barrows Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 On 6/10/2018 at 9:28 AM, highstream said: For example, the original Lightspeed USB was great for those whose tastes start with transparency and detail, but for someone whose preferences start with tonal/timbral accuracy, including a decent bit of the natural warmth of most instruments, as mine do, it was intolerable. I find the above description to be quite confusing: tonal/timbral accuracy is only achieved by accurate reproduction, and accurate reproduction requires the highest level of transparency and detail retrieval. These aspects of quality sound reproduction are not exclusive at all, quite the opposite. SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
barrows Posted July 1, 2018 Share Posted July 1, 2018 2 hours ago, KnockKnock said: I have intensively tried and tested AQ Diamond, Crystal Cable Dreamline and 10-12 similar USB cables the last year. With no doubt there are two cables that does what the others does not, and that is to let me forget that I listen to digital music, streaming and hard drives, and just let me enjoy my music. These two are even a lot cheaper then the AQ, CC and the winners are: Curious Cable USB and Mad Scientist Audio Black USB. Both have a 30 day money return policy, and if you don’t love them (and I REALLY doubt that) you just return them and get your money back. Enjoy and happy listening. Best KnockKnock Please provide the complete list of other cables which you rejected. SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
barrows Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 4 hours ago, reverendo said: Recently had the chance to listen to the Curious USB cable and compared it to the Lightspeed. please take into account that preferences vary and that different cables will have different results in different system. nonetheless, it was a huge difference and I must say that the Curious sounds broken compared to the Lightspeed 10G. with the 10G there was more focus, speed, resolution, bandwidth and clarity. It was slightly less dense, but in a way that I would attribute to a lack of definition and resolution on part of the Curious cable. I went back and forth several times and the differences were not subtle. I can imagine the Curious cable helping systems that are overly bright and adding a little bit of "warmth" in the lower mids, but at the expense of the items I mentioned above. as always, YMMV. Thanks for this comparison! I have never heard the top level LightSpeed, maybe I should... SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
barrows Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 15 hours ago, HumanMedia said: Exactly my impressions of the Curious. Highly euphonic, roll off over 10K and below 80hz. YMMV etc etc. i am interested I hearing the Lush and the new Mad Scientist USB, but concerned that these consciously out of spec cables just give euphonics and (sometimes complimentary) affectations. I would suggest that if you find the Curious to be too rolled of and/or euphonic sounding, the LUSH will not be for you. I find the LUSH to be much less incisive/transparent than the Curious. While I could see the LUSH working in those systems that are too "digital" sounding, I found it too rounded and lacking in low level details in my system. SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
barrows Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 @Sal1950, please do not despair. there is good news! No one is holding a gun to your head making you purchase cables which could make your system sound better, you are free to choose. Now do not get me started on the state of the Federal Government, if you are looking to despair... (of course, CA is a politics free zone so forget I mentioned it). johndoe21ro 1 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
barrows Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 Yeah, I have seen the HI Fi News USB cable tests with both eye pattern measurements and subjective listening evaluations. The eye pattern, generally correlated (but not in every case) pretty well with the subjective evaluation. I must admit, I have heard significant differences between USB cables, even with a DAC with full galvanic isolation, with clocks and re-clocking on the clean side (my only explanation would be for low level noise effects such as what Alex mentions, ground bounce, maybe resonances, somehow modulating noise floors and getting through to clocks, DAC inputs, and analog circuits). I am skeptical of high end USB cables which are "hand made". A high speed cable needs to be precisely made to meet bandwidth and impedance specifications. There are high end USB cables from Nordost that are precision made by custom built machines here in the US. They also specify exactly how the cables are constructed, so you know what you are getting. Of course they also make the very expensive Valhalla 2 USB, it is too bad this one is not more affordable. If one wants to hear two USB cables which are very different, try the LUSH vs. Akustik Referenz, huge difference in presentation between these two. Akustik Referenz: very incisive, precise transients, vanishing noise floor (reverb tails go on longer), lots of ambience, vivid levels of dynamic shading, not bright in itself, but might not be tolerated in a bright system. Still, great timbre and tone. LUSH: bold, slower transients, detailed but somewhat subdued, very rich musical timbres think very much wood to a cello. Big sounding, with big macro dynamics, but less detailed micro dynamics. Could be just the thing for slightly forward systems, or those really preferring a "musical" cable (for lack of a better word, sorry). Superdad 1 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
barrows Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 On 8/1/2018 at 1:49 PM, Ralf11 said: would you be willing to substitute big, round tones for 'musical'? (I've been reading a nice book on jazz...) maybe a Lush would go well with Maggies or electrostats? and, have yo heard the Sablon? I have not heard the Sablon, as mentioned I am skeptical about "hand made" high speed data cables as making cables by hand does not support the precision necessary for really accurate impedance and high bandwidth. SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
