POLL: What USB cable are you using?

[Talos2000]

 

 

Here we go... I didn't actually hear what I heard? I just thought I did?

 

I am such a fool.

 

But I can at least console myself knowing I made a sound investment ... probably.

 

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Guys - I did some pruning of comments in this thread to keep it on topic. Don't take it personal if your comment was removed. All your opinions remain valid, but in one of the other threads dedicated to USB cables.

 

Thanks for continuing to comment, on topic, in this thread.

 

 

 

[Panelhead]

Purchased a Oyaide Class A in 1 meter to connect the Plextor 880U to the Mac Mini. A website had it for 39.95. Sure is pretty.

Still using a six inch Ziotek to connect the external drive with iTunes library to computer. Got to think shorter is more important than; metallurgy, number of shields, fancy construction, dielectrics, and wire gauge.

Like the Oyaide FireWire cables this is well built. Have not cut it open, but isoval shaped. Appears to deprecate the data and power wires into two bundles.

Also, from the website the Class S has heavier gauge wires compared to the Class A. Not sure this is important, or even a good thing with a digital data cable.

 

 

George

 

[Desk Jockey]

Chris,

 

As the OP my intention was to find out what usb cables are actually being used by CA members and let the results speak for themselves. The results are interesting but the dialog may be more telling. Still, it's interesting to see the results even though I have since moved on to Firewire DACs.

 

BTW - Oyaide Neo d+, 1M and whatever was in the box, 2M, with the LIO8.

 

Greg

 

[Panelhead]

The LIO8 may not connect to FireWire power. But for interfaces that do tap the FireWire buss the sound is better with it disconnected.

I have tried generic, LaCie, mil spec/lab grade, and the Oyaide 1394B Neo. All sound better with the white wire snipped. But my dac can be powered by FW or external supply.

Has Metric Halo started using Oyaide or did someone (dealer) stick it in the box?

 

George

 

[PS Primich]

Using Wireworld Starlight, 1m. Tried a couple of others, including generic and Monster Cable.

 

PeterSP

 

MacMini, Western Digital 1Tb Passport (supplied USB3>USB2 cable), Wireworld Starlight, Analysis Plus Black Digital SPDIF, Musical Fidelity V-Link, Harman/Kardon HK970 CD player (very modified), Panasonic SA-XR10 (very modified) (cryogenically treated) with hard wired Townshend Audio Single ended silver cable, Townshend Audio lsolda speaker cable (bi-wire) (cryogenically treated), Elac 330 Jet (cryogenically treated cabinet & crossover) Townshend Audio Super tweeter. Townshend Audio Seismic Sink Stand. Soundcare spikes, Symposium Research Rollerblocks Series 2+, point pods and Anaysis Plus feet, Custom mains cable hardwired to Siemens fuses.

 

[jeffro]

I've evaluated a heck of a lot of USB cables through the Cable Co and purchase. I've found the Transparent the best in my system for the price. It does tonality and dynamics right.

 

The only $100+ cables I like better are the WyWires LITESPD and AudioQuest Coffee. One of them will soon replace the Transparent.

 

-----

2010 Mac Mini/8GB/160GB SSD - iTunes - Classe CP-800 - AudioQuest Colorado XLR - Classe CA-2300 - Anti-cables - Paradigm Studio 100 v2

 

[k1n0n3]

So I recently had the chance to step up from the carbon to the coffee an I must say it is an upgrade, although not a very cheap one.

Although I enjoyed the carbon and heard a clear difference over some other cables tried within the same price range, the step up to coffee (for my ears) made a big difference. The only way I can describe it at the moment is: the carbon sounds like the singer/performer is shouting at you in comparison with the coffee which sounds more natural/relaxed without veiling or losing out on any of the detail.

 

With that said I think the coffee will end my quest for USB cables, as I just can't justify or afford anything priced higher.

 

[KaplanDesign]

WireWorld Makes four USB Cables

 

Ultraviolet

Starlight

Silver Starlight Introduced 1/2011

Platinum Starlight Introduced 1/2011

 

I've sold over 50 Starlight at $99.95 for 1M. is by far the most popular USB Cable for Audiophiles on a budget!

 

The Silver & Platinum at $299.95 and $599.95 for 1M are Incredible cables!

 

Many of my customer have used them with Wyred for Sound DAC's, HRT, ADL, Burson DAC, Berkely Audio DAC with Berkley USB to SPDIF Converter Customer A/B's both cables he stated.

