USB cable comparisons

[Le Concombre Masqué]

NO

I think you need this USB A female to USB B male adapter

FRYS.com*|*MICRO CONNECTORS

[matthias]

would this work as an adapter? could anyone who has it chime in?

 

Yes, Male-A to Male-B

 

Matt

[EuroDriver]

NO

 

Thanks for correcting me guys ! The plugs look so small I just assumed they were both male !

 

Doh !

[lmitche]

would this work as an adapter? could anyone who has it chime in?

 

Looks a bit too fat to me. I bought a handful of these. They fit into the Corning cable just fine.

 

Amazon.com: HDE® USB Type A Male to USB Type B Male Adapter: Computers & Accessories

[lmitche]

I've also been a little annoyed at the length. I could just wind it up, but I'd really like not to. 10m of cable isn't a joke... I wonder if there's any way to shorten it? I've never reterminated an optical cable before...

 

The 10 meter cable comes in a nice coil with Velcro holding it together. You can pull out a few loops to the length you need.

 

I agree a 2 meter version of the cable would be terrific. Actually though, the length is not a big deal for me.

[acousticsguru]

I've also been a little annoyed at the length. I could just wind it up, but I'd really like not to. 10m of cable isn't a joke... I wonder if there's any way to shorten it? I've never reterminated an optical cable before...

 

Maybe this isn't what you're worried about, but technically speaking - in contrast to electrical cables - there is no reason why an optical cable could not be used wound up as a coil.

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

[reverendo]

Looks a bit too fat to me. I bought a handful of these. They fit into the Corning cable just fine.

 

Amazon.com: HDE® USB Type A Male to USB Type B Male Adapter: Computers & Accessories

 

I saw that one, but it wouldn't arrive in time and I really don't want to wait...

[tubesound]

I had an exchange with Corning yesterday.

 

Q: I'm interested in your USB Optical cable. Some users like me intend to use it for audio purposes. I'm wondering whether I can customize the cable. Say shorten the length to 3 meter and switch the Type A receptacle to a Type B connector? Thanks.

 

A: No, each length is factory assembled and cannot be field terminated. Shortest length we offer is 10 meter.

 

So, my take is that unless there is enough demand, Corning won't make an "audiophile version" of this cable.

[reverendo]

I had an exchange with Corning yesterday.

 

Q: I'm interested in your USB Optical cable. Some users like me intend to use it for audio purposes. I'm wondering whether I can customize the cable. Say shorten the length to 3 meter and switch the Type A receptacle to a Type B connector? Thanks.

 

A: No, each length is factory assembled and cannot be field terminated. Shortest length we offer is 10 meter.

 

So, my take is that unless there is enough demand, Corning won't make an "audiophile version" of this cable.

 

for this price, if it comes with a velcro that helps me tuck it away, I'll deal with it. I just want to know if it will better what I have in my given situation.

[matthias]

I had an exchange with Corning yesterday.

Q: I'm interested in your USB Optical cable. Some users like me intend to use it for audio purposes. I'm wondering whether I can customize the cable. Say shorten the length to 3 meter and switch the Type A receptacle to a Type B connector? Thanks.

A: No, each length is factory assembled and cannot be field terminated. Shortest length we offer is 10 meter.

So, my take is that unless there is enough demand, Corning won't make an "audiophile version" of this cable.

 

It is interesting that they offer their Thunderbolt cable in a 5,5m lenght. That gives some hope for a shorter USB cable too.

Matt

[seeteeyou]

Two companies in Asia are willing to customize the length and they're asking just a bit more for the regular 10-meter ones.

 

We just have to send them an e-mail and figure out how much international shipping would cost etc.

 

First one is Opti Cloud:

 

http://www.opti-cloud.com/us/contact-us.html

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=38623946535

 

Another one would be Adnaco-SU1 but they're longer carrying that in 2015, actually they're merely the reseller of products that were manufactured by Everpro to begin with:

 

http://www.everprotech.com/Contact/17.aspx

http://www.amazon.cn/s?ie=UTF8&me=A2P6YZ7S98C08&page=1

 

Basically we just get a relatively short cable that's terminated with the same male type "A" connector on both ends. Plug one end to USB 3.0 port on the source (USB 2.0 ones will NOT work at all so let's bear in mind) and then another end will go into the input of this Everpro USB2.0-USB3.0 adaptor:

 

http://www.amazon.cn/Everpro-USB2-0-USB3-0-adaptor-长芯盛-USB2-0转USB3-0适配器/dp/B00K5NADIQ

 

Now we still need to feed that adapter with nice and clean 5V LPS since the sound ain't any good with the included wall wart. The size of its DC barrel is 4.0-mm / 1.7-mm so we'll have to make the right DC cable as well.

