[bigshot]

What is the SourceAV and what do they sell? Are you a high end audio salesman?

 

[jambaj0e]

A controlled test or I get to call it as placebo! Even a casual controlled test would be fine. This ain't Kansas. You're in Sound Science now. Just saying, "night and day" and "even my wife can hear the difference" won't cut it around here.

USB is digital. It can't have veils or wider soundstage. It either transmits the data cleanly or it is riddled with dropouts or artifacts. If you are hearing veils and soundstage, you are hearing 100% USDA prime expectation bias.

You haven't been reading, we did that blind test at The Source AV in Torrance CA off a DAP to a Chord Dave to an Audeze Lcd-4. We actually did that and all of us can tell differences.
Let me ask you, have YOU actually tried the test yourself or are you just spouting in found claims based off NO actual experience?

 

[bigshot]

You've got my interest now. Can you please link to the report on your test? I'm sure we would all be interested in it. Did you compare those two against known transparent DACs to make sure one wasn't defective? Which one wasn't transparent? Is the source AV a club of some sort, or is it a store?

 

[jambaj0e]

What is the SourceAV and what do they sell? Are you a high end audio salesman?

Naw man, I don't work there, but it's one of the best hifi store for headphones in Los Angeles. My friends and I were in the market for certain gear (he bought a Woo Audio Wa8 and an Innuos Phoenix reclocker and I ended up with the Hugo tt2 and almost upgraded my Lcd-3 to an lcd-4 but not the lcd-4z or lcd-4mx) and we were doing a lot of gear testing and listening.

They encourage a lot of listening time to any gear that have in there with no sales push.

 

[bigshot]

Did you check the setup to make sure that they weren't monkeying with the signal on one or both? I have had VERY bad luck with high end audio retailers when it comes to honesty. I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them.

 

[jambaj0e]

You've got my interest now. Can you please link to the report on your test? I'm sure we would all be interested in it. Did you compare those two against known transparent DACs to make sure one wasn't defective? Which one wasn't transparent? Is the source AV a club of some sort, or is it a store?

Hah, a link to the report. We didn't do this test for us to write up, this test was for us, as potential buyers to see what we'd like to buy.

But see here's the thing, I already said what I found was a difference between my cable and my previous cable, so until you actually come with us and do the tests for reals, you won't believe me anyways.

 

[jambaj0e]

Did you check the setup to make sure that they weren't monkeying with the signal on one or both? I have had VERY bad luck with high end audio retailers when it comes to honesty. I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them.

Nope, this is as simple of a signal path as it goes. DAP to Dave to Audeze lcd-4z. Only thing that changed was when we changed the USB cable.

Let me ask all of you deniers: show of hands how many of you ACTUALLY have personally done a test between multiple USB cables (preferably in a wide variety of price range) on a highly resolving system or are you just parroting the same old "USB cable is digital therefore it doesn't make a difference" without ever doing such tests?

 

[jambaj0e]

By the way, it's not like different cables will always sound substantially different or better. I didn't think the Analysis Purple Plus or the Audioquest Cinnamon sounded that different. The Morrow Audio Reference was a bit airier, the Kimber AG was a bit warmer, but my Sablon 2020 is definitely much clearer, smoother, and punchier.

 

[KeithPhantom]

You assume all the measurements are even looking at the right thing or everything that can make a difference.

And personally, in the end, I don't care what the numbers say or don't say, or if we're even looking at the right set of data in the first place. If I can detect a noticeable improvement, I keep the cable. If I don't I return it thanks to the return policy.

I have no need to prove to any of you because you're not here to listen to my system to make that judgment firsthand, so it doesn't matter really.

YOLO?...?

Seriously, believe what you want to believe because I won't make you change your mind.

 

[jambaj0e]

YOLO?...?

Seriously, believe what you want to believe because I won't make you change your mind.

No, of course not, because I've done the test comparisons myself on a Chord Dave + Audeze Lcd-4Z, and myself as well as 2 others have heard the differences.

