[ThanatosVI]

After about one week of continuous usage, I may offer some first impressions about the Audioquest Hurricane HC power cable / Niagara 5000 conditioner in my system.

The AQ kit replaced an IsoTek EVO 3 Aquarius / EVO 3 Elite power cable (now in the classifieds).

I have almost a full loom of Hurricane power cables now, with their Source model used for my music server and another High (Variable) Current feeding my DAVE. A Shunyata Alpha HC is being used for the AIC-10.



What I like about the Audioquest cables I tried is that they provide a compelling combination of body and smoothness, without sacrificing transparency too much.

The Niagara brought a noticeable increase of depth and scale of the soundstage, and a sense of liquid calmness, flow, to the music. I am appreciating this especially with large orchestral music, where the size of the concert hall seems expanding very nicely in all three dimensions, and the decay of sounds is richer. Stringed instruments also sound more physically embodied, and bass lines have some more bloom to them.

The IsoTek had a more etched presentation, with a slightly grainier midrange. Details seemed to stand out more, and felt snappier.

Somehting I like about the Niagara 5000 is that it has plenty of outlets (12) with 4 high current plugs, which allows me to use it with all my equipment and to try each component with lower / higher filtering and decide what sounds best.

By the way, when I received the Audioquest I was perplexed / concerned about what it did to my system, as everything was sounding rather sleepy and fuzzy. Only after several hours, I realized that there was a switch on the back named "Power Correction" that had to moved to the engaged position for maximum performance, and what a relief!

Any description on how that "power correction" works?

 

[simorag]

Any description on how that "power correction" works?

This is an excerpt from the user manual:

Rear-Panel Power Correction Switch/Niagara 5000 Current Draw
The default position for this switch should always be “Engaged”—even for applications in which there are no power amplifiers of any kind powered by the Niagara 5000. Defaulting to “Engaged” serves two functions: It activates the Transient Power Correction Circuit for power amplifiers that would be energized by outlet banks 1 or 2, and also provides a portion of the Ultra-Linear Noise-Dissipation Circuit for outlet banks 3 through 6. Although no damage to the Niagara or the connected components will occur, performance will be noticeably compromised when this switch is not set to the “Engaged” position.

 

[lamsta]

Thanks @Roasty for starting this thread.

I’m looking for recommendations for a USB standard B to type C cable to connect my iPad Pro to my DAC.

I know of the Nordost Frey 2: https://www.nordost.com/norse2/frey2/frey2-usb-cable.php

Any other suggestions please?

Alternatively I could use a USB standard B to standard A with a USB C adapter like: https://www.nordost.com/norse2/frey2/frey2-usb-c-adapter.php but I’m try to avoid this option.

Thanks in advance

 

[Roasty]

Thanks @Roasty for starting this thread.

I’m looking for recommendations for a USB standard B to type C cable to connect my iPad Pro to my DAC.

I know of the Nordost Frey 2: https://www.nordost.com/norse2/frey2/frey2-usb-cable.php

Any other suggestions please?

Alternatively I could use a USB standard B to standard A with a USB C adapter like: https://www.nordost.com/norse2/frey2/frey2-usb-c-adapter.php but I’m try to avoid this option.

Thanks in advance

I ordered a Silver Dragon usb C to usb B cable from Moon Audio. Well made and does the job.

 

[teknorob23]

Do you have power amplifiers wired to the Puritan?

I do but they're not massively hungry Nord Acoustic Class D Purifi mono blocks. 2 channel is kind of secondary for me as i'm more focused on headfi, but my business partner used the the puritan set up with his AGD amps to great effect.

 

[lamsta]

I ordered a Silver Dragon usb C to usb B cable from Moon Audio. Well made and does the job.

Thanks again, they’re relatively well priced compared to the Nordost Frey 2.

https://www.moon-audio.com/silver-dragon-usb-cable.html

 

[lamsta]

I managed to get my hands on a Shunyata Sigma USB. Spent a few days A/Bing vs FTA Callisto and I think the Sigma sounds bigger and sharper. I'll be keeping it to replace the Callisto.

@koven - what are your impressions of the Shunyata Sigma USB?

Do you think it’s comparable to a Nordost Frey 2? https://www.nordost.com/norse2/frey2/frey2-usb-cable.php

Unfortunately Shunyata won’t be making any USB cables with a type C termination, so the dilemma for me is whether to use their cable with an adapter if I want to use Shunyata.

 

[Roasty]

anyone getting the Sablon Evo usb?

 

[xtr4]

anyone getting the Sablon Evo usb?

Damn it Roasty, stop making me spend more money. Caveat, it's cheaper than the Shunyata I'm considering hahaha

So technically, you're saving me money.

 

[Roasty]

Damn it Roasty, stop making me spend more money. Caveat, it's cheaper than the Shunyata I'm considering hahaha

So technically, you're saving me money.

so the story (or so I've heard) is this new Sablon Evo usb was developed to trump the Shunyata usb. and from what I've read on whatsbestforum is that it is doing it! I've not yet decided if I wanna go for it. May just do so, and use my current Sablon 2020 into the Innuos Phoenix USB reclocker, and Evo from phoenix to dac.

 

[chesebert]

Thanks @Roasty for starting this thread.

I’m looking for recommendations for a USB standard B to type C cable to connect my iPad Pro to my DAC.

I know of the Nordost Frey 2: https://www.nordost.com/norse2/frey2/frey2-usb-cable.php

Any other suggestions please?

Alternatively I could use a USB standard B to standard A with a USB C adapter like: https://www.nordost.com/norse2/frey2/frey2-usb-c-adapter.php but I’m try to avoid this option.

Thanks in advance

As short as possible with 5v isolation if possible.

 

[lamsta]

so the story (or so I've heard) is this new Sablon Evo usb was developed to trump the Shunyata usb. and from what I've read on whatsbestforum is that it is doing it! I've not yet decided if I wanna go for it. May just do so, and use my current Sablon 2020 into the Innuos Phoenix USB reclocker, and Evo from phoenix to dac.

How’s your Sabin 2020 USB compare to the Moon Audio Silver Dragon that you also ordered?

 

[lamsta]

As short as possible with 5v isolation if possible.

1.5M for me is a good length.
I thought that most if not all these higher end USB had shielding that did 5V isolation or perhaps I’m mistaken.

 

[RobertSM]

I've now had the Shunyata Research Hydra Delta D6 in my system for two months, with Shunyata Venom NR power cables. Excellent results, very quite backgrounds, wide open and very organic sound. Micro and macro dynamics have increased. Increased separation between notes.

I actually live very close to a power transformer so I wasn't worried about needing to reconstruct the power signal so I chose a passive power conditioner/power distributor. Living in a major city I did realize I needed to deal with the small ultra high frequency waves that are used for Wi-Fi and cell phones.

Your individual needs and system will vary from person to person. But for my needs and system the Delta D6 is just what I needed.

Highly recommended!

 

[Roasty]

How’s your Sabin 2020 USB compare to the Moon Audio Silver Dragon that you also ordered?

never had the chance to compare. sold the Moon cable as I decided not to proceed with an office setup. it was supposed to be from phone running UAPP to dac.