[Happy Camper]

My question is if it helps from the computer to the DAC, shouldn't you also use one from your external hard drive to the computer?

 

[Hi Rez]

My guess is that it wouldn't make much difference, but if RF noise is a factor, it might.  It might be worth experimenting and letting us know what you discover. 

 
What would be more likely to make a difference would be to use a non USB external drive so disk activity takes place on a separate bus and doesn't interfere with the communication to the DAC.  My external drives are Firewire.
 
As I said before, I don't understand why USB cables make the difference they do, but the differences they made were not subtle in my systems.

 

[FraGGleR]

My question is if it helps from the computer to the DAC, shouldn't you also use one from your external hard drive to the computer?

I am not sure it would help, as I think different protocols are used when transferring data and streaming audio. Data is the whole 1s and 0s, while streaming audio introduces timing issues which is where better cables might play a role. That is just extrapolated from various posts from the past. Hopefully this thread won't get spammed now.

 

[Happy Camper]

http://www.wireworldcable.com/categories/usb_cables.html

You guys are correct. Data transfer is free of timing issues.

This is from Wireworld

There is a fundamental difference between the transfer of computer data and USB crossection
digital audio signals. Computers are able to transfer digital data without loss, because the data moves in the robust form of blocks, which do not depend on specific timing between the sending and receiving devices. However, digital audio signals are continuous streams of data, which are quite fragile, since the digital processor must remain perfectly locked onto the timing of the signal to avoid data losses.
The Limitations of digital audio processors and cables create timing errors known as jitter, which remove portions of the audio signal and replace them with noise and distortion. Cables tend to round off the square waveforms of the signal, making them less clear to the processor, thus increasing jitter. This rounding effect varies greatly among cables and a truly superior digital audio cable can make great improvements in sound quality.
WireWorld digital audio cables utilize unique designs specifically developed to minimize jitter by providing sharper, cleaner leading edges on the digital waveform.

And in another article: http://www.audiostream.com/content/draft

 

[Ceja-Blu]

Can you really offer scientific proof that a three-foot $75 USB or toslink cable sounds better than a  $6.95 USB cable of the same length? This ridiculous and contentious issue gets more drop-ins than the local bar after 4th of July fireworks. If you want to pay substantially more for a cable you claim "is free of timing issues"?  its your wallet.
There are excellent quality toslink cables that sound just the same as poorly made toslink cables that fall apart in a few weeks.  As guitarists, we know the deal with cables- they are either well-made to spec, with excellent materials and shielding or cheap mass-facture materials that are poorly put together by the manufacturer.
 
"unique designs specifically developed to minimize jitter by providing sharper, cleaner leading edges on the digital waveform."  Really? I'd rather get an expensive microbrew at my local bar and bypass the glorified eloquence of cable rhetoric.

 

[Happy Camper]

Yet you took the time to drop in a zing in a subjective thread about scientific proof? I'll not retort your bait sir. Now if you were buying said microbrew, I'd be inclined to offer some banter on the subject.

 

[ab initio]

I could go for some cheap old Narragansett..... good ole beer of the clam!
 

 
cheers!

 

[Blackmore]

Anyone tried or using DH Labs Silversonic USB? Got one and its very good.

 

[atsq17]

I've been looking for a review of the Black Cat Silverstar USB and I can't find any! 
 
The 6moons one is incomplete and missing the part that matters... how it sounds!!!

 

[sajesak]

Thought I'd weigh in here a little.

I was comparing a pair of USB cables over the weekend with my Bryston BDA-2 / Bryston BHA-1 / LCD-3 rig - a random cable that came with my Dell monitor and the Wireworld Starlight.

I must have swapped it out at least 10 times to try and isolate a clearly audible difference and truth be told, I was struggling. Now, I'm not saying there's no difference as I'm not sure as to whether I heard something or whether it was placebo but one thing was for sure - I couldn't conclusively hear the difference.

Interestingly enough, after this comparison, I moved on to compare XLR interconnects. I compared a pair of cheap Audio GD XLR interconnects and Chord Company Cadenza XLR interconnects. Without the least bit of exaggeration, I stopped after half a minute of listening because there was no doubt in my mind about the audible difference in favour of the Cadenza's.

After this experience, I'm left with the following thoughts,
1.Perhaps digital cables don't have the same kind of difference analogue cables do
2.Perhaps digital cables under one or two hundred dollars won't provide an audible difference and you'll have to go alot higher to hear something (if it even exists at all that is)
3.Perhaps whether or not a Charging cable wholesale will be audible will depend on the level of jitter in your source and the quality of USB implementation in your DAC
4.I'd much rather focus my budget on analogue cables (assuming the rest of my rig is downpat) before digital cables

I have connected a LG DVD drive to my Auralic Ares G1.1 via a USB cable for CD playing and ripping. Already it outperforms my Audiolab 6000 CDT transport. I got several Amazon $10 variety inexpensive cables to audition not thinking it would make much of a difference. Wrong. An Audioquest Cinnamon cable bested all the inexpensive cables so I tried an Audioquest Carbon. Yet another improvement. I have return rights on the Audioquest cables and if nothing else turns up, I will keep the Carbon. Actually the Carbon was suggested by the dealer where I got the 1.1. I won't be going crazy on the USB cable but something affordable that produces good sound would be the goal. Your experience?

 

[dunring]

Like was mentioned, USB is digital and doesn't affect sound. Amazon basics cable are thick and pliable, and sound the same as any good cable. Monoprice ordered direct from the (not Amazon) are excellent also. The shorter the better for performance.