Does a coax have two identities?

[Bigmoney]

Is there anything wrong with using two digital coax interconects as a pair of left and right stereo audio interconnects. I guess I am asking can a digital coax be used as an analogue stereo L/R interconnect.

[JSE]

Is there anything wrong with using two digital coax interconects as a pair of left and right stereo audio interconnects. I guess I am asking can a digital coax be used as an analogue stereo L/R interconnect.

No problem at all. The only thing different is the name on the packages.

[GMichael]

No problem at all. The only thing different is the name on the packages.

And the price you paid.

[Bigmoney]

So there would be no problem at all using two of my blue jeans coax cables of equal length to form a pair of stereo interconnects to save the money of buying a new pair of analogue interconnects?

[JSE]

So there would be no problem at all using two of my blue jeans coax cables of equal length to form a pair of stereo interconnects to save the money of buying a new pair of analogue interconnects?

Nope. They are one in the same.

[hermanv]

Nope. They are one in the same.

Huh? Coax is 75 Ohm (impedance) cable, usually 29 pF per foot. At longer lengths this is a problem for some tube equipment. Although it will probably work, coax and audio interconnects are NOT one and the same. My Cardas interconnects are 7.5 PF per foot for example, Kimber's famous KCAG is three braided silver wires, certainly not coax.

Although in most cases, coax will work fine for an interconnect, the opposite is not true. An interconnect is not automatically the right answer for video or digital signals.

[JSE]

Huh? Coax is 75 Ohm (impedance) cable, usually 29 pF per foot. At longer lengths this is a problem for some tube equipment. Although it will probably work, coax and audio interconnects are NOT one and the same. My Cardas interconnects are 7.5 PF per foot for example, Kimber's famous KCAG is three braided silver wires, certainly not coax.

Although in most cases, coax will work fine for an interconnect, the opposite is not true. An interconnect is not automatically the right answer for video or digital signals.

I have/had an older Radio Shack Gold Series Digital Coax Cable that got sliced through to the internal wire. I went ahead and cut it to compare it to another 3 feet audio connect I have not used is years. I did this because I had the same question as the original poster. They sure seemed the same to me. No real difference at all.

Are you talking about a "Digital Coax" interconnect or a standard Coax cable?

JSE

[markw]

I doubt we're talking "long" lengths or tube gear so a lot of this discussion is simply pedantic smoke and mirrors.

The kid will be just fine.

[hermanv]

Are you talking about a "Digital Coax" interconnect or a standard Coax cable?

JSE

I don't believe there is a difference between "digital coax" and "standard coax". The question was "Can I use digital coax as an interconnect?" In most cases the answer is, yes.

I took exception to the notion that audio interconnects and coax are interchangeable cables, they are not. For once we have a non subjective answer, coax is fundamentally special and is not the same as standard audio interconnects.

Both will carry signals, coax is perfectively safe to use for low speed or high speed signals (digital audio or video) whereas standard interconnects can not be relied upon to carry high speed signals. Still, coax is optimized for 75 Ohm (or 52 Ohm) terminations and standard audio cables are often designed around a much higher impedance which is usually 47K Ohms.

Yes, some manufacturers make their interconnects so they have a center conductor and a shield making them look like coax (they might even be coax) but coax has a special geometry, a certain and exact conductor diameter to shield diameter ratio which along with the dielectric sets the cable impedance. Many standard shielded cables will have a center conductor that is loose inside the shield coax will never be made this way.

[GMichael]

We sure can turn a simple question into a complicated debate. No wonder everyone thinks we're nuckin' futs.