USB Cable Question

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  • 07-06-2015, 09:57 AM
    blackraven
    USB Cable Question
    Is any one using a Wire World Starlight 7 USB cable or an AQ Cinnamon or Carbon cable? How would you rate them? I am leaning to the WW cable. I would prefer to keep the cost under $100 but I could spring for the AQ Carbon.
  • 07-06-2015, 03:22 PM
    Jack in Wilmington
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by blackraven View Post
    Is any one using a Wire World Starlight 7 USB cable or an AQ Cinnamon or Carbon cable? How would you rate them? I am leaning to the WW cable. I would prefer to keep the cost under $100 but I could spring for the AQ Carbon.

    I am using the WireWorld Starlight 7 USB cable. Bought it from The Cable Company. I was just getting my hi-rez setup going and didn't want to spend too much on cables. I also bought a Starlight 7 AES/EBU cable at the same time.
  • 07-06-2015, 04:14 PM
    blackraven
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Jack in Wilmington View Post
    I am using the WireWorld Starlight 7 USB cable. Bought it from The Cable Company. I was just getting my hi-rez setup going and didn't want to spend too much on cables. I also bought a Starlight 7 AES/EBU cable at the same time.


    Jack, have you compared it to other usb cables? I have a friend that bought a $600 cable and swears it makes a huge difference. I have heard that the Anti-Cable USB is great but it sells for over $200. My limit is about $100 and around $75. I have not found that cables make much of any difference in my system. The one cable that made a difference was an AQ Coral IC which tamed some sibilants. A guy on the forum sent me some Synergistic Research cables and they sounded about the same as BJC IC's.

    I will probably by the Starlight 7 as people seem to like it and it is not too expensive.
  • 07-06-2015, 05:10 PM
    Jack in Wilmington
    [QUOTE=blackraven;405107]Jack, have you compared it to other usb cables? I have a friend that bought a $600 cable and swears it makes a huge difference. I have heard that the Anti

















    I had a cheapo USB cable that I used when I was first trying out the whole hi-rez thing. Then when I started to find more material to download, I got more serious with my source and my cables. When you have your next DAC shootout, you should get your guests to bring any USB cables that they are using.
  • 07-06-2015, 05:39 PM
    Mr Peabody
    I haven't tried the WW USB but had a chance to play with some of their RCA's and they make a very good cable. Just in general I'd prefer the sound of WW over AQ. You might also see what an entry Analysis Plus USB runs.
  • 07-06-2015, 07:07 PM
    frenchmon
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by blackraven View Post
    Is any one using a Wire World Starlight 7 USB cable or an AQ Cinnamon or Carbon cable? How would you rate them? I am leaning to the WW cable. I would prefer to keep the cost under $100 but I could spring for the AQ Carbon.

    Yes...I've used the starlight 7 before I got the Neutral cable. Nice rich tones....I still use a Wireworld Ultra Violet 7 from the computer to the iFI PSU and the Neutral from the PSU to the DAC. But whats really the star of the show is the WireWorld RCA cable I have coming from the DAC into the preamp. Its a Silver Eclipes 7 OCC Silver over OCC copper. But its $700,,,But an Excellent RCA!
  • 07-07-2015, 04:43 AM
    Feanor
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by blackraven View Post
    Jack, have you compared it to other usb cables? I have a friend that bought a $600 cable and swears it makes a huge difference. I have heard that the Anti-Cable USB is great but it sells for over $200. My limit is about $100 and around $75. I have not found that cables make much of any difference in my system. The one cable that made a difference was an AQ Coral IC which tamed some sibilants. A guy on the forum sent me some Synergistic Research cables and they sounded about the same as BJC IC's.

    I will probably by the Starlight 7 as people seem to like it and it is not too expensive.

    Shortly after I got a latest DAC, my Schiit Bifrost Uber, I got a Pangea USB that used silver plated signal wires and cost about $100. I had a 15' cable run which is the official limit for USB, so I thought it might make a difference. In fact it make no difference, that I that I was aware of vs. my $15 USB from TigerDirect; (I didn't do a lot of A-B'ing so I can't be completely sure).

    Some time ago, as some might remember, I compared 5 or 6 interconnects, (which are analog, of course). I felt I could hear a difference and I ended up buying a Transparent 'The Link' from a fellow forum member. However I certainly felt too that the differences were very small -- nothing like swapping amps, DACs, or other active component.

    When you're into $5000+ components, a couple of hundred bucks for a fancy cable isn't excessive for a slight improvement, but I suspect "huge differences" are delusional -- either that or the replaced cable was defective.

    Of course, there are folks who will argue that if you hear not difference with the $200 cable then obviously you need to step up to a $1000 cable, but I'm skeptical.
  • 07-07-2015, 06:00 AM
    Mr Peabody
    Frenchmon, is Neutral a brand or who makes it? Would that be in Blackraven's budget?
  • 07-07-2015, 06:59 AM
    Jack in Wilmington
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Mr Peabody View Post
    Frenchmon, is Neutral a brand or who makes it? Would that be in Blackraven's budget?

    I looked at the Neutral Cable too, and it looks like a very nice product. The cheapest USB cable is 120 euros which converts to $131 US, so it would stretch Blackraven's budget. The Analysis Plus that you recommended runs $79 for the better of the two listed on The Cable Company website.
  • 07-07-2015, 04:34 PM
    frenchmon
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Mr Peabody View Post
    Frenchmon, is Neutral a brand or who makes it? Would that be in Blackraven's budget?

    Peabody...Neutral cable is a brand and its made in Italy. The owner is Fabio Sorrentino. He makes great cables. Each is made to order. Their budget cable is a little out of Ravens range.....but he is welcome to send Fabio an email to specify what he wants in a cable and he may be able to get a better price than whats showing on his site.

    Mono and Stereo High-End Audio Magazine: Neutral Cable FASCINO interconnect and Power Cable review

    Neutral Cable - Fascimo Interconnects and Power Cables | Hifi Pig


    Here is a great company that makes great cables and is in his price range.

    USB - Forza AudioWorks
  • 07-08-2015, 07:05 AM
    blackraven
    Thanks guys, I will probably go with the Starlight and then buy a Regen after speaking with my friend who bought the Regen and loves it.
  • 07-15-2015, 05:29 PM
    blackraven
    One of the guys on the Audio Shark forum recommended the new Straight Wire Level 3 USBF 2.0 wire for $150. It has filters on each end of the cable. The dealer says he uses one and it sounds better than the $2K cable he was using. I am concerned that the filtering wound be redundant if I get a Regen.
  • 07-30-2015, 09:13 AM
    frenchmon
    IF your going to get a Regen...dont worry about spending great money on USB cables. The Regen is the dominate component and chances are 90% that the cable plays a great roll in your system. Users of the Regen are reporting the Regen pretty much only yields about 10% of a cables abilities.