Cerious Technologies Matrix USB cable

As discussed, I will be testing a long version of the Matrix USB from Cerious Technologies.

Test equipment list:

Computers:

MacBook Pro

Media Server - 6 cores Intel HEDT CPU, dedicated USB card, will try both motherboard USB headers as well, as well as dedicated USB ports.

Main Server - 16 core AMD ThreadRipper CPU, 20 TB of M.2 SSD storage, dedicated USB card, will try both motherboard USB headers as well, as well as dedicated USB ports.

USB Devices:

Musical Fidelity V-Link USB/SPDIF convertor - this unit actually powered by the 5V rail from the USB cable.

Musical Fidelity M1 DAC - USB input

Wadia di122 digital decoder - it has USB input

Bryston BUC-1 USB/SPDIF convertor

Berkeley Audio Design Alpha USB - USB/SPDIF convertor

Mark Levinson 30.6 reference DAC - needs either the Bryston or the Berkeley to feed via AES/EBU, does not has USB input

EMM Labs reference DAC - has USB input

Will give results to Bob and will share with the forum with Bob’s permission.

@lprules1962 What's the dedicaded USB card that you're using? I have a JCAT Femto USB card powered by an LPS and it's quite transformative of my system. Apparently, the JCAT Femto network card with an LPS is more crucial to your setup than the USB card. Having both would be ideal. 

@rgrost I'd like to offer my services as a beta tester for your USB cable as well. I would need a cable at 1.5 meters or greater and it would be tested on a computer with a dedicated USB card powered by a linear power supply. The cable would connect to a USB powered diyinhk dxio pro3z that feeds a custom tube dac. My system's amp is a Pass XA25. 

@c_avila I am using Sonnet Allegro Pro USB 3.1. the JCAT card looks good. I do not know it existed. Will explore it.

*** Update - just read up the JCAT card - ordering one now. Thanks c_avila!!!

You’re welcome. That USB card is one of the best values that I’ve come across in this hobby next to V-Cap’s new ODAM capacitors.

I suspect that the culprit to your USB problem is your current USB card. It may be faulty or low quality. Have rgrost send you the original "faulty" USB cables when you install the new USB card to see if the problem persists.

I’ve encountered the same problem before when I attempted to upgrade my computer. It wasn’t the DAC nor the USB cable that malfuctioned. It was the motherboard’s USB connectors. The JCAT USB card took care of the problem once and for all. 

@c_avila1
For a new commercial product the manufacturer cannot assume anyone to have a very specific set of equipment/setup/components in order to use a product.
In this case even if the new JCAT card will alleviate the problem the R&D must continue to make the said cable working in all situations. Like other working cables do.