[jono454]

Quote:

 
Arggh.  They are cables carrying an *analog* signal *representing* digital ones and zeros.  Little ones and zeros marching happily in pristine formation down a cable is an oversimplified model we have in our minds.  Additionally they are *electrical* cables, meaning they can carry electrical and RF noise into the system, including the sensitive digital clock, thus affecting jitter.  So yes, they can matter.  Fortunately you don't have to spend a lot to find out if the cable makes an audible difference to you.  Many people have said good things about Monoprice.  Personally, I happen to like the Audioquest Forest USB very much for about $30 US for the .6 meter length.  So you can try these or others, and if you don't personally hear any significant difference, return them; or even if you don't send them back, you haven't spent a fortune.
 

 
Yea i was debating over the monoprice cables, audioquest forrest or pangea cables. All 3 of them aren't that expensive and won't break my bank. In the end i may pick up both the monoprice and (either the forerst or the pangea) to see if there's an audible difference for myself. 

 

[Defiant00]

Quote:

 
Arggh.  They are cables carrying an *analog* signal *representing* digital ones and zeros.  Little ones and zeros marching happily in pristine formation down a cable is an oversimplified model we have in our minds.  Additionally they are *electrical* cables, meaning they can carry electrical and RF noise into the system, including the sensitive digital clock, thus affecting jitter.  So yes, they can matter.  Fortunately you don't have to spend a lot to find out if the cable makes an audible difference to you.  Many people have said good things about Monoprice.  Personally, I happen to like the Audioquest Forest USB very much for about $30 US for the .6 meter length.  So you can try these or others, and if you don't personally hear any significant difference, return them; or even if you don't send them back, you haven't spent a fortune.

 
Yup, and that's why I was careful to say 'typically' since yes, I realize that it is an analog representation of a digital signal (if we're being pedantic). But with that said, for the most part with any reasonably well-made cable the data sent and received should be identical.

 

[O8h7w]

Quote:

 
Yup, and that's why I was careful to say 'typically' since yes, I realize that it is an analog representation of a digital signal (if we're being pedantic). But with that said, for the most part with any reasonably well-made cable the data sent and received should be identical.

 
Think about it, that's just as true for analog cables. But noise matters in a way that is easier to understand in the analog domain. A discussion about differences other than broken data in digital transmissions happens to be in this thread just a page ago, it shouldn't need repeating. Yet I feel like it is about to do just that...

 

[grokit]

The Sound Science forum is the place to go for endless repetition of circular arguments.

 

[Defiant00]

Well, I see we've got Jason viewing.
 
Hi Jason! Any statement gear information for us yet? 

 

[jman06]

I am going back and forth thinking about getting the Gungnir (and other DACs) as I am trying to hold out for the statement gear.  Hoping it will still be announced/released by the end of the year.  

 

[judmarc]

Quote:

I am going back and forth thinking about getting the Gungnir (and other DACs) as I am trying to hold out for the statement gear.  Hoping it will still be announced/released by the end of the year.  

 
Yes, I had to get the Bifrost to at least tide me over to the statement DAC.  At this point I'm very pleased that I did, because of the Bifrost's excellent sound.

 

[munchzilla]

hi - pretty sure I've decided on going with the Bifrost DAC as my next DAC... however, just checking to see if there is any chance there might be a USB update or so in the near future!

 

[Defiant00]

Quote:

hi - pretty sure I've decided on going with the Bifrost DAC as my next DAC... however, just checking to see if there is any chance there might be a USB update or so in the near future!

 
Considering how long it's been out they likely won't be updating the USB portion any time soon, and when they do you can always just get the new card then.

 

[munchzilla]

okay - yeah, I was just thinking maybe in sync with the release of a new DAC that there might be something tagging along with it.
 
thanks!

 

[O8h7w]

I'm guessing the Schiit heads thinks the other way around, along the lines of "USB works for now, let's forget that mess and focus on what we know until we have these products out". The Gungnir has been announced with the not-that-old USB card and for the statement it doesn't matter enough right now. I sure hope they do work on it after releasing those, though.

 

[Defiant00]

Quote:

I'm guessing the Schiit heads thinks the other way around, along the lines of "USB works for now, let's forget that mess and focus on what we know until we have these products out". The Gungnir has been announced with the not-that-old USB card and for the statement it doesn't matter enough right now. I sure hope they do work on it after releasing those, though.

 
You make it sound like their current USB implementation needs improvement, but I have no complaint with the USB on my Bifrost.

 

[dailydoseofdaly]

You make it sound like their current USB implementation needs improvement, but I have no complaint with the USB on my Bifrost.

Yes to this

 

[O8h7w]

USB Audio in general needs work. Streaming time-sensitive data in the way it does it now seems like a bad idea from the very beginning. However, there is potential for a far better solution.

 

[Defiant00]

Quote:

USB Audio in general needs work. Streaming time-sensitive data in the way it does it now seems like a bad idea from the very beginning. However, there is potential for a far better solution.

 
If you were a bit closer by I'd invite you to listen to my Bifrost, but as it is all I can say is that the Bifrost sounds excellent regardless of the input, which is fortunate since my work laptop only has USB.