[korzena]

Quote:

I've tried a few high-end USB cables with mine. Yes, they do make a subtle difference (very consistently to my ears). Personally, for the gains I found, I'd rather invest the hundreds of dollars elsewhere...maybe towards a better source or transducer.

Shahrose,
Agreed. But I suppose it is still worthy to have better than stock USB cable. What do you think?
I've noticed you had WireWorld Starlight USB which is the very cable I am considering to purchase now. Is it worth it? Could you please share your opinion about this cable?
 
 

 

[pigmode]

Quote:

Has anybody tried a USB B male to USB A male adapter with JK HiFace MK3 as recommended by John Kenny on his website (https://sites.google.com/site/hifacemods/home/announcements) or tested higher quality USB cables with MK3?

 
Is that a solution for a cable-less USB connection?
 
The one experiment in *my* system with the Audiophilleo 2, showed a noticeable difference between a direct S/PDIF connection and that with a 75 ohm cable. Anyway my point is it might also be fruitful to experiment on the S/PDIF side, in dealing with potentially existing impedance issues.
 
 

 

[Shahrose]

Quote:

Shahrose,
Agreed. But I suppose it is still worthy to have better than stock USB cable. What do you think?
I've noticed you had WireWorld Starlight USB which is the very cable I am considering to purchase now. Is it worth it? Could you please share your opinion about this cable?
 
 

The Starlight made the sound a bit brighter, leaner and faster in my system. I personally think it's good to have a cable that's better than just bone stock, and have a short length as well. What I don't think is smart is spending hundreds and hundreds on a USB cable, especially since the USB port you connect the cable to affects the sound as well.
 
I've found silver USB cables generally all tend to do the same thing to the sound in my system, and that's what I've described above. It may or may not be to your liking. I feel an inexpensive, but good quality copper USB cable may sound better to many.

 

[korzena]

Quote:

The Starlight made the sound a bit brighter, leaner and faster in my system. I personally think it's good to have a cable that's better than just bone stock, and have a short length as well. What I don't think is smart is spending hundreds and hundreds on a USB cable, especially since the USB port you connect the cable to affects the sound as well.
 
I've found silver USB cables generally all tend to do the same thing to the sound in my system, and that's what I've described above. It may or may not be to your liking. I feel an inexpensive, but good quality copper USB cable may sound better to many.

Thanks for the info -very helpful as I try to avoid more brightness or lean sound in my system. I will have to look for another cable.
 
Unfortunately cable-less USB connection (through USB adapter) is ergonomically hard to apply in my case.
 
Can anybody recommend an inexpensive, but decent copper USB cable (one that will provide some benefit over a regular/stock USB cable)?

 

[uelover]

The Starlight sounds much warmer on my system than my stock USB cable though. Hmmm.

 

[korzena]

The Starlight sounds much warmer on my system than my stock USB cable though. Hmmm.

 
Hmmm...a system dependent thing? Other cables even warmer?
In this case I am going to audition Starlight in my system if I have a chance. I wonder how it will sound for me.
 
 

 

[Audioexcels]

Quote:

 
Hmmm...a system dependent thing? Other cables even warmer?
In this case I am going to audition Starlight in my system if I have a chance. I wonder how it will sound for me.
 
 

You can get an angled usb adapter, and then do the male to male one.  OR, just tap that USB directly into your computer via wire.  The MK3 is very easy to open.  You should also try to directly connect the SPDIF side as well.  Obviously not possible to do when both are on the same side, but again, you can relocate the SPDIF to the other side of the enclosure and connect it to the DAC.
 
 

 

[Audioexcels]

Quote:

I've tried a few high-end USB cables with mine. Yes, they do make a subtle difference (very consistently to my ears). Personally, for the gains I found, I'd rather invest the hundreds of dollars elsewhere...maybe towards a better source or transducer.

Have you been able to get in any other sources and compared the MK3 to them?

 

[Shahrose]

 
Quote:

Have you been able to get in any other sources and compared the MK3 to them?

I'm assuming you meant transports? If you did, then yes, I've owned quite a few, but none more expensive than the MK3. The MK3 bests them all by a large margin. So much so that I don't feel the need to experiment with transports like I once did (almost maniacally...). It was an exhausting search.

