blownsi Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Whether you can or cannot hear a difference is not up for debate here. I simply want to know if it's worth my time and money to buy one of the low end cables over an in the box type. Would something like an AQ Forrest or WW Chroma be worth buying? Or do you not really hear a difference until the next level? Link to comment
Paul R Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I would tell you the answer to that is a most definite yes, if only to ensure the quality of the cable. The minimum cable I usually recommend is a Belkin Gold. $10-$20 at any office supply store. Get the shortest USB cable you can reasonably use with your setup. -Paul Whether you can or cannot hear a difference is not up for debate here. I simply want to know if it's worth my time and money to buy one of the low end cables over an in the box type. Would something like an AQ Forrest or WW Chroma be worth buying? Or do you not really hear a difference until the next level? Anyone who considers protocol unimportant has never dealt with a cat DAC. Robert A. Heinlein Link to comment
NOMBEDES Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 BOTL ? What is a BOTL? In any dispute the intensity of feeling is inversely proportional to the value of the issues at stake ~ Sayre's Law Link to comment
blownsi Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 BOTL ? What is a BOTL? BOTL is internet lingo for the cheapest model. It stands for bottom of the line. Link to comment
NOMBEDES Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Thanks. I thought I was missing out on a new type of connector. In any dispute the intensity of feeling is inversely proportional to the value of the issues at stake ~ Sayre's Law Link to comment
bluesman Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Whether you can or cannot hear a difference is not up for debate here. I simply want to know if it's worth my time and money to buy one of the low end cables over an in the box type. Would something like an AQ Forrest or WW Chroma be worth buying? Or do you not really hear a difference until the next level? My AQ Forest was well worth the modest cost to me. Here's my original thread about it. I still haven't located a 3-figure cable to try in my system, so I can't tell you whether the marginal benefit beyond a $35 cable is great enough to justify the increased cost. But I'm only interested in finding out if I don't have to buy one first. From their area code, the Cable Company appears to be close to me. If so, I'll organize a small list of USB and power cables for comparison and borrow them for a few days to compare. In fact, I'll call them right now. I just called the Cable Company and spoke to a nice guy named John. The "deposit" is non-refundable but credited toward any future purchase, and it's 5% of the retail price of the cable. I'll have to get out of work early one day and run up there so I can try an AQ Diamond and a DH Labs cable that he recommends as a close but less expensive alternative. More to come...... Link to comment
Musicophile Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 +1 on the Forest. Was a clear upgrade to my generic USB cable. Beyond that, I had a handful of other USB cables at home, including the AQ Carbon, but the difference wasn't significant or reproducible enough for my to justify the premium. Check out my blog at musicophilesblog.com - From Keith Jarrett to Johannes Brahms Link to comment
Jud Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Yes, I'd recommend the Forest as a very nice inexpensive cable. The best I've heard personally is my Mapleshade Clearlink Plus, which in my system handily beat an AQ Coffee twice its price. Comes with a 15 or 30-day satisfaction guarantee (don't recall which), so perhaps you can arrange to have the Diamond on loan at the same time. Oh, forgot to mention the Clearlink Plus in 1 meter length is $135. One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature. Link to comment
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