Given the competence of most all audiophile equipment developers, which published website specs would make a difference in deciding about a USB cable?
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USB cable recommended?
- Thread starter ozzzy
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Given the competence of most all audiophile equipment developers, which published website specs would make a difference in deciding about a USB cable?
After spending a few weeks with both the Shunyata Omega-X and the Synergistic Research Galileo Discovery USB cables, both in the $3K range, here's what I found:
Galileo Discovery (Gold module). -- a little laid back, easy listening in the best of senses, clear, articulate, tight, clean, smooth, balanced. It comes with the Gold and Master modules. So far I've found the Gold does everything a touch better.
Omega-X — Swings!, alive, expansive, clear, detailed, a little on the neutral side, in many ways an ideal sound
Both are clearly a-level-above cables. I hope to get another shot at the Omega-X to see if I can coax my system a smidgeon into the warm side with it. I had started to move there when I had to return it.
This review is intriguing because we had a customer Richard demo the shunyata omega x and bought our Infigo Audio cryogenic usb. I love the way you reviewed this. I would love for a comparison review on ours. I’m always interested in how others think it stacks up.
Well, as you know the Infigo is on the way and will get a full appraisal after burn in. I go with the sound I like, but have to admit I stand to lose a few hundred dollars if I don’t buy one of the other two.
what other cables you have tried, That should be said. I am using great PI audio USB cable with awesome results. Now it is time to compare it with commerfcial big guns for thousands of dollars. What do you guys suggest? I am searching for cable which sounds organic but still with great resolution and 3d space. Please advice. I will be able to try Shunyata Omega, I think.
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PM sent. While I’m still relatively early in burning in the Infigo USB mentioned in this thread (Calvinj), so far it seems like a very good mid-range priced cable. A more balanced sound than the Sablon Evo, although whether it matches the latter’s clarity remains tbd. The Synergistic Research Galileo Discovery is worth a shot if $3400 USD is in one’s price range. They also have also a SRX for upwards of $5K.
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I was lucky enough to have a demo of a Sablon Evo in the past few days to compare against my current (spoiler, now former) Audioquest Diamond.
For me it was a subtle change in the first few hours but once you start to hear what it's doing, there's no going back. The music I was listening to was quite busy as I sought out changes to soundstage and separation.
But when I listened to Take Five by Dave Brubeck Quartet, the drum break halfway through makes it clear as day what Evo brings to the table. And that's lifelike and realistic note weight. The resonances of the drums were incredible with the Evo. With Diamond, the notes had no weight, no heft, and the decay felt dry and overly fast. Those single solo kick drums halfway through the track get harder over a few bars. With Diamond you couldn't make out the dynamics as clearly. With the Evo it was so obvious and surprisingly stark.
It took a solid day's worth of listening then swapping the Diamond back in to realise how big a difference the Evo was making. Now I could hear what it was doing to distorted guitar parts, the crunch and twang of them. The pummelling dynamics of Tool's Ticks and Leeches drum intro and screeching opening guitar lines, and thunderous bass.
What really stands out for me though is vocal intimacy. Listening to Radiohead Thom Yorke's voice feels more upfront and the microdynamics coming through from his phrasing is just delightful.
I actually couldn't tolerate the Diamond in my system having heard the Evo. The Evo just does something to music that really really works for what I listen to.
I guess I can imagine someone possibly liking the Diamond over the Evo but it's tough for me to get there. I suppose if you like a drier clinical sound? But I must say that timbre and dynamics are more lifelike and realistic to me. It's not just that they're 'coloured' or 'warm'.
Also worth stressing that I find overall resolution and clarity to be an upgrade over Diamond. And for all of Diamond's rather silly battery powered DBS pack strapped to the wire, the Evo comfortably has a blacker background.
Mark at Sablon is a dream to work with btw. I cannot recommend the Evo enough. Now, I haven't heard anything beyond Evo levels but I have an Arctand Celestine2 arriving today on loan from a very generous online friend. That's a £3.5k USB just so you know what it is. I think though, once you're past a certain threshold of cost it's really about subjective preferences. But it will be interesting to see what a USB costing twice what Evo is can do.
Regardless, I'm going to incredibly happy with the Evo going forward. It's a fantastic piece of work.
