I want to try a decent (inexpensive) USB cable for a portable HD
afterburnt
Posts: 7,897
Comments
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Maybe I should have put this in "WTB"?
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Can I move it?
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I found an Audioquest forest on Amazon for 35 bucks. Any opinions?
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For that kind of money I would go with a Wireworld. Problem is all of my portables are USB 3.0
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According to a very recent common sense theory, 90% of the people here believe cables don't matter.......
............so based on that, buy the cheapest you can find.
H9"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass
Pass Aleph 30 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Plus DAC | MIT Shotgun S3 | MIT Z P/C's | updated SDA 1C| SQ Box Touch/Welbourne Labs P/S- Tubes add soul! -
According to a very recent common sense theory, 90% of the people here believe cables don't matter.......
............so based on that, buy the cheapest you can find.
H9
I'm offended
Reported..........
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3 out of 4 people make up 75 percent of the worlds population
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afterburnt wrote: »I found an Audioquest forest on Amazon for 35 bucks. Any opinions?
Not bad, like skip said worth a shot,
Whatever you do stay away from the bargain 99 cent cables even if it's a 1 meter.When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
Family Room:
Samsung UN75RU710DFXZA,
Denon AVR-X4400H, Emotiva XPA3 GEN3
Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM, WD Live HUB.
Main: Polk LsiM 705
Center: Polk LSiM 704C
Front High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT
Surrounds: Polk S15
Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
Bed Room;
Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270
Main: Polk Signature S20
Center: Polk Signature S35
Rear: Polk R15
Sub: HSU STF-2
Working Warehouse;
Sony 2100ES AVR, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc
Cerwin Vega AT-12 (blasters) Advent Prodigy (listening)
Old sony 12" Sub
Mini tower PC with 400GB of music -
60% of the time it works every time.afterburnt wrote: »They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.
Village Idiot of Club Polk -
Is there anything else that I should look at? I know it's not a huge investment but I have no idea what else is out there. I would go with Wireworld but they don't have an inexpensive USB 3.
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just get the AQ cinnamon 3.02-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC
erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
79 bucks, that is fast approaching the Starlight.
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3.0 or no 3.0....then get the forests...quit being difficult
2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC
erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
Otay!
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Get the Audioquest, if you don't want to spend the cash on that go Belkin. All of my portable drive cables are Belkin, been using them for years and never had a problem.
When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
Family Room:
Samsung UN75RU710DFXZA,
Denon AVR-X4400H, Emotiva XPA3 GEN3
Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM, WD Live HUB.
Main: Polk LsiM 705
Center: Polk LSiM 704C
Front High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT
Surrounds: Polk S15
Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
Bed Room;
Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270
Main: Polk Signature S20
Center: Polk Signature S35
Rear: Polk R15
Sub: HSU STF-2
Working Warehouse;
Sony 2100ES AVR, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc
Cerwin Vega AT-12 (blasters) Advent Prodigy (listening)
Old sony 12" Sub
Mini tower PC with 400GB of music -
afterburnt wrote: »3 out of 4 people make up 75 percent of the worlds population
But the problem is that you don't know which three they are.Family Room, Innuos Statement streamer with Morrow Audios USB cable to DirectStream DAC w/Bridge II; AQ Sky XLRs, McIntosh MC 220 Tube Pre; AQ Sky XLRs, CAT 600.2 Dualmono Amp, Morrow SP7 Speaker Cables, SDA SRS 1.2tls (RD0198s, Dreadnought, Black Hole 5, Acousta-Stuf, Dynamat Extreme, JBWeld. Vr3 Mods: "The Abbot" Monastery-Level Xovers, Custom Internal Wiring, Binding Post Plates, & SDA ICs).
Exercise Room, Wadia 171 iPod Dock, PS Audio PerfectWave Transport, Innuos Streamer with Cat 6 cable connection to PS Audio PerfectWave MkII DAC w/Bridge II, AQ Sky XLRs, Perreaux PMF3150 Amp, Dreadnought, Supra Rondo 4x2.5 Speaker Cables, SDA 1Cs (Vr3 Mods Xovers).
Synology 713+ NAS on Gigabit LAN serving PW MkII DAC & DirectStream DAC. -
Are the same theories some people use to justify the value of expensive cables for analog signals applicable for the transmission of digital signals?
I would be real surprised if there was an audible difference between USB cables unless one was defective or had no conductivity.
Before anyone decides to attack me over this, notice I said "I'd be surprised" not that I am better than everyone else or anything like that. lol -
Let's not run this thread into the ground. He didn't ask if there are differences in cables. He asked for a low priced cable that people might have experience with.
H9
P.s. I'm not saying your comment is an issue, just a general plea to everyone to keep it on track, myself included"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass
Pass Aleph 30 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Plus DAC | MIT Shotgun S3 | MIT Z P/C's | updated SDA 1C| SQ Box Touch/Welbourne Labs P/S- Tubes add soul! -
Gatecrasher wrote: »Are the same theories some people use to justify the value of expensive cables for analog signals applicable for the transmission of digital signals?
I would be real surprised if there was an audible difference between USB cables unless one was defective or had no conductivity.
Before anyone decides to attack me over this, notice I said "I'd be surprised" not that I am better than everyone else or anything like that. lol
TROLLPolitical Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
I never wanted to believe there were differences either. Now I have the top of the line Wireworld and have zero regrets about that decision.
This coming from a guy who tried for over a year or two to find a better speaker cable than my $100 used PNF. I've tried several cables in the $3-5k range and none did better until I got the Equinox in. This is all to say that sometimes bias isn't what it seems from those on the outside looking in.
It's all about noise. Eliminating it gives you better sound and every component in the rig is a culprit.
