[groovyd]

USB stream buffering (used by every DAC that has ever existed) is what makes jitter a non-event.

 

[money4me247]

  USB stream buffering (used by every DAC that has ever existed) is what makes jitter a non-event.

this. the effect of jitter and timing errors is not dependent or influenced at all by the physical usb cable.
 
...the way usb cables inherently work means that if the cable is not defective, there is absolutely no possible way for it to have any impact on sound quality.
 
sorry for the silly comments, but it really is no sillier than the continued spread of wildly inaccurate claims of usb cables having any impact on sound.
 
that is simply not how things work. i am perfectly fine with people making subjective claims on their views on other controversial subjects, but when talking specifically about USB cables, that is just ridiculous.

 

[money4me247]

from following this thread, it seems to me a lot of people here may be a bit newer to this hobby & may just be taking what other members/sales people say at face value. I would strongly urge everyone to simply look at the research & background information on some of these sales pitches for spending more money on equipment. with usb cables specifically, there is nothing that a more expensive cable does that will impact sound quality.
 
there are other highly controversial subjects in this hobby where performance improvements are debated and does not have any clear objective data showing conclusively for those claims. I am chill with people taking a position different than my own opinion there. USB cables specifically do not fall into that category at all. It is extremely clear from how it functions that there is no impact at all.

 

[groovyd]

The only possible effect a different USB cable could have (theoretically) on sound quality is a better shielding of bus power and ground (assuming they are anywhere near clean to begin with and assuming the DAC uses some variation of it as a reference voltage).  Those are actually big assumptions as most well designed DACs will decouple all USB bus power and ground from the reference voltages.  Maybe some don't... ok then there is your problem, not the cable... you need a better DAC that is truely isolated from the USB bus and is given a clean voltage reference.

 

[Dogmatrix]

Seriously can you guys take the cable debate to the relevant sound science thread
The last eight posts don't mention the Wa7 at all
It really is not fair for people looking for info on their new Wa7 to have to trawl through this dribble

 

[groovyd]

... having said that the WA7 DAC is bus powered so it may very well respond to a better USB cable but you also might want to invest in a USB power isolator that will provide it with a clean bus power for reference.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

  Seriously can you guys take the cable debate to the relevant sound science thread
The last eight posts don't mention the Wa7 at all
It really is not fair for people looking for info on their new Wa7 to have to trawl through this dribble

 
+ 1

 

[dL.]

  Seriously can you guys take the cable debate to the relevant sound science thread
The last eight posts don't mention the Wa7 at all
It really is not fair for people looking for info on their new Wa7 to have to trawl through this dribble

 
+ 2
 
dL

 

[pdferguson]

Okay, here's a potentially dumb question.
 
I'm interested in the WA7, so I've been reading this thread to figure out whether it's worth upgrading to the TP option.
 
But here's what I don't understand: WHY should a tube-based power supply make any difference over a solid state power supply? A power supply has one job--supply a steady voltage and current to the DAC/Amp. That's it. So, how are tubes supposedly "better" at creating a steady DC power source than solid state devices? I just don't get it. (Moreover, it appears that tube rolling of the power supply tubes is a big deal, which makes even less sense to me.)
 
I don't want to start (yet another) holy war here, but I honestly do not understand why a good quality solid state power supply (as presumably Woo's are) should make any measurable--much less any audible--difference in the sound.
 
Thanks,

 

[money4me247]

  Okay, here's a potentially dumb question.
 
I'm interested in the WA7, so I've been reading this thread to figure out whether it's worth upgrading to the TP option.
 
But here's what I don't understand: WHY should a tube-based power supply make any difference over a solid state power supply? A power supply has one job--supply a steady voltage and current to the DAC/Amp. That's it. So, how are tubes supposedly "better" at creating a steady DC power source than solid state devices? I just don't get it. (Moreover, it appears that tube rolling of the power supply tubes is a big deal, which makes even less sense to me.)
 
I don't want to start (yet another) holy war here, but I honestly do not understand why a good quality solid state power supply (as presumably Woo's are) should make any measurable--much less any audible--difference in the sound.
 
Thanks,

who really knows, but hey it looks cool =P lol

 

[vasunshine]

who really knows, but hey it looks cool =P lol

Agreed. When it looks good, you feel good. When you feel good, it sounds good. And for that, the extra money is well spent

 

[Hififox]

  Okay, here's a potentially dumb question.
 
I'm interested in the WA7, so I've been reading this thread to figure out whether it's worth upgrading to the TP option.
 
But here's what I don't understand: WHY should a tube-based power supply make any difference over a solid state power supply? A power supply has one job--supply a steady voltage and current to the DAC/Amp. That's it. So, how are tubes supposedly "better" at creating a steady DC power source than solid state devices? I just don't get it. (Moreover, it appears that tube rolling of the power supply tubes is a big deal, which makes even less sense to me.)
 
I don't want to start (yet another) holy war here, but I honestly do not understand why a good quality solid state power supply (as presumably Woo's are) should make any measurable--much less any audible--difference in the sound.
 
Thanks,

I had the same question before, I found some threads argued by guitar amplifier owners. This one may help you: http://www.guitarplayer.com/amplifiers/1017/whats-the-big-deal-about-tube-rectifiers/23811
In short words, the tube rectifier CAN'T change the current instantly but the solid-state rectifier can. Tubes need a short time to get back up to speed when amplifier's power request changed. That's the reason why tubes rectifier makes sound "sag", and also why changing the tubes rectifier will change the sound signature.
In theory, solid-state rectifier makes sound clear, transparent and sharp; tube rectifier makes sound sag, warm and analog.
That's my 2 cents, and I really hope any pros like Woo's engineer would answer this question.

 

[Maxx134]

this. the effect of jitter and timing errors is not dependent or influenced at all by the physical usb cable.

...the way usb cables inherently work means that if the cable is not defective, there is absolutely no possible way for it to have any impact on sound quality.

sorry for the silly comments, but it really is no sillier than the continued spread of wildly inaccurate claims of usb cables having any impact on sound.

that is simply not how things work. i am perfectly fine with people making subjective claims on their views on other controversial subjects, but when talking specifically about USB cables, that is just ridiculous.

Aww dam, that means I don't have to get this?:

... having said that the WA7 DAC is bus powered so it may very well respond to a better USB cable but you also might want to invest in a USB power isolator that will provide it with a clean bus power for reference.

Sounds like a good candidate for using with the schiit wyrd..

 

[vasunshine]

Aww dam, that means I don't have to get this?:


Sounds like a good candidate for using with the schiit wyrd..

No you should not get this. Good usb cables start at $998 per foot.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

the longer the USB cable run, the higher quality you should get.