[BIG POPPA]

I have some "Nice" Cables. Furutech and Kimber Kables. A to mini B cables. I will bring them.

 

[Austin Morrow]

Quote:

I have some "Nice" Cables. Furutech and Kimber Kables. A to mini B cables. I will bring them.

I have some nice cables. Zombie X SXC Cable & Q Cable. Headphone cables...

 

[KingStyles]

If I didnt know better, I would think Big Poppa is dabbling in some computer audio.

 

[BIG POPPA]

Easy there Josh......... I may Know a few people.......Keep it it on the down low.......

 

[fallingreason]

Quote:

"Nice" USB cables? Let me guess - tighter bass, blacker backgrounds, more air around individual instruments, and a more tactile, intimate and stronger presentation?

 

 
I'm not for praising extremely high-end cables, but I like to have quality connections for my equipment.  I think its reasonable for cables to cost about 10-15% of a system.  
 
 

 

[palmfish]

I was just trying to be funny.
 
I don't believe cables affect the sound (unless you have an extrememly long run, in which impedance might be affected), I agree quality cables are nice to have (for appearance or for better terminations).
 
I like Monoprice cables myself - which cost about 1% or 2% of total system cost.
 
2 weeks to go...

 

[BIG POPPA]

I usually make the cables I use. Have not got into making USB. Just IC's, Senn's and power for now.

 

[Sentient]

Just reading some of the things I'll be sampling at this meet makes my ears excited.. I've never had my ears feel excited before. 

 

[patricklang]

 
I am planning to bring my NuForce HDP which is capable of 24/96 with USB.  However, I do not own any nice USB cables, just generic USB2.0 A to B cables.  It works fine, but if someone else wants to bring a nice USB cable we could use that with the HDP.

Cheers 

I appreciate the offer - but I'm looking for USB -> SPDIF, rather than USB -> analog. I'm trying to work around the Emotiva's lack of 24/96k support over USB so that I can do blind A-B tests between the Emotiva and other contenders such as your NuForce and hopefully a Schiit Bifrost DAC.

I think I may have found a solution. MusiciansFriend.com has the Tascam US-800 on sale for $99 shipped, which has SPDIF output. If the drivers work, that should fix my problem.

 

[fallingreason]

I see.  A uDAC2 would also fit the bill as it has a standard RCA size SPDIF output.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/579680/nuforce-black-hdp-violet-udac-2

 

[sachu]

Gil, any chance the good people at Front panel express can lend me a monitor, keyboard and mouse so i can use my Mac mini as a transport for the duration of the meet? And call me tonight after 10:00 dude if you can. Tried to message you last night, but was probably too late.

 

[Doc B.]

Quote:

I was just trying to be funny.
 
I don't believe cables affect the sound (unless you have an extrememly long run, in which impedance might be affected), I agree quality cables are nice to have (for appearance or for better terminations).
 
I like Monoprice cables myself - which cost about 1% or 2% of total system cost.
 
2 weeks to go...

That's interesting, because we have some Monoprice cables that measure about 3-4 dB down at 10kHz running from a 200mH source into a 100K ohm load. We had to retire them from use in the lab because of this. So it's not just a matter of faith, even if you can't hear the problem you can measure some of the problems that exist with some cables and the way they interact. It's not just source and load impedance that matter, though that is very important. Capacitance has a large influence and different insulating materials do color the sound in different ways. These are reproducible effects on a system that can resolve the differences - that said, a lot of systems may not show a difference. If a Monoprice cable costs $2.50...I'm not saying that multi thousand dollar cables make any sense at all, I've heard systems completely ruined by the use of some of the most expensive cables I've ever seen ...but if that $2.50 cable is in a $250 system the system might not have the resolution necessary to show a difference with a different cable. And thus you might not need to spend a bunch on a more expensive cable.

 

[palmfish]

Quote:

we have some Monoprice cables that measure about 3-4 dB down at 10kHz running from a 200mH source into a 100K ohm load.

 
In what type of audio device do you see a 100K ohm load? I admit I haven't used my electronics training in more than 25 years...
 
Also, although I acknowledge this might apply to cables and interconnects, how would it apply to a digital (USB) cable?

 

[KingStyles]

I have found a lot of problems with digital cables. Mostly when I run high resolution materials that are 24/192. A lot of cables were causing drop outs because they wernt able to get the squarewave to the other side of the cable effeciantly enough. This would also cause problems with lower resolutions also though not as apperant as dropouts, but maybe a distortion of the PR@T.

 

[Wharfrat]

Gil, any chance the good people at Front panel express can lend me a monitor, keyboard and mouse so i can use my Mac mini as a transport for the duration of the meet? And call me tonight after 10:00 dude if you can. Tried to message you last night, but was probably too late.

Sachu...I happen to have a wireless keyboard and mouse (and can bring a monitor if you can't get one) that has already been set up to work with a MacBook Pro...I assume it will work with your Mac mini...