usb cables?

[AnotherSpin]

5 hours ago, Kimo said:

I hate usb cables.  Then again, I think I am beginning to hate all cables.

 

I run an Innuos Zenith II into a Linnenberg Telemann DAC, which does not upsample.  I have been using a Belkin Gold cable with no complaints, but I couldn't let it be and I ordered an Audioquest Carbon.  Of course, the Audioquest doesn't sound like the Belkin in some ways at the top and bottom of the frequency spectrum, but I cannot say it sounds better.  

 

I am starting to suspect that most audiophile cable is actually doing things wrong, since it has to do something.   The cheap cable sounds more balanced.

 

So, I am going to pick the Belkin Gold cable as the current baseline and probably send the AQ to Agon.  

 

I also tried expensive AQ cables (around $500 for a pair of short balanced interconnects) in my system recently and didn't like the sound - very analytical but not coherent and enough musical to me. Turned to much more accessible Supras. Again, tried two types of Supra balanced, even though the same brand the sound was different, imo. Was able to decide which stays after two weeks listening and comparing, not sooner.

[AnotherSpin]

1 hour ago, One and a half said:

About two years ago after the Curious cables were available, the collection of USB cables were starting to add up, was not really satisfied with the sound from USB, the problem seemed to move about depending on the cable used. After using the ifi Micro USB3 (now discontinued), the noise and grunge was reduced markedly, especially after powering the Micro with an LPS.
Here’s the list for the OP of cables that were tested.

Nordost Blue Heaven
Curious
Oyaide Continental 5S USB
Printer cable
SAEC
Acoustic Revive split
ifi Split cable

 

The generic printer cable fared quite well, its downfall was a dampening of the sound stage and a bland presentation.

 

Oyaide Continental cable being silver was great for rock music, but Jazz, Smooth Jazz went a little splashy in the treble.
SAEC were very good on the INPUT side to the Micro USB3, but fared with dropped soundstage.

 

The ifi Split cable was as cack as the Curious.

 

The Curious cable made a mess of the soundstage, and treble was irritating. I tried two evaluations, separated by weeks, but the effect was the same and returned the cables.

 

The Acoustic Revive split cable and the Nordost are the least destructive to the soundstage, would give the Nordost the edge on the soundstage but not much in it.

 

The connections for the Nordost, Acoustic Revive and SAEC were tight and snug, a great quality connector. The Curious wasn’t so good, actually measured with a micrometer, no wonder it felt loose in the socket, was -0.x mm smaller in both directions compared to the others.

 

So USB cables behave differently when the source and receiver are the same. The giveaway was the soundstage collapsing and mono like performance, fouling the timing that the DAC was processing. 
 

 

Again, it may be dependent very much on combination of elements in a whole audio set. I was using Nordost Blue Heaven USB for several years, it was ok. After UpTone regen was added, it was still ok. After guys at UpTone updated regen from "green" to "amber" version they said amber sounds great with Supra USB. I had such somewhere and it was easy to try and compare. Green Regen worked better with Nordost, amber was better with Supra. Amber+Supra was better than green+Nordost. Nordost USB was three or four times more expensive than Supra USB.

[AnotherSpin]

56 minutes ago, musicguy said:

@One and a half  A lot of what you here, is what i have experienced with my own usb cables.  The pangea ag,  sounded very slightly bloated but no sound stage and the treble was very reduced.  No air to the sound.  AQ forest just a bit smoother over a standard well made cable.  WW starlight 7.  Very good cable but lack bass.  AQ cinnamon was the best overall sounding cable i have.   Most balanced.   

 

I have been reading many post,  Sorry I open this can of whoop ass on myself,  AQ coffee, Cardas clear,  Blackcat cables,  Lush, Curios and nordost.     There are so many usb cables now.   Thats why i started this post.   I am here to impove my sound.  Not to get into a war about cables or if they even do anything.  I have been in the high end side of audio for 35 years.  Everything can effect sound.   I now have a very good source mac mini.   Now i hear that my usb cable is the weakest link.  Im not looking for the most expensive cable either.   The Silver usb from blackcat cables,  always performs way above its price point. 

 

 

 

It was stated here more than once, anyway - try different usb ports on your mini. I found out the the first one from a side (one which is most distant from the center of back plate) sounds better than others. Also, If other usb ports used simultaneously with the one to DAC it degrades SQ.

[AnotherSpin]

General question: why people who believe any decent USB cable sounds the same care to attack people who hear the difference between different USB cables?

[AnotherSpin]

7 hours ago, mansr said:

Why is it called an "attack" when people with real knowledge on the topic share some of their expertise?

 

What makes you believe your "knowledge" is real?

[AnotherSpin]

53 minutes ago, mansr said:

I wasn't (necessarily) talking about myself.

 

How would you know what others know or don't know? 

[AnotherSpin]

4 hours ago, sandyk said:

 

 He read it in a Textbook somewhere ?

I don't doubt that he has a great deal of knowledge, but knowledge needs to be updated regularly, and where there are NUMEROUS instances of people reporting things differently  to what is currently accepted, they should be fully investigated with an open mind, using their ears too, or better still the ears of people who report such things under correctly set up DBT conditions.

 I would be surprised if Manishander  wasn't able to demonstrate this to him with a DBT comparison of his  Lush USB cable and a USB certified cable of his own selection if they were both willing to try this.

 

If knowledge is updated regularly it changes regularly. Whatever changes regularly does not exist in a first hand, and couldn't be real.

[AnotherSpin]

10 hours ago, Ralf11 said:

 

it is called experimental verification of an hypothesis

 

You may call it whatever you please, still it will not bring thinking anyway closer to understanding or describing reality.

[AnotherSpin]

10 hours ago, Ralf11 said:

 

I can tell you aren't a scientist.  Perhaps you are a Sophist.

 

It is very difficult to show that experimentally verified theory is wrong.  Usually, what happens is that the theory is applied outside its ambit, and eventually modified for these extreme cases.  Examples include quantum gravity, the Lorentz Contraction, Evo-Devo, Fisher's Theorem of Natural Selection, Quantitative Genetics, and etc.

 

I do not have any examples of modern scientific theory being completely overturned.

 

The run of the mills electronics used in audio is nowhere near the knowledge frontier.

 

One might argue that psycho-acoustics is, but in audiophila there are far too many psychos running about unfettered.

 

I am not anything you will be able to specify or label. The same is true for yourself.

[AnotherSpin]

29 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

I'm a scientist.  But I agree that you cannot specify or understand what that means.

 

Oh, it's easy. Scientist is one who believes Mozart would not create music different from any other composer only because each composer uses the same set of notes and the same lineated paper.

[AnotherSpin]

8 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

Like I said - you have no ability to understand what that means.

 

Please do not wait in response my opinion about your abilities. First, I am too civilized, second I do not care.

[AnotherSpin]

8 hours ago, mansr said:

For someone who doesn't care, you sure have a lot of opinions.

 

Let me tell it again. I do not care to evaluate personal abilities as others do here. Hope it is clear. I asked several very simple question, that's it. I am very much ok with variety of opinions on usb cables and anything in the world. If people do hear difference in usb cables – ok. If they don't - ok. And, I will not be hurry with evaluating such people personally.

[AnotherSpin]

8 hours ago, kumakuma said:

 

I'm having a hard time reconciling your self-image of being a civilized individual with your propensity to insult others at the drop of hat.

 

Would you please help me to understand what you mean by "insult" with quotes from me?

[AnotherSpin]

5 hours ago, PeterSt said:

 

Frank, cables can't make a difference whatsoever. Don't you know ?

 

This kind of high calibre truth is revealed to scientists only.