USB Cable Ridge Street Audio/Synergistic Research

Too bad you couldnt source the vendor for that one.....or can you?

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Hi,

Super question! IMHO cabling is very, very system dependent, so what you will possibly receive (at best) in reply is honest personal answers to your question, but those answers will all be system dependent.

That's why Robert's (RSA)45 day return policy, and the opportunity to borrow an SR USB cable from the Cable Company are important options for end-users.

Remember that it takes time for the cables and the electronics to settle in to changes made on this level. Initial impressions are not always the most valuable. Give the cables and system time to find themselves.

Yes, USB cables do make a big difference... and that is not just a subjective opinion.

The RCA dog would easily discern the difference!

I A/B'd the cables plus a regular USB printer cable for my highly sceptical son and his wife ("Dad... look, data is just data... ones and zeros... data is data"), both argued with great redundancy and circularity that data is just data... and both left the house after listening to the A/B muttering and sputtering... wrinkling their noses realizing that another axiom in computerland had just bit the dust.

:) listening,

Ed

"Yes, USB cables do make a big difference... and that is not just a subjective opinion."

So what IS the objective difference? Certainly it can't be the "nature" of the one and zeroes, right? There's nothing different about a 1 coming through a cheap cable versus the same bit coming through an expensive one is there? If not that then is it that lesser cables screw-up the bits themselves? Or perhaps cheap cables let unwanted "stuff" through the wire to the DAC?

I'm not trying to be a troll here. I just bought a Benchmark DAC1 USB and am using the stock cable from a laptop while working on the rest of the "real" system (NAS, wired network, fanless dedicated audio PC). If I'll get better sound with a better cable I'll buy one but I also know that the placebo effect can be strong. Hence I would like to know at least the technical theory behind high-end USB cables.

I too am very curious if a better quality USB cable will make an improvement since i am in the process of downloading my entire collection to an external hardrive. That being said, is it just going from your computer to an external DAC that will make a difference? The only USB cable i am using is going from my external hardrive into my computer and then i have a separate non USB cable(looks like a computer cable similar to one that goes to your monitor but not sure of the type) going into my outboard breakout box of my soundcard which has an internal DAC. From there i go out of the soundcard breakout box via 1/4" ends and then into my tube preamp via RCA ends. At this point i am very pleased with the results i am hearing but if a superior USB cable going from the external drive into my computer will improve sonics then i am all ears. But i too have previously read that they don't make a difference so i am very interested in hearing more about this matter.

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Why remain in the dark?

Why not borrow the SR & Kimber USB cables from The Cable Company.

Take Ridge Street Audio's (Robert Schultz) offer of 45 days for a no questions asked $ return and decide for yourself.

You could even compare and contrast these cables to your favorite USB printer cables (all of us have several of those lying around somewhere). Bring it on with a premium Belkin USB cable from Best Buy or Circuit City.

Check them out.

I have emphasized that there are marked differences. That there are differences is not in question.

The qualities and your preferences in relation to those (sometimes considerable) differences are what should be carefully considered.

The question wondering if there are differences is "elementary, Watson".

:) listening,

Ed