barrows Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 25 minutes ago, Allan F said: Pardon my ignorance, but why isn't it possible to accurately measure these characteristics when building "hand made" data cables? I never suggested measuring was not possible? I am unclear as to what your point is? To achieve a tight characteristic impedance in a cable requires very precise spacing of the conductors, and precise relationships of the conductors to the dielectric and shield(s). Achieving this would be very difficult to achieve, if not impossible, via a "hand made" approach. HumanMedia 1 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
barrows Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 2 hours ago, Blake said: And yet, if you scan through this thread over the years, it seems that the majority of the sonically favored usb cable are from the hand-made camp (Light Harmonic, Lush, Curious, TotalDac, etc.). I have owned quite a few Nordost cables over the years and liked them. However, the one Nordost usb cable I owned (Blue Heaven), was nice but I actually found the Mapleshade usb cable to offer more clarity and detail. Light Harmonic is machine made to very high precision, they specifically state that their goal is high bandwidth and very tight impedance control, this is only possible with machine made cables. Other high precision, audiophile, machine made cables: Nordost, Inakustik, Cardas, Sonore, Wireworld, Audioquest, and many more. TotalDAC uses what looks like a standard machine made cable stock (not high end) with their filter module added on. Yes, there are a handful of "hand made" cables, like LUSH, these are the ones I am skeptical of. SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
Popular Post barrows Posted August 3, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted August 3, 2018 15 minutes ago, Sal1950 said: Links and evidence please. And you know the standards for a proper DBT listening test, matched levels, etc, etc. No where on the net has supportable evidence ever been presented Actually, no one here has any responsibility to prove to you that there are indeed substantial differences between USB cables, despite your insistence that such is so. The sonic differences between some USB cables is so obvious that it is very well accepted among any group who have bothered to listen. If you are not interested in better sound quality from your own system, that is fine, but please stop pretending to "know more" than people who have already done the work, which you have not. Even in this thread objective evidence has been referenced (HiFi News' tests which include eye pattern testing). But of course you cannot be bothered to take a look, instead demand that people who have the experience, and have done the work themselves prove it to you, sorry, that is not the responsibility of folks who are just sharing their experiences: why bother to insult us with your lack of any relevant experience? Allan F, TheAttorney, elcorso and 8 others 5 5 1 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
barrows Posted August 3, 2018 Share Posted August 3, 2018 16 minutes ago, Blake said: Looks like I misinterpreted your "hand made" comment. I was not looking at it from the machine vs. handmade cable. How are you making your determination which ones are machine made? What is posted on their website or from looking a pics? It is pretty easy to tell, are you suggesting you cannot tell? You cannot inject a foamed PE dielectric by hand, for example, neither can you implement Nordost's micro monofilament construction, neither can you extrude any dielectric over a conductor by hand. Take a look at the diagram of the layers of dielectric and the geometry of a light harmonic USB cables, and that is all contained inside a molded jacket, one cannot make that cable by hand. SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
Popular Post barrows Posted August 6, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted August 6, 2018 If we have a USB cable which is truly accurate, it will not make a neutral system edgy at all, at the same time the cable will not ADD any warmth either. The idea that an accurate cable may be edgy, or tipped up in tonality is just plain wrong. If a system exhibits an edgy sound with an accurate cable, the cable is not to blame, it is just revealing the nature of the system it is placed in. Looking for "warmth" from a USB cable is a fools errand in my consideration, if you need additional warmth in a system, even when playing a recording that is known to be neutrally balanced, then each component in the system needs to be carefully evaluated to determine where that edgy sound is actually being created. For example, noise form a computer directly connected to a DAC may result in edgy sound vs. a higher quality USB source. It is not the job of the USB cable to remove noise coming from the computer, that noise is the problem of the computer, and should be addressed there. A USB cable is required to have fast rise times/wide bandwidth, it would be counter productive to expect a USB cable to also be a noise filter (a filter would be in opposition to the desire for wide bandwidth-speed). We have to be very careful about using cables as a fix for problems originating elsewhere, it is much better to fix the actual source of the problem than to cover it up with a lower resolution cable. Cornan, deathdisco, HumanMedia and 1 other 2 2 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
barrows Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 42 minutes ago, Allan F said: Very true. Put another way, cables should not be used as tone controls. Yeah, but it would expand the terms a bit beyond "tone" alone, perhaps... For example, some systems express transient edges "perfectly" with little to no overshoot, or ringing, or smearing-for a system like this only an accurate USB cable will do, as anything else may dull the transient response. But a system which overemphasizes transients, well... SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
