Light Harmonic LightSpeed USB Cable Split Configuration

Lee

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2011
3,186
1,717
1,260
Alpharetta, Georgia
I read that review, you place the AQ Diamond and the Shunyata Venom before the LightSpeed.

I do and the newer version of the Venom is even better although I still prefer the Venom. There is a nice fullness to the mids of the Shunyata.
 

highstream

VIP/Donor
Nov 16, 2013
1,089
428
488
I have both of the cables you discuss and agree with Bruce. What does "rather hifi" mean. Your analogy borders on the absurd especially in the context of your so called comparisons. Prefer what you want, but the LightSpeed is not "rather hifi".

So you listened to a "friends Light Harmonic LightSpeed and a Totaldac" BUT "not at the same time" and came to the conclusion that the LightSpeed is "rather hifi".

Nuf said.
Although Lindemann said more than what you're citing, listen to the TotalDac1 USB cable/filter and I suspect you'll better understand my sing along comment and Lindemann's emotion one. You'll also likely pick up on what professional reviewers are hearing in comparing the two.
 

Priaptor

Member Sponsor
Jan 28, 2012
929
19
0
FL
Although Lindemann said more than what you're citing, listen to the TotalDac1 USB cable/filter and I suspect you'll better understand my sing along comment and Lindemann's emotion one. You'll also likely pick up on what professional reviewers are hearing in comparing the two.

What are you talking about. I was citing CKeung who said the LH was "rather hi if"

By the what is a professional reviewer? They get paid.

I have both cables and I like the LH better in my big system and the TotalDac better in my second system.

Guess what I was in the business of Audiophile distribution for years so I guess my opinion qualifies as a professional one.

One thing I can say is the LH IS NOT "rather HiFi" a ludicrous comment
 

marty

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
3,016
4,153
2,520
United States
Has anyone tried the Wireworld Platinum USB cable. Great reviews but would be curious as to real world feedback
 

Lee

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2011
3,186
1,717
1,260
Alpharetta, Georgia
Has anyone tried the Wireworld Platinum USB cable. Great reviews but would be curious as to real world feedback

I was not impressed. I had it for three weeks on demo. It had already been broken in. Diamond was much better in my opinion.
 

Drikus

Member Sponsor
Sep 28, 2012
1,390
223
985
Brussels
Although Lindemann said more than what you're citing, listen to the TotalDac1 USB cable/filter and I suspect you'll better understand my sing along comment and Lindemann's emotion one. You'll also likely pick up on what professional reviewers are hearing in comparing the two.

My emotional comment? What, where?
Only my ears and the cable in my set-up counts for me, not what "professional reviewers" say.
 

kennyb123

Well-Known Member
Nov 30, 2012
851
788
1,155
Kirkland, WA
listen to the TotalDac1 USB cable/filter and I suspect you'll better understand my sing along comment and Lindemann's emotion one.

I find emotional comments helpful when they pertain to a positive emotional reaction - providing that a reason is provided. For example, "I was grinning ear to ear due to how much more lifelike the music sounded due to the cable improving both macro and micro dynamics". This tells me that I might experience this same emotional reaction as improved dynamic performance almost always gets me grinning too.

The lack of an emotional reaction says nothing when no reason is provided. "Don't find myself singing along" without saying why provides me with nothing useful as I have no idea if I would experience this same reaction. It's also contrary to my own experience with the LightSpeed. And, frankly, I've never heard a system, EVER, that kept me from singing along.

I've noticed over the many years I've been involved in this hobby that there are some who play what I call the "emotion card". The most common is "it just didn't get me to tap my toes". Often it has seemed to me that when someone plays this card - without any providing supporting reasons - the goal is simply to invent something negative about a product they really can't find fault with. It's taking a stand without really taking a stand, as no reasonsing is provided that can be rebutted. It seems to me that HI-FI News in their review of the Lightspeed where they wrote "This is very nearly a ‘great cable’ but where is the emotion?" is a good example of what appears to me to be playing the "emotion card". It seems like they just weren't content to say only positive things about the LightSpeed.

To be clear, I have encountered systems that have impacted my ability to want to "tap my toes". I wouldn't offer that exact criticism though. I would say instead something like "that system had real problems in the time domain that caused rhythm and timing to greatly suffer - and I had a hard time enjoying it as a result". I could then, if asked, offer additional context around the problems I observed. This could help others to determine if there's a chance they'd have the same emotional reaction.
 

