which quality USB cable to consider?

seeteeyou · May 21, 2017

7 hours ago, semajm85 said:

would anyone be able to recommend a micro usb cable?

my DAC only takes micro USB cable.

or would I be better off with a micro-b to b adapter?

Some micro USB cables might NOT be a good fit for the original Chord Hugo's recessed jacks

http://www.audioquest.com/micro-usb-digital-audio/cinnamon

http://www.audioquest.com/micro-usb-digital-audio/forest

http://www.audioquest.com/micro-usb-digital-audio/pearl

https://www.audiosanctuary.co.uk/vertere-acoustics-d-fi-usb-interconnect-cable.html

https://www.audiosanctuary.co.uk/vertere-acoustics-d-fi-double-d-usb-interconnect-cable.html

https://www.audiosanctuary.co.uk/vertere-acoustics-pulse-r-double-usb-interconnect-cable.html

https://www.audiosanctuary.co.uk/vertere-pulse-hb-double-usb-cable.html

https://qsr.net.au/shop/cables-connectors/curious-cables-usb-cable-hugo-link-280mm/

http://www.curiouscables.com/buy.html

http://www.nordost.com/leif/purple-flare/purple-flare-usb2.0-cable.php

http://www.oehlbach.com/en/detail/index/sArticle/41

http://www.oehlbach.com/en/computer/usb/cable/usb-plus-micro

http://www.oehlbach.com/en/computer/usb/cable/usb-evolution-micro

http://www.qed.co.uk/hdmi-and-digital/digital-data/reference-usb-a-b-micro.htm

http://www.supracables.co.uk/digitalaudiocables/usb-digital.html

https://www.thecableco.com/Product/OTG-MA-OTG-Cable

https://www.amazon.com/Pangea-Android-Cable-USB-Micro-B/dp/B00PB5TLRM

seeteeyou · May 25, 2017

http://mvicha.sweb.cz/test USB kabelu.pdf
http://mvicha.sweb.cz/test USB kabelu 2014.pdf

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?23024-Why-Do-Different-USB-Cables-Sound-Different&p=448050&viewfull=1#post448050

Quote

The issue isn't the ones & zeroes - they are delivered as expected. What seems to be different between cables is the signal waveform of the digital signal arriving at the receiver.

There are a number of ways this signal waveform can be different but the USB standard specifies a range of acceptable distortion in this waveform - basically the USB standard defines a 'safe' level of distortion in the signal waveform that will avoid bit errors i.e. the ones & zeroes will be correctly received by the receiver.

Now a USB cable doesn't just carry the USB signal on two wires within the cable - it also has 2 additional wires in the cable, ground & 5V power & finally has a shield. These two wires & shield further complicate matters when it comes to signal integrity. All can carry noise between the PC & the USB receiving device - noise is just another signal waveform distortion as is jitter - neither of these issues affect the delivery of the digital bits (once within the acceptable range of the USB standard).

In my experience when there are changes in these factors it can often have an audible effect. Cables can change the noise spectra on the cable, on the cable shield, on the signal wires, on the ground & power wires - all/some of which can have audible effects.

I haven't listened to expensive USB cables but have used a cable which is made to suppress EMI noise - http://kgs-ind.com/wp-content/uploads/products/pdf/LNC-Noise-Suppression-USB20-Cable.pdf

This cable is not an audiophile offering - it is made for use in airlines, I believe & consists of a flexible ferrite compound fully covering surrounding the 4 USB wires. For those addicted to measurements, look at the noise measurements on the linked page - it shows the reduction in noise in the frequency range 50MHz to 1,000MHz. Now how could reduction in noise in these frequencies have audible effects in the audible range? Objectivists need to be inquisitive enough to investigate but they don't have the necessary motivated or skills, it would appear

This was noticeably quieter than my other USB cables but had the side effect of somewhat audibly softening high frequencies. This is not that surprising, as those who have tried ferrous rigs on USB will no doubt attest to.