USB cable comparisons

[lmitche]

25 minutes ago, dbq5anlxj said:

 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

You may want to learn about the Phasure lush cable.

[dbq5anlxj]

33 minutes ago, lmitche said:

You may want to learn about the Phasure lush cable.

thx for the reply. I'll check that out. 

[reverendo]

1 hour ago, dbq5anlxj said:

 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

I never got to compare the 2G cable. The Mapleshade was an excellent performer at that price level at that time, but there seem to be a lot of new kids on the block and I'm not up to date. 

[dbq5anlxj]

16 minutes ago, reverendo said:

I never got to compare the 2G cable. The Mapleshade was an excellent performer at that price level at that time, but there seem to be a lot of new kids on the block and I'm not up to date. 

True, there are alot new comers with higher price tag. Anyway, thanks for the input.

[highstream]

Mapleshade is known for intentionally edgy SQ (I'm forgetting the term Pierre uses).  I also found the far more expensive LightSpeed edgy, putting detail over tonality. I like the TotalDac USB/filter in my desktop system as the very good balance of warmth, detail and staging, but haven't followed what else has appeared lately. I think it's worth deciding what kind of listener you are - sound effects or tonal accuracy, in broad terms - i.e., what turns you on in terms of SQ, and then go from there, reading reviews and user comments very carefully (there are usually hints from what's said and what's not). There are also a number of in-between filters that do a great job, such as Uptone Regen, Schiit unit and the now discontinued or out of stock PS Audio LanRover (doesn't work with Win 10). Whatever you decide, it's often work checking HiFiShark.com for any used/demo deals.  

[Blake]

19 hours ago, dbq5anlxj said:

 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

 

The 2G is actually fairly close to the 10G in terms of performance.  I owned both at the same time and compared them side to side (I think I may have even written a comparison in this thread a while back, or another thread here on CA).  They have a similar "house sound" namely, very detailed and transparent.  I am listening to the 2G now as I write this, at work. 

 

Mapleshade is in the same sonic camp as the 2G/10G.  Mapleshade is still a great value and I prefer it to many higher priced usb cables I bought and sold (so many I lost track over the years- yikes).   

 

Perhaps a rough analogy is, 2G/Mapleshade- digital sounding in a good way (clean, detailed).  TotalDac D1/Curious: more analog sounding in a good way (organic but still detailed).  I probably should not have sold my TotalDac.   Another option is the Uptone USPCB, which is a short hard adapter if your physical setup allows.  I am using that in my home system at the moment.  One of these days I need to go back and do some head to head comparisons against the usb cables in my audio closet and pick the winner and sell the losers.

 

 

 

 

[dbq5anlxj]

1 hour ago, Blake said:

 

The 2G is actually fairly close to the 10G in terms of performance.  I owned both at the same time and compared them side to side (I think I may have even written a comparison in this thread a while back, or another thread here on CA).  They have a similar "house sound" namely, very detailed and transparent.  I am listening to the 2G now as I write this, at work. 

 

Mapleshade is in the same sonic camp as the 2G/10G.  Mapleshade is still a great value and I prefer it to many higher priced usb cables I bought and sold (so many I lost track over the years- yikes).   

 

Perhaps a rough analogy is, 2G/Mapleshade- digital sounding in a good way (clean, detailed).  TotalDac D1/Curious: more analog sounding in a good way (organic but still detailed).  I probably should not have sold my TotalDac.   Another option is the Uptone USPCB, which is a short hard adapter if your physical setup allows.  I am using that in my home system at the moment.  One of these days I need to go back and do some head to head comparisons against the usb cables in my audio closet and pick the winner and sell the losers.

 

 

 

 

thanks for the input. I'll check out the Uptone USPCB and lush(so many people recommend). 

[butifull01]

I have some famous USB cables.

 

 

- Synergistic Research Galileo USB

 

- Audioquest Diamond USB

 

- Wireworld Platinum Starlight 7 USB

 

- Entreq Atlantis USB & Atlantis Eartha

 

- LH Labs Light Speed 10G USB

 

- Light Harmonic Light Speed 20G USB

 

- TotalDAC GIGAFILTER

 

 

Among them, I think Light Speed 20G is the best.

 

Next is GIGAFILETER

 

But 20G is much better than GIGAFILTER.

[highstream]

 

4 hours ago, butifull01 said:

- Light Harmonic Light Speed 20G USB

- TotalDAC GIGAFILTER

 

Among them, I think Light Speed 20G is the best.

 

Next is GIGAFILETER

 

But 20G is much better than GIGAFILTER.

