2. cables
  3. 1377793291

Locus Design Axis USB or ???

Greetings - I acquired an Axis USB cable from Lee a short while before his passing. It has served me very well, but with a new Auralic Vega DAC headed my way I'm wondering how the Axis rates in light of the numerous USB offerings now available. At the time, there were precious few "audiophile" cables to choose from. If any of you have experience with the Axis and would care to place it into the context of today's offerings from Oyaide, Wireworld, Audioquest, etc. I'd be interested in hearing from you. I'm not looking to spend in excess of $500-600 so please try to refrain from suggesting WAY pricey cables I'll never consider buying. Thanks much, Kurt.
maldeguerre
6 responses Add your response
maldeguerre OP
4 posts
 
Thanks to all who have responded, much appreciated. I'm still hopeful that someone out there with "ears on" experience with the Axis will be able to give me some comparative sense of the Axis' sound quality versus the current field of "contenders". It may be that I'm still very well situated with the Axis and that'd be swell. If investing in a more current design can reap tangible sonic benefits at comparatively reasonable expense, count me in! My "evolution" in USB cables, all providing noticeable gains in SQ:

"office" USB > Wireworld Starlight > Locus Polestar > Locus Axis > ???
doggiehowser
672 posts
 
I have the first gen Cynosure but I think there are some IMHO saner priced products out there. If you can get a Revelation Audio Labs dual headed one, it's well worth a listen.
sonic_genius
528 posts
 
I traded my Starlight platinum for the Cabledyne Reference Silver USB. The Cabledyne USB has discrete power and signal leads and is pure silver wire. Price was around $140. I could clearly hear the sonic benefit.

http://http://www.cabledyne.com/usb-cable.html
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,385 posts
 
I use a Wireworld Starlite 6 usb cable and it sounds wonderful for just around 100.00 going from my laptop to a Wyred4Sound Dac.
maldeguerre OP
4 posts
 
RW - yeah well, it certainly would be nice if it were a non-issue, but in my experience it ain't. I'm not seeking to veer into a cable quality "legitimacy" debate, I can only say that the move to the Locus Axis from "standard" USB cables made a discernible difference in the sound quality of my system. The technology has advanced sufficiently in terms of metallurgy, shielding, connector design, etc. in the years that I've owned the Axis that I feel there are likely to be better sounding USB cables now, in the price range that I, personally, am willing to spend. Maybe I need to spend less time hangin' at Computer Audiophile!
rlwainwright
1,904 posts
 
$500-600 for a USB cable? That's just plain silly. No more than $30 should get one a very good cable. Any more than that is money wasted frivolously...

-RW-
Log in to respond
More to discover
80x80
ANTICABLES Level 3.2 Reference Series
80x80
Transparent Audio Opus Gen 6 Phono Interconnect DIN to XLR - 1 Meter
80x80
Avanti Audio Allegro Speaker Cables