Priaptor

Member Sponsor
Jan 28, 2012
929
19
0
FL
My emotional comment? What, where?
Only my ears and the cable in my set-up counts for me, not what "professional reviewers" say.

Lindeman he got YOU confused with Keung who said the LH cable was "rather HiFi" a moronic comment.
 

Lee

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2011
3,186
1,717
1,260
Alpharetta, Georgia
Lindeman he got YOU confused with Keung who said the LH cable was "rather HiFi" a moronic comment.

Many people I know describe gear as being "hifi" which is usually meant to suggest impressive in a detailed or exaggerated way but not as musical.
 

Priaptor

Member Sponsor
Jan 28, 2012
929
19
0
FL
Many people I know describe gear as being "hifi" which is usually meant to suggest impressive in a detailed or exaggerated way but not as musical.

Well many people interpret things many ways, usually wrong and just read Keung's comments and I think it is clear what he meant.
 

highstream

VIP/Donor
Nov 16, 2013
1,089
428
488
Keung wrote:
"I listened to my friend's Light Harmonic LightSpeed and a Totaldac usb filter cable in the same system (though not at the same time) and prefer the Totaldac. IMHO LightSpeed is rather hifi whereas Totaldac is very musical yet without much loss in hifi parameters such as agility, resolution...etc. My 2 cents."

I took that *in context* to mean Keung equated not being "very musical" with being "rather hifi." The latter is rather a harsh, or categorical, way put it in my opinion, not something I would say, but it is not illogical. It would help if Keung clarified his meaning.

That phrase aside, his opinion is also broadly consistent with the HiFi News review that Lindeman cited in post #3. It is also an opinion - really, disgruntlement - I came to myself after a couple of months with the LS, without having read either the review or yet heard of the TotalDac1. Now, after two weeks with the latter and some comparing, I haven't had any desire to return to the LS. They are very different sounding cables, and I think in comparison the TD1 exposes a couple of substantial weaknesses of the LS. That is not to say that the TD1 is without weaknesses of its own or that the LS might not mesh better with other systems.
 
Last edited:

Drikus

Member Sponsor
Sep 28, 2012
1,390
223
985
Brussels
I have the LightSpeed for a few weeks in my system now and I've been really drawn into the music with this cable. If that's not emotion, I don't know what it is then! Very musical, huge soundstage, you name it, it's all there.
 

highstream

VIP/Donor
Nov 16, 2013
1,089
428
488
I have the LightSpeed for a few weeks in my system now and I've been really drawn into the music with this cable. If that's not emotion, I don't know what it is then! Very musical, huge soundstage, you name it, it's all there.
You tried the TotalDac1?
 

highstream

VIP/Donor
Nov 16, 2013
1,089
428
488
Me too, although I bought mine used - and just sold it for nearly what I paid. While I found the pro reviews/blogs linked on the TotalDac site a little vague about tonality/timbre, which is most important to me, otherwise those that compared the two cables are pretty much dead on in the specifics to my hearing. Since I've sold mine, I can now say out loud that after spending some time with the TD1 (and swallowing the cost of shipping and card fees), I found the LS unlistenable on the music I used for comparison. That's stronger than the reviews put it, so I better qualify that statement with the usual "my system*" and out of respect for what Priaptor has found in his two setups.

*i7 desktop, JCAT USB card, PS Audio PWD II, Quad 12L active speakers, Audience conditioner, Furutech distributor and fuses, HiDiamond cords/IC, JPlay, foobar (and Core Audio Kora LPS when it comes back)
 

Priaptor

Member Sponsor
Jan 28, 2012
929
19
0
FL
Me too, although I bought mine used - and just sold it for nearly what I paid. While I found the pro reviews/blogs linked on the TotalDac site a little vague about tonality/timbre, which is most important to me, otherwise those that compared the two cables are pretty much dead on in the specifics to my hearing. Since I've sold mine, I can now say out loud that after spending some time with the TD1 (and swallowing the cost of shipping and card fees), I found the LS unlistenable on the music I used for comparison. That's stronger than the reviews put it, so I better qualify that statement with the usual "my system*" and out of respect for what Priaptor has found in his two setups.

