AudioQuest Carbon USB-C Cable Review
Hi there all of you guys who - like me - won’t stop thinking that there could be more to squeeze out of the Bathys. I reached out to AudioQuest and they did send me an example of their 0.75 meter Carbon USB-C to USB-C cable in exchange for an honest review (using the cable with my Bathys and my MacBook Pro as well as my Samsung Galaxy s10e).
For starters I’d like to tell you which
EQ I am using:
+1.5db/62Hz
+2db/250Hz
+5.5db/1kHz
+6db/4kHz
+5.5db/16kHz
I do use another one when using the Bathys wireless though …
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/foc...arly-impressions.965153/page-63#post-17495082
I always heard differences between USB-C to lightning cables (I hat two different ones back then for my iPhone), and they did sound shockingly different! That’s why I thought maybe I could hear a difference between different USB-C to USB-C cables, too. In addition there are differences to be heard when switching from a mobile phone to the MacBook Pro. There shouldn’t be a difference. It´s all 1s and 0s, right? Well, I don’t believe that any more ...
Anyways, let’s start with my findings when listening to the
AudioQuest Carbon in comparison to the original Focal USB-C cable:
Overall I would say that I hear some kind of consolidation. The music seems to be a bit more
present, tangible. It doesn’t have a different presentation (like the Wireworld I will speak of later on). BUT as the background appears to be blacker when listening to the Carbon, the music might be more palpable. It certainly isn’t a night-and-day-difference though.
Beginning with the
bass I’m inclined to say the Carbon has a tiny bit more oomph than the original cable. I, for one, like its bass presentation very much and wouldn’t want to change anything.
The
highs are, compared to the Focal cable, a bit softer. I have to admit: That’s something that surprised me a bit. Not that the Caron sounds worse in this department, it´s just a bit more cautious. This also means: One could drive the Bathys a bit louder than previously, which in consequence favours the bass/mids … which isn’t a bad thing per se if one prefers headphones that don’t have too much energy in the upper frequency range. On the other hand: If one prefers a more „airy“ sound, you might want to stick to the original cable.
But what about the
mids? Well, here lies the
true charm of the Carbon, at least for me. Because this cable favours
voices above all! Which again, might not be what you are searching for when listening to a lot of classical music and instrumental albums where you might want a bigger stage and air. BUT if you are one that favours voices, then you might want to check out this cable. It presents them very beautifully!
Since I did review the Wireworld Starlight 8 a few months back - you can find my findings here:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/foc...er-ear-headphone.965131/page-84#post-17653679
- Of course I’d also like to compare those two upgrade cables:
Alright, the Wireworld has a bigger stage. It sounds grander. But it comes with a cost. Where the information of the left and right signals pan very „left“ and very „right“, there also seems to be some kind of lack in between. At least when compared to the Carbon.
The Carbon has more information in the center stage, and it „renders“ (if one could use that word in a USB cable review) the information very true to the source. The WireWorld cable sounds a tiny bit, just really a tiny bit more woolly, just because the stage is that big in comparison to the stage of the Carbon. And to be honest, I am not sure which sound I really prefer. Of course orchestral music benefits from having „space“. But when listening to a jazz singer I might want to hear the voices as clear as possible. I guess it comes down to your taste. Both cables are similarly priced. Pick your poison
The downsides?
1. One word: Price. (About 200 Euros). Of course this is a lot.
2. It doesn’t sound THAT much different when comparing it to the original Focal cable. It "just" makes it a bit more "better" sounding. (The WireWorld cable did indeed sound different)
3. The length is either 0.75 meters or 1.5 meters. I chose the first, shorter length because I want to put my smartphone into my left front pocket. It is the perfect length for this carrying version. 1.5 meters would have been to long, even if I would put my mobile phone into my back pocket. Also please don’t forget number 1 (price!)
4. Compared to the Starlight 8 cable from Wireworld it doesn’t „flash“ any importance. It is, well, black. It is slightly thicker than the original cable, which is a very good thing in my opinion. Also it bends very nicely, is pliable (although not as pliable as the original cable) and also doesn’t have so much microphonics than the WireWorld. But if you are looking for an upgrade cable that also has a bling bling factor, this isn’t it. But I think that most of you guys don’t want/need that anyways because the Bathys itself has enough „importance“ in its looks itself.
BTW: This is the link to the official
AudioQuest/Carbon website:
https://www.audioquest.com/cables/digital-cables/usb-c-to-usb-c/carbon
To be true: The Batys sound fantastic with the bluetooth connection. Of course there is a jump to be heard when connecting it with a USB-C cable to the mobile phone (it sounds better to me when connected to an android phone compared to the iPhone with the Camera Kit). And there is another small jump when connecting the Bathys to the Laptop/MacBook Pro. And there is another (this time even smaller) jump when connecting the Bathys with an upgrade USB-C cable to the chosen source, at least to me, where the diminishing return kicks in. BUT
the biggest jump (in overall sound quality and transparency and balanced tuning) you will get when applying my suggested EQ (for USB connection) at the beginning of this review. Have fun listening to the Bathys!
And here, at last,
some pics:
