[TheAttorney]

Indeed, that also reminded me one of your posts from 2016 since Audioquest Diamond optical cable actually did an even greater job for your system back then when compared to your best RCA coax cable

Just to complete that story, I didn't keep the AQ Diamond optical in the end. I noticed it had a slight physical imperfection (a tiny number of "dead" fibres that did not light up - strangely in one direction only!). And the replacement they sent me had revised plugs which had an intermittent connection issue - strangely to one component only, and then my paranoa started imagining that it didn't sound quite as good as the original. So in parallel, I tried the often recommended Mapleshade optical and kept that instead. I felt the Diamond sounded ever so slightly more natural than the high clarity Mapleshade, but that small SQ difference didn't justify the Diamond's considerably higher cost.

 

[Beolab]

Clearer Audio Group Buy

Last Call!

Please contact Darren enquiries@cleareraudio.com
with your order and User Name today to participate in the group-buy.

He is waiting for the following members:

@adyc
@yakaway

before he can start making the cables.

 

[STR-1]

Clearer Audio Group Buy

Last Call!

Please contact Darren enquiries@cleareraudio.com
with your order and User Name today to participate in the group-buy.

He is waiting for everyone in our group buy to contact him before he will start make the cables.

I’ve already contacted him, and had his acknowledgement.

 

[Beolab]

Just to complete that story, I didn't keep the AQ Diamond optical in the end. I noticed it had a slight physical imperfection (a tiny number of "dead" fibres that did not light up - strangely in one direction only!). And the replacement they sent me had revised plugs which had an intermittent connection issue - strangely to one component only, and then my paranoa started imagining that it didn't sound quite as good as the original. So in parallel, I tried the often recommended Mapleshade optical and kept that instead. I felt the Diamond sounded ever so slightly more natural than the high clarity Mapleshade, but that small SQ difference didn't justify the Diamond's considerably higher cost.

A better alternative to the AQ Diamond Toslink is the Atlas Mavros Glass Toslink , it is the best optical cable i have tested. Very heavy built , where the Diamond feels like a cheap plastic toy in comparison.
the purity of the sound is more clear and got better fluidity. ( Less jitter levels most probably)

http://www.analogueseduction.net/category-665/atlas-mavros-optical-digital-interconnect.html

 

[etnt]

Clearer Audio Group Buy

Last Call!

Please contact Darren enquiries@cleareraudio.com
with your order and User Name today to participate in the group-buy.

He is waiting for the following members:

@adyc
@yakaway
@etnt

before he can start making the cables.

Just emailed Darren.

 

[marcmccalmont]

A basic explanation why ferries can reduce noise in a differential cable
https://www.murata.com/en-us/products/emc/ferrite/basic/reason
Perhaps this is why some are hearing improvements to their usb cables?

 

[Arpiben]

A basic explanation why ferries can reduce noise in a differential cable
https://www.murata.com/en-us/products/emc/ferrite/basic/reason
Perhaps this is why some are hearing improvements to their usb cables?

Pay attention that USB cables are in principle shielded. Therefore core ferrites on top of them are not acting as per description provided.
Use the normal mode description and replace 'data' by noise.

 

[marcmccalmont]

Pay attention that USB cables are in principle shielded. Therefore core ferrites on top of them are not acting as per description provided.
Use the normal mode description and replace 'data' by noise.

I understand that a clamp on ferrite has a strong effect on common mode noise in the outer shield and can have no effect on the differential noise on the twisted pair beneath the shield but are you saying the magnetic field of common mode noise in the twisted pair cannot penetrate the shield and be attenuated by the ferrite? People are using 40 ferrites on a 2m low cost cable with minimal shielding and hearing a change?

 

[Triode User]

I understand that a clamp on ferrite has a strong effect on common mode noise in the outer shield and can have no effect on the differential noise on the twisted pair beneath the shield but are you saying the magnetic field of common mode noise in the twisted pair cannot penetrate the shield and be attenuated by the ferrite? People are using 40 ferrites on a 2m low cost cable with minimal shielding and hearing a change?

I have no knowledge in this sphere but this is a quote from this web site link I quote below. From the final paragraph below I read into that that a proper grounded shield means that any conductors wholly within the shield and not using the shield as a return path are unaffected by ferrites. I emphasise again though that I have no personal knowledge in this matter.
https://electronics.stackexchange.c...rrite-core-wire-terminator-work-to-reduce-emc

"A common mode choke presents a high impedance to common-mode currents, and a low impedance to differential-mode currents. The high impedance of the choke prevents significant common-mode currents from developing, and the ferrites for these applications are designed to be lossy, so common-mode voltages are mostly converted to heat in the core.

On shielded cables, the ferrite accomplishes the same thing, although in a slightly different way. Ordinarily, high frequency signals traveling on a shielded cable will be forced to travel on the outside of the shield by skin effect. However, if there is current in one direction of a conductor inside the shield, then the return current on the shield will be drawn to the inside surface of the shield. It is, in effect a Faraday cage, but in this case we are keeping fields from the inside from getting out, rather than fields from outside getting in. See coaxial cable.

However, this only works if there are exactly equal and opposite currents on the shield and the conductors in it. Any shield current not balanced by internal conductor current will travel on the outside of the shield. If a ferrite is clamped around the cable, then this forms an inductor. But, this inductor is only seen by currents on the outside of the shield, and these are the currents you don't want, because they exist only when there are common-mode currents, and they are the only currents that have a field external to the cable, and thus the potential to radiate."

 

[etnt]

OT

For those in the CA group buy, you might consider getting the USB cable too, which you can opt to have the super supressors (aka ferrites) included.
https://www.cleareraudio.com/products/silver-line-usb-interconnect

I'm asking darren to include it in my order, but not sure if it's also eligible for the gb discount.

end OT

 

[yakaway]

I thought I might inject more enthusiasm into the group order with clearer audio.

So what are you ordering from Darren and what improvements are you looking for?

Do you think you're getting a good deal?

 

[flyte3333]

My office uses my design MSI lap-top, the main listening room is a battery powered lap-top. The battery powered lap-top together with Blu's galvanic isolation is guaranteed not to inject RF noise from the lap-top into the system, as there are no ground loops to complete a current path.

Hi Rob

I'm just going through earlier parts of this thread (as I contemplate adding a Blu2 to my Hugo2 or using similar funds for Dave).

Regarding the quote above, is there still a ground loop (and current path) between the power supplies of each Blu2 and Dave?

Cheers.

 

[Rob Watts]

Yes, but at very high frequencies (2GHz), there is coupling via the grounds, which is why the 2 GHz HF ferrites help the SQ. This is due to the galvanic isolation capacitance of 5pF. That said, in overall terms, the SQ improvement is very small compared to adding an M scaler in the first place.

 

[flyte3333]

Yes, but at very high frequencies (2GHz), there is coupling via the grounds, which is why the 2 GHz HF ferrites help the SQ. This is due to the galvanic isolation capacitance of 5pF. That said, in overall terms, the SQ improvement is very small compared to adding an M scaler in the first place.

Cheers Rob.

I guess Hugo2 can be disconnected from mains (run off internal batteries) to break the loop involving the DAC (for super critical listening)

Which should mean no digital coax cable ferrites needed if using headphones with Hugo2 + Blu2.

 

[Rob Watts]

Yes in principle! I may try later...