USB cable comparisons

[eworkflow]

On 11/27/2017 at 8:22 PM, Lee Scoggins said:

 

This makes sense to me.  Associated gear is always a factor in my experience as well.

Also, let's do not treat that as a side note. In my experience, as well, the associated equipment plays a fundamental role. There is substantially documented evidence that certain USB cables may improve certain setups and yet make others worse.  I petty those who, on so many various forums, spend all their energy on arguing points that are logically flawed from the start. In short, no parametric or technological alternative exist or will exist to replace judgment using our own ears in our own setups and, possibly, not only human ears: I am strangely fascinated by the fact that cats react much more actively to "noise" coming from certain speakers/setups than from others. 

[adamaley]

Anyone with any experience with the TotalDAC Gigabit Filter USB cable? 

[adamaley]

Wow, did someone kill all the USB cable believers? They must have missed me - this thread is a graveyard. Could it be that everyone has discovered USB cable nirvana and don't have the urge to explore any farther? Anyway, I am looking for any feedback regarding the Sablon Audio Reserva Elite USB cable especially in comparison to the TotalDAC D1 USB cable. Hopefully we can resurrect this thread.

[highstream]

Can't speak specifically to the Sablon USB, but found the power cords very good in all respects except they fell in among those cables that define "natural" as cooler and drier than my tastes (went with the warmer, fuller PS Audio AC-12's). I do have the TotalDac USB and like its warmth, smoothness and overall tonal balance.

[Blake]

6 hours ago, highstream said:

Can't speak specifically to the Sablon USB, but found the power cords very good in all respects except they fell in among those cables that define "natural" as cooler and drier than my tastes (went with the warmer, fuller PS Audio AC-12's). I do have the TotalDac USB and like its warmth, smoothness and overall tonal balance.

 

If you can still find an older used Sablon Robusto power cord, that is a terrific choice if you are looking for a warmer fuller cord.  I am running all Corona GC's with great results for my tastes.

 

Back to the Sablon Reserva usb, I've been communicating with Mark and I may have one shortly.  I've been using Curious and TotalDac D1.

[reverendo]

In the next few weeks I will be comparing a Gekko USB cable against my trusted Lightspeed 10G

[Blake]

10 minutes ago, reverendo said:

In the next few weeks I will be comparing a Gekko USB cable against my trusted Lightspeed 10G

 

The 10G is very good cable.  I slightly preferred the TotalDac and Curious to my 10G (it really just comes down to system matching and sonic preferences and I could see others preferring the 10G in head to head comparisons).  I thought about using the 10G in my work system but I couldn't justify having that expensive cable in my work system so I sold it.  I am still using a Lightspeed 2G in my work system and I think it is a great bang for the buck cable.  

[adamaley]

51 minutes ago, Blake said:

 

If you can still find an older used Sablon Robusto power cord, that is a terrific choice if you are looking for a warmer fuller cord.  I am running all Corona GC's with great results for my tastes.

 

Back to the Sablon Reserva usb, I've been communicating with Mark and I may have one shortly.  I've been using Curious and TotalDac D1.

Your impressions on these three will be priceless to me. The Curious and the TotalDAC are my two current faves. Kindly keep us

posted if you proceed with the Sablon. Will you be going with the Elite version? There's also a powered and non-powered version.

[reverendo]

58 minutes ago, Blake said:

 

The 10G is very good cable.  I slightly preferred the TotalDac and Curious to my 10G (it really just comes down to system matching and sonic preferences and I could see others preferring the 10G in head to head comparisons).  I thought about using the 10G in my work system but I couldn't justify having that expensive cable in my work system so I sold it.  I am still using a Lightspeed 2G in my work system and I think it is a great bang for the buck cable.  

I've heard good things about the Curious cable. Might be interesting to make that comparison. 

[highstream]

Curious has a very decent cable, but at least as of testing a few years ago it was not in the ballpark of the TotalDac. I don't know if the Lightspeed has changed over the past few years, but I found it high on detail, but a bit edgy and not so good on tone/timbre, and that was in a system with warm Quad 12L speakers.  I've found listeners generally fall into two categories, those who like first what I call "sound effects," and those whose priority is tone/timbre. Perhaps because I played classical piano from 7 to 16, my ear is most attuned to the latter.

[Sal1950]

10 hours ago, adamaley said:

Wow, did someone kill all the USB cable believers? They must have missed me - this thread is a graveyard. Could it be that everyone has discovered USB cable nirvana and don't have the urge to explore any farther? Anyway, I am looking for any feedback regarding the Sablon Audio Reserva Elite USB cable especially in comparison to the TotalDAC D1 USB cable. Hopefully we can resurrect this thread.

