Lush^2 - Share your configuration experiences

[xxx1313]

First, big thanks to @yellowblue and @zettelsm for making me aware of the new Lush^2 USB cable. Thanks go also to the Peter for the fast delivery of the Lush^2, as well as the refund for Lush^1 owners, who buy the Lush^2.

 

My setup is: source -> USB cable -> ISO Regen -> USPCB -> tx-USBultra -> USB cable -> Chord DAVE -> Focal Utopia

 

This is a quite long spaghetti setup, but I like what the ISO Regen an tx-USBultra add to the sound. So I need two USB cables. First, I used a short Curious USB cable in combination with the original Lush (Lush^1), which were later replaced by two Sablon Reserva Elite USB cables. I clearly liked the lushness of the Lush, but to be honest, it lacked the incredible technicalities of the Sablon at both ends of the frequency spectrum.

 

Now I have the Lush^2 on burn in, and I can already state that it as an incredibly good USB cable. I did not like the sound of Lush^1 at the beginning (before significant burn in time) too much, but the Lush^2 sounds really promising from the first minute. It was burned in for 30 hours now, with configuration A: B-Y & W-R  B: B-Y & W-R. You probably can imagine, one wants to listen from time to time. With the Lush^2 sounding considerably warmer than Sablon, I had to correct the different tonality elsewhere in the chain. So I replaced the Shunyata Alpha HC power cable, which powered the DAVE, with a leaner sounding Alpha NR. Good sound now, but still not perfect. A bit grainy, bass could be a bit faster and tighter. 

 

Then I decided to changed the configuration to A: B-W-Y-R  B: B-W-R. WOW!!!! Just WOW!!! Much better, even without further burn in. This configuration is just brilliant in my setup, and I cleary prefer it over the other configuration mentioned above. The slight emphasis on the upper mids is gone, the grain in the mids is gone, the soundstage is deeper, more holographic. Bass is faster, tighter. This reminds me of the technically brilliant sound with the two Sablon cables, but Lush adds - you certainly can imagine - this fine lushness too. The slight digital edges are gone, the noise floor is obviously very, very low. Listening to Eric Clapton's "Signe" (Live at MTV Unplugged), I suddenly clearly realise for the first time, which instrument is played in the background - it is a traingle! Everything seems to just fall in place. The sound is more natural and better overall than ever before. Both warm/lush and technically very close to perfection. Somehow I feel that there cannot be a better configuration than this. But we will see, how this will develop. ?

 

Before changing to A: B-W-Y-R  B: B-W-R, I accidentally tried A: B-Y-W-R  B: B-Y-R. Less lush, but with incredibly deep sound stage. This configuration puts you a few rows back. I will have to revisit it again sometime in the future, but for now A: B-W-Y-R  B: B-W-R is the perfect configuration.

 

Having only one Lush^2 now (in combination with a Sablon between source and ISO Regen), I also tried it in combination with the Lush^1, but I clearly prefer the Sablon. I might try a second Lush^2 later (after my new Hugo M Scaler arrives in November), but I suspect that using two Lush^2 in series could be a bit too much lushness. Both Lush^2 and Sablon Reserva Elite are brilliant USB cables. None is clearly better than the other, depending on the setup and user preference, which is perceived to be "better". Nevertheless, the Lush^2 is not only great, but a truly unique USB cable, and I feel that many, many people will like it very much. I will definitely keep it. 

 

So, I have a clear message to the users of the original Lush USB cable: Guys, you really have to upgrade to Lush^2!

And my message to @PeterSt: Peter, this time you REALLY nailed it! Congrats for this brilliant USB cable!

 

[xxx1313]

I just changed my mind and ordered a second Lush^2. ?I need to know how a Lush^2-only USB chain sounds.?

[xxx1313]

7 hours ago, BigAlMc said:

 

And now you just need to figure out which configs complement each other best! And in what order! ? 

 

 

Yeah, lots of hard work to do. Or let us call it fun! ?

I will definitely start with A1: B-W-Y-R  B1: B-W-R ; A2: B-W-Y-R  B2: B-W-R, using your nomenclature. ?

 

[xxx1313]

Up to now, I always had a number of ferrite beads on my USB cables, which changed the sound a bit for better, imo, reducing audible EMI/RFI. I liked the Lush^2 from the first minute, so I did not try any ferrites in the beginning. With the JSSG 360 shielding, I also did not expect that ferrites would make any difference. Now I tried them, and surprisingly, they do make a difference. With ferrites on the Lush^2, the huge sound stage collapses. So I will not bother any more with adding ferrites. Lush^2 is great without them.

