[rschoi75]

  may I ask the brand of USB cables concerned ?
 
 

 
 

   
 
 
+1 ... I am also curious which $50 and $500 cable you blind tested.

 
 
I've tried: 
- OEM/generic office depot cable: ~$5 usd. Base cable. gets the job done. 
- Belkin Gold Series 2.0: ~$10 usd. Better cable w/ gold plated connectors. I don't really notice a sound difference but the connections are more secure. 
- Pangea Audio 4% silver usb:~$30 usd: Sound is sharper and brighter. 
- MIT Stylelink: ~$60-100 usd depending on where you buy it. This is the first cable I noticed a richer sound vs oem cables. 
- AQ Carbon: ~$120 - $170 usd. Definitely cleaner, richer sound vs oem. Not a big difference from the MIT stylelink, but the cable itself looks much nicer... so there's that. 
- Wireworld Starlight 7: ~$100 usd. Awesome cable. Sounds the best of the $100 bunch. 
- Wireworld Silver Starlight 7: $300+ usd. Sounds almost the same as the Starlight 7, but slightly brighter and more airy. Returned to amazon since I couldn't justify the price for my equipment. 
 
For the $300 range, the Wyrd + any "nicer" usb cable is much better use of money vs a Silver Starlight 7.  
For the $100-150 range, the Wyrd + a belkin gold cable is a better use of money vs any $150 cable. 
 
*My amateur opinion only. I'm not an engineer, nor do I have sound analyzing software/equipment, so I can't really quantify my opinions. Please take them with a grain of salt.  

 

[Pedro83]

   
 
 
 
I've tried: 
- OEM/generic office depot cable: ~$5 usd. Base cable. gets the job done. 
- Belkin Gold Series 2.0: ~$10 usd. Better cable w/ gold plated connectors. I don't really notice a sound difference but the connections are more secure. 
- Pangea Audio 4% silver usb:~$30 usd: Sound is sharper and brighter. 
- MIT Stylelink: ~$60-100 usd depending on where you buy it. This is the first cable I noticed a richer sound vs oem cables. 
- AQ Carbon: ~$120 - $170 usd. Definitely cleaner, richer sound vs oem. Not a big difference from the MIT stylelink, but the cable itself looks much nicer... so there's that. 
- Wireworld Starlight 7: ~$100 usd. Awesome cable. Sounds the best of the $100 bunch. 
- Wireworld Silver Starlight 7: $300+ usd. Sounds almost the same as the Starlight 7, but slightly brighter and more airy. Returned to amazon since I couldn't justify the price for my equipment. 
 
For the $300 range, the Wyrd + any "nicer" usb cable is much better use of money vs a Silver Starlight 7.  
For the $100-150 range, the Wyrd + a belkin gold cable is a better use of money vs any $150 cable. 
 
*My amateur opinion only. I'm not an engineer, nor do I have sound analyzing software/equipment, so I can't really quantify my opinions. Please take them with a grain of salt.  

Thank you for that. Interesting. I was going to take a look at the startlight platinum buy you've prompted me to focus more on the starlight 7 which is much cheaper,as you know.  

 

[hekeli]

But does it get even better if you replace both USB cables? Or is this the same as in power cables that only the last meter matters. 

 
How about two Wyrds chained together? Does it achieve double the filtering? 

 

[Krutsch]

  But does it get even better if you replace both USB cables? Or is this the same as in power cables that only the last meter matters. 

 
How about two Wyrds chained together? Does it achieve double the filtering? 

 
That made me laugh out loud... nice one.

 

[Xoen]

I've tried: 
- OEM/generic office depot cable: ~$5 usd. Base cable. gets the job done. 
- Belkin Gold Series 2.0: ~$10 usd. Better cable w/ gold plated connectors. I don't really notice a sound difference but the connections are more secure. 
- Pangea Audio 4% silver usb:~$30 usd: Sound is sharper and brighter. 
- MIT Stylelink: ~$60-100 usd depending on where you buy it. This is the first cable I noticed a richer sound vs oem cables. 
- AQ Carbon: ~$120 - $170 usd. Definitely cleaner, richer sound vs oem. Not a big difference from the MIT stylelink, but the cable itself looks much nicer... so there's that. 
- Wireworld Starlight 7: ~$100 usd. Awesome cable. Sounds the best of the $100 bunch. 
- Wireworld Silver Starlight 7: $300+ usd. Sounds almost the same as the Starlight 7, but slightly brighter and more airy. Returned to amazon since I couldn't justify the price for my equipment. 

