Audioquest USB cables
Jun 23, 2018 at 10:21 AM Post #32 of 43
I have a series of several Diamonds going into various filtering devices before into DAVE. It makes a nice difference. Is it worth $4,500 not really. The MSB select does not benefit from this go figure. Well, DAVE does not benefit like a $1,000 DAC either. However, going to spend that for a $1,000 DAC? Probably not. I think just a Diamond straight into anything is perhaps the best sounding cable. It is TAS current reference. If you can deal with a Meter or less the price is certainly not unheard of IMO. I have a Siltech or something that is magnitudes more money but not as good.

Honestly though here is what I would do. USB is not a friend of ours okay. So take that USB and change it to Toslink or Coax with your choice of a myriad of converters at all price points. A little Secret, one of those $25 DAC boxes off Ebay will do this for you. I do not mean any fancy one just something that says DAC. Has USB,TOS and Coax. Most of those should do it. Like the one Radio Shack used to sell in their stores. Then you could very nicely use both cables in Carbon from AQ and get better sound than a Diamond USB.
 
Jan 17, 2019 at 3:17 AM Post #34 of 43
skamp said:
If you believe a USB cable can alter digital sound (which is nothing but data), how can you trust they won't also alter the files in your USB hard drives and card readers, pictures in digital cameras and scanners, videos in camcorders, etc…?
Click to expand...

Stank: Pure genius. Where did you gain such insight -and inspiration for that most telling profile pic ?

pj
 
May 4, 2019 at 10:42 PM Post #35 of 43
I think why some USB cables "sound" different/better than generic is the way the ground and power cables are arranged and shielded. In terms of data, the USB protocol, including voltage difference for 0 and 1, the error correction and data buffer on the DAC side are fairly fool proof. So long as the USB standard is adhered to, the data should be perfect regardless of cable.

However, unlike computer equipment which is substantially digital, DAC has extensive analog section that relies on clean power and ground plane within the DAC for optimal performance. A badly designed DAC may be affected by the noise in the power and ground of the USB cable. Given PC is generally very noisy, the noise is typically carried on the power/ground plane of the USB cable.

I think the goal many of these "audiophile" USB cable is trying to accomplish is to isolate the power and ground from each other and from the twisted pair that carry the data. However, I query whether isolating various conductors in the USB cable can achieve the desired goal of providing clean power to the USB module inside the DAC and ensure DAC voltage and ground planes are not contaminated with noise from PC.

I use good quality generic shielded USB cable and ifi USB in the middle to lift the ground and to provide a separate source of power on the USB cable. My EE background is probably what's preventing me from spending the money on more expensive USB cables without someone explaining to me how power/ground problems can be solved by a more expensive USB cable as opposed to an active device.

Also, USB cable should be as short as possible to reduce potential noise - this is not like coax where there can be potential reflection if certain physical properties of the cable (length, material and connector) are not perfect.
 
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Aug 3, 2019 at 3:16 PM Post #36 of 43
It appears I got a bum Audioquest Coffee cable from Ebay. When I plug it in, it doesn't get recognized by my devices or computer. The DBS works, according to the LED light. But so far, any equipment I've plugged it into hasn't recognized it. I'm going to try one last ditch effort and try to hook my printer to my PC with it before I call it a wash. I did get it used on Ebay from a guy who couldn't guarantee if it worked or not (only that the DBS system was charged) for $100 (vs the normal $329). There is some sticky residue on the outside of the cable (which is why I got it so cheap) but I can't imagine that messing with anything internally.

Is there a trick to getting this cable to work or did I just get a broken cable?
 
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Aug 9, 2021 at 10:33 PM Post #38 of 43
PhoebeFairchild said:
Nah, I will get the Audioquest Diamond 1.5 meter USB cable next year.
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I know I’m new to this but I had the Cinnamon in my car, upgraded to the Carbon and I can turn it up tremendously with very little fatigue. My wife didn’t want me to spend $700 on the Diamond but now after the Carbon, I’m like darn I wish I would have! 😂💯 I hope you got the Diamond tho, if so are you still using it? If not, did you find a better cable?
 
Mar 19, 2022 at 5:47 PM Post #40 of 43
chesebert said:
I think why some USB cables "sound" different/better than generic is the way the ground and power cables are arranged and shielded. In terms of data, the USB protocol, including voltage difference for 0 and 1, the error correction and data buffer on the DAC side are fairly fool proof. So long as the USB standard is adhered to, the data should be perfect regardless of cable.
Click to expand...
I have heard that the USB Audio protocol doesn't include any error correction and it is why the quality of the cables do matter.
Do you have any references to any error correction algorithms used DACs?
 
Mar 19, 2022 at 10:03 PM Post #41 of 43
wirefriend said:
I have heard that the USB Audio protocol doesn't include any error correction and it is why the quality of the cables do matter.
Do you have any references to any error correction algorithms used DACs?
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I could be wrong but I remember reading async/bulk/control transfer carry CRC. It’s only isochronous that does not have CRC.
 
Mar 20, 2022 at 7:05 AM Post #42 of 43
chesebert said:
I could be wrong but I remember reading async/bulk/control transfer carry CRC. It’s only isochronous that does not have CRC.
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No, isochronous transfer has CRC included in transmission.
USB Audio uses isochronous transfer.
CRC in USB Audio is ignored by DAC as the specification doesn't provide any way to signal problems back to the sender.
See:
https://www.edn.com/fundamentals-of-usb-audio/
"The data has a CRC as normal, but if the receiving side detects an error there is no resend mechanism."

This clearly explains why the quality of USB cables matter. And I can clearly hear it too.
 
Mar 20, 2022 at 7:23 PM Post #43 of 43
wirefriend said:
No, isochronous transfer has CRC included in transmission.
USB Audio uses isochronous transfer.
CRC in USB Audio is ignored by DAC as the specification doesn't provide any way to signal problems back to the sender.
See:
https://www.edn.com/fundamentals-of-usb-audio/
"The data has a CRC as normal, but if the receiving side detects an error there is no resend mechanism."

This clearly explains why the quality of USB cables matter. And I can clearly hear it too.
Click to expand...
Why are you assuming all USB audio data is communicated by way of isochronous protocol rather than control transfer? Isn't the whole purpose of async is for dac to pull in data as needed in bulk and fill in the buffer in the dac, which data will then be reclocked out using the clock in the dac?
 
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