Best USB cable upgrade for around $1000

“Mad Scientist Black Magic Ultra, Sablon Audio Evo, FTA Callisto.”

Those are all good choices to consider but I highly doubt you are likely to hear major improvement over your existing cable given your setup, especially the DAC. Benchmark DAC’s are extremely neutral (to my ears, clinical sounding) so spending money on another USB cable would be a waste. 

@lalitk +1

I don't believe in any component and/or cable being the best for everyone. I recommend reaching out to Infigo Audio for a home audition of their Signature USB cable...let your own ears decide.

Audioquest Diamond USB, 650 usd for 2.5ft (or more if you want a longer length)...

https://www.audioadvisor.com/aqusbdia-0-75

Intona Isolator + Reference Cables. And keep the cables as short as you can. If your setup allows it, the Uptone USPCB can be quite effective, too.

@lalitk +1 for Sablon and FTA Calisto

DH Labs Mirage USB is a great cable and doesn't break the bank.    The power and data wires are individually insulated.    Around $220 for a meter 

I have moved away from usb as they sound too hard. The only usb I have heard which is acceptable is the DR acoustics

You're spending nearly as much on a cable as your DAC is worth...think you have your priorities out of whack and with digital info on a cable you won't hear anything different anyway as it get's decoded after that...

I’ve tried several USB cables with Lumin U1 Mini and Benchmark DAC 3 HGC. The best cable was the Audience AU24SE+. It was detailed, warm and natural sounding, which complimented the benchmark greatly. I eventually sold the benchmark DAC for the reasons @lalitk mentioned above. 

I will mention Wywires cables. Platinum should be more than enough, $540 for 4 feet.

I have Mad Scientist Black Magic Ultra, upgraded from Mad Scientist Black Magic.

Op

Did you buy a new USB cable yet?  I had the FTA Callisto.  It was a very good cable and then upgraded to the FTA Sinope for my Lampi Horizon DAC.  Send me a private email and I can explain better.  I have since gone to a SPDIF cable ilo of USB.  

Thanks everyone for the feedback!  It is truly appreciated.  I am getting back into audio after quite a hiatus and am trying to put together a satisfying setup while trying my best to stick to my budget (we all know how that goes).  I almost pulled the trigger on a used Sablon Audio Panatela Reserva USB but I wound up purchasing a Wywires Platinum USB cable.  Wywires cables seem to be having a 40% off sale right now so it made the cable very affordable.  Alex just informed me it is en route so I am eager to try it out.  I already have a Platinum S/PDIF and really enjoy that cable.  I'll update this posting after I get to break the new cable in.

I have Silver in my second system that works well with Burson DAC. My main system is analogue only and there I have two pairs of Wywires Diamond interconnects. Great cables. I used to have Platinum interconnects and Purist Audio Neptune, upgraded to used Diamonds at incredible (to me) cost and have no regrets whatsoever. Still have the Neptune in the second system.

I am in fact thinking of upgrading the Silver USB to the Platinum

Your Poiema looks pretty solid, so I’d be interested in your thoughts on how they compare once the Platinum is burned in. 

@jerrybj What was the difference between the Black Magic and the Black Magic Ultra? I understand that the Black Magic is a full sounding cable with body and tonal density. Is the Ultra similar in these aspects?

Get two Intona reference cables and an Intona Isolator. Allternatively look into a Singxer UIP-1 in lieu of the Isolator

@mikey8811 

I found the Mad Scientist Black Magic Ultra USB cable an excellent upgrade over their Black Magic USB.

It still has the lively vivid sound but is more neutral with more detail.

@jerrybj  Thanks.

So it is still full sounding with body and the neutrality doesn't tip it into edginess?

@mikey8811 

It doesn't 'tip into edginess' at all.

I like cardas usb. The highspeed version. So natural and smooth. 

My two favorites are In-Akustik Reference USB ($550 for 1.5M) and my current reference, AB Tech KLAR ($1,350).

@mikey8811 

I've upgraded my Mad Scientist 'Black Magic Ultra' USB cable.

Sent it back to Bob, and for reasonable money it was upgraded to a Mad Scientist 'Black Magic Gold' USB cable.

I'm very impressed with the improvement. Well worth it.

Sounds like the OP already landed a cable, but out of all the USB cables I’ve ever tried (and I’ve tried a lot), the only two I found myself being able to live with are the Synergistic Research SRX USB (very expensive) and the FTA Sinope, which pops up under $1K on the used market. Both are incredibly natural sounding and do not sound digital at all.

Synergistic Research SRX USB (very expensive) and the FTA Sinope, which pops up under $1K on the used market.

