USB cable comparisons

[Jud]

[quote name=acousticsguru;210412

• Unshielded cables sound better if: short' date=' not coiled (nor, preferably, bent), loosely and irregularly braided, not run parallel to other cables (minimum distance 2 inches or 5 cm), and nowhere near e.g. transformers, power cords etc. Forgot to say no pets… I rarely use or recommend them.

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

 

You rarely use or recommend pets?

 

But seriously...excellent thoughts.

[souptin]

I'd suggest a goldfish would be an ideal pet to use with high end cabling. Though humbly suggest not to run the cables through the fish tank in case the bubbles cause unforeseen sonic anomalies (yes, I know it is hard to believe, but this has never been tested).

 

Actually I'm also interested in the recommendation against large / heavy connectors. Personally I avoid them for practical reasons - to avoid bending or breaking the corresponding connector which is often soldered directly to a motherboard. Is there some additional sonic benefit?

[Jud]

Actually I'm also interested in the recommendation against large / heavy connectors. Personally I avoid them for practical reasons - to avoid bending or breaking the corresponding connector which is often soldered directly to a motherboard. Is there some additional sonic benefit?

 

Not being an engineer, I won't venture to describe the mechanism, but the recommendation is something the folks who make the cables I have in my system also agree with for sound quality reasons.

[acousticsguru]

You rarely use or recommend pets?

 

But seriously...excellent thoughts.

 

 

LOL! In my defense, the sentence about the pets was an afterthought/edit… Let me think about use - my Maine Coon tom sure thinks he's the most helpful assistant in (at the very least!) this Universe (what did I say, soldering is an art form - now you know why). Cheers for spotting that one! Back hiding in my cave now…

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

[acousticsguru]

I'd suggest a goldfish would be an ideal pet to use with high end cabling. Though humbly suggest not to run the cables through the fish tank in case the bubbles cause unforeseen sonic anomalies (yes, I know it is hard to believe, but this has never been tested).

 

Actually I'm also interested in the recommendation against large / heavy connectors. Personally I avoid them for practical reasons - to avoid bending or breaking the corresponding connector which is often soldered directly to a motherboard. Is there some additional sonic benefit?

 

Do all one can to prevent reflections/mirror imaging (S/PDIF = square waves).

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

[reverendo]

Do all one can to prevent reflections/mirror imaging (S/PDIF = square waves).

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

Hi David,

normally I associate the name David and Switzerland with a former Pro-Audio, now High-end audio brand.

thanks for the input and welcome aboard

best regards

André

[audiojim]

Starting to compare usb cables . I have a transparent 90$ cable . Today I bought a 30$ audioquest forest ...and it took about two seconds to hear that the forest was awful, digitally harsh. So I'd say the USB cable matters, and I am going to be trying different ones .

[reverendo]

Starting to compare usb cables . I have a transparent 90$ cable . Today I bought a 30$ audioquest forest ...and it took about two seconds to hear that the forest was awful, digitally harsh. So I'd say the USB cable matters, and I am going to be trying different ones .

audiojim,

not defending the Forest, but you might want to give the cable some burn-in time... it does make a difference

please, post your findings

best regards

André

[Musicophile]

Starting to compare usb cables . I have a transparent 90$ cable . Today I bought a 30$ audioquest forest ...and it took about two seconds to hear that the forest was awful, digitally harsh. So I'd say the USB cable matters, and I am going to be trying different ones .

I have compared the Forest to the significantly more expensive AQ Carbon on my system and couldn't find a difference. Interesting how systems vary.

[jtm]

+1

 

I can hear clear differences between Forest, Carbon and Diamond on my system and decided for the latter as this offers best resolution and musicality.

[audiojim]

Forest difference was enough that I don't think burn in could cure it.

 

More revealing systems will make whatever differences there are more apparent.

[reverendo]

I believe that tomorrow I will have reached more or less the 200 hour mark with the Purist. I hope that I'll be able to do some comparing

[reverendo]

just did a quite long comparison between the Mapleshade Clearlink Plus USB cable and the Purist USB Cable. here are my final thoughts.

Clearlink Plus

• clearer, cleaner and more transparent sound
  
• slightly better definition of leading edge transients ("attack")
  
• more spacious, especially in regard to reverb in the HFs and, therefore, ambience
  
• instruments have less body, as if sounds were recorded close to the instrument rather than on the instrument itself. intruments and voices sound less solid and have less weight than the Purist
  
• is more detailed
  

 

Purist USB

• seems to have a more resolved mid-range
  
• has a more solid sound, especially in the mid-range and sounds more real in regard to voices and acoustic instruments
  
• slightly better positioning on sound stage, probably due to a more solid and opaque reproduction of instruments and voices
  
• slighty less accurate on leading transient edges, but better timbre in the mid-range
  
• darker and less spacious than the Clearlink. ambience cues are less clear and detailed
  
• 
  

 

Summing it up: the lasting impression is that the Purist reproduces fundamentals frequencies (the core notes) better, resulting in more body and density, with better timbre in the mid-range. the Clearlink, OTOH, resproduces the harmonics better, which makes the sound lighter and clearer, but with less body. Funny enough LFs are quite the same, but it just might be due to my speakers which have a fantastic bass for a bookshelf, still don't go down to the lower notes like the best floorstanders do.

