[dnnaudio]

I just bought a Muon USB cable and have been evaluating it prior my trial period lapses. Done the burn in thing in my case needed 400 hours to settle. My current cable is Curious standard cable. While I am impressed at the across the board superiority of the Muon over the Curious, for some reason in my system it has an effect of mildly mellowing or "sweetening" the highs. While on some music this is fine, it tends to reduce the liveliness and pace of some songs and this bothers me. As if on some songs with the reduced treble output the volume went down around 1 DB. To those who are using a Muon USB, is this something you encountered?

Shunyata Denali V2 > Aurender N150 > Chord Qutest (IFI Elite PS) > Jeff Rowland C500 > Dynaudio C1 (cables Audience AU24SX)

 

[kingoftown1]

In my case with the Muon, I feel like I gained frequency extension & dynamics across the board. In my system it's come across as very even-handed (I half-expected a warmer cable going into the purchase). What I lost was a layer of what's commonly referred to as "digital haze" -- and that definitely changes the perception of the highs.

 

[dnnaudio]

The Muon also removed significant digital haze in my case w/c made everything sound more coherent w/c was awesome. I am aware this also is usually accompanied by a slight darkening of sonics, an outcome of noise elimination. But what I am hearing is something more than this, e.g., with female vocals I feel like the voice is being smoothed out and the natural grit and sparkle of female soprano is somehow reduced. Cymbal hits also come out with a touch less impact and intensity. Most songs I don't even mind it as it sounds real good, but when I come across a song where this matters like Carole King it makes the track sound slow and mellow than it should and detracts from enjoying it. Did you notice any of this at all? Given the unusual long and wild break in (400+ hours) I experienced I am wondering maybe it just has not fully broken in yet.

 

[Mediahound]

Something that also helps with digital haze is a USB cleaner device. Some are better than others but if you're playing from a computer, I recommend one to clean up some of the noise. Dedicated music servers may not need it as much (although could still be an issue).

That in conjunction with a good USB cable can work wonders.

 

[dnnaudio]

I have an ISORegen USB reclocker and using it on my system especially with a top cable like Muon actually results to sound degradation. On my office system it improves the sound but not in the main system. The Aurender N150 is a clean enough source and coupled with a cable like Muon I think I would need to go with a top reclocker in over 1K price range to see any improvement.

 

[The1Signature]

Something that also helps with digital haze is a USB cleaner device. Some are better than others but if you're playing from a computer, I recommend one to clean up some of the noise. Dedicated music servers may not need it as much (although could still be an issue).

That in conjunction with a good USB cable can work wonders.

when the usb cable is connected to a laptop, i also recommend a jitterbug. that changed a lot in my case.

 

[Mediahound]

I have an ISORegen USB reclocker and using it on my system especially with a top cable like Muon actually results to sound degradation. On my office system it improves the sound but not in the main system. The Aurender N150 is a clean enough source and coupled with a cable like Muon I think I would need to go with a top reclocker in over 1K price range to see any improvement.

YMMV for sure. I wasn't impressed with the Uptone products on cost grounds, and then they guilt trip you into getting an LPS-1 to power it!

 

[Mediahound]

when the usb cable is connected to a laptop, i also recommend a jitterbug. that changed a lot in my case.

Also run the laptop off battery when playing. That way, you can eliminate any mains ground-loop/interference possibility. Sometimes just that alone can improve the sound.

 

[kingoftown1]

@dnnaudio I can't say I have that issue -- I wonder if it's a system synergy thing? Here's my digital chain for comparison

Spoiler: Diagram

edit: with the Muon I was almost able to remove the SU-6/Hypsos combo and go direct to dac. Unfortunately for my box count, the DDC combo imparts a nice sense of tangibility & a more 3d stage, with just a touch more tonal density.

 

[dnnaudio]

@kingoftown1 Nice digital chain. Mine is simpler no DDC just an Aurender N150 straight to a Chord Qutest DAC w/ upgraded PS. The Shunyata Denali V2 PLC that feeds power into my system brings down noise floor to really black levels it is a crazy good power line conditioner. I also have a 10 guage dedicated power circuit for this system. I am pretty sure it is the Muon causing this as I also have a Network Acoustics ENO3 cable (used on a second system) which I tried on this system, and the result is identical to the Curious cable except with greater resolution and detail. None of the sweetening effect I am getting with the Muon. Actually in terms of tonal voicing the three cables - Curious, ENO3 and Muon are very similar so it is easy to compare. With the exception of the Muon having this sweetening effect particularly on treble instruments like brass, cymbals, guitars, piano, etc., and also particularly on female vocals. I also have two CD transports on this system, a Cambridge Audio CXUHD and an Accuphase DP500, both these transports also do not exhibit the sweetening effect. I wonder if I have a Muon not performing exactly at 100% spec as your comments or other user reviews seem contrary to my experience. When I reported the wild and ultra long breakin to Rob at NA and my concern why the cable does not seem to want to settle down (day by day wild sonic swings even at 200+ hours) he offered me a replacement cable w/c they will break in themselves so I can be sure it is at spec. I might consider this offer.

 

[manueljenkin]

Get the Supra, it's design is absolutely logical. Separate shielding for data and power, silver plated conductors for data, tin plated for power. It's already as good as USB cable could possibly be. No doubt, there are some audiophile cables which could be even better due to better shielding, conductors, isolation et.c. But the price increase would be much bigger than actual quality difference.

It's really easy to pick up a difference between cheap "supermarket grade" USB and something like Supra or Furutech. The difference between $100 and $1 000 USB cable is subtle IMO. I generally like audiophile cables, but USB would be the last thing that I'll put serious money into.

What does tin plating do for power? Silver playing for data makes sense since with high frequencies, skin effect pushes the charges to the edges of the conductor. What’s the special electrical property of tin? Does it do well with large input currents? Or is it merely cost saving?

 

[manueljenkin]

I have a Phasure Lush 3 USB cable. I have also used Shunyata Venom and Tellurium Q Ultra Silver. I like the Lush 3 best because its the most natural sounding of the 3.

Did you try tweaking the cable to match your system. Phasure Lush and Ifi Gemini are the only two cables I know that are configurable to different systems.

 

[Ragnar-BY]

What does tin plating do for power? Silver playing for data makes sense since with high frequencies, skin effect pushes the charges to the edges of the conductor. What’s the special electrical property of tin? Does it do well with large input currents? Or is it merely cost saving?

Usually copper wire is tinned to protect it from corrosion. Here it is obviously used as an additional noise filtering. The high frequency interference due to the skin effect will be pushed to the less conductive tin layer. Like silver plating, only in reverse. Can't say how effective this solution is, but from theoretical standpoint it makes sense.

 

[Mediahound]

Or get the Supra Excalibur instead which has the conductors coated with pure silver instead.

 

[dingogyffe]

Did you try tweaking the cable to match your system. Phasure Lush and Ifi Gemini are the only two cables I know that are configurable to different systems.

Yes. I mean my configuration is w-y-r-g / w-y-r, but i think i will try more different configurations in near future.