Save yourself a lot of money and buy a quality cable from BlueJeansCable

https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/data-cables/index.htm

Don't get suckered into this con on cables.

[highstream]

10 minutes ago, Sal1950 said:

Save yourself a lot of money and buy a quality cable from BlueJeansCable

https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/data-cables/index.htm

Don't get suckered into this con on cables.

 

Oh please, go troll elsewhere.

[adamaley]

1 hour ago, Sal1950 said:

Save yourself a lot of money and buy a quality cable from BlueJeansCable

https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/data-cables/index.htm

Don't get suckered into this con on cables.

Thanks J.R.R Trolkein

[Blake]

1 hour ago, Sal1950 said:

Save yourself a lot of money and buy a quality cable from BlueJeansCable

https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/data-cables/index.htm

Don't get suckered into this con on cables.

 

Shocking!  I had no idea you felt that way Sal.  I don't think you have ever expressed that opinion before.

 

Thanks for saving us from ourselves.  

[Kevin M.]

1 hour ago, Sal1950 said:

Save yourself a lot of money and buy a quality cable from BlueJeansCable

https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/data-cables/index.htm

Don't get suckered into this con on cables.

I don’t think they even sell USB cables?

[plissken]

2 hours ago, Kevin M. said:

I don’t think they even sell USB cables?

 

They do. 

 

I use an 18" Belkin Gold. How much can go wrong over 18"? 

[Jud]

3 hours ago, Kevin M. said:

I don’t think they even sell USB cables?

 

USB 2.0 cables are at the very bottom of the data cable page.

[One and a half]

2 hours ago, Jud said:

 

USB 2.0 cables are at the very bottom of the data cable page.

Only on the desktop site, mobile page are missing.... discounting?

[asdf1000]

BJC assemble some awesome cables (interconnects, ethernet, speaker cables etc).

 

But they don't assemble their USB 2.0 cables and there's no advantage of their cable over this StarTech High Speed certified USB 2.0 cable:

 

https://www.startech.com/Cables/USB-2.0/USB-2.0-Cables/6-ft-High-Speed-USB-20-Cable~USB2HAB6

 

Except maybe price.

 

[lmitche]

1 hour ago, Em2016 said:

BJC assemble some awesome cables (interconnects, ethernet, speaker cables etc).

 

But they don't assemble their USB 2.0 cables and there's no advantage of their cable over this StarTech High Speed certified USB 2.0 cable:

 

https://www.startech.com/Cables/USB-2.0/USB-2.0-Cables/6-ft-High-Speed-USB-20-Cable~USB2HAB6

 

Except maybe price.

 

I've done the JSSG thing on these cables and they sound great! I use one between my PC and HDD enclosure.

[asdf1000]

29 minutes ago, lmitche said:

I've done the JSSG thing on these cables and they sound great! I use one between my PC and HDD enclosure.

 

Nice.

 

Did you solder the tinned copper sleeving to the USB ground (connector)?

 

John said the shield and 'external wire' doesn't need to be tied to the end connectors to be effective but won't harm of course.

 

And did you solder the external wire to the tinner copper sleeve before putting sleeve on, or after?

 

 

[lmitche]

25 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

 

Nice.

 

Did you solder the tinned copper sleeving to the USB ground (connector)?

 

John said the shield and 'external wire' doesn't need to be tied to the end connectors to be effective but won't harm of course.

 

And did you solder the external wire to the tinner copper sleeve before putting sleeve on, or after?

 

 

I seem to remember John saying attaching to connectors would cause harm. None of mine are connected. No, I didn't solder prior to adding the sleeve.

[asdf1000]

1 minute ago, lmitche said:

I seem to remember John saying attaching to connectors would cause harm. None of mine are connected. No, I didn't solder prior to adding the sleeve.

 

But you do have the 'external wire' soldered to the tinned copper sleeve?

 

Or there's no 'external wire'?

[lmitche]

33 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

 

But you do have the 'external wire' soldered to the tinned copper sleeve?

 

Or there's no 'external wire'?

Yes, the ends of the sleeves are connected as described.

[dbq5anlxj]

 It's so interesting to read through the whole thread. I just wonder is LH Labs LightSpeed 2G ($179) a good option or Mapleshade Clearlink Pluls ($135) ? I'm new to usb cable which one is a better buy or anything else? thanks