 

Nevertheless, I wonder, why ferrites still have an effect on the sound (for the worse) with JSSG 360 shielding in place?

[xxx1313]

I have to add something to the configuration:

 

A: B-W-Y-R, B: B-W-R, F-A: N-T, A: S-T-I-C ??

[xxx1313]

After a few months of pure music enjoyment without experiments, I changed a power cable and my setup now sounds a bit warmer, overall a bit "better" imo, but also a bit mid-centric. I always try to reach a warmer tone and a larger soundstage, because this normally also means less noise. So, after changing the mentioned power cable, I read this thread again in order to get up-to-date again on the Lush^2 configurations, and read about Peter's "PNF".

 

My setup is:

source => Lush^2 (No.1) => ISO Regen => Lush^2 (No.2) => tx-USBultra => Lush^2 (No.3) => Hugo M Scaler => Chord Dave => headphones

 

So I have three Lush^2 cables, all at current default configuration A: B-W-Y-R,  B: B-W-R for several months. I have tried several other configurations in the past, but the default config sounded always best to me (also already before it became the default config). After changing only the first cable of my setup, "Lush^2 (No.1)", to PNF config, I am surprised about how much difference this makes.

 

My impressions are:

a) Default config, A: B-W-Y-R,  B: B-W-R => the typical "Lush" sound, warm, natural, with great texture, wonderful sounding mids, fatigue-free, maybe a bit mid-centric and slightly "soft" sounding in the lows and highs, depending in rest of the setup.

 

b) PNF, A: B-W & Y-R, B: B-W => much leaner (more treble, less mids, bass quantity more or less unchanged), but also cleaner, tighter bass (quite obvious), more crisp highs, better separation, better transients, sounds faster.

 

Although PNF seems to sound "technically" even better than the default config, it does not have its warmth and natural sounding mids. With my three Lush^2 cables in place, 2x default config and 1x PNF now sounds best, imo. Even without trying yet, I am sure that 3x PNF is clearly "too much".

 

I am tremedously enjoying what the Lush^2 cables contribute to my setup. They are clearly the best-buy USB cable!

 

Cheers,

Bernie

[xxx1313]

On ‎7‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 4:47 AM, kurb1980 said:

I have been tying the jumper caps in a vertical configuration meaning that I'm not connecting a jumper cap across the pins.  From what I'm hearing there is a difference if you connect the jumper caps  across the pins vs one jumper per pin.  Red wire in my system yields to bass and drums.  Yellow wire yields to treble focus on the cymbal hits "distinctness" if you will.  I been continuing to mess around in the most current config that I pictured up thread it sounds nice but I it seems to push certain frequencies further back.  I also find the soundstage to be not as wide so I'm gonna continue with tinkering around until I find one that is checking more of my boxes than not.

 

@kurb1980, @PeterSt, et al: Where can additional jumper caps be bought for the Lush^2 and how are they called (specification)? Thanks.

 

Edit: Just changed to JSSGcubed a few minutes ago. Especially soundstage depth is astonishing, imo. No obvious downside. Probably the best configuration in my setup, too. Big thanks to Kurb and Yellowblue!

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9 minutes ago, Abtr said:

Did anyone try A: W-Y-R & B, B: W-Y-R & B? The black wire connections (B) should do nothing, but since some here claim that jumpers on unused pins make a difference with the JSSG360^3 configuration and Lush^2, possibly connecting the black wire (ground) to one of the 2 unused outer pins will also make a difference.

 

BTW, did anyone do blind listening tests with different Lush^2 configurations?       
 

No audible difference, imo (without blind listening test).

 

Btw, I use three Lush^2 USB cables in series and get the best results now with 2x JSSG360cubed (at the DAC end) and 1x PNF (A: B-W & Y-R and B: B-W) at the transport end. A configuration with all three cables with JSSG360cubed sound extremely airy, but a bit too laid-back and unengaged. PNF adds focus and energy to the picture. This configuration sounds best imo with both Meze Empyrean and Focal Utopia, whose sound signatures are quite different.

 

 

[xxx1313]

On ‎7‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 11:34 PM, lwr said:

Are there good photos of the JSSG360 cable ends?

