Building a DIY Music Server

[Nenon]

I have also used the powered version of the Sablon USB with the JCAT XE without any issues. 

BTW, getting a good deal on the Shunyata Omega USB, so my Sablon USB will be for sale if that happens. 

[ASRMichael]

11 minutes ago, Nenon said:

I have also used the powered version of the Sablon USB with the JCAT XE without any issues. 

BTW, getting a good deal on the Shunyata Omega USB, so my Sablon USB will be for sale if that happens. 

Presume you tried the Omega then? How does it compare to Sablon? 

[Exocer]

30 minutes ago, Nenon said:

I have also used the powered version of the Sablon USB with the JCAT XE without any issues. 

BTW, getting a good deal on the Shunyata Omega USB, so my Sablon USB will be for sale if that happens. 

How much better is the Omega? Let's assume the Omega is a 10/10.

 

Edit: @ASRMichael,didn't see your question. Now mine is redundant 😁.

[Dev]

I also use the Sablon 2020 and it sounds great. Recently at a friend's place we compared the Shunyata Sigma to the Sablon and the Shunyata bested by far. There is also a significant price difference between the two. I can't imagine how good the Omega will be and will likely get one if a great deal comes by but at $3250 for 1.5m I am not buying retail.

[Mags]

55 minutes ago, Dev said:

I also use the Sablon 2020 and it sounds great. Recently at a friend's place we compared the Shunyata Sigma to the Sablon and the Shunyata bested by far. There is also a significant price difference between the two. I can't imagine how good the Omega will be and will likely get one if a great deal comes by but at $3250 for 1.5m I am not buying retail.

$3250 is crazy. Zu audio makes a very nice USB with pure silver data conductors, teflon insulated, with separate power and data legs, fully shielded, for $561 for 1.5m. I use all ZU Event cables in my system; interconnects, SPDIF and USB. I haven't ever heard better, and the prices, although not cheap, are sane.

 

https://www.zuaudio.com/digital-cable/event-usb

 

They also offer a 60-day money back guaranteed trial; return for any reason. What's not to like?

[Dev]

8 minutes ago, Mags said:

$3250 is crazy.

 

Yeah, I know. It is 😬

 

9 minutes ago, Mags said:

Zu audio makes a very nice USB with pure silver data conductors, teflon insulated, with separate power and data legs, fully shielded, for $561 for 1.5m. I use all ZU Event cables in my system; interconnects, SPDIF and USB. I haven't ever heard better, and the prices, although not cheap, are sane.

 

What cables have you compared with ? Between thecableco has a cable library where you can loan the Shunyata.

[Nenon]

1 hour ago, ASRMichael said:

Presume you tried the Omega then? How does it compare to Sablon? 

 

1 hour ago, Exocer said:

How much better is the Omega? Let's assume the Omega is a 10/10

 

I haven't tried the Omega yet but 5 people (whose ears I trust) around me switched to the Omega - they all contacted me to tell me I need to get one. A friend in Chicago offered to give me his Omega USB to try, but after checking the price I refused! $3250 is indeed a lot of money for a USB cable. 

But I ran across a much more affordable option that I plan not to miss. 

 

1 hour ago, Dev said:

Recently at a friend's place we compared the Shunyata Sigma to the Sablon and the Shunyata bested by far. There is also a significant price difference between the two.

FWIW, some of the 5 people I mentioned tried the Sigma - some liked it, some did not. The Omega seems to be much better than the Sigma and everyone loves it. 

 

18 minutes ago, Mags said:

Zu audio makes a very nice USB with pure silver data conductors, teflon insulated, with separate power and data legs, fully shielded, for $561 for 1.5m.

I haven't tried the Zu, but I've tried several others, and the Sablon was the clear winner at the time. I am guessing the Omega will be better, but at 4-5 times higher price, it better be. 

[MarcelNL]

I don't think 3 grand is crazy, is spending well north of 5 K for an audio server crazy? depends on who you ask IMO.

BTW, did you ever try making a cable? FAR cheaper, lots of fun and it will bring insight for free. In the end it's metal thread, insulation, cable geometry and shielding (or not), not that many variables to play with,

[Mags]

13 minutes ago, Dev said:

 

Yeah, I know. It is 😬

 

 

What cables have you compared with ? Between thecableco has a cable library where you can loan the Shunyata.

For USB only a generic $20 cable from Digikey, which actually sounded pretty good. Since I love Zu Event interconnects (after trying many others including prior models from Zu) I just went straight to their SPDIF and USB when I wanted to upgrade those.  

[Exocer]

4 minutes ago, MarcelNL said:

I don't think 3 grand is crazy, is spending well north of 5 K for an audio server crazy? depends on who you ask IMO.

BTW, did you ever try making a cable? FAR cheaper, lots of fun and it will bring insight for free. In the end it's metal thread, insulation, cable geometry and shielding (or not), not that many variables to play with,

I am totally into DIY. I tried looking for high quality audio USB connectors and couldn't find anything. Do you know of any? Id really like to try building USB cables. I do have the Sablon 2020 to compare to.

 

Also, $3500 is more expensive than my DAC. I'd rather up my DAC game first. For those with DAC setups costing in the 10s of thousands I can see this cable making a lot more sense.

[MarcelNL]

I agree, I found some better than the usual IT department free USB cables crappy USB connectors...will see if I can trace where I bought them.

I left USB for I2S, for me in regard to sound quality a better goal to pursue, but I had some good results with the few USB cables I made.

