[AlanU]

Here's my "USB chain": https://www.tripplite.com/usb-2.0-high-speed-a-b-cable-ferrite-chokes-male-6-ft~U023006/

Ferrite has been used for many many years. Grant Fidelity has a power cord

Thanks. I’ll give the Belkin a try. Six months ago, nobody would have convinced me that cables make a difference, but I tried alternatives and I can hear the difference in my system, especially in interconnects and speaker cables. One might think cables are all the same, but construction, twist, gauge and insulation scheme all make a difference. There is voodoo and reality; separating the two is a challenge. This was an eye opener to me and confirmation that my components were money well spent for my hearing. Now sources and recordings make an audible difference.

I'm not going to start any debates. As a fact many years ago before many companies jumped onboard in "building" $$$$ USB cables I recall Stereofile or well known magazine was using the Belkin Gold as a reference cable for their digital audio reviews.

My only advice is to buy and test with your own ears. I know that power conditioning in my house has made the music flow with no more congestion with my 2 channel stereo and improved the sound quality of my HT system. The USB uptone regen to my ears cannot hear a big diff.

 

[normd]

I agree that a Power conditioning system can make a difference. I recently put my system including my tube pre and power amps on a PS Audio PS5 and I hear the difference.

 

[BLacklWf]

For people who says 0s and 1s are just 0s and 1s.. PLEASE READ

The digital signal isn't as 'digital' as what most of us think. It doesn't make any sense first, right? Try this. Connect digital coaxial cable (from either PC or any source) to analog RCA-in (either left or right) of an amp with No DAC in the path. What do you think will happen? Again, there is no DAC in the place. You will hear music from your analog device. Coaxial is digital, then how can you hear the music without a Digital to Analog conversion in place? Just try it. You can even control the volume. Doesn't make any sense at all, right? It's because USB audio digital signal is not a pulse like some of you think but it's an electrical frequency wave, just like an analog signal. The physics is exactly the same to transmit the analog electrical signal vs the digital USB audio signal - electrical frequency wave travels through an impedance yielding conductor through a space surrounded by electromagnetic field/noises. Just like an analog electrical signal can be interfered by the cable impedance and surrounding electromagnetic noise, so does a USB audio digital electrical signal.

I'm not saying expensive USB cables are better. I never liked an expensive USB cable - just because I hate being ripped off like most sane people. It's the quality of the copper core but more importantly it's the shielding that matter. Problem is that most cheap USB cables are not adequately shielded. Externally, it almost acts as an antenna absorbing electrical noises around it. Internally, there are 4 conductors of which they can all interfere with each others due to inadequate internal shielding. If you have a revealing system, you can pretty much listen to how every USB cables in your household sound different for this reason. Audioquest for example, their DBS is basically an active electro shield, which should be darn effective on theory at least. But, they are just too darn expensive for what it is. Again, I'm not saying expensive USB cables are always better. The stock USB cable with Oppo HA-2 SE to my ears sounds better than many other more expensive USB cables.

 

[axle_69]

QED Reference USB A-B, good shielding, ferrite jacket along the entire cable, a bit expensive but not too much for what it is. Extremely stiff.

0s and 1s are just that, a change of state, below or above a certain voltage. As BLacklWf pointed out the signal that carries the digital (discrete) information is electrical and therefore subjected to noise. Noise may not be enough to mask 0s and 1s but introduces errors in the timing when the status changes. Better cable less jitter. Also noise may propagate to the DAC itself...

 

[billbishere]

Bumping a old thread, tho sorta recent discussion. I just bought - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y6M2Q93/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have bee going back on forth on cables. I bought some mid tier RCA's as well, this is for a D10 and a Liquid Spark. Not sure it will make a difference but, at least they are designed for Audio instead of printers.

 

[torii]

i have been testing this neon in dark oyaide cable....no errors yet. https://www.amazon.com/Oyaide-Neo-Class-USB-Cable/dp/B003TN74S6/

 

[blackdragon87]

i have a audio quest forest green which i have had for a few years. works great.