 

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/49648-lush2-share-your-configuration-experiences/page/27/?tab=comments#comment-972003

[xxx1313]

13 hours ago, PeterSt said:

@kurb1980, when you are finished with the more common settings, try this:

 

 

See mouse arrow; put that jumper on its other pin(-socket). Not twist 180 degrees, but move towards you so it will stick out at the other side now.

Obviously  this will communicate with the jumper at pin-1. Under way this crosses the White and Yellow shields. Naturally swapping White and Yellow will also do a couple of things. In that case the jumper on pin-1 and the one on pin-4 could be moved to their other pin(-socket) and it could work out the same as with White on pin-2 and Yellow on pin-3 as in the photo.

 

I am not sure how serious I am, but this is only because I am unsure about how serious this is. If this is seriously making differences, I guess my text above is not fully rubbish. It will easily be wrong though. So it is just about bringing forward ideas how to "judge" this. Or, how to make logic out of it, instead of blindly throwing jumpers at it. Or, see how some setting could be heading for the right track.

 

Thank you, kurb.

Peter

 

The position of the jumper cap seems to matter, it really sounds different. It gets all a bit confusing for me here. Kurb's new configuration (the jumper cap should stick out on the downside in my case), is indeed great, its air is crazy. No glare, sounds both full and airy. Can it get any better? Probably not. Still not sure yet if I prefer it over Kurb's JSSG360cubed in the long run, but I really enjoy it at the moment. I am now on Kurb's new config with all three Lush^2 cables. Definitely worth trying! Big thanks again!

 

Btw, if someone else needs to get additional jumper caps: These are 2.54mm "standard" computer jumper caps.

[xxx1313]

Call me crazy, but I am sure that Peter's original pin caps "sound" better than other pin caps which I bought, when used on pin no. 5 and 6 together (like shown in Kurb's new config).🙄

[xxx1313]

4 hours ago, TheAttorney said:

So a second Lush (to replace the USPCB) is still a viable option for me. I don't think cable length has much to do with DAVE/TT2's high sensitivity to BNC connection issues (I think it's more complex than that with many variables), but I'm likely to order a 0.5M Lush because that's all I need, and I've found Lush to be much more flexible than Blaxius. 

 

I can recommend to replace the USPCB with a second Lush2. I did the same and never looked back.

 

In my case (with an A&K SP1000 as transport) however, cable length between SP1000 and ISO Regen matters. I had problems (hard to establish a connection, very infrequent losses of connection) with cables of 0.8m or longer, but not with shorter USB cables. Peter was also helpful in this matter. My small problem was not isolated to the Lush2 cable, but occured with every USB cable longer of 0.8m or longer, which I had available. The cable lenghts in the audio chain after the ISO Regen did not matter. So, in your case, going with a rather short (=0.5m) Lush2 cable between your NUC and ISO Regen could be safer.

 

EDIT: I have HMS & DAVE, so quite similar to your setup.

[xxx1313]

7 hours ago, Summit said:

 

A DAC that you can’t use any USB cables that is longer than 0,8 meter must be defect, I believe. 

 

Agreed. But it is not the DAC to blame, because it can handle any cable lengh I tried, as well as other USB reclockers in the chain without any problems. Problems only occur with ISO Regen in the chain (in combination with SP1000Cu as transport), but I really like the sound with ISO Regen, so I am not ready to eliminate it.

 

6 hours ago, lmitche said:

A:.1WYR2X B:.1WYR2X where underline is below the comb and strikethrough above.

 

Still very happy with A:1WY233 B:1WY233, but I will still try some other configurations over the next few days.

[xxx1313]

On 7/30/2019 at 7:25 PM, xxx1313 said:

 

Still very happy with A:1WY233 B:1WY233, but I will still try some other configurations over the next few days.

 

I tried some other configurations, but went back now on Kurb's original "JSSG360 cubed" (A:1WYR22 B:1WYR22) again. It offers the technically best sound imo (tight bass, a very large soundstage with great 3d imaging, very low noise floor). I will keep it now and enjoy listening.

 

A:1WY233 B:1WY233 has fuller sounding mids and a great atmosphere, so it is still a great configuration and worth a try.

[xxx1313]

Still on JSSG360cubed (A: xWYRxx, B: xWYRxx) with my Lush^2 cables. Soundstage is larger and better defined than with any other configeration I tried up to now. Sounds very realistic, technically excellent, with absence of digital glare, imo. I got to a similar conclusion as @TheAttorney on jumper caps. They do change the sound imo, and I like it most without jumper caps.