I'm quite torn between both, but am pending towards the Clearlink, since I feel that greater transparency won't hinder me in getting more body further down the chain, but that the Purist might take away those very clear HFs for good. Still, it's a tough choice, since the added body and solidity make the Purist very appealling. I do believe that much of this is very system dependent, so always take that into account.

[kevalin]

I received the Sarum USB cable today. The package and the cable arrived in perfect condition; unfortunately, I believe the cable is bad. There is extreme loud crackling in the system, almost like loud static electricity. I tried several USB outputs on my computer-server and I get the same thing. I briefly was able to stop it by holding the USB B end to the dac steady. This made me think the stiffness of the cable was creating some torque on the connection, however, with no stress on the connection, I could not resolve the issue. I used other USB cables and tried to gently torque the connection and was not able to recreate the issue. So it is a cable and not a DAC issue (EMM labs). I also moved the cable around to see if there was interference from say a power cable. Not able to resolve the cable issue with the Sarum or create the issue in a different cable.

 

Anyone have any thoughts? Thank you in advance.

[Jud]

kevalin, sounds like the particular cable you got may have a defect. In your position I'd contact the seller, let them know what's occurred, and ask to send it back for a replacement.

[reverendo]

the Purist is going back.

will probably get the SR, but am going back to original idea of getting the Platinum and Diamond for comparisons.

[Matias]

reverendo, I believe you may get both the Platinum and the Diamond to test in your system with The Cable Co. Looking forward to hearing your impressions on those.

[oscarnr]

Hi.

I have tested in my system:

-AQ Diamond USB (during 6 months)

-Wireworld ultraviolet (3 months)

-Wireworld Platinum (1 month)

-Transparent USB (1 month)

-Tellurium Q Black USB (2 months)

 

My preferences:

 

Tellurium Q Black > Transparent USB > AQ Diamond > WW Platinum > WW Ultraviolet

 

 

All the best

 

Oscar

[reverendo]

thanks Oscar,

would you mind just talking a little bit about the differences? liked your signature, btw

 

on another note: Diamond and Platinum coming from the library for tests

[oscarnr]

thanks Oscar,

would you mind just talking a little bit about the differences? liked your signature, btw

 

on another note: Diamond and Platinum coming from the library for tests

 

Thanks reverendo,

I think that the Tellurium and Transparent are very well balanced along all frecuencies, especially tellurium USB black. AQ diamond is also a very good cable, a little pricier here in Europe, with good defined bass (not as pronounced as with Tel/Transparent) but with a trace for sibilance in my system. Ww platinum sounded too revealing and a little bright, not as good as AQ diamond for me. With WW ultraviolet my music sounded more harsh and with not very wide soundstage.

 

Oscar

[guydebord]

I noticed that BADA recommends Straight Wire's USB cable, any experiences?

[junker]

Just curious... Where did you see this recommendation? I'm interested in the BADA.

 

I noticed that BADA recommends Straight Wire's USB cable, any experiences?

[guydebord]

Just curious... Where did you see this recommendation? I'm interested in the BADA.

 

http://sonetimage.adm.hr/uploads/pddownloads/s_guide_to_digital_source_components_alpha_usb_review_copy.pdf

 

Enjoy!

[JonP]

Thanks reverendo,

I think that the Tellurium and Transparent are very well balanced along all frecuencies, especially tellurium USB black. AQ diamond is also a very good cable, a little pricier here in Europe, with good defined bass (not as pronounced as with Tel/Transparent) but with a trace for sibilance in my system. Ww platinum sounded too revealing and a little bright, not as good as AQ diamond for me. With WW ultraviolet my music sounded more harsh and with not very wide soundstage.

 

Oscar

 

Interesting perspectives. Tellurium seems to have a lower profile in the market as compared to WW and Audioquest, so there is not much info around. I too did not like the Platinum and I can hear the slight sibilance you speak of in the Audioquest Coffee as well. Was going to get the Diamond but I might look at Tellerium now.

 

What is the build quality of the Tellerium like?

 

Also, I notice they now have the Graphite version which is a step up in quality from the Black.

[oscarnr]

Interesting perspectives. Tellurium seems to have a lower profile in the market as compared to WW and Audioquest, so there is not much info around. I too did not like the Platinum and I can hear the slight sibilance you speak of in the Audioquest Coffee as well. Was going to get the Diamond but I might look at Tellerium now.

 

What is the build quality of the Tellerium like?

 

Also, I notice they now have the Graphite version which is a step up in quality from the Black.

 

hi, build quality of Tellurium's USB cable is good, it feels like a solid cable, although not as well finished as AQ diamond or Ww platinum. it sounds to me more balanced than the other 2, especially the Ww. if you can, test it in your system. I haven't test graphie version, I suppose it is better, but much more pricier...

 

regards.oscar