 

You mean for your listening tastes and system(s), the 20G works best?  Btw, the TD Gigafilter is not a USB cable.

[butifull01]

2 hours ago, highstream said:

 

 

You mean for your listening tastes and system(s), the 20G works best?  Btw, the TD Gigafilter is not a USB cable.

 

GIGAFILETER is USB cable that is made by cat. 7 RJ45 cable.

 

GIGAFILTER's cable is used by lan cable, but its connecters are USB A type and USB B type.

 

In GIGAFILTER box, it is written as USB

[highstream]

I was referring to the TotalDac Gigafilter. Comparing a dedicated filter to cables isn’t a comparison of similars since 1) they serve different purposes, and 2) one has to isolate the effects of both cables from the filter. If it’s a matter of having only one choice, then sure, pick what works best overall. But at least some of the filter designs out there allow for cable replacement, and when they don’t and the application requires a longer run, you’re still adding a USB cable. I know with a PS Audio LanRover, which was part of a 1m run, swapping in a TotalDac USB cable-filter on the way to a DirectStream dac made a noticeable additional improvement in SQ.

 

In general, statements such as, “this is the best” are not helpful without specfying at least the listener’s sonic preferences, if not the system, the type of music and somtimes the listening conditions, i.e., the room. 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. 

[ThenewGearPPK]

19 hours ago, butifull01 said:

I have some famous USB cables.

 

 

- Synergistic Research Galileo USB

 

- Audioquest Diamond USB

 

- Wireworld Platinum Starlight 7 USB

 

- Entreq Atlantis USB & Atlantis Eartha

 

- LH Labs Light Speed 10G USB

 

- Light Harmonic Light Speed 20G USB

 

- TotalDAC GIGAFILTER

 

 

Among them, I think Light Speed 20G is the best.

 

Next is GIGAFILETER

 

But 20G is much better than GIGAFILTER.

 

So $2,200 gets you a 1.6 meter USB cable.

 

Exactly what does it do over the  much cheaper Wireworld & Audioquest cables?

[isquirrel]

Transparent USB cable is priced around $1,000 and is the best I have tried including most of the above. I prefer using AES 110 ohm for my digital with a 75 ohm BNC word clock much smoother and more musical.

[Blake]

Ok, an update:  (Background: my current usb cable favorites are the Curious and TotalDac D1, then after that perhaps the Light Harmonic 10G)

 

I have been using the Uptone USPCB in place of my usual usb cables.  Well, the USPCB is going in the audio closet!  It is simply too harsh/edgy/sibilant in my system (your mileage may vary).  I actually had to turn down the treble .5 db on my speakers with the USPCB in place in order to listen to my system, otherwise, the glare was killing me.  The Curious and TotalDac are miles better in my setup.  

 

I have a Sablon usb cable on its way from London right now so I will report on that cable next.

 

[Sal1950]

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

 

"God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change the things we can, and wisdom to know the difference."

[elcorso]

8 hours ago, Sal1950 said:

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

 

"God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change the things we can, and wisdom to know the difference."

 

The Serenity Prayer ?  Nice prayer but I don't believe in alcoholism induced by listening USB cables ?

 

But I have another prayer:

 

Prayer To Heal Hearing Loss

Dear St. Jude, please help me in this time of need with my hearing loss…to make me cope and allow me to hear my loved ones and the world around me made full of beautiful sound by God. I pray to you St. Jude me hear and be strong at this time of need. I truly know you can and am grateful to you over all the times I have prayed to you. Amen.

 

Roch

[look&listen]

24 minutes ago, elcorso said:

I have another prayer

Prayer not work on trolls. Ignore work great!

[barrows]

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.

[adamaley]

I agree. We should not confuse lean, etched, fast, over-emphasized leading edge for neutrality and transparency. 

[eworkflow]

8 hours ago, barrows said:

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.

 

Debating perception can be tricky but I can actually identify with highstream. The "tonal/timbral accuracy" is a derivative of something that I call a "spectral energy balance" which seems to be most audible for me on familiar sax recordings and female voice recordings and most easily perceived during tube rolling. Often, in simple (or maybe oversimplified) terms that can be described as "it sounds like being next to it" (in spite some spectral content may sound "detached") versus "it sounds like a real instrument" (in spite it sounds like in a confined space) some which are always more clear on longer notes than during dynamic articulations.

[highstream]

I’ve got an spdif cable that has a nice warmth and tonal presentation, but it’s far from the most transparent kid on the block.

[KnockKnock]

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 

[thuandb]

Thanks for sharing your findings.

[barrows]

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.

[KnockKnock]

Entreq, Furutech, Ansuz, Aqvox, and more I forgot the name of