Coaxial cable for audio
Coaxial audio cable has seen significant improvements and store price changes over the last few years.
You ask, are we talking about analog or digital cable? Today's audio devices do not use analog signals to create sounds, but digital ones work with the data for a digital signal on the principle of zero and one. Digital coaxial audio cable is designed to preserve and transmit the highest possible sound quality. The most complete review of coaxial audio cable: What it is and why, as well as where it is used, plus a few words about purchasing
The correct coaxial audio cable is essential to getting the most out of your audio equipment. If you want to connect components that don't have an HDMI cable connector, then using a digital coaxial cable is an inexpensive and good way to transfer digital audio signals from one to another.
Digital coaxial cables don't have to be too expensive, since less expensive cables work just as well for a fraction of the price; unless you're an audiophile with a hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of audio system, you're unlikely to notice any difference in sound quality.
Coaxial cables, as in the case of ordinary cables, are sometimes spliced or, if the situation requires, extended and even equipped with connectors. On imported electrical equipment, sometimes the purpose of the connectors is indicated and an inexperienced user gets a question like “coaxial connector, what is this?” The answer is simple. This is a coaxial connector, it exists to connect to a coaxial cable.
Whether you are planning to buy a coaxial cable for audio today or want to get more free information, this article is worth reading, friends!
Choosing the Right Coaxial Audio Cable
In the world of consumer electronics, different types of cables and connections with varying levels of quality are used to transmit audio between components.
Typically, coaxial cables were designed to reproduce ideal sounds that prevent distortion of the recorded matrix (original) when transferred to other sources such as speakers, subwoofers, amplifiers and so on, where used for acoustics. Coaxial cabling is the same system used to transmit video and audio data and is used in cable television (consumer level televisions). This is especially important because there is music that was created to reproduce sound digitally. This was largely designed to separate the high bass, which reduces distortion. The cables were separated by two or more different AWG conductors to separate the layers between them, beyond its inherent glamor.
The new audio market offers a large number of coaxial cables, these cables are easy to install, have impressive sound quality and are free of interference. They can be installed in most audio systems and work in their place for a long time.
How to choose between 50 ohm and 75 ohm coaxial cable
While the information available on the Internet about "75 ohms vs. 50 ohms" is very good from a technical point of view for those who install professional coaxial cable, it does little to inform newbies about whether to use 50 ohm or 75 ohm (Ohm) coaxial cable. So here it is. For electronic devices that require high power performance and low power loss, 50 ohm coaxial cable is the industry standard and ideal solution.
An excellent rule of thumb when analyzing parameters includes knowing that 50 ohm coaxial cable is best used in conjunction with devices that serve as a transmitter or transceiver (receiver). Therefore, when working with radios, walkie-talkies, translators, Wi-Fi and cellular repeaters, a 50 Ohm cable is ideal.
Conversely, when power consumption is not an issue, but rather the desire for the most efficient way to move a signal through a cable without wasting power, 75 ohm coaxial cable provides the best results. That is, choosing a 75 Ohm cable is the best option if you use it when connecting such devices as home theater, Blu-ray devices, high-definition TVs, and so on.
From the tips above. Deciding whether to choose between 50 ohm and 75 ohm coaxial cable to get the job done depends on the proposed electronic device you plan to use.
Extremely rarely used coaxial cable: 100 Ohm, 150 Ohm and 200 Ohm.
About attenuation in coaxial cable
The power loss caused by coaxial cable is called attenuation. Such a phenomenon is defined in terms of decibels per unit length and at a given frequency. Obviously, the longer the coaxial cable, the greater the loss. It is also found that losses are frequency dependent, increasing widely with frequency, although the actual loss level does not vary linearly with frequency.
Almost all applications require a minimum level of loss. Power is lost in various ways, the main ones being:
— Resistive losses; — Dielectric losses; — Radiation losses.
How to buy coaxial cable for audio
It's the solid build quality, affordable prices, and excellent sound quality that make coaxial audio cables the best on the market. They use gold-plated precision connectors for optimal sound quality. Affordability and audio performance are the pinnacle of digital coaxial cables; The sound quality is equal to many. Coaxial cables designed for durability are supplied with a thick coating.