Only the sky is the limit. I don't know this seller... and i've had it.

Confucius days you can save money when you have money

@classicrockfan You’re absolutely right about me. With audio, the sky is the limit. I absolutely love audio and am heavily invested.

Looking at your posts, you have been overly negative about other people’s investments into high end cabling, so why even contribute to this thread?

Even the OP requested suggestions near $1K. Yes, the SRX falls way north of that, but the fact that I am also advocating for the FTA Sinope for less than $1K when I am not a dealer for FTA cables should say something about my intent.

It’s too bad you’ve had enough of me, because I will be posting on here often and trying to add value where I can.

Looking at your posts, you have been overly negative about other people’s investments into high end cabling, so why even contribute to this thread?

I’m being truthful and that’s how i contribute.

Even the OP requested suggestions near $1K. Yes, the SRX falls way north of that, but the fact that I am also advocating for the FTA Sinope for less than $1K when I am not a dealer for FTA cables should say something about my intent.

This OP ’lads’ started this thread asking suggestions at around 1k and a few posts down he suggested his own USB cables which are on sale 40% off now. then you ’contributed’ to this thread with this SRX (sounds like a Subaru SUV). That’s perfectly OK when you try to sell/promote cables... to make ends meet. Who knows? We can talk more about the topic this coming weekend.

Why listen to you? You have nothing valuable to contribute...

+1 @jerrybj

I happen to be fortunate to be able to have the SRX in possession. If my post was “pushing” this cable, I don’t think it’d be too effective. I don’t know of many people who would swing the cost on the cable just because I say it’s one of two cables I could live with. Even as a dealer for the cable, I still had to shell out more than most people would ever pay for a USB cable in order to have it on demo. I do this because I’m invested in the hobby, not because I’m trying to sell the SRX cable through a single post on this thread.

Those that know me know the value I provide. There are even threads on this forum from established members that advocate for my services and knowledge. The fact that you come off insulting everything and everyone is a waste of others’ time and energy and generally ruin an otherwise positive morale on this thread. 

Perhaps it would be helpful for @lads to confirm whether he/she has an affiliation with Wywires, but judging from the OP’s posts on other threads, I see him/her as a loyal customer who is trying to up their game, and not just around WyWires cables. The fact that you are accusing someone of this affiliation is offensive, in my opinion. But hey, I could be wrong and he/she may have some sort of affiliation. I just tend to give others the benefit of the doubt and try to help where I can. 

For everyone else, despite my experiences with many USB cables, the reason I have such a high standard for them is because I have been a long-time advocate of using AES cables as I am a strong advocate of having high-performing digital sources with quality clocks. AES takes advantage of these features, where USB is an asynchronous interface and only relies on the DAC’s clock. In my experience, USB and AES (and SPDIF as a whole) present very differently, and it’s been very hard for me to find USB cables that perform as well as the SPDIF interface does. But YMMV and depends on the components in your system and your own personal sonic preferences. 

@classicrockfan Pardon if I don't take your technical expertise on these topics as definitive.  It appears you have yet to master something as simple as posting in a forum in a cogent manner, so I'm guessing the technical details of AB Tech's USB cable and their country of origin are well beyond your "scope".

badgerdms

"in a cogent manner"

Is that the way you press snake oil in Sweden? In America we do that with pseudo science claims such as molecular rearrangements and expansion.

" I'm guessing the technical details of AB Tech's USB cable and their country of origin are well beyond your "scope"."

I am a professional electrical engineer focused on avionics systems signal processing and analysis, and surely know a thing or two about high performance data cables. So tell me tell us how this magic Klar USB isolator really works what's inside show us the data sheet. Or your website is just full of double-dipped snake oil nonsense.

"This isolator, besides from its filter functions, regenerates the signal and completely galvanically isolates signal, power and ground which means all noise is removed and through comes only music."

Again educate me how these claims are scientifically feasible none of the above makes sense. I would 'regenerate signals' through kryptonite.

"housed with a special thermoplastic material, and finally wrapped in a custom noise reducing sleeve normally used in aerospace,"

Wow "noise reducing sleeve" Mr. Klar we don't use such magical sleeve in our aerospace research. So what is it how does it work? Does it generate certain frequency to stop dogs from barking or babies from crying?

classicrockfan

So tell me tell us how this magic Klar USB isolator really works what's inside show us the data sheet. Or your website is just full of double-dipped snake oil nonsense ...educate me how these claims are scientifically feasible none of the above makes sense ... Mr. Klar we don't use such magical sleeve in our aerospace research. So what is it how does it work? Does it generate certain frequency to stop dogs from barking or babies from crying?

Sealioning.

