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Post by MartinT on Apr 3, 2023 18:36:39 GMT
Finisar AOC Fibre Cable - Take 2
The story so far: some months ago, I bought a 3m Finisar FCBG110SD1C03 AOC cable. It was promoted by AfterDark as being the best (at the time) optical cable to use for digital audio links. I replaced my HP SFPs and ipolex cable with the Finisar. I heard good things: an increase in resolution, greater depth and even mightier bass. It sounded great... at first. Over the course of the week, I started to hear it differently and I had misgivings by the time John and Jules came around a week later. During our session, I told them the story and changed the cable back to the SFPs and ipolex fibre. All was as before again and they both heard the renewed smoothness and lack of edge. The Finisar AOC had gone bad or burned-in in the wrong direction. No idea, but I put it in the naughty box and left it there.
Forward to tonight. I had bought a 5m version of the cable as the 3m was not long enough (FCBG110SD1C05). It was still sealed in its bag. I have put it in place and had a first listen. I hear good things... (repeat the above observations exactly). Is it going to stay that way, get better or get worse?
I shall keep listening and if it goes the way of the first cable I shall create a special kind of punishment for them both, possibly involving a blowtorch. If, on the other hand, it stays good, then I have found a new level of performance from my system.
We shall see.
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Post by nicholas on Apr 3, 2023 19:05:50 GMT
I also deployed the Finisar FCBG110SD1C03 AOC cable which was an appreciable step up in SQ. Fortunately mine never misbehaved and remains in service to this day. I even purchased a second one for my office system that has performed equally well with sustainable results. You might have had an unlucky draw that I hope your latest foray will correct.
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Post by orange55 on Apr 4, 2023 10:39:03 GMT
Finisar AOC Fibre Cable - Take 2The story so far: some months ago, I bought a 3m Finisar FCBG110SD1C03 AOC cable. It was promoted by AfterDark as being the best (at the time) optical cable to use for digital audio links. I replaced my HP SFPs and ipolex cable with the Finisar. I heard good things: an increase in resolution, greater depth and even mightier bass. It sounded great... at first. Over the course of the week, I started to hear it differently and I had misgivings by the time John and Jules came around a week later. During our session, I told them the story and changed the cable back to the SFPs and ipolex fibre. All was as before again and they both heard the renewed smoothness and lack of edge. The Finisar AOC had gone bad or burned-in in the wrong direction. No idea, but I put it in the naughty box and left it there. Forward to tonight. I had bought a 5m version of the cable as the 3m was not long enough (FCBG110SD1C05). It was still sealed in its bag. I have put it in place and had a first listen. I hear good things... (repeat the above observations exactly). Is it going to stay that way, get better or get worse? I shall keep listening and if it goes the way of the first cable I shall create a special kind of punishment for them both, possibly involving a blowtorch. If, on the other hand, it stays good, then I have found a new level of performance from my system. We shall see. Good luck, I am very interested to see what happens. I might be surprised if the blowtorch comes out! |
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Post by MartinT on Apr 4, 2023 17:26:01 GMT
I'll document progress until the AOC settles down. | HP JD094B-C plus ipolex single mode fibre | Finisar FCBG110SD1C05 AOC | Somewhat muted definition, dynamic
Smooth vocal delivery
Clean treble
Powerful bass
Natural musical flow
Soundstage is well developed | Detailed, defined edges, very dynamic
Smooth vocals but with sibilance
Slightly splashy treble
Very powerful bass
Slightly clunky flow
Soundstage is outstandlingly well formed |
This is with 24 hours of running. I shall leave a variety of music running through the link every day and keep reporting. So far, I'm not gritting my teeth. |
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Post by MartinT on Apr 5, 2023 17:40:52 GMT
Another 24 hours of constant Qobuz feed and the soundstage has improved further, as has the treble. There is still sibilance but it's interesting that there is improvement. It must be the SFPs that are burning-in as I can't think of how glass fibre could do so. I'm holding out hope that the improvement continues and it doesn't do a reversal.
Early days.
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Post by MartinT on Apr 6, 2023 19:20:29 GMT
Still a touch bright tonight, however the benefits outweigh the drawbacks at the moment. Soundstage and bass are epic.
There is a section in Melissa Tallon's Tell Me So where the doubled voice sounded like a slightly distorted melge, now I can clearly hear the two distinct components.
I'm not gritting my teeth and my ears are not bleeding, so the experiment continues.
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Post by MartinT on Apr 7, 2023 19:13:12 GMT
With 4 days on the AOC, all seems well and some rough edges are smoothing away. What has not gone are the resolution, the bass potency and the amazing soundstage and depth.