For the $300 range, the Wyrd + any "nicer" usb cable is much better use of money vs a Silver Starlight 7.  
For the $100-150 range, the Wyrd + a belkin gold cable is a better use of money vs any $150 cable. 

*My amateur opinion only. I'm not an engineer, nor do I have sound analyzing software/equipment, so I can't really quantify my opinions. Please take them with a grain of salt.  

I've been pretty skeptical about those expensive "audiophile" USB cables but after reading your experiences with each one kind of sparked my curiosity. Probably will be the last thing I'll upgrade on my setup however. But thanks for posting this.

 

[Tuco1965]

I'll take an inexpensive audibly transparent run of the mill usb 2.0 cable any day, and spend my money where it counts.  The music that is.  

 

[rschoi75]

  But does it get even better if you replace both USB cables? Or is this the same as in power cables that only the last meter matters. 

 
How about two Wyrds chained together? Does it achieve double the filtering? 

 
Someone sounds jaded... lol. 
 
Aside from being an obvious dick, you are right. You do have to replace both cables. 

 

[gfmucci]

Bones: 
 
Its great to hear of your success with the Wyrd. 
 
I have very similar issues with my newly purchased Outlaw integrated amp running USB from my desktop computer into the amp's built-in DAC. 
 
I get bubbling static on top of a low level hum.  I've tried every USB port on the computer and on my $30 powered USB hub.  I've tried unplugging everything else from the computer.  The quietest, but still noisy, is through my powered hub.  My wireless mouse generates additional layers of noise with either the track ball or scroll wheel.
 
I am about to purchase the Wyrd.  It makes sense to mount the Decrapifier closest to the amp vs. closest to the computer to avoid noises the computer and associated wiring generates.  Do you concur?

 

[firev1]

The Wyrd has a small emi footprint but nevertheless its best to place it further away from the amp. Its really very small compared to say the regular Audio GD R-cores/ chinese toroidal linear supplies.

 

[Pedro83]

I've been pretty skeptical about those expensive "audiophile" USB cables but after reading your experiences with each one kind of sparked my curiosity. Probably will be the last thing I'll upgrade on my setup however. But thanks for posting this.

No, i'd save your time. 
 
Remember, there are people WANTING to buy them, WANTING to believe as it makes them feel better, superior etc etc, as such, there's a market for them. Spend it on music instead. If you do insist, find a dealer who will loan you one, do some blindfolded testing and move forward from there. 

 

[Krutsch]

  The Wyrd has a small emi footprint but nevertheless its best to place it further away from the amp. Its really very small compared to say the regular Audio GD R-cores/ chinese toroidal linear supplies.

How do you know that; have you measured it and/or read something from someone who has?

 

[firev1]

Measured it, it mostly appears as common mode noise on short RCA runs. Nothing advanced like emi field visualizers just moving the cable and eyeballing the distance lol. 

 

[mordante]

I recieved my Schiit Wyrd last weekend. Since I celibate my birthday party Saturday I enjoyed a hangover Sunday. Which means I haven't done any serious listening yet. But as far as I could tell in the few minutes between headaches that I did listen the Wyrd did indeed improve the SQ. Less grainy, less background noise. Maybe I'll do a more thorough review later.

My setup:
Synology NAS
Laptop in docking station, windows XP
Foobar using M2tech Hiface kernel streaming
Schiit PYST
Schiit Wyrd
M2tech hiface (directly into the Wyrd)
pro audio DIN 75 Ohm cable
Wadia 12
Pink Faun 5th anniversary interlink
Symphonic Line La Musica
Audio Quest rocket 88
Master One speaker by Rick Paap

 

[gfmucci]

USB Noise Update:

I received and connected the Schiit Wyrd decrapifier. The verdict...

It's a keeper. Prior to connecting, the USB noise was first noticed with the volume control set at 25% on up. Now the volume has to be cranked beyond 65% to first notice the noise. Listening through headphones I will rarely have the volume approach 50% and most often around 25% with the headphone level control set at 50%. So for all practical purposes, my problem is solved. Not being proficient at estimating db, but I'll gander a guess that I gained about 10db to 15db of USB distortion-free volume (added S/N ratio).

 

[conquerator2]

I asked Schiit and apparently some hum is normal. I think mine is about that. Inaudible when more secondary, background noises are present [PC fans, TV, etc.] but somewhat audible when it's silent [evening]. Since it is in the same room where I sleep, I just disconnect it overnight, cause it is annoying. Since it does not seem to affect the Wyrd's function in any way, I'll leave it be.