Warning-controversial USB talk-WireWorld Platinum Starlight 7

[Fsonicsmith]

Hit reverse-four years ago or so. I was buying a Violectric headphone amp and the dealer offered to loan me the Violectric DAC too. At the time I was auditioning quite a few DACs. The Violectric dealer almost insisted that no audition of the Violectric DAC would be complete without also borrowing/auditioning a WireWorld Starlight 6 USB. I asked how much the USB cable cost and when he told me, I politely declined. No sense auditioning a cable I would never in a million years buy, I told him. It frankly shocked me that anyone with a scintilla of common sense and decency would spend so much on a USB cable.

Fast forward to the present. My digital front end is an Aurender N100H with an NAS. My DAC is an AMR DP777. I was using a very well respected USB and an AQ Jitterbug at the output and an Uptone Audio Regen at the input. A retailer took back a product I had purchased from him but rather than refund my money he offered to give me gear. I was looking at the lines he carried and figured WTF, try the WireWorld Starlight Platinum 7. This cable comes in an over-the-top aluminum mini-attache case. My secretary at work intercepted the box and opened it thinking it might be work-related. When she saw what it was, she made a crack about why in the world would an audio cable merit an aluminum brief case. I agreed and do agree, it is downright silly. Please do not think what I am about to say was influenced by the packaging. If anything, the packaging prejudiced me against the cable. But then I put in my system.

I am here to tell one and all that if you have a high end digital front end and a top tier DAC, accept no substitute; there is only one USB cable that can deliver this kind of sound IMHO and to the best of my knowledge based on my experience. Take it FWIW. Why? Well, everything melds together with the WW USB into an "organic piece of whole cloth", as they say. From rock solid bass to an ultra smooth top end to dynamics to imaging and everything sideways and in between, it's just "right". I should have listened to the Violectric dealear years ago. I honestly don't remember his name.

[johndoe21ro]

Well he was actually wrong! No audition of the Violectric DAC would be complete without also borrowing/auditioning an AudioQuest Diamond USB/LightHarmonic Lightspeed/Nordost Heimdall USB, etc.!

[Allan F]

...there is only one USB cable that can deliver this kind of sound IMHO and to the best of my knowledge based on my experience.

The WW Platinum Starlight 7 is a very good USB cable and may be the best for your system. Glad to hear that you are delighted with the improvement it has made. But, you haven't told us what experience, if any, you have with other highly rated USB cables. Saying that "only one cable can deliver this kind of sound" is probably a bit over the top. There is no one USB, or other type of cable for that matter, that is best for all systems. Enjoy the music.

[Chopsrr]

I'm certainly not saying that Wireworld cables are the best thing out there, but after using cables from the likes of Transparent Audio, Cardas, Kimber, Straightwire, Audioquest, Space & Time, MIT, and I'm sure a few others, I've settled on a full loom of Wireworld cables for my system, and couldn't be happier.

 

Like I say about all things audio, it's all about synergy and personal taste. Just my 2 cents.

[Allan F]

I'm certainly not saying that Wireworld cables are the best thing out there...

 

...it's all about synergy and personal taste.

It sounded like you were saying exactly that. Thanks for the clarification. Yes, it's all system dependent. Glad that you couldn't be happier.

[Fsonicsmith]

Thanks to the kind folks at The Cable Co. I believe I have auditioned just about every high end USB extant. I am not a WireWorld groupie; this USB cable is the only WireWorld cable in my system. I am saying that when it comes to USB, WireWord has figured something out. And for the first guy who responded-I did not end up with a Violectric DAC-I settled with an AMR DP777. They are not in the same league. If someone in this forum has a top tier digital front end and top tier DAC and has auditioned the WW Platinum Starlight 7 and decided on something else, THAT is who I would like to hear from. The rest of you are simply espousing the same old same old mantra that "cables are all subjective". I MOSTLY believe that. But not here.

[Mercman]

Thanks to the kind folks at The Cable Co. I believe I have auditioned just about every high end USB extant. I am not a WireWorld groupie; this USB cable is the only WireWorld cable in my system. I am saying that when it comes to USB, WireWord has figured something out. And for the first guy who responded-I did not end up with a Violectric DAC-I settled with an AMR DP777. They are not in the same league. If someone in this forum has a top tier digital front end and top tier DAC and has auditioned the WW Platinum Starlight 7 and decided on something else, THAT is who I would like to hear from. The rest of you are simply espousing the same old same old mantra that "cables are all subjective". I MOSTLY believe that. But not here.

 

Yes, I also found the WireWorld Platinum Starlight 7 to be excellent sounding in my system.

[Allan F]

If someone in this forum has a top tier digital front end and top tier DAC and has auditioned the WW Platinum Starlight 7 and decided on something else, THAT is who I would like to hear from. The rest of you are simply espousing the same old same old mantra that "cables are all subjective". I MOSTLY believe that. But not here.

FWIW, I used a WW Platinum Starlight 7 USB cable with my Luxman DA-06 DAC for some time and I was quite satisfied with it. However, I have recently added an UpTone Regen and replaced the WW with a 0.8m Curious Cable USB cable and a Curious Cable Regen link. I find this combination brings out the natural timbre of instruments better, e.g. the "woodiness" of acoustic guitars. In my system, it retains the excellent resolution of the WW but has a fuller more natural sound. Curious Cables are available directly from the manufacturer in Australia with a 30 day return policy. FYI, there is a thread about these cables: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/curious-cables-configiurations-connections-and-conversations-about-27267/

[Allan F]

I'm certainly not saying that Wireworld cables are the best thing out there..,

Sorry, but I just realized that my comment in my earlier reply was not in response to your post, but rather to the OP's.. My bad.

[Chopsrr]

It sounded like you were saying exactly that. Thanks for the clarification. Yes, it's all system dependent. Glad that you couldn't be happier.

 

Sorry, but I just realized that my comment in my earlier reply was not in response to your post, but rather to the OP's.. My bad.

 

 

Really, even though you quoted specific parts of my post? Hmm...

 

Not that it matters much. I just prefer the end results the WW cables give me in my system. They meld well with the equipment and let the music flow through without getting in the way. Whatever works for me may not work for others, and that's perfectly fine.

 

I have noticed quite a bit of favoritism towards these Curious Cables which I've never even heard of before until a short while ago. If and when I feel a little adventurous, I might try something from them out. Until then, I'll stick with what I've got.

[Allan F]

Really, even though you quoted specific parts of my post? Hmm...

Yes, but I assumed that they had been posted by the OP. I later noticed that you were the author.

 

I have noticed quite a bit of favoritism towards these Curious Cables which I've never even heard of before until a short while ago. If and when I feel a little adventurous, I might try something from them out. Until then, I'll stick with what I've got.

FWIW, I had never heard of Curious Cables before reading about them here on CA. However, they have garnered some very positive reviews from Srajan Ebaen on 6moons.com and John Darko on his Digital Audio Review.