Curious USB cable

caliaripaolo

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2012
492
192
950
Italia
I need to share with you my successful experience with this incredible and astonishing USB cable.
I was not searching to replace my Totaldac USB cable, but reading on internet, I come across some positive reports concerning this little "piece of intellettual beauty".
A little package arrived few days after the order (with a 30 day back granted and return shipment fees included.)
I settled the cable and started a 50 hours burn-in procedure during last week.
The cable is ready now and What I'm currently listening to is something totally new!! A large amount of details which apparently was missing or not correctly emphasized, leading to a still more correct placement of the instruments.
Tons of harmonics around the instruments that make it even more real and vivid.
Great detail and fluidity that allow a relaxed listening even at high sound pressure levels.
BTW, I think the USB cable, for a computer based system, has to be considered as a "Cartridges" for analog, and as the latter, each USB cable has its own specific "sound".
I still own other cables ( and still I have ), just to name a few: Totaldac, Ridge Street design Alethia, MIT....
But, in my system, Curious USB cable it is quite another league.
 

witchdoctor

Well-Known Member
Apr 23, 2016
337
5
148
I need to share with you my successful experience with this incredible and astonishing USB cable.
I was not searching to replace my Totaldac USB cable, but reading on internet, I come across some positive reports concerning this little "piece of intellettual beauty".
A little package arrived few days after the order (with a 30 day back granted and return shipment fees included.)
I settled the cable and started a 50 hours burn-in procedure during last week.
The cable is ready now and What I'm currently listening to is something totally new!! A large amount of details which apparently was missing or not correctly emphasized, leading to a still more correct placement of the instruments.
Tons of harmonics around the instruments that make it even more real and vivid.
Great detail and fluidity that allow a relaxed listening even at high sound pressure levels.
BTW, I think the USB cable, for a computer based system, has to be considered as a "Cartridges" for analog, and as the latter, each USB cable has its own specific "sound".
I still own other cables ( and still I have ), just to name a few: Totaldac, Ridge Street design Alethia, MIT....
But, in my system, Curious USB cable it is quite another league.

Thanks for posting this, I will check it out.
 

Lee Henley

Well-Known Member
Feb 21, 2014
178
120
350
England, UK
Thanks for this posting, the Curious cable has been on my radar for quite a while, it's interesting that you own the Ridge Street Audio cable, a friend of mine has one and we have both tested it in our systems and to date that has been the best cable we have heard by a country mile, the Curious cable must be quite a very good cable
 

caliaripaolo

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2012
492
192
950
Italia
Thanks for this posting, the Curious cable has been on my radar for quite a while, it's interesting that you own the Ridge Street Audio cable, a friend of mine has one and we have both tested it in our systems and to date that has been the best cable we have heard by a country mile, the Curious cable must be quite a very good cable

Yes, indeed, it is a very great USB cable. My system is very revealing and subject to improve for little change on the chain.
Note which I've strongly managed the Power and the Ground of my gears, which I think is the right way to fix some issues on Computer based systems.
Curious uses the same method as well Ridge Street Alethias (2 separate wires for data and power), but with different wires dimentions and materials.
What is amazing is the increase of the three-dimensionality of instruments, achieved using an USB cable that transfers strings of bit, leaving to assume of an improved amount of bits properly transferred.
 

Audiocrack

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2012
2,177
687
1,158
If somebody is interested, I have one Curious usb cable in excellent condition available. Now using an unpowered usb cable with my Lampi GG dac.
 

caliaripaolo

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2012
492
192
950
Italia
some updates after consolidation of burn in period.
This cable is really FANTASTIC!!! details improved at least of the 30% (average).
Ambient's sounds are shown into the musical hall as for real, each row of the orchestra is fully seated and easily recognizable into the group.
Timpani are correctly positioned, with great physical impact, without giving the feeling of getting out of their natural location.
There is no hint of harsh sound even at very high sound pressure levels.
Trumpets are very clear, open, but not strident.
Great and incredible cable!!!
 

Audiocrack

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2012
2,177
687
1,158
As mentioned before I have a Curious (0,8m) usb-cable in 10/10 condition available/for sale. So if somebody is interested, please give me a pm.
 

John57

Well-Known Member
Sep 29, 2015
237
39
260
Melbourne, Australia
Interestingly...I have two Curious Cables. One stock and the other fully shielded against EMI RFI. It was done as a test. Isolating the power cable has been frequently done in the headphone/DAC market. It is renowned there as a significant means of reducing audible noise and lowering the noise floor. So I wanted to take it one step further and shield the exposed power cable so had my guy do that shielding for me. I need to arrange testing now, and welcome anyone's inputs into the best connection method.

Currently I use my Mac Book Air VLC > USB out > Big Ego Emotiva DAC > SE Upgraded AV8802A > Power Amp. I was thinking though, of trying to connect directly to my Oppo 103D SE then through the preamp/amp chain. Would this create different benchmark between cables? Would it render the MBA as a hard drive only and use its own DAC as the main player, and would this make any difference really?

What if I used an external SSD as the source, and connected this directly to the Oppo as I normally use a standard cable for such connection.

I guess all these options can be tried to detect any audible difference between the stock and shielded cables...
 

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