A few words about the description of how a coaxial cable for sound works or good protection against interference
What does it consist of? The inner and outer layers of the conductors can have different numbers of threads and be twisted at different angles to suit the specific operating conditions of the conductors, which have different functions. In addition to layers of insulation made of Teflon or similar plastic, conductive layers that have different functions can be protected with metal foil for additional protection from signal interference (shielded cable).
Why is there a communication jack on a TV?
The word coaxial, translated from Latin, literally means “shared axis,” and the definition of “coaxial” rather refers to a cable whose device ensures high-quality transmission of a high-frequency television signal from the antenna to the TV. That is, the communication connector is the output from the television receiver for connecting an antenna.
The main purpose of coaxial devices is to provide connections between different types of equipment. This connection has two types of paired components: socket-plug and pin-socket. Each cable corresponds to different types of communication outputs.
According to their functional purpose, the following types of connectors are distinguished:
- instrumentation;
- cable;
- instrumentation and cable.
Due to the high cost of copper structures of main communication cables, they are often replaced by optical analogues. They reduce the cost of production due to partial replacement of copper components. The base is made of steel, partially contains clad copper, and is braided with steel and aluminum wires on top.
Based on the assembly method, there are three groups of cable connectors:
- wound;
- crimping;
- compression
Screw-on connectors
The body of the screw-on coaxial output has a built-in rounded thread and is complemented by a press-on nut.
This type of connection connector is also called a screw-on connector. It is especially widely used at home and is very popular due to the ease of connection, the implementation of which does not require special skills or special tools.
However, such common plugs have a number of significant disadvantages:
- fragility, unreliability of the structure;
- the housing ring is not pressed against the nut to the full extent required, as a result of which the connectors are damaged when screwed in;
- the internal thread is insufficient in length, which makes the maximum tightness of the cable fixation impossible and, as a result, causes interference during signal transmission;
- When the plug is screwed onto the cable, the conductors are gradually partially cut/broken, and the protective covering along with the wire braiding is also twisted as it is used.
Crimp connectors
The crimping device uses two cylinders: an outer one, which seems to continue the structure of the housing, and an inner one, which is selected according to the diameter of the cable dielectric with foil. The circular symmetry of the cable is not broken during shrinkage of the outlet. Its body is pressed into a hexagonal prism using a crimping tool.
The antenna crimp connector also features a simplified mounting method.
The characteristics of such connectors may deteriorate due to the use of low-quality materials for their production, as a result of which they quickly wear out.
Compression connectors
The positive properties of compression coaxial outlets with the complexity of their design fully compensate for their relative high cost. They are considered the most reliable, but connecting to them requires understanding the specifics of fastening and the use of special devices.
The advantages of this type of coaxial connectors include:
- anti-corrosion coating;
- operation up to 3 GHz;
- protection from moisture;
- greatest resistance to mechanical stress;
- better shielding compared to others;
- the highest possible resistance to high and low temperatures;
- high tensile strength.
Digital audio connection
This connection should be your priority when it comes to audio. Typically, it provides better audio quality, including the ability to reproduce surround sound. Below we have listed the three main types of digital audio cables.
• What does HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) do? This type of cable can carry high-definition video and audio, while all information is carried over just 1 cable. It uses a 19-pin connector to transfer digital audio and video signals between components, eliminating the threat of loss of audio quality caused by digital-to-analog conversions and inverse conversions. This cable is capable of delivering surround sound and supports up to 8 channels of super high-quality lossless audio tracks, including all the latest high-resolution audio formats from Blu-ray, such as TrueHD Dolby and DTS HD™ Master Audio.
Causes of failure
Users may experience that after connecting the S PDIF connector, the sound may be lost. Possible reasons:
- incorrect connection of speakers or TV;
- foreign object inside the connector;
- old firmware;
- disabling the main device from Windows or in the BIOS;
- failures in the audio processing service in the OS;
- old or crooked sound card drivers.
To determine the cause of the failure, you need to carry out diagnostics using the program's diagnostic utility or special equipment.