 

Finally we just add that type "A" to type "B" coupler between the output of the adapter and input of USB DAC, or an existing USB cable would work as well. Excellent track records so far in Hong Kong since many of us here are loving the positive results:

 

http://www.post76.com/x2/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=190707

 

---

If that were a bit too much work and we'd rather have something similar to that Corning flavor, they're also willing to customize the length for this particular version and their reply was 0.5m as the minimum:

 

http://www.amazon.cn/Everpro-USB3-0-Hybrid-AOC-长芯盛-主动式混合光纤数据线-10米-20米/dp/B00R17ICNW

 

It does cost more @ almost 200 bucks (i.e. 1098 RMB) a pop for 10-m ones and definitely a little bit more than that for shorter ones.

[matthias]

Thank you,

this procedures are rather cumbersome. I would stick at the 10m Corning USB. You know what you get and the additional lenght does not harm.

 

Matt

[reverendo]

let me see if I get this: my Corning cable will not work in a normal USB 2.0 output? I was thinking of using it with my SBT.

[lmitche]

The Corning USB cable is designed for normal USB 2.0 and 3.0 self powered devices.

[seeteeyou]

Yes, indeed. Only the ones from Opti Cloud / Adnaco / Everpro are kinda weird since they're ONLY good for sources with USB 3.0 ports. Same deal with Unibrain (way too long as well, LOL) and an extra adapter is required for DAC with USB 2.0 inputs

 

http://www.unibrain.com/products/usb-3-0-active-optical-cables/

 

Corning is all set with USB 2.0 on both ends but sometimes USB hubs are required for some devices.

[reverendo]

Corning cable arrived today. should be able to take a listen tomorrow

[Le Concombre Masqué]

looking forward to reading you !

Corning cable arrived today. should be able to take a listen tomorrow

[reverendo]

I'm pretty frustrated at the moment. Tuesday I re-installed the EDO USB output for the SBT, but wasn't aware that it doesn't work with the soundcheck TT3.0 from Klaus. That made me lose all my time trying to figure out how to make it work and getting to the point of a factory restore for the SBT.

Today I was ready to do my listening, but unfortunately found out that the Corning Cable doesn't establish a connection between my SBT and the Cantata DAC. I know that my Cantata needs the 5V for the handshake, since I've tried using a USB cable without the 5V lead in the past and it didn't work. Is there any solution for this case? I have a powered USB 2.0 Hub on my main computer, so I could try using it, but how would that look like? This is my USB hub. How could I connect from my SBT to a hub and then to the DAC?

Hope someone can help this very frustrated person out asap. I still have some time to do whatever necessary to get the cable to work.

Best regards

[tubesound]

How could I connect from my SBT to a hub and then to the DAC?

 

I think it should look like this: SBT > Corning > Powered Hub > another USB cable > DAC

 

This makes me think would adding the powered hub pollute the signal again?

[reverendo]

I think it should look like this: SBT > Corning > Powered Hub > another USB cable > DAC

 

This makes me think would adding the powered hub pollute the signal again?

 

I hope that this isn't correct, since this would take away the benefits of the Corning. Maybe I'll try the other way around and see what happens. SBT>Powered Hub (w/ included usb cable)>Corning>DAC

[tubesound]

I hope that this isn't correct, since this would take away the benefits of the Corning. Maybe I'll try the other way around and see what happens. SBT>Powered Hub (w/ included usb cable)>Corning>DAC

 

The Corning cable carries little power on the output side (just enough to do the light to electrical signal reversion) and so I think this setup won't work.

[lmitche]

The Corning cable carries little power on the output side (just enough to do the light to electrical signal reversion) and so I think this setup won't work.

 

In my setup, I need to have the hub between the Corning cable and the DAC. Corning cable> HUB> DAC. For me, it won't just work the other way around.

[lmitche]

In my setup, I need to have the hub between the Corning cable and the DAC. Corning cable> HUB> DAC. For me, it won't just work the other way around.

 

Also, the Corning cable does supply enough power to energize the hub.

[Le Concombre Masqué]

has anybody tried this ? câble adaptateur usb-b pour alimentation externe usb-a

[reverendo]

The Corning cable carries little power on the output side (just enough to do the light to electrical signal reversion) and so I think this setup won't work.

 

In my setup, I need to have the hub between the Corning cable and the DAC. Corning cable> HUB> DAC. For me, it won't just work the other way around.

ok. now I get it. this means that I'm actually not the last link before the DAC? that doesn't seem to be what I'm looking for, then, since I still have that messy switch on the hub. I'll probably go the FMC route for the ethernet connection and see how that goes.