[ruthieandjohn]

I’m adding a headphone capability to my speaker based audio system. Of course, I listed to speakers about 13 feet away, on the other side of the room, and that Ian where my Roon server is.

To route to headphones, I either have to run a headphone extension wire across the room (actually about 30 feet to route it through the floor and back - using two of the thick 15 foot Grado headphone extension cords), or bring the DAC / amp that drives the headphone (a Chord Hugo 1) a signal from the USB2 output from my Roon QNAP server, again about 30 feet when run under the floor.

Which is preferred, and why?

Thanks!

 

[548184]

Forgive my short post. I'll not a reg on this site.

IMO, I wouldn't touch headphone cables. It's nice to see you connect from Server to DAC. That seems to be the trend from General Servers to powerful servers. Endpoints are useless at this point.

For zero loss, I suggest a USB optical extender cable paired with a Uptone USPCB microUSB. You can order in various lengths.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/wha...le-for-the-money.718548/page-34#post-16550494

This inexpensive Monoprice SlimRun USB 3.0 extender is the functional equivalent of MSB's Pro USB adapter for a non-MSB DAC and comes in lengths of up to 164 feet and for the 65 foot length that I am using, I paid only $200 USD. Unlike a lot of other optical USB solutions, it is backward compatible with USB 2.0 and provides a pure optical data connection from server to DAC. While 5V VBUS and power to the receiving module is generally provided by the server's USB port, it can be fully bypassed with a 5V battery (or in my case, an LPS-1.2) resulting in complete galvanic isolation. To ensure that this is the case, I have shut off the 5V VBUS coming from the JCAT Femto USB card by pulling its jumper. Unlike the Corning optical USB cable (which I own and sounds horrible), this fiber USB extender when coupled with Sablon's latest USB cable sounds REALLY good and, to my ears, is superior to the Intona USB 3.0 isolator (which I find flattens the sound stage). There is a very obvious drop in noise floor resulting in greater clarity and definition with no perceptible downside that I can hear. The further benefit of this complete galvanic isolation is that I no longer hear any benefits from grounding the Extreme. This solution has proven so effective that I use it for both listening rooms but just as importantly, I am now fully leveraging the Extreme in both listening rooms without the use of a sound degrading endpoint.

Finally, I was curious to know how the Extreme would sound as a Roon endpoint while using my AMD 12-core server as the Roon server. Would the Extreme benefit from offloading some of the work to another high-power device? The presentation was full and dynamic but I found that the AMD server actually slowed down the Extreme and I say this quite literally. In this configuration, the Extreme sounds slower and it is a definite step backward. Thus far, the Extreme sounds best standalone.

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/thre...-crème-de-la-crème.27433/page-150#post-631854

 

[silent-circuit]

The above is probably your best bet. You definitely don't want to run an analogue signal any farther than needed. Given digital is an "it made it or it didn't" signal, that's always the preferred option for long runs. As for if you need optical conversion for a 30ft run, I don't know. If a 30ft standard copper cable is relatively inexpensive / easily returnable, I'd try that first... But I'm cheap.

 

[Roseval]

The max the USB standard allows for is 5m , say 15 feet.
If you need 30, you need some kind of extender.
Check if High Speed is supported as this is needed for UAC2 (USB Audio Class 2)

 

[Rebel Chris]

Option 3: middle long USB to DAC,same middle length for the analog cable

 

[548184]

I don't think cost is a factor, but if it is Black Friday is around the corner. Also, someone mentioned they can get a used for around $20 on Amazon. I haven't explored since I already own one. Plus Monoprice offers 30-day full satisfaction returns. You can also search for Monoprice coupon codes for free delivery and discounts that are always available.

Also forgot to mention the cable is very pliable so easy to route. This solution was discovered by a Chord OG Legend, romaz.

If RFI is a factor... As Rob Watts states, RFI is a plaque that permeates throughout the Audio industry. So USB optical is the only Zero-Plaque policy. Otherwise you are going to have to live with the plaque if you use a traditional USB cable or extend headphone cables. Extending those just opens more opportunity for RFI.

If this cable is good enough for romaz and ray-dude, I good with... Here's ray-dudes system for an example of how the Monoprice is implemented:



Note: I can't remember if the Hugo₁ has a flimsy microUSB jack. You will need to to put this setup on a stable surface and be aware to not put pressure on the jack. With headphone cables, I don't set it as an issue as headphone cables are a pretty good length. But if you place it on a sofa, you may accidentally pressure the jack.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

I have tried a vanilla 25 foot USB cable, $10 on Amazon. Works great! At least I guess it does. For a digital cable, there is no “gradual” degradation, right? If the unamplified cable were too long, I would just get nothing, or perhaps static. Anyway, now my problem is the mechanical challenge of threading it through the hole that has a bunch of other cable going down under my house. That is way harder than these electromagnetic problems!