 

it IS a bit finicky though...

[Mags]

7 minutes ago, MarcelNL said:

I don't think 3 grand is crazy, is spending well north of 5 K for an audio server crazy? depends on who you ask IMO.

BTW, did you ever try making a cable? 

With an audio server I can see $5k as reasonable because there is so much more to it than a data transfer wire. To each their own, however!

 

I have built my own cables, in fact almost every power cord in my system is homebrew, as are my speaker cables and DC umbilicals. My amps got boutique power cords (TWL) because I got a great deal on them.

[MarcelNL]

All I was trying to say was that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or whatever tickles one... ;-)

 

I have recently compared one of my analog interlinks to those by the late but most reputable Yamamura, all I can say that DIY is surely doable. 

[MarcelNL]

I think I bought the USB connectors off Ali after using some from a local IT parts suppliers, the best thing they had going for them was that soldering was doable...they had gold plated connectors, I'd have preferred solid pure copper and a screw connection....I do not think that does exist, yet,

[Dev]

20 minutes ago, MarcelNL said:

I don't think 3 grand is crazy, is spending well north of 5 K for an audio server crazy? depends on who you ask IMO.

 

Off-coarse it depends on who you ask. A guy with half million $ system will definitely think it's way cheaper than his $23,000 1M RCA interconnect but this is a DIY thread 😬

[MarcelNL]

2 minutes ago, Dev said:

 

Off-coarse it depends on who you ask. A guy with half million $ system will definitely think it's way cheaper than his $23,000 1M RCA interconnect but this is a DIY thread 😬

indeed, hence my question about DIYing a USB cable as I dare say that building a USB cable that can hold its water against a 500 dollar cable is certainly doable ;-)

[MarcelNL]

oops not Ali, Ebay, I used those...

 

https://www.ebay.nl/itm/131731816180

[Dev]

1 minute ago, MarcelNL said:

indeed, hence my question about DIYing a USB cable as I dare say that building a USB cable that can hold its water against a 500 dollar cable is certainly doable ;-)

 

for a regular straight cable, yes but Shunyata has some noise cancellation trick (in that cylindrical thing) up their sleeves which can't be DIY'ed. Now weather that makes a difference in your system or not is another story and unless you try you won't know.

 

 

 

 

[MarcelNL]

True, they did add a bulge that might contain something...you are referring to the 'transverse axial polarizer'? I indeed did not include one of those as stock ran out at Mouser. I'll say 'cable geometry matters as much as the actual wire and insulation' and will leave it at that.

 

 

 

 

[Mags]

18 minutes ago, Dev said:

 

for a regular straight cable, yes but Shunyata has some noise cancellation trick (in that cylindrical thing) up their sleeves which can't be DIY'ed. Now weather that makes a difference in your system or not is another story and unless you try you won't know.

 

 

 

 

I just clipped ferrites on both ends of my Zu USB power leg to filter noise from the 5V power. I would never put a filter on the data lines, though. The times I've tried ferrites on signal wires they always made the sound worse, IMO.

 

[Dev]

5 minutes ago, Mags said:

I just clipped ferrites on both ends of my Zu USB power leg to filter noise from the 5V power. I would never put a filter on the data lines, though. The times I've tried ferrites on signal wires they always made the sound worse, IMO.

 

The ones on the Omega are not ferrites chokes. God knows what they are!

[MarkusBarkus]

I tested the Omega USB here and found it to be excellent. It is very clear, very dynamic across the spectrum...not boosted bass, or accented highs...just great clarity of sound. It's soberingly expensive for a USB cable, but it is very good.

IMO one should prop or sling this cable, as those two "gas-line filters" have a bit of weight to them, FYI. 

[Nenon]

57 minutes ago, Exocer said:

Also, $3500 is more expensive than my DAC. I'd rather up my DAC game first.

+1 for the good common sense :)

 

41 minutes ago, MarcelNL said:

I dare say that building a USB cable that can hold its water against a 500 dollar cable is certainly doable

I believe that! If anyone comes up something good to DIY, please share. 

 

Not sure what's inside the Omega, but they are into something that seems to work well. I'll report back if I get it and after I have it running for some time. In the meantime the Sablon is a pretty good, safe, and relatively affordable (in the world of high end) choice. 

[MarcelNL]

Transverse Axial Polarizers,

Transverse Axial Polarizer is a device that interacts with the electromagnetic field generated by the signal traveling along the signal cable. ‌‌TAP affects the behavior of the electromagnetic wave that surrounds the signal cable. In effect, the ‌‌TAP blocks longitudinal-oriented waves while allowing transverse-oriented waves. The effect in sonic terms is like using polarized sunglasses to reduce reflected sunlight. Correcting polarization micro-distortion reduces what some call sonic glare.

 

apparently to do something with or against the magnetical field around the cable, any negative effects caused by interference caused by that effect which is always present should be taken care of throughout the cable by the geometry of the wires etc, not in a 10cm stretch at two ends of a cable.

 

 

 

 

[Mags]

4 minutes ago, MarkusBarkus said:

I tested the Omega USB here and found it to be excellent. It is very clear, very dynamic across the spectrum...not boosted bass, or accented highs...just great clarity of sound. It's soberingly expensive for a USB cable, but it is very good.

IMO one should prop or sling this cable, as those two "gas-line filters" have a bit of weight to them, FYI. 

Hmmm...weight to them? That sounds like a ferrite to me...