Popular Post barrows Posted August 12, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted August 12, 2018 8 hours ago, juanitox said: if , there is so much difference between USB cables , usb decrapiffier, USB isolator , then let's just ask the Dac manufacturer to bring a better digital interface ( by air, wifi , ethernet etc..) and not just upgrading their usb interface . There is nothing "wrong" with the USB interface for audio (speaking of async USB)! In fact, USB when implemented well, can be a "perfect", virtually jitter free interface, and it is capable of the highest data rates including PCM 768 and DSD 512 and even DSD 1024. That there is something "wrong" with USB for audio is a myth. All interfaces have their strengths and weaknesses. SPDIF, in particular, is very difficult to get good performance out of. That many audiophiles will go to extreme lengths to improve the performance does not say anything about the USB interface, it does say something about audiophiles though. Audiophiles will use specialized cables to improve performance for all connections, including power cables. Allan F, Sal1950 and johndoe21ro 3 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
barrows Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 19 hours ago, hopkins said: There are some issues with USB. It carries noise (either through the 5v line, if it is used, or through the ground). This noise cannot be completely eliminated within the DAC. Then there is the noise generated by the circuits used to handle the usb signal within the DAC. This noise can disrupt clocks and DAC chips. So in theory you are right, but in practice the sensitive circuits within the DAC are not immune to various interferences generated from use of USB. That audio manufacturers don't say this or know how to handle it (in spite of their claims) does not mean it is not there... When the day comes that DACs can be truly immune from the source then audiophiles will stop worrying about cables! Yes, of course. and the same can be said of ANY interface, this is my point. There is nothing "especially bad" about USB, and in fact, there are many very good things about USB: That it is asynchronous and the DAC clock can be the master, for one example. Now, the source of the USB signal can certainly be a problem, especially if one expects to use a standard computer as a source, but that is not the fault of the USB interface. If one took an SPDIF connection direct from a standard computer the same problems would arise (actually they would be much worse, as with SPDIF the clock in the computer would become the master, yuk!). I would suggest that the source matters the most, and it is not the interface which is THE problem (with the caveat that everything matters). Indeed, i was not attempting to make any comment RE whether using high end cables was "bad" or "good", I myself (see signature) prefer to use high performance high end cables for both USB and analog signals (including AC power, but I usually prefer DIY cables there). The point was to say that audiophiles will use high end cables regardless of the interface: USB, SPDIF, I2S, etc does not matter, an audiophile will almost always use a carefully selected high end cable for linking components together. Again, the desire for a high end cable to link components does not indicate that there is "something wrong" with USB. SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
Popular Post barrows Posted September 6, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted September 6, 2018 @str-1: Usually, DACs which incorporate an isolated USB input implement the interface like this: The USB 5 volt power supply is used to power the USB receiver section, as this provides a completely separate, isolated power supply from the DAC's own internal power supply. So, in your case, it is very likely that the Blu 2 oversmapler is using USB power to supply the isolated USB input section. This is as it should be. One can only have an isolated USB input if that input includes its own, separate power supply (otherwise the "isolation" would be broken by the shared ground connection) and the easiest way to get a separate supply is to use the USB 5 V supply. johndoe21ro and str-1 1 1 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
barrows Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 While the concept of a "perfect" interface for USB which "should" make USB cable performance a non-issue is nice in theory, I hear plenty of differences between USB cables in a so called "perfect" set up, where the USB source is very, very clean, and the USB receiver is separately powered with complete galvanic isolation and re-clocking. My conclusion is that in the real world, USB cables are always gong to matter, they may matter a bit less in a "perfect" set up, but they will still matter. johndoe21ro 1 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
Popular Post barrows Posted September 15, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted September 15, 2018 It is common practice in the audio industry to include generic cable(s) with a product as a convenience to the purchaser, in no way does this practice suggest that the included cable(s) are the best performing option. look&listen, Teresa and johndoe21ro 3 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
Popular Post barrows Posted September 15, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted September 15, 2018 3 minutes ago, Em2016 said: True but on the other hand, as @marce said: "A problem for domestic audio is external connectors, you never know what sort of cable is going to be hung on the end of the device, so you have to design for a generic cable and hope the punters use somthing similar and not some exotic antenna,?" Not sure what your point is? The user has the potential to increase, or decrease, performance by their cable selection, options are good. So the user gets to choose the best cable, which performs best in their system, there is nothing wrong with that. johndoe21ro, asdf1000 and Teresa 3 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
Popular Post barrows Posted September 15, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted September 15, 2018 58 minutes ago, Ralf11 said: You need blind tests to compare the SQ of USB cables. While you are free to spend your own money any way you like, you are quite, quite wrong if you think you can do that by uncontrolled anecdotal experiences. While I agree that controlling for the variables you mentioned earlier is necessary, I do not believe one needs to be blinded to do so. In fact, properly trained listeners can control for those variables intellectually-this is not necessarily easy, but trained (either over years of their own experience or as part of their professional training) listeners learn to control these variables. This requires considerable experience, but it is achievable. I find there are some pretty big differences between some USB cables, anyone who does not believe this owes it to compare these two: LUSH vs. Inakustik Referenz. The difference between these two is so large, i really doubt even the most fervent non-believer could deny it upon experiencing it. The other interesting thing is, both cables are "good", they are just different, and I can see audiophiles choosing one over the other due to sonic preferences, or just system synergies. johndoe21ro, Richard Dale and look&listen 2 1 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
