20 replies to this topic

[Marcin_gps]

Hi Guys, 

 

Some of you probably noticed the new JCAT cables. SATA v2 cable has been discontinued and replaced by two completely new models:

- JCAT HD SATA Cable

- JCAT Reference SATA Cable

 

Why did I introduce new models? First and most important reason for me is always better sound. Second reason is compatibility and ease of installation. 

 

JCAT HD SATA Cable offers much better sound quality compared to discontinued JCAT SATA v2. It can be used with any SATA drives, but It sounds best with music library HDDs. 

 

JCAT Reference SATA Cable is in a completely different league: much better resolution, dynamics. Darker, more natural tone. It can be used with all SATA drives, but it's best to have it on OS drive. 

 

I personally use the Reference on OS drive and the HD Cable on my media library HDD. 

Let me know if you have any questions. 

 

BR, 

Marcin

[Tomslin]

Of course I have seen this new JCAT products  When Marcin claims that they sound so much better, I will obviously be curious. For quite long time I have considered to try a new SATA cable. And my choice this time became this new JCAT Reference.

 

For near three weeks I have used this new JCAT Reference as replacement for JCAT SATA V2 in my Audio-PC. I think it’s enough with time to share my impression.

 

During my first test directly from the fine gold box I immediately heard that it sounded cleaner. Perhaps not a night and day difference, yet fully noticeable.

Now I have listened much more with JCAT Reference, perhaps both the cable and my brain has become more balanced during this time. I'm not either a true “burning-in believer” but I anyway have my senses fully open. I switched back to my old JCAT SATA V2, and after that it was not fun to listen anymore. Whole soundstage was more squeezed or compressed and strained especially in the treble. Moreover, any better analysis tool than my HD800 cans to hear very small problems with the treble, will be very hard to find. The improvement I get with this new SATA cable reminds me of other improvements I get when jitter is reduced, i.e. cleaner sound, more resolution, better sound stage and better dynamics. But I don't experiencing it changing the sound signature in any way, as more dark, brighter, warmer and so on. Only cleaner and generally better. Above all, the treble is cleaned up considerably.  

 

For me is JCAT Reference SATA Cable a big improvement that contributes strongly to buy another one for my Control PC.

[Marcin_gps]

Customer report: "Very nice improvement with the SATA cables.  I was very surprised."

 

 IMG_0002.JPG.1f445f27144d4b76ca9648c84ba2e1a6.JPG   130.84KB   7 downloads

 

New stock available if anyone is interested

 

[Mellowman]

Right 

 

Marcin gave me the opportunity to own one of the first Reference SATA Cable: it is a great improvement -  better than the first version i purchased a few month before.

 

Today the Reference wire my System SSD, the first one moved on my storage SSD for the best sound result.

 

Keep on workin' that way guys 

[ellisdj]

Upgraded my single audio pc to include the Jcat Reference Sata Cable the Net Femto Card powered CPU, Mobo and Net Femto Card from the Jcat 400w Linear Power Supply all built into the JCAT Chassis.
3 Days in got a few quirks to iron out but the sound quality oh wow.
Musical quality is hard thing to describe but it's many more steps away from sounding like a computer and more like a high end music source. and more like music in it's real form.

It's a massive overall upgarde and I haven't heard the best of it yet.

[Phxtriode]

Upgraded my single audio of to include the Jcat Reference Sata Cable the Net Femto Card powered CPU, Mobo and Net Femto Card from the Jcat 400w Linear Power Supply all built into the JCAT Chassis.
3 Days in got a few quirks to iron out but the sound quality oh wow.
Musical quality is hard thing to describe but it's many more steps away from sounding like a computer and more like a high end music source. and more like music in it's real form.

It's a massive overall upgarde and I haven't heard the best of it yet.

Looking forward to watching the video when you release it.

[ellisdj]

Thanks very much mate appreciate it

[Marcin_gps]

https://jcat.eu/audiophile-sata-cable/

[Phxtriode]

https://jcat.eu/audiophile-sata-cable/

Great writeup 

[Marcin_gps]

Great writeup 

Thank you!

[Zermi]

Hello Marcin,

Now, after a week of use-time of the cable and the new Apacer SLC 32GB SSD a very clean and dynamic sound picture very natural. Much better than the M2 interface.
Marco

[rkosak]

I am curious if anyone tried to upgrade sata cable inside standalone streamer/ renderer. It would be nice upgrade in my Aurender N100H streamer, but there is quite little space inside of this unit (I have picture of inside of the unit, but havent figured out how to upload image here).

Have you any knowledge of such upgrade Marcin?

[Thuan]

Does it look similar to this? I'm borrowing the photo from Marcin's Editorial "The most important cable you're not using".

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[rkosak]

Does it look similar to this? I'm borrowing the photo from Marcin's Editorial "The most important cable you're not using".

 

unfortunately not, there is quite lack of space there... But maybe it could fit.:-) 

[Thuan]

A short SATA cable (approximately 0.3m) would fit.  Why don't you measure it to be sure?  JCAT SATA is 0.4m long I think.

[rkosak]

Length is not problem, but connector on the hdd side. I don't know how flexible is cable right behind the connector. It's hard to guess without having actual cable to try.

[Thuan]

Best to check with Marcin then.

[Marcin_gps]

HD SATA cable may fit as it's more flexible. The Reference is too stiff I'm afraid. 

 

 

Regards, 

Marcin

[Carlosoptico]

Hello
It seems in the images of the Aurender N100H, which is from an M2 SSD disc where music from the mechanical Hard Disk is played through the SATA cable, so the benefit of using the JCAT Reference cable will be limited.
Carlos

[rkosak]

Hello
It seems in the images of the Aurender N100H, which is from an M2 SSD disc where music from the mechanical Hard Disk is played through the SATA cable, so the benefit of using the JCAT Reference cable will be limited.
Carlos

 

Hi Carlos.

There is something about this. I have just realised that all Aurenders are CACHING network streamers. So all music is cached from HDD (via SATA cable) to onboard ssd memory chip (so no other SATA cable involved) and all playback is done from there. So actual music is not played directly from HDD. In fact most of the time HDD is not spinning at all, because ssd is big enough to store quite large playlist. The question is if caching process from hdd to onboard ssd (where SATA cable is) has also audible impact to sound quality of cached data...

Marcin?