For me it was a subtle change in the first few hours but once you start to hear what it's doing, there's no going back. The music I was listening to was quite busy as I sought out changes to soundstage and separation.
But when I listened to Take Five by Dave Brubeck Quartet, the drum break halfway through makes it clear as day what Evo brings to the table. And that's lifelike and realistic note weight. The resonances of the drums were incredible with the Evo. With Diamond, the notes had no weight, no heft, and the decay felt dry and overly fast. Those single solo kick drums halfway through the track get harder over a few bars. With Diamond you couldn't make out the dynamics as clearly. With the Evo it was so obvious and surprisingly stark.
It took a solid day's worth of listening then swapping the Diamond back in to realise how big a difference the Evo was making. Now I could hear what it was doing to distorted guitar parts, the crunch and twang of them. The pummelling dynamics of Tool's Ticks and Leeches drum intro and screeching opening guitar lines, and thunderous bass.
What really stands out for me though is vocal intimacy. Listening to Radiohead Thom Yorke's voice feels more upfront and the microdynamics coming through from his phrasing is just delightful.
I actually couldn't tolerate the Diamond in my system having heard the Evo. The Evo just does something to music that really really works for what I listen to.
I guess I can imagine someone possibly liking the Diamond over the Evo but it's tough for me to get there. I suppose if you like a drier clinical sound? But I must say that timbre and dynamics are more lifelike and realistic to me. It's not just that they're 'coloured' or 'warm'.
Also worth stressing that I find overall resolution and clarity to be an upgrade over Diamond. And for all of Diamond's rather silly battery powered DBS pack strapped to the wire, the Evo comfortably has a blacker background.
Mark at Sablon is a dream to work with btw. I cannot recommend the Evo enough. Now, I haven't heard anything beyond Evo levels but I have an Arctand Celestine2 arriving today on loan from a very generous online friend. That's a £3.5k USB just so you know what it is. I think though, once you're past a certain threshold of cost it's really about subjective preferences. But it will be interesting to see what a USB costing twice what Evo is can do.
Regardless, I'm going to incredibly happy with the Evo going forward. It's a fantastic piece of work.
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Nice summary of the Sablon Evo, which also matches my sonic impressions. In the Evo's price range, I think it is an exceptionally strong performer and the cable I would recommend, of those that I've owned or experimented with in my systems.
Mark is also a top notch person. As good as they come in the audio business.
Mark is also a top notch person. As good as they come in the audio business.
Hi, I have the opportunity to buy one of these cables, at a price 2 times lower than the market. I am confused which one to choose. There is no way to take it for audition. Siltech royal Double crown usb and synergistic research usb srx. What do you think about them, have you heard. Thank you
Buy both - test and sell the one you don't want for full price and you'll have yours almost for free 
It won't work like that)). And selling a top-end USB cable is not an easy and long task.Buy both - test and sell the one you don't want for full price and you'll have yours almost for free
I would exclude Siltech first. The sound performance of this brand's "USB" cables is not superior to other products in the same price range.
I have a sotm tx-usbultra regenerator, a Synergistic Research srx usb and a ww platinum usb 8. I want to change the ww platinum to a top cable. The Synergistic Research will remain. I need two top cables for the regenerator.
It seems that you have personal reasons for using USB connection. If you have the budget for Synergistic Research SRX USB, I suggest you first replace the sotm TX-USBbultra with Innuos Phoenix USB or Ideon Audio Σigma Wave.
If you just want to change the USB cable, you need to refine the question, for example, what are the current dissatisfactions with platinum usb 8? Also, is there a limit to the budget?
If you just want to change the USB cable, you need to refine the question, for example, what are the current dissatisfactions with platinum usb 8? Also, is there a limit to the budget?
I don't plan to change sotm yet. I have the top version, I plan to assemble a harness on sotm, including switches and their new music server. For now, USB is my main source. In terms of budget, I can work to get cables at a discount if my dealer can bring them. I'm still studying the options. But I don't have the opportunity to buy several cables for testing. QLN Prestige Five acoustics and a top-end Albedo Silver harness are coming to me. All this is already ordered. I'm looking for a cable that will provide transparency without losing musicality and timbre drawdown. I want to find some reasonable end game, so that I don't have to sort out cables later.
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