Popular Post barrows Posted September 15, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted September 15, 2018 7 minutes ago, tmtomh said: That's where your own experience is interesting to read about (and I appreciate you sharing it), but has no bearing on anyone else, unless one believes that what you hear is based on an objective characteristic of the USB cable that somehow cannot be measured I do not agree with the above. I am sure the characteristics we can hear from different USB cables can be distinguished by measurements. As a (simple) example I point one to the USB cable tests performed by HiFi News. They pretty much correlated listening tests with measurements of the eye pattern (more precise and accurate sounding cables generally showed a cleaner and more open "eye"). I suspect that all differences we are able to hear with USB cables are indeed measurable, but the question is by which measurement, or, perhaps, do we need a new measurement which is not commonly done? In any case, i do not believe in "magic" cables, so the differences can be measured if one really wants to figure that out. But, in the mean time, Audiophiles have the most important measuring device already at hand, their ear/brain mechanism. It is not the job of the Audiophile to prove what she/he hears to others, that would be the job of the engineers who need to satisfy their curiosity for understanding the mechanisms at hand. The Audiophiles' job is only to choose the cable which sounds best, and, if they want, to report their subjective findings to others. str-1, Superdad, tmtomh and 7 others 3 5 2 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
Popular Post barrows Posted September 16, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted September 16, 2018 9 hours ago, tmtomh said: even your own comment argues that eye patterns make for better-sounding USB cables, and even your own comment trots out the "do we need a new measurement" trope. My reference to the eye pattern test was pointed at Hi Fi News published measurements and subjective listening tests. I am not arguing anything here, only acknowledging that HiFi News' tests did show correlation between that measurement and subjective sound quality. My point was that measurements can show differences, and that, perhaps, other measurements might show other differences as well (not commonly done measurements, perhaps). Again, for audiophiles, we do not "need" new measurements, as we already have the best possible tools for evaluations, the same ones we use to listen to music every day. Audiophiles do not need any more "proof" than this. Only those skeptics, whose listening skills may be quite undeveloped, or engineers, are the ones who may need other measurements to sort this out. For audiophiles, using listening tests to evaluate our systems is totally appropriate, relevant, and there is nothing wrong with doing so, despite what some other's with tons of opinions and very little experience might think. look&listen, GryphonGuy, lmitche and 2 others 2 3 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
Popular Post barrows Posted September 16, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted September 16, 2018 10 hours ago, Sal1950 said: And David Copperfield made a 747 disappear off a runway in a blink of the eye. He really did it, I and tens of thousands of other people saw it happen. This is a completely non-relevant analogy. In fact, it is not analogous at all. A magician starts out with the intent to deceive, to trick, there is no intent to deceive anyone when evaluating audio components. johndoe21ro, feelingears and GryphonGuy 2 1 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
barrows Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 5 minutes ago, Sal1950 said: There certainly is in the cable manufacturing business as has been proven a couple of times now. (AQ's faked HDMI video, Nordos power cable show demo, etc.) And in the High End media who's income is so dependent on the advertising revenue from the snake-oil cable industry. Got to claim they hear ever better sonics from the more and more hideously expensive cables. Ridiculous! Sorry, you are wrong. I have worked in the home audio industry for quite a few years now, and have no experience of anyone attempting to trick anyone. Audio companies engage in making the best products they can, which are made in an attempt to improve audio performance, you are just making up a conspiracy theory here. SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
barrows Posted September 1, 2019 Share Posted September 1, 2019 On 3/24/2019 at 11:24 AM, audiobomber said: but fiber cables are more subject to jitter The above is in error, I think what you might mean to say is the the Toslink optical interface is prone to jitter. Optical fiber cables in and of themselves are more accurate and produce less problems than electrically based cables: hence the increase speed/bandwidth of fiber based Internet connections. Now the Toslink interface, which is an optical version of SPDIF (already a rather poor interface by its reliance on the source clock rather than the DAC clock), is a rather poor interface, which was never intended to be a high end audio interface. Toslink was developed to be a cheap interface for ordinary consumer gear. The Toslink receivers and transmitters, BTW, which make the conversion from electrical signal to optical signal, are parts built to be as cheap as possible. Last time I looked (albeit this was years ago) they typically cost less than $1. No wonder Toslink interfaces generally suck! OK, back to USB cables! Ralf11 1 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
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