This is really good now and I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
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Post by John on Apr 8, 2023 4:15:13 GMT
Perhaps your last one developed a fault
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Post by MartinT on Apr 8, 2023 7:14:24 GMT
I'm hoping so, John, but it needs a whole week before I can be sure.
It was sounding marvellous last night.
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Post by MartinT on Apr 8, 2023 17:21:18 GMT
Time for some serious system-wrangling tests now. All of these bettered their previous resolution.
1. Ry Cooder - Why Don't You Try Me. The opening in the right channel is wonderfully delineated with low level bass, then guitar followed by a cymbal. Later the percussion is nicely dynamic, really popping out.
2. Van Morrison - A Sense of Wonder. His voice is incredibly dynamic in a reverberant acoustic throughout the song. The backing singers retain their smoothness while all this is going on.
3. Chris Isaak - Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing. His voice and electric guitar are unbelievably dynamic, his range quite incredible. The quiet cymbal work at the end.
4. Low - Words. Beautiful space highlighting the percussion work.
5. Art School Girlfriend - Give. Polly's sumptuous voice. The bass is intense. Lots of tiny details.
So, what about brightness? Here's the ultimate bastard test, great song but proper tweeter buster.
6. Feist - Undiscovered First. Nice thumps in the opening. Tambourine sounds like a tambourine. When all hell breaks loose, it causes ripples in the fabric of space-time, but it holds together. Intense at my normal volume.
So far, so good. Day 5.
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Post by MartinT on Apr 9, 2023 9:13:21 GMT
Oh no, it's going backwards, just like the first cable. It has lost some depth and the upper-mid vocal area has the same harshness I've heard before. I started to hear it late last night and it's the same this morning.
I can hear it cleary in Low - Words and Jewel - Serve the Ego.
Damn, what I want back is how it sounded when new. OK, here's the plan: I'm going to grit my teeth and run it on music 24/7 for one more week, in case this is the normal burn-in blues half way through the cycle. Let's see how it sounds next weekend (this is going to be torture).
If it still sounds sh1t, it'll be the blowtorch.
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Post by John on Apr 9, 2023 11:01:02 GMT
Really weird its the only burn in process I heard that goes backwards.
It starts of so promising as well
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Post by John on Apr 9, 2023 11:02:44 GMT
Really hope that its just part off the natural burn in process
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Post by mattspl on Apr 9, 2023 11:20:00 GMT
Hopefully(and I think it will) it will return to even better than its initial performance. I’ve experienced this with burn in of certain fuses and cables before.
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Post by MartinT on Apr 9, 2023 12:25:30 GMT
Thanks, guys. Maybe I was too quick to write off the first AOC, but John and Jules heard what I did and I just couldn't stand it any longer.
This time, patience may reward. I really hope so as this cable has a lot going for it from new.
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Post by MikeMusic on Apr 9, 2023 13:10:55 GMT
Odd
Love to know what is going on
"Burn in" then "burn out" doesn't give the detail we want
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Post by MartinT on Apr 10, 2023 8:15:42 GMT
Better this morning, the harshness seems much reduced. Playing lots of female vocal and the AOC is showing off its detail here. Sarah McLachlan, Norah Jones, Emmylou Harris all sounding good. Note decay is good although depth is still curtailed. Things seem calmer this morning. I gave it some Tara Labs all night as a change from music, definitely seems to have helped.
This is the first change in the right direction and I am now hopeful of a good outcome.
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Post by MartinT on Apr 10, 2023 17:11:23 GMT
On a different note, Jordan has confirmed my QA box is shipping from the current batch. That will replace the Aucharm XL on P10 grounding duty, making the entire system QA grounded. The XL will move onto mains power grounding duty.
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Post by MartinT on Apr 10, 2023 19:39:44 GMT
Back to AOCs, I was reading with interest the views of AfterDark on their offerings, and this is how they describe the two AOCs they sell:
Finisar FCBG110SD1CA5
Soundstage is huge with a lot of details
Positioning and sound decay is well performed
Warmer sounding, mid-range is nice, good for vocal
Cisco SFP-10G-AOC5M
This Cisco SFP+ is impressive, lush sounding, dynamic
Highly recommended
Obviously, the above statements are a weird set of observations and not directly comparable. More interestingly, I started looking at prices and found a used 5m Cisco on eBay for £14.95. How could I not satisfy the urge? So it's on its way and I'll be able to compare them directly.
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Post by MartinT on Apr 11, 2023 13:29:38 GMT
Warmer sounding, mid-range is nice, good for vocal I meant to comment on the above: No! The Finisar AOC is, if anything, slightly on the cool side of neutral. It is, however, very nice on vocals except for high female where it can become just a little strident. The HP JD094B-C with ipolex fibre is just about bang on neutral sounding. We'll have to see if AfterDark's assessment of the Cisco AOC as 'lush' translates to slightly warm. |
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