Optical cable
• What is he doing? An optical cable transmits a digital audio signal as a pulse of light. Just like coaxial (we'll talk about it below), it provides surround sound with support for 5.1 channels, but cannot handle high-resolution audio formats from Blu-Ray discs. Today, equipment with an optical connection is more popular than with a coaxial connection.
• When to use it? Optical and coaxial digital cables come in second place after HDMI. Almost all HDTVs have an optical jack for playing Dolby Digital audio and broadcasting the output to your receiver. You'll also find optical connectors on CD players, cable satellite modulators, DVD players, and home theater players.
• What you should pay attention to? Because they use pulses of light instead of electrical pulses to transmit an audio signal, optical cables are virtually immune to interference. However, it's still important to purchase a quality cable as it can reduce "jitter" - small changes in the timing of digital signals that can be detrimental to sound quality. Good optical cables also usually have tighter connectors for added strength.
What is SPDIF on TV?
Digital S/PDIF mode ensures transmission of audio data in the required format. If there is a movie or program on TV in HD quality format, and the device itself supports 5.1 or 7.1 format, then using SPDIF you can get better quality digital sound.
On TVs, this audio output is designated SPDIF out or Digital audio out.
What is it needed for
This S/PDIF is designed to directly transmit a digital audio signal between devices used for viewing and listening to audio and video broadcasts without converting digital sound to analog.
Due to protocol bandwidth limitations, transmission is carried out as a compressed stream, which is then reconstructed by the decoder.
This technology of high-quality sound transmission is protected from electrical interference. S/PDIF reproduces stereo surround sound particularly well.
Coaxial cable
• What is he doing? Digital coaxial cable resembles standard analog RCA cables, however, standard audio connections for carrying a coaxial digital signal should be avoided. This type of cable is designed specifically for digital signal transmission and provides an impedance of approximately 75 ohms, a wider frequency range and superior signal transmission. Like optical, it also supports surround sound and can only transmit 5.1 channel audio. The sound quality transmitted by coaxial and optical cables is approximately the same, although many purists prefer coaxial cable to connect high-performance components.
• When to use it? Digital coaxial cable, along with optical cable, shares second place after HDMI. Although coaxial connections are not used as often as optical connections, they are still a great way to get surround sound from your DVD player or Cable TV to your receiver.
• What you should pay attention to? When you look at the specifications, make sure the cable has an impedance of 75 ohms. Copper braiding is also required, rather than aluminum, as it conducts the signal better and will provide greater performance, and is safer for you according to https://www.medkrug.ru.
XLR cable
• What does XLR do? This type of connection is used primarily with professional audio equipment that requires "balanced" audio. The connector has three pins: one for the positive conductor, one for the negative conductor, and the last one for ground or shielding. When the amplifier receives signals from the XLR cable, it compares the signals it receives from each source and rejects any differences that indicate interference. Thus, XLR is less sensitive to external noise sources and is optimal for applications that require exceptional sound quality over long distances. XLR connections are primarily used for analog audio, but digital XLR cables are also available.
• When to use it? XLR is suitable for connecting high-performance home audio applications such as compatible preamps and power amplifiers that have XLR connectors. They are commonly found on professional audio equipment, especially microphones that require "phantom power" - an electrical charge passing through a grounded wire and driving the microphone's internal preamps.
• What you should pay attention to? Choose insulated wires to prevent interference from outside signals. It is also important that the cables have good shielding to prevent interference. And conductors with a copper, gold or silver center will provide the best signal transmission.
Multichannel analog audio cable
• What is he doing? A multi-channel analog audio cable uses six to eight RCA cables to carry 5-7 full-feature channels and one low-frequency audio channel.
• When to use it? If you don't have an HDMI-capable receiver, then this may be your only option for delivering high-definition surround sound Blu-Ray. This setup uses the player's internal surround decoder and outputs the signal like a home theater-compatible player. Multichannel outputs can be found on DVD players.
• What should you pay attention to? For good sound quality, the cable's center conductor must be made of copper, double or triple shielded, and have a gold-plated, pressurized RCA plug.
