Transparent USB cable
- Thread starter flez007
- Start date
If you don't think it makes a difference then you don't have any experience.
Sorry. That comment was much more polite than what you'd get if I expressed my actual feelings about spending $200 on a usb cable. I actually own an "audiophile" usb cable. Got it when I was in the business, at just a hair over cost, which is a small fraction of retail (the mark-up on premium cables is mind-boggling). And I've "heard" several others. So I have some experience. I just didn't think it worth mentioning, because they way these things always go is that your opinion is not valid unless you have experience, and if you have experience, then your opinion is not valid unless you have "heard" the specific cable in question, and if you have, then your opinion is not valid....the list gets rather long.
Actually, I will concede that there are design considerations in usb cables that could mitigate audio problems that could occur in the transfer of data from point A to point B and might even be audible. All of them, except for the elimination of the power-carrying wire, can be and are implemented in many quality cables that sell for <$50. Where's the other $150? Gone.
And all of these problems that are being solved by these premium cables? At the margins that are being made, if they were substantive, their audible affect on the system output would be measured, published and marketed, and the manufacture of premium digital cables would be a big business selling to businesses with critical applications -- R&D, recording, etc. Instead, they are all small (though I'm sure very profitable) boutique companies selling to a niche hobby market well-known for it's excessive spending habits and denial of pretty basic science and engineering.
There's your long answer.
Tim
Actually, I will concede that there are design considerations in usb cables that could mitigate audio problems that could occur in the transfer of data from point A to point B and might even be audible. All of them, except for the elimination of the power-carrying wire, can be and are implemented in many quality cables that sell for <$50. Where's the other $150? Gone.
And all of these problems that are being solved by these premium cables? At the margins that are being made, if they were substantive, their audible affect on the system output would be measured, published and marketed, and the manufacture of premium digital cables would be a big business selling to businesses with critical applications -- R&D, recording, etc. Instead, they are all small (though I'm sure very profitable) boutique companies selling to a niche hobby market well-known for it's excessive spending habits and denial of pretty basic science and engineering.
There's your long answer.
Tim
Now when you say you "concede" ..... "could"......."could"....."might"...... you sound more like a politician than a comedian - plausible deniability at every step!!
However, you do say that you know about the important USB cable design considerations - can you tell us what they are, please?
I did suggest that you try a direct USB connection (i.e no USB cable) but despite saying you would, I see that you have never bothered to do so!! The cost certainly was not the issue here - not interested I guess or you already know the answer?
The discussion is a very interesting one to consider it closed, as originator of the thread I will kindly ask all incumbents to focus on the objective/subjective aspects of USB cabling and surrounding technology, please 
There are a couple of ways of looking at this, John. One is the view you've taken; that I've left open some escape doors. Another is that I've left open the possibility that there are audible problems that audiophile digital cables are solving, even though I haven't personally seen or heard any evidence of that. Not in the listening, not in the data, not in the marketplace. YMMV, but only in the listening. The marketplace has spoken. And I'd love to see the data, with the qualifier that I'm personally only interested in changes that are demonstrated, in the data, not sighted listening, to audibly effect analog output at the end of the signal chain. That's not your criteria, and that's fine. But it is mine; it is my baseline. Any other challenges to my POV are meaningless to me, without it. I've just seen too many audiophiles, manufacturers, reviewers fooled by their own perceptions and far too little interest in these kinds of breakthroughs by any industries outside of the hobby running much more critical applications than entertainment.
Again, YMMV. My apologies again for the thread crap. One man's joke is another's insult.
Tim
Well, I can see how the "will to live" comment raised the SN. The rest imparted wisdom, and a badly needed call for reason and discipline.
Carry on.Tim
That's fine Tim if you don't hear a difference but for those of us that do, who is to say we are wrong?
There are a lot of things in audio that are difficult (or not even possible) to measure to explain.
Also, one thing to keep in mind is that even though the data is digital, ie. one and zeroes, they are traveling in an analog fashion down the wire.
Are the bits arriving at the precise time or is there a possibility of jitter affecting the signal? Why do so many people hear the difference of Audioquest Diamond USB over generic or Gold Belkin?
I'm not sure what the cause is but I hear it.
Eventually someone will come up with measurements like Caelin Gabriel did for his Shunyata power cords. I also heard a nice improvement when I put Shunyata power cords in my system.
But we don't have to wait for science to catch up if we hear a difference today.
Are the bits arriving at the precise time or is there a possibility of jitter affecting the signal? Why do so many people hear the difference of Audioquest Diamond USB over generic or Gold Belkin?
I'm not sure what the cause is but I hear it.
Eventually someone will come up with measurements like Caelin Gabriel did for his Shunyata power cords. I also heard a nice improvement when I put Shunyata power cords in my system.
But we don't have to wait for science to catch up if we hear a difference today.
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