That's interesting. So with the cheaper USB cable you could hear "noise" over it transmitting a digital signal?
Maybe that would fall into the category of some kind of external interference or something since digital is basically just a 0 or 1? But then, unlike an audio cable, there is power flowing through the USB cable too so maybe that would make sense.
In any case, I wouldn't have expected any difference since it is kind of like an all-or-nothing when it comes to digital. -
I'm in the IT, integration business and like electronic gadgets and toys.
Without getting into the audible part. I've used upgraded HDMI's, USB, phone cables etc, just the fact they are made better and last a lot long especially ones for portable devices.
Have watched speed tests improve with better USB's while data transferring with better cables. Would attribute to better quality builds, and metals.2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC
erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
Let's not run this thread into the ground. He didn't ask if there are differences in cables. He asked for a low priced cable that people might have experience with.
H9
P.s. I'm not saying your comment is an issue, just a general plea to everyone to keep it on track, myself included
Unlike F1's typical personal attack, my post has direct relevance to the OP's question. He's looking for an inexpensive "decent" USB cable. I never really knew there were any "bad" ones per say which is why I asked the question.
Which ones aren't decent?txcoastal1 wrote: »I'm in the IT, integration business and like electronic gadgets and toys.
Without getting into the audible part. I've used upgraded HDMI's, USB, phone cables etc, just the fact they are made better and last a lot long especially ones for portable devices.
Have watched speed tests improve with better USB's while data transferring with better cables. Would attribute to better quality builds, and metals.
That's kind of what I would expect for digital. If a real cheapo one has "noise" maybe it's just the basic build quality that sucks?
I would think most (if not all) USB cables would be "decent" as long as they aren't defective in some way. I wouldn't expect to see any difference between say a $10 USB cable and a $5,000 one. Maybe between a 50 cent one and a $10 one though. -
never mind.........hopeless"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass
Pass Aleph 30 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Plus DAC | MIT Shotgun S3 | MIT Z P/C's | updated SDA 1C| SQ Box Touch/Welbourne Labs P/S- Tubes add soul! -
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Decent, for how long? If it is something you plug and unplug seen to many start getting [email protected]2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC
erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
txcoastal1 wrote: »Decent, for how long? If it is something you plug and unplug seen to many start getting [email protected]
Yeah that's a good point right there. USB does get a lot more abuse (physical wear & tear) than most other cables. -
I use a Starlight 7 and have always been happy with the sound and build quality.
I have an extra Starlight 7 STM (Type A to Mini x .5 meter) that I no longer need. You said you need a Micro so maybe a no-go.
I paid $90 and will let it go for $50 if you pay for the shipping.
PM me if you are interested.Mojo Audio Illuminati v3>>Quantum Byte w/LMS>>Rpi/PiCoreplayer>> Starlight 7 USB >> Mojo Audio Mystique v2 SE>>ModWright SWL 9.0 SE Signature>>Hafler DH-500 Amp+ (Musical Concepts Fully Modded)>>
SRS 2.3TL (Fully Modded)...Velodyne Optimum 8 subwoofer
1KVA Dreadnought
Marantz SA 8005
Pioneer PLX-1000 Turntable - Shure SC35C/N35X - V15III/VN35HE
Yamaha TX-540 Tuner...Sony BDP-S570
Sony PS4
Separate subpanel with four dedicated 20 amp circuits.
1. Amplification 2. Analog 3. Digital 4. Video
"All THAT IS LOST FROM THE SOURCE IS LOST FOREVER" -
Machone thanks for the offer but it has to be usb 3. I think i mentioned that somewhere.
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I have a straight 7 as well. A great USB cable.2 channel:
Bryston 4B3, Bryston BDA3, Cary SLP05, Shanling CDT1000SE with parts conneXion level 2 mods, Nottingham analogue ace space 294, soundsmith Carmen MKii, Zu DL103 MKii, Ortofon MC 20 MKii, Dynavector XX2 MKii, Rogue Audio Ares, Core power technologies balanced power conditioner, Akiko Corelli power conditioner with Akiko Audio HQ power cable, Nordost heimdall 2, Frey 2, interconnects, speaker and power cables, Focal Electra 1028 BE 2, Auralic Aries Femto, Black diamond racing cones, ingress audio level 1 roller blocks, JL Audio E110 with Auralic subdude, Primacoustics room treatments.
Theater:
Focal Aria 926,905,CC900, SVS PB ultra x2. Pioneer Elite SC85, Oppo BDP93, Panamax M5400PM, Minix neox6, Nordost Blue heaven LS power cables. -
afterburnt wrote: »I found an Audioquest forest on Amazon for 35 bucks. Any opinions?
Although I haven't tested USB cables between HD and player/computer, I have found noticeable differences in USB cables between player and DAC. A few of the head-to-head comparisons were blind tested. I would rank the ones I've tried in this order (cable, $ paid mostly used):
WW Starlight 7 Platinum, $360
Curious Cable $120
DH Labs Silver Sonic Mirage $94
WW Starlight Silver $200
WW Starlight Red $49
WW UV (purple) $56
AQ Carbon $50
AQ Forest $35
Freebies $0
Study: Roon * ProJect Stream Box Ultra & Pre Box S2 * Pass ACA * DH Labs SS Q10 * Brines Folded ML-TQWT RS 40-1354
Audio: PS Audio DirectStream Jr. * Belles 20a * Pass Aleph 30 - Zu Omen DW * Sunfire Sig II - Polk SRS 2.3tl * PSAudio PP3 * MIT S3
Den: Sonore ultraRendu * Cary xCiter * Dayens Menuetto * KEF LS50