How many USB cables have you actually tested back to back and on what system?

 

[bigshot]

By the way, it's not like different cables will always sound substantially different or better.

The ones that sound the same are more likely to be correct.

Obviously you have a high end USB cable. Would you like to lend it to us at Sound Science to test it against an Amazon Basics one? We have people here who are experienced in doing controlled listening tests who would be happy to oversee it and make sure it is accurate.

 

[KeithPhantom]

How many USB cables have you actually tested back to back and on what system?

I don't use my system a lot, I use my headphones straight out an USB-C to 3.5mm because it is more comfortable and more practical than always being connected to an amp. Also I get better volpot balance using that little piece of engineering. It measures well and does its job splendidly.

I have not tested any cables and never felt the need to do it since there's solid science behind it, and I'm not an outlier, and even if I were, I would not be able to hear any difference anyways since is way beyond human capability to do so.

I will give you some piece of unwanted advice, to enjoy music you don't need cables, amplifiers or gear, you need to bring your soul and open it for this sensorial experience. Close your eyes and forget about everything else, about the forums and the discussions, and you will truly enjoy music.

 

[jambaj0e]

The ones that sound the same are more likely to be correct.

Obviously you have a high end USB cable. Would you like to lend it to us at Sound Science to test it against an Amazon Basics one? We have people here who are experienced in doing controlled listening tests who would be happy to oversee it and make sure it is accurate.

I'll do you one better. Are you on WhatsBestForum? Mark Coles who owns Sablon Audio runs their forum there, and they do audition loaners, including their power cables that go up to $4,000. Just show your credentials and I'll vouch for you to the test. Maybe he'll even include some of his other cables. His ethernet cable is what I'm thinking to get next. Would love to get his interconnects, but they start at $1,400 for 1m of XLR cable.

Sablon Audio 2020 USB Cable Forum

 

[jambaj0e]

I don't use my system a lot, I use my headphones straight out an USB-C to 3.5mm because it is more comfortable and more practical than always being connected to an amp. Also I get better volpot balance using that little piece of engineering. It measures we and does its job splendidly.

I have not tested any cables and never felt the need to do it since there's solid science behind it, and I'm not an outlier, and even if I were, I would not be able to hear any difference anyways since is way beyond human capability to do so.

I will give you some piece of unwanted advice, yo enjoy music you don't need cables, amplifiers or gear, you need to bring your soul and open it for this sensorial experience. Close your eyes and forget about everything else, about the forums and the discussions, and you will truly enjoy music.

Oh dude, so why do you even bother even commenting like you did with

"YOLO?...?

Seriously, believe what you want to believe because I won't make you change your mind. "

You haven't even done any of the tests yourself. And you seem to forget, as Paul McGowan had said in one of podcasts, it's not just about the ears but the way the brain interprets the sound signals. You're not an outlier since you do belong to those who haven't actually tested but have an opinion about it. So basically more of the same.

As for your unwanted advice, I've never listened to music more than I do know. I get up at 5:30am, drink coffee and listen to my system for 20-30 mins, go to work at a film studio where I actually get to listen to my mobile setup (Chord Mojo +Aeon 2 Closed) through the day until 7pm, then go home and before I go to sleep I get to listen to home my system for another 1-2 hours. Every time I listen to my home system, I get more and more addicted to how big of an improvement my home system sound. I'm already in musical bliss everyone

 

[KeithPhantom]

You haven't even done any of the tests yourself.

I haven't felt the need to.

Paul McGowan

Who's him? Not to brag, but I have better ears than him just due to age (I'm just 21 and still can hear 20 kHz, and it is really unpleasant).

it's not just about the ears but the way the brain interprets the sound signals.

First of all, the ears convert the sound pressure into electric signals, so if the ear does not pick it up, it does not get converted as part of the signal. Second, I wouldn't trust the brain as an audio analyzer, it is full of biases and psychoacoustic effects that cannot be fully separated from the goal of a test.