Completely different sound signatures. Transparent, clear vs warmer, organic sound. Pick your poison.
@spearl8 : totally agree. A difference in design and cable built the OP did not appear to grasp |
jafant I haven't, but it would be easy to do. The QB-6 DSD receives USB from the Mini for Roon, but it sits atop the C-5xeMP so would be easy to connect. The DX-5 DSD is in a different setup with 5-Twenty preamp and amp and KEF Reference 1s rather than LS50s, so comparison is not easy, The C-5xeMP is what got me hooked on Ayre. |
You can upgrade to the better Cardas Clear USB cable. Here is the link: http://www.cardas.com/clear_hs_usb.php
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I don't recall buying it, but my Cardas Clear USB is a single cable about 18" long. It's in a setup comprised of USB form Mac Mini to Ayre QB-9 DSD DAC to Ayre KX-5xeMP preamp to a pair of Parasound JC 1 amps driving KEF LS50s augmented by a pair of KEF KC62 subs. The setup sounds very good even with large orchestrations. |
I have the CARDAS CLEAR USB between my BRYSTON digital player and BRYSTON DAC. It bested the both the high-end AQ’s and also my incumbent NORDOST in MY system (emphasis added) I was an all-NORDOST FREY loom fan and was quite happy with it, until I first auditioned CARDAS CLEAR interconnects . That led to CC digital SPIDIF (BluRay) and USB digital cables in turn sequential upgrades in my system. CC Speaker cables are contemplated in the new year as a new CC fan to complete the loom. It’s impossible to conclude without a direct bespoke bakeoff. The CC USB cable is all copper that tamed that “digital edge” ahead of the NORDOST, the AQ, and also the AQ Diamond. FWIW …. |