*i7 desktop, JCAT USB card, PS Audio PWD II, Quad 12L active speakers, Audience conditioner, Furutech distributor and fuses, HiDiamond cords/IC, JPlay, foobar (and Core Audio Kora LPS when it comes back)

"Unlistenable"

Come on guys gimme a break. Look I have both have no dog in this fight and your damn right "in your system".

They are both fine cables and I can surely see where one may work better than the other depending upon one's system but you guys make me laugh with discriptions such "unlistenable" or other validating comments to make you feel good such as how all the others who compared the two found them just the way you did.

Hey whatever gets your rocks off. I am glad you no longer have an "unlistenable" system.
 

treitz3

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dec 25, 2011
5,455
949
1,290
The tube lair in beautiful Rock Hill, SC
Hello, Priaptor. I read your post and perhaps you may have taken some comments a little too seriously. This is a discussion board and all comments *should* be welcome, so long as they are respectfully written. I do believe this was highstream's intention with his post. I have heard cables that I have absolutely loved in other people's rig and when I tried them out in a particular spot in my rig, I was surprised to find them "unlistenable" compared to what I had at the time. I couldn't begin to explain to you as to why this was the case but my observations mimicked his.....just not with this particular set of cables. I personally don't feel observations like this should be omitted from the discussion table as many folks may want to know this. Not everything in audio can be "the best" or all praise with no negatives. Plus, what is unlistenable to one may very well be sonic bliss to another.

Point being, synergy plays a large part and some cables can make......or break a system. I wouldn't take it so personally. Comments like this may be valuable information to someone looking for the parameters (tonality/timbre) highstream was most looking for when making observations in his rig.

Just friendly food for thought. ;) Please have a good evening. I think I'll slide out now.....

Tom
 

Priaptor

Member Sponsor
Jan 28, 2012
929
19
0
FL
Hello, Priaptor. I read your post and perhaps you may have taken some comments a little too seriously. This is a discussion board and all comments *should* be welcome, so long as they are respectfully written. I do believe this was highstream's intention with his post. I have heard cables that I have absolutely loved in other people's rig and when I tried them out in a particular spot in my rig, I was surprised to find them "unlistenable" compared to what I had at the time. I couldn't begin to explain to you as to why this was the case but my observations mimicked his.....just not with this particular set of cables. I personally don't feel observations like this should be omitted from the discussion table as many folks may want to know this. Not everything in audio can be "the best" or all praise with no negatives. Plus, what is unlistenable to one may very well be sonic bliss to another.

Point being, synergy plays a large part and some cables can make......or break a system. I wouldn't take it so personally. Comments like this may be valuable information to someone looking for the parameters (tonality/timbre) highstream was most looking for when making observations in his rig.

Just friendly food for thought. ;) Please have a good evening. I think I'll slide out now.....

Tom

Synergy is one thing but comments such as "unlistenable", "the best" do nothing for a discussion. From my perch and IMHO these kind of comments make a discussion basically worthless and does nothing but call into question the legitimacy of the person using such a qualifier. Plus he said it "was stronger than the reviews said it" another absurd comment. Or implying everyone who has tried both had had his same opinion another bogus comment.

Been around this stuff too long both as a distributor in my younger days and always a hobbyist to pay attention to such polarizing comments.

But whatever. If you enjoy the dialogue great.
 

highstream

VIP/Donor
Nov 16, 2013
1,089
428
488
Thank you trietz 3, you caught my thrust exactly.

Priaptor, For someone who doesn't have a dog in the fight, you're sure doing a lot of fighting. You're not the boss here. If you really don't like a term, then just ask the poster to clarify their comment. That's always fair.
 

Priaptor

Member Sponsor
Jan 28, 2012
929
19
0
FL
Thank you trietz 3, you caught my thrust exactly.

Priaptor, For someone who doesn't have a dog in the fight, you're sure doing a lot of fighting. You're not the boss here. If you really don't like a term, then just ask the poster to clarify their comment. That's always fair.

I could care less which you or any other like better it is the preposterous dogmatic comments you and others make that I find petulant.

As I have said before I am married to no piece of equipment don't need the approval of a reviewer or a blogger.

However if you are going to make generalized comments implying what reviewers really meant or how all others who compared the two have your opinion I will call you out on it. Not trying to be the boss just pointing out the absurdity.
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing