i apologize to everyone for my hasty snarkyladen remark. no , i don,t have a 30,000 dollar system. yes i have been an enthusiast for 40 years [and industry rep for many high end companies for 15 years] and my goal this time around was to put togeather a system for little money that provides great sound reproduction. i know it is not a porshe. i am using emotiva amp, pre and cd, magnepan, murrow audio cables, furman and musical fidelity mac and pure music products with great results in my opinion. i am working with trying to get the best computer performance without spending thousands of dollars and read about the belkin cable that sells for 29 bucks but can be bought for a measly 6 bucks on amazon. right up my alley of budget/performance goals. i was asking about the belkin gold and it being balanced according to the stereophile reviewer. i did not know what a balanced usb cord is so i asked if anyone could tell me if i had the same one that was reviewed. i am not open to any patronization from anyone who writes "are we really to the point" and advice of go to "walmart". i don't say "wow spend more money on components" to anyone. this may work for some who just throw money at this hobby but i have found some money and time spent on room treatment and small adjustment like better ac receptacles and room treatment and isolation tweaks can yield much more impressive gains than getting on the gear changing rollercoaster. i appreciate those who added some levity to my unfortunate thread. and i guess the belkin works ok because i havn't run shrieking to change it back yet. still enjoying music tho.....i also am regretful for jumping on macdadtexas. there, i said it haha