[SleepyOne]

Last couple of days I nearly have a heart attack when things starts to sound funny via USB to DAC. Firstly high frequency noise appears, and then next day vocal truncate (or soft finished) towards the end of the sentence. Turns out the reason for all this is my USB cable was laying on top of big power cords near my PC (incl. 10 awg cable)....OK very obvious, but I was surprise how easily it gets interfered. The moral of the story - don't let USB cable anywhere near power cord lol!

 

[BobMcN]

You could try putting a ferrite on the USB - might help. But far better to keep any power cord away from any signal carrying cord, and keep a digital signal cord away from both. If you have to cross, then cross at right angles, not parallel.

Bob

 

[SleepyOne]

The kimber USB has a built-in ferrite. I am in the process of putting foil around the cable in hope of some extra shielding! Thanks for the tips re: crossing at right angles! I will do that, cheers!

 

[donunus]

are you using the kimber cable by the way?

 

[SleepyOne]

Yup, even though Kimber has shielding in their USB, it still get interferred by my power cords....it should be note though that my power cord are non shielded 10 awg.....

 

[donunus]

are the ferrite beads easy to take off on those kimbers?

 

[SleepyOne]

You can't take off the ferrite beads*, it is built in. Plus kimber thinks it sound better with it there.

*You could try, it maybe ok or it might not, depeding on how they wrap the ferrite, no idea.

 

[donunus]

Ive seen links where Gordon Rankin talks about the kimber sounding better without the ferrites. He was saying that the belkin gold beat the kimber with the ferrites on but once they were off that the kimber was the much better sounding cable. The differences were even measurable he said so this resulted in Ray Kimber selling both the ferrite and non ferrite versions... Check out post 83 of this link
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/sen...8/index38.html

and here...
Cable Asylum - ferrite or non ferrite version? - Gordon Rankin - September 05, 2008 at 07:49:32

 

[SleepyOne]

Thanks for the link. Re: belking beating kimber, sorry not my experience; I guess Gordon has much superior DAC and amp or better matched. I will do a bit more research on this and according to your link, the ferrite can be removed easily so I might give that a try - I was thinking of upgrading anyway so even if it die, all is well! Will update you the result if I do remove it.

As for where to buy, here is a link. It is more expensive as it is now silver wire:
MUSICDIRECT - KIMBER - SILVER B-BUS HIGH SPEED USB CABLE

 

[SleepyOne]

OK, will remove it now, will update you later.

 

[SleepyOne]

I managed to dig out the plastic and underneath it is a metal ring. Question how do I remove this? Anyone? I would be very grateful for any suggestions, thanks!!

 

[dura]

If I were you, I'd leave the ferrite, all it does is remove/shield against noise. I'm not happy with those things on analogue signals, but while digital it is probabnly benificial. And get a simple shielded powercord.

 

[SleepyOne]

dura - thanks for advise, I sort of smash the metal ferrite ring already (that's how lol!)....oh well. Will update as to whether things any better or worst later.

 

[linuxworks]

are you using a usb2.0 cable? or a cheap 1.1 cable that is not shielded?

I bet that was your problem. usb2.0 proper cables (still $5 or less) would not ever have pickup problems. only very cheap unshielded ones will not work well enough in differential receiver mode to kill pick-up noise.

any 'sort of thick' usb2.0 cable will fix your problem. but don't overspend!

 

[linuxworks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dura /img/forum/go_quote.gif If I were you, I'd leave the ferrite, all it does is remove/shield against noise. I'm not happy with those things on analogue signals, but while digital it is probabnly benificial. And get a simple shielded powercord.

no, sorry, the solution is not to shield power (you can't do that very well anyway). but you CAN shield the sensitive usb cable and throw away the 'extension cord' you probably have and put in a real shielded 2.0 cable.

not more than 5-10 dollars, though. you need a PROPER cable but proper != expensive.