Just curious how the Wywires Platinum USB worked out?

Classic cable denier is getting more aggressive by the minute. 
This is an audio enthusiast forum and I get it everyone has an opinion but if you don’t agree with some of it say your piece and be done. There’s no need to be this persuasive and throw accusations around. Go to ASR where you can associate with like minded crowd. You’re wasting pixels here. And lately your anger issues are bubbling up to the surface. 
 

Hey, I don’t like Audi. I don’t go joining Audi enthusiasts forum and piss everyone off by saying they’re fools wasting their money when they can be driving a Hyundai…car’s a car…it gets the driver and the passengers from point A to point B. 
Nothing wrong with that thought process until you climb up the pedestal and start calling everyone idiots. 
 

I think it’s time for this guy to get lost.

"Sealioning"

A good point this forum has nothing to do with any mainstream American engineering organization. 

@audphile1 Now I’m sad. I drive an Audi, not a fancy one, and I love it. My wife’s Hyundai Santa Fe cost more than it because it’s bigger, but my Audi is quieter and more comfortable. Now I best go to a Hyundai forum and bash the heck out of their cars.

That said, we’ll probably get one of the all new Santa Fe later this year or next. It looks darn good and we need a three row for the kids and their friends. 

Because you sound like you have a clue, check out the many offerings on Ali-Express. Ive had very good luck and saved a ton of $$$

blisshifi

1,105 posts

04-18-2024 at 08:46pm 

@audphile1 Now I’m sad. I drive an Audi, not a fancy one, and I love it. My wife’s Hyundai Santa Fe cost more than it because it’s bigger, but my Audi is quieter and more comfortable. Now I best go to a Hyundai forum and bash the heck out of their cars.

That said, we’ll probably get one of the all new Santa Fe later this year or next. It looks darn good and we need a three row for the kids and their friends. 

@blisshifi I don’t hate Audi. It was just for illustrational purposes. 😆 

Knowing the very positive impression PC Triple C wire has had when used by myself and a growing number of converts to the wire type.

I can only suggest a time is taken to look at the Acoustic Revive PC Triple C USB Cable.

If this Cable Type is selected, and makes the impression I know other PC Triple C usage has had. There will be monies left to swap out some other Cables for those produced using the PC Triple C wire as well. 

The use of the wire type transforms systems, it has speedily put OCC wire out of use in certain systems it has been introduced to.

Where systems are now fully populated with the PC Triple C, being used as Umbilical, Speaker Cable, Power Cable, and Internal Wiring in Phono Amp, Pre Amp , Power Amp and as Speakers Internal Wire. It is now even to be found used as Tonearm Internal wiring. The impact it has enforces others to be completely bonkers about where to use it next.

I am hoping Transformer Windings and Cartridge Coils are one day produced from it, as was these same items using OCC wire.

I always read Bliss's posts because he is a straight shooter and gives great feedback here - he is always recommending products he does not carry, always. That's a sign of a true hobbyist, not a dealer shill.
 

@blisshifi speaking of premium USB cables, have you got a chance to try the Intona Ultimate? Their whole thing is not wire quality but impedance control, with little deviation from zero. They claim its the most important factor for USB cables, intriguing to say the least. The 1.5m is apparently the best sounding length, but price is up there of course.

@agisthos Thanks for the kind words, those types of comments make my day. I’ve of course been an audiophile much longer than being a dealer (I just started dealing just over two years ago), and when I became a dealer, I swore I would only take on brands that truly move me and that I am passionate about. I’ve since found that there are a handful of audio products that are exceptional, but it doesn’t mean that everything that brand / manufacturer makes is of the same caliber, and so I don’t necessarily want to be a dealer for that product. And then there are some brands that make excellent products, and it just doesn’t make sense for me to be a dealer for them, perhaps because they are too similar to what I already carry, too great of a financial investment without a large enough market for me to be successful, or because they already have a dealer in my territory. But it doesn’t stop me from talking about those brands or products because they deserve to be mentioned!

I havent heard the Intona Ultimate, though I concur that impedance matching is incredibly important. It looks like a 1.5M is close to $4K? A new USB cable is not on my priority list, but I’ll definitely keep my eyes open for opportunities to evaluate it!

@blisshifi some of the guys on What's Best Forum, who have access to the most expensive USB cables ever made, including the ones you mention, were claiming its a winner.

Intona have 3 performance grades, and the only difference between them is tighter and tighter impedance tolerance, with some users claiming a huge jump when moving to the Ultimate grade, where impedance deviation is literally a straight line, almost perfect.

Its intriguing because I see no other USB cable manufacturer focusing on this aspect (at least not publicly).