=5732

 

The 6-6 cable I bought from Wiebe has a more secure connector than the adapter. It has no brand marking, but it looks just like the cables sold by L-com:

http://www.l-com.com/familylist.aspx?id=121

 

L-com has a 9-pin to 4-pin cable for $19:

http://www.l-com.com/productfamily.aspx?id=2196

 

The minimum shipping charge is $10, with a $20 surcharge for shipments outside the US and Canada:

http://www.l-com.com/content/orderSummaryFAQ.aspx

 

[Bob Stern]

Before everyone jumps on the Gold-X bandwagon, beware that the Gold-X shielding looks poor, with obvious gaps between the braids.

 

In contrast, another Firewire cable I have has a braided shield that looks very tight. This also is the stiffest Firewire cable I have seen. Unfortunately, it is unmarked and I don't recall the source.

 

My Belkin cable has an opaque jacket, so I cannot see the shield, but it is half the thickness of the above cables and is extremely flexible, so its wires must be a much lighter guage. I have no idea whether that is a shortcoming.

 

The L-com cable from Wiebe is opaque and has thickness and stiffness intermediate between the Belkin and Gold-X.

 

[gsquared]

@Clay

 

I finally found a 4 pin to 6 pin adaptor that works! I purchased it from Sewell Direct:

http://sewelldirect.com/Firewire-Adapter-4-pin-Female-to-6-pin-Male.asp

 

I believe you need a 4 pin to 9 pin, which I read in another post that you found one from Granite.

 

But anyone else interested in a 4 pin to 6 pin can pick up pick up the Sewell adaptor and it works great and has a nice snug fit on both ends.

 

I'm also evaluating a different cable from Belkin that seems to be much higher quality than the GoldX:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BQL2DW/ref=ox_ya_oh_product

 

My initial impressions of the new cable using the adaptor is very positive. But since I changed two variables, I will have to do some testing against my GoldX i.link cable. But without a doubt, my first impressions are that my system sounds better than it ever has before. Off to do more listening.

 

Gary

 

[cfmsp]

 

Gary, congrats on the 'find'. Thanks for sharing.

 

But...it seems you've been holding out on us, pal.

 

External SSD Boot Drive? What's that all about? Is this from Vincent?

 

What was the impact on the sound? C'mon, spill it!

 

thanks

clay

 

 

 

 

[DanRubin]

Thanks for those links, Gary. Belkin's USB cable gets a lot of criticism for the ferrite inductor filters, which some of the USB audio mavens say are a mistake and should be removed. I wonder if that's true for FW as well.

 

[gsquared]

@DanRubin, interestingly, when I received the Belkin cable, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it does not have the ferrite filters on them like it shows in the photo.

 

Still plan to do some careful listening to see how I like it compared to the GoldX equivalent.

 

Gary

 

[cfmsp]

 

As a technologist, I am constantly inundated with (and thus sensitized to) technology solutions in search of a problem. As a purist/simplist, I don't believe in them.

 

This principle would apply to use of Ferrites, as well as being concerned about gaps in shielding (as Bob reported upstream). It's not clear that I have a problem which 'deserves' a solution based on Ferrites, or that I should worry about tiny gap in shielding. The sound is the thing, to me.

 

Thus, I was not happy that the FW800 cable that I chose (from the same supplier as Gold-X who unfortunately terminate their cables with FW800 connectors) contained ferrites, even as it appears to be better made than GOld-X. [i'm fairly certain the pictures did not indicate ferrites were in use.]

 

However, below is text taken from a post Gordon made almost two years ago:

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/USB-Cables

 

"I have not talked to Ray about his use of Ferrites on the [Kimber USB] cable but as we can conclude all pc's have switching power supplies and the ferrites on both ends will repel high frequency radiation from entering the receiving endpoint (dac in this case).

 

It was shown by Guido Tent that the use of Ferrites in digital audio was a good thing. Guido worked for years in the Phillps R&D to determine ways of reducing jitter and noise in digital & video systems. Guido likes to use ferrites between components to reduce jitter and noise in regulated systems. You can read some of Guido's work on his website at TentLabs.com."

 

 

food for thought.

 

This is nearly two year old information, but perhaps is useful to some wondering about Ferrites.

 

clay

 

[gsquared]

Clay, thanks for the info from Gordon.

 

I thought I recalled reading a post by Gordon where he preferred the sound of the Kimber USB cable without the ferrites, so I did a search in AA and sure enough, found it here:

http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/cables/messages/13/137802.html

 

That post was from a little over a year ago and he was talking specifically about the Kimber USB cable. Perhaps he changed his opinion after further and more careful listening.

 

But in my case, ferrites or not... all that matters is how one cable sounds compared to another. Right now I'm evaluating 3 relatively affordable cables: GoldX, AudioQuest 1394-1 and Belkin Silver Series. The only one that has ferrites is the Audioquest. I shall report my impressions once I do some valid comparisons.

 

Gary

 

[cfmsp]

 

Thanks, Gary,

 

I love a happy ending - meaning I now have reason to continue dislike of the solution called 'ferrite', per my keep it simple stupid philosophy.

 

clay

 

PS, thanks for doing the search. I should have done so - it's just that I found Gordon's post by accident, and thought it worth posting.

 

 

 

[redscouser]

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