 

Customer Testimonial - DennisG 10/2011

 

"It did not take more than 30 seconds to see the substantial improvement of the Platinum over the Silver in my system

 

There is more extension, bloom, detail, smoothness and, critically, freedom from distortion (especially high frequency) with the Platinum I have spent much more and seen less improvement with many other cables (power, interconnect, etc)

 

I should note that my system (and the classical music I listen to) likely will demonstrate such differences better than just about any other: I am sending the USB signal from the computer to the best USB converter made (Berkeley Audio), thence to the best digital cable made (Stealth Varidig Sextet XLR), then to a DAC that is the equal of any (Berkeley Audio Alpha DAC) My test piece is a high res download of the Second Movement of Shostakovich’s 8th Symphony – lots of high frequencies (flutes, violins, etc) that are very loud and hard to reproduce without significant distortion This movement sounds very strident on 99% of high end systems

 

PS: It is nice to see a dealer that understates (rather than overstates) the case for a component upgrade!"

 

Best

 

Jeff

 

[sandyk]

Jeff

It seems highly likely that if you take the noisy +5V Vbus lead out of the equation as Mark and others have done by various methods, including the use of batteries, +5V Linear PSUs and SOtM +5V internal cards , that the differences between well engineered USB cables of a relatively short length will be absolutely minimal.The main problem isn't the cable itself, but the noisy Vbus line. The better high priced cables have much better isolation between the twisted pair D+ and D-, and the +5V supply leads which are not normally individually screened.

SandyK

 

[illuminetics]

Audioquest Diamond

 

[audiojim]

Transparent Audio USB Cable

 

Now, I find it very interesting that Transparent, which is one of the leaders of (insert adjective)__________ pricing only has ONE LEVEL of usb cable. If these can't find justification to sell something priced in the (insert adjective) ________ stratosphere, then you wonder if maybe the usb cable doesn't make too much difference, once (and this is probably a key caveat) you get to a certain level.

 

I hope to audition a much more expensive audioquest cable sometime with a 30 day return policy.

 

[Kristian Hansen]

Wireworld Starlight is my choice.

 

Cheers

Kris

 

[Talk2Me]

Please add Revelation Audio dual mono Prophecy Cryo Silver to the list.

 

[Mark Powell]

A battery supply, or even a decent power supply is a whole lot less expensive than many of these USB cables.

 

But remember. Very few DACs need USB power. In my two the USB power pin connector inside the box is not connected to anything.

 

My tests were with a low-cost S/PDIF converter that did use USB power.

 

So this may be of very limited use.

 

[dave_kiwi]

0.5m Oyaide Neo d+USB Class B (Green) Cable

 

[sandyk]

Mark

I use the supply as in the attached (hopefully) photo, in conjunction with a 1M USB cable with the +5V Vbus wire disconnected at the PC end of the cable.

Alex

 

 

 

 

[Talos2000]

Very few need it, but my Classé CP-800 uses the presence of the +5V signal in order to determine that the USB input is in fact active. Don't know why it needs to know that, but it does. Thought I might mention that.

 

[Kristian Hansen]

Platinum comes up for a test against Starlight next week on my system!

Do you have any link to the issue regarding USB fw-direct cabling?

 

Need to get my cabling in order:-)

 

Thx

Kris

 

[saint]

give up any thought of USB cables for Lent but what the heck. I have been very happy with Lee's (RIP) USB cables. I started with the Polestar and moved to the Axis and now have settled with the Nucleus.

 

[Suteetat]

Unfortunately I got to USB game a bit late as I was using firewire for a long time until Playback Design came out with its USB-X. Before that, I was using Locus Design firewire with Weiss INT202. Anyhow, after trying JPS Sperconductor 3, Audioquest Diamond, Belkin and ended up with Locus Design again. Unfortunately my local dealer only had Polestar and Axis left so I am using Axis now. Wished I got into USB cable sooner, I wish I had a chance to try Lee's other USB cable as well.

 

[Brooklynsonar]

DH LABS USB 3.0 Meter

 

Rocks!

 

[jackfish]

DH Labs Silver Sonic 0.5 meter

 

[MaxSeven]

Audioquest Forest

 

I don't like the looks of it though, would like something more aesthetically pleasing.

 

[JonP]

I am using one of the new Chord USB Silver Plus cables at the moment. It wasn't really a first choice but I bought it barely-used for half price and I did not have any other audio-quality USB cables with a full-sized "B" connector at hand.

 

I am normally a Wireworld man (I use them throughout my systems) but I am put-off by the physical design of all the Wireworld USB cables as I have found them difficult to route and they have a tendancy to put un-neccessary strain on delicate USB jacks due to their relative weight or relative stiffness.

 

The beauty of the Chord cable is that it is extremely light and extremely pliable - it seems that Chord were thinking of precisely these mechanical issues when they designed it.

 

Mind you, the sound isn't what I was expecting or used to - it has a very analogue and tube-like sound to it and possibly in consequence textures are a little thick sounding. But I can't complain for the price point and it would probably compete well with the Starlight Red and Ultraviolet ranges, albeit with a noticeably different sound signature.

 

I'd really like to see Chord come up with a premium model though whist retaining the desirable mechanical characteristics of their present cable. I would be very interested to hear a premium version that might be a little better resolving and with slightly more transparent texture rendition.