Coax connection problem

[Richardk3000]

Hi all,

I’m streaming from a Primare NP5 to a Hegel HD-11 DAC. Using the optical connection, everything is fine, but when I switch to coax there’s just no sound.
The cable is a Madrigal MDC-2 digital coax I previously used for streaming from my CEC CD transport to my Audiomat DAC.
Hegel and Primare support can’t find a reason why this should not work, but one mentioned “using a standard 80 ohms coax cable”.
I did some googling on the Madrigal and found a mention about it being 110 ohms. Could this be the problem?

(also, though this will probably open a very big can of worms, should I even care or just be happy with optical?)

Thanks!

 

[DonH56]

How long a cable? I would try a different cable, though the impedance is probably not the problem. Nominal impedance is usually 75 ohms but most any RCA A/V interconnect would probably work. Assuming there is not some setting that has the coax I/O off, and you are plugging output to input and not into the wrong connector someplace, it is possible the Primare transmitter or Hegel receiver is bad...

 

[Jimbob54]

Hi all,

I’m streaming from a Primare NP5 to a Hegel HD-11 DAC. Using the optical connection, everything is fine, but when I switch to coax there’s just no sound.
The cable is a Madrigal MDC-2 digital coax I previously used for streaming from my CEC CD transport to my Audiomat DAC.
Hegel and Primare support can’t find a reason why this should not work, but one mentioned “using a standard 80 ohms coax cable”.
I did some googling on the Madrigal and found a mention about it being 110 ohms. Could this be the problem?

(also, though this will probably open a very big can of worms, should I even care or just be happy with optical?)

Thanks!

I assume you've already tested the same outputs from the Primare to another DAC (if you can) and also can you test the inputs on the Hegel from another source? Not some hidden setting in either to manually select the relevant output/ input? I would have thought all were always on on the Primare.

 

[Richardk3000]

Thanks for the reactions, Jim and Don. Problem was the cable. Don’s suggestion was helpful, because I didn’t have another ‘digital coax’ – which I thought was a very special kind of cable; turns out a good quality RCA interconnect works fine.

 

[Jimbob54]

Thanks for the reactions, Jim and Don. Problem was the cable. Don’s suggestion was helpful, because I didn’t have another ‘digital coax’ – which I thought was a very special kind of cable; turns out a good quality RCA interconnect works fine.

Always good to rule out the cables/ connections when any kind of issues arise in expensive kit. I was having a devil of a time just this week with some Audeze headphones and my RME Dac/ amp- sounded awful but I was messing with the EQ so assumed was creating distortion etc.

Oh no- turns out the cheapo extension I had bought to span the lounge floor was actual junk- causing all manner of scratchy awful when the volume was cranked.