 

[korzena]

Quote:

You can get an angled usb adapter, and then do the male to male one.  OR, just tap that USB directly into your computer via wire.  The MK3 is very easy to open.  You should also try to directly connect the SPDIF side as well.  Obviously not possible to do when both are on the same side, but again, you can relocate the SPDIF to the other side of the enclosure and connect it to the DAC.

Hi Audioexcels, the problem is I am not a DIYer and my source is a not dedicated one - it is my laptop that I also work on. Hence I need 1,5-2m long USB cable to be comfortable. For the time being I will have to use both USB and digital cables, but I want to choose cables that degrade the signal as little as possible. I've read the shorter USB cable the better, but Wireworld claims you can use their USB cables up to 7m! So I hope 2 meters should perform OK.
 

 

[korzena]

Have you been able to get in any other sources and compared the MK3 to them?

 
I used to use Squeezebox Touch as a transport, but always felt there was also something wrong with it. It sounded flat, digital and not very dynamic to me. This is why I've upgraded to MK3. The HiFace has fixed all the problems. I am very happy with it and not looking for any other transport at the moment. 
 
 

 

[drez]

Quote:

You can get an angled usb adapter, and then do the male to male one.  OR, just tap that USB directly into your computer via wire.  The MK3 is very easy to open.  You should also try to directly connect the SPDIF side as well.  Obviously not possible to do when both are on the same side, but again, you can relocate the SPDIF to the other side of the enclosure and connect it to the DAC.

 
I've though about doing this - would probably need to mount the mk3 such that you can turn it on and off and inspect the power light easily.  On the upside you could probably charge the mk3 from one of computers 12V rails.  (probably not brilliant idea as this would require PC to be on to charge the mk3)
 
As far as soldering points it would probably be easiest to open up a USB connector already on the board and solder onto the contacts than to solder directly to the board.  My bet is the solder pads on the board are tiny.
 
Once I get my amplifier sorted I think I will build a music server and try this.  IMO hard wiring or using adapters is more important for the USB side as IMO this is the more problematic connection.
 
 

 

[Audioexcels]

Quote:

 
I've though about doing this - would probably need to mount the mk3 such that you can turn it on and off and inspect the power light easily.  On the upside you could probably charge the mk3 from one of computers 12V rails.  (probably not brilliant idea as this would require PC to be on to charge the mk3)
 
As far as soldering points it would probably be easiest to open up a USB connector already on the board and solder onto the contacts than to solder directly to the board.  My bet is the solder pads on the board are tiny.
 
Once I get my amplifier sorted I think I will build a music server and try this.  IMO hard wiring or using adapters is more important for the USB side as IMO this is the more problematic connection.
 
 

 
Thanks Shahrose and Korzena.  Much appreciated about your thoughts.
 
Drez, did you ever use or try that USB SOTM card and run a USB cable from the MK3 into it?  I know you mentioned some issue you did not care for with the SOTM card, but I'm curious if you ever experimented with this at all.
 
I agree with you about the USB side which is why I'm thinking of the best options to get superior sound from it.  I see people that have used hubs, nice power supplies, etc. for the Audiophilleo, but since the MK3 has the batteries running, it should only need to tap right into the USB port of choice.  I was considering hard wiring myself since both MK3 and the USB connectors on the computer are more "parts" for one, and aren't exactly excellent parts at that.
 
Do you agree or disagree about the hard wiring vs. using adapters concept or do you think I'm getting a little anal even considering how the extra parts in use with the adapters vs. hard wire would result for sound?

Thanks for any input.
 
 

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

The Starlight made the sound a bit brighter, leaner and faster in my system. I personally think it's good to have a cable that's better than just bone stock, and have a short length as well. What I don't think is smart is spending hundreds and hundreds on a USB cable, especially since the USB port you connect the cable to affects the sound as well.
 
I've found silver USB cables generally all tend to do the same thing to the sound in my system, and that's what I've described above. It may or may not be to your liking. I feel an inexpensive, but good quality copper USB cable may sound better to many.

 

 

[newbie79]

Hi,
 
I have a quick question, hope someone can help me out. I have just installed my new (used) mk3. It works fine with the hiface drivers but I can' t get it to play with the Young drivers. I'd really like to hear the difference. Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction. I jut installed both the same way with the .exe file on my Windows7 64bit system.
 
Thanks in advance!