Who has tried out different USB Cables?

[mansr]

I have piles of USB cables, no idea where they came from. Never really tried them, just grab the nearest when I need one.

[mansr]

19 hours ago, Superdad said:

You do know that what travels on a USB is not "ones" and "zeros" data, right?  It is very high-frequency "analog" DC voltage, and inside that "noise," every 125 microSeconds comes a modulated packet in which the data is encoded.

Can you explain this concept of "high-frequency DC" a bit more?

[mansr]

6 minutes ago, Superdad said:

Of course I was referring to the data rate. But you knew that...

Now you're making even less sense. Quite a feat.

[mansr]

3 hours ago, marce said:

What is the frequency of DC?

Regular DC or high-frequency DC?

[mansr]

13 minutes ago, barrows said:

@marce, I expect that kind of snarky comment from @mansr, but not you.  Of course DC is DC, but one of the issues with the USB output of, say, an ordinary consumer computer is that the USB power lines actually do have an AC (noise) component on them (noise, in other words).  This noise is easily measurable (easy enough so as not to need a spectrum analyzer to see it).  This is one of the reasons Audiophiles can get better performance by using a component with a purposely (for audio) deigned USB output which reduces the noise on the 0 VDC and 5+VDC lines.

Superdad "clarified" that he was referring to the data rate. Tell, me what is the Vbus data rate?

[mansr]

22 minutes ago, barrows said:

Why ask me a question I assume you know the answer to?  You mean the data packet rate?  As I recall I think it is 8 KHz, but do not quote me on that. 

So the Vbus data rate of the high-frequency DC is 8 kHz? Did I get that right?

[mansr]

1 minute ago, barrows said:

Dude, come on, be real!  I think everyone in this discussion understands that DC is DC and has no "frequency"!

Tell that to Superdad. He's the one who started talking about high-frequency DC.

[mansr]

16 hours ago, Superdad said:

No, I referring to the data rate of high-speed (480 Mbit/s for USB 2.0) of the differential D+ and D- signaling--both in the mV DC range.

Well, what of it? You said it was "high-frequency DC" which makes no sense. What did you actually mean to say?

[mansr]

3 hours ago, barrows said:

what is "fine" when looking at the eye?

Whatever the relevant spec says.

[mansr]

23 minutes ago, gmgraves said:

AudioQuest’s cable bias system is patented, but if you look at the patent, it was only granted for analog interconnects, not for digital. Putting an “active shielding system” on a digital cable such as the Diamond USB is like putting an expensive Borla exhaust system on a Model T Ford. It might look interesting, but it won’t do anything to enhance the Model T’s performance!

I'd say it's more comparable in effect to painting racing stripes on a car.

[mansr]

28 minutes ago, barrows said:

As you seem to have some expertise in this area, please describe the details of how a properly designed piece of audio equipment would make all USB cables sound the same.

Conceptually, it's simple. The receiving equipment would have to reject all noise entering the USB port to a sufficiently high degree.

[mansr]

32 minutes ago, barrows said:

Well, that is a nice "concept".  In practice how would this be achieved..  Anyone can suggest the concept, actual engineering of the USB interface is an entirely different thing.

Do you agree that if such a device were successfully designed, the cable would make no difference? Or do you believe that cables imbue the signal with some kind of metaphysical properties beyond the reach of science and engineering?

[mansr]

2 minutes ago, Speedskater said:

Over two decades ago, audio manufacturing consultant Dick Pierce noticed that poorly designed (but rather expensive) digital audio equipment were sensitive to SPDIF cables.

That doesn't answer the question. If we don't agree that it is in principle possible for a device to be insensitive to cables, there is no point discussing further. If we do agree on this premise, then we can discuss how such a device might be designed.

[mansr]

5 minutes ago, Speedskater said:

And just how many devices have been identified in proctored tests that are sensitive to reasonable cables?

Someone said the Schiit Modi is sensitive to noise carried over USB.

[mansr]

9 hours ago, Teresa said:

e. Return the cable for a full refund under the store's 100% satisfaction guarantee, which usually is 30 days.

What if that's not enough time to properly burn it in?

[mansr]

16 minutes ago, marce said:

I would love to know what the process of cable burn in achieves?

It prevents you returning the cable to the store.

[mansr]

1 hour ago, Blackmorec said:

So I think we can summarise this thread as follows:

 

1. There are Forum members who have experienced the differences USB cables can deliver in a system and 
2. Forum members who have never had that experience 

Within the second group there are members who’ve tried cables and failed to hear a difference and those who’ve possibly never tried designer cables because their knowledge and learning suggests that cables should not make a difference, so they’ve never bothered trying any in their system.

You missed a group: those who have measured their equipment using regular cables and found it to be performing adequately, thus seeing no need to try any other cables.

[mansr]

13 hours ago, jabbr said:

It should not be controversial that some  people hear differences between USB cables (or many other things). They say that they do. 
 

The controversial thing is what that entails.

It's not controversial that people say they hear differences. The controversial thing is why they say so.

[mansr]

1 minute ago, Ralf11 said:

and yet... the future keeps on happenin'

Are you sure? It looks an awful lot like the past.