advertisement


£45 USB cable?

A

aquapiranha

pfm Member
Well would you?

http://www.chord.co.uk/products.php?pg=229

I seem to remember some idiot reviewer going on about USB cables, I thought at the time it may have been a Chord jobbie since he had links to them on his blog, don't know if it was this one though. The so called expert hifi reviewer was roundly savaged for his 'opinion'.
So what is the verdict? Would you buy one? Do you think it is pointless?
 
Lol thanks Muzzer. I know there are more expensive models about, but my point is, do you think a USB cable is going to make any difference to the sound over a cheapo one?
 
My view is if you have a cheap dac with a crappy non aysnc usb input that takes its power from the computer then these cables may offer an improvement due to better shielding of the 5v power line.
 
mine was £2.75 out of Asda. Fancy a USB cable bake off? I can lay on watching paint dry as well if anyone's interested
 
I had a couple of DACs which had differences when different USB cables were used, both outdated now, both non-async.

I don't know what's going on with DACs and USB cables but a friends DAC was really affected as well. It sounded great with his expensive USB cable...

When I bought my carefully saved for Young DAC, I thought I'd go the whole hog - based on what I thought I knew from my experience so far - and borrowed two £100-ish USB cables to demo. There was no difference between those two, or the parts bin USB cable that came fromM2Tech, so I kept that.
 
Is it not the case that USB cables carry analogue signals in some applications? In that case presumably the same rules apply as with other analogue cables. I'm not saying that makes these prices sane. Or not.
 
sonddek said:
Is it not the case that USB cables carry analogue signals in some applications? In that case presumably the same rules apply as with other analogue cables. I'm not saying that makes these prices sane. Or not.
Click to expand...
USB cables do not carry analogue signals.

A USB connector has 4 pins: Gnd, +5V DC, Data+, Data-.

Were you confusing it with the iPod's proprietary connector, which can carry a selection of signals?
 
The 5v line isn't at a high enough level to do anything to the signal on the cable, but it can transfer crap from the pc to the dac depending on the isolation and grounding in the dac itself.

A 40 euro USB cable filter will do mOre than any fancy shielded USB cable.
 
I would be interested in hearing the Chord for its "wild" claims to dampen vibration. There may be some truth in that and there is only one way to find out - listen. I have heard coaxial digital interconnects lose information so my mind is open even in the digital domain.

£45 doesn't exactly take the piss. £500 does though.
 
sq225917 said:
The 5v line isn't at a high enough level to do anything to the signal on the cable, but it can transfer crap from the pc to the dac depending on the isolation and grounding in the dac itself.

A 40 euro USB cable filer will do more than any fancy shielded USB cable.
Click to expand...
So a better "quality" cable could transfer the crap from the PC to the DAC more efficiently?

But the (digital) signal doesn't use the +5V & Ground wires; it's transmitted over the Data+/Data- twisted pair.
 
prowla said:
USB cables do not carry analogue signals.

A USB connector has 4 pins: Gnd, +5V DC, Data+, Data-.

Were you confusing it with the iPod's proprietary connector, which can carry a selection of signals?
Click to expand...

I seem to remember when His Steveness Steved microphone sockets on the cheapo laptops there was a 'USB Microphone'. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't that be analogue over USB?
 
Steven Toy said:
I would be interested in hearing the Chord for its "wild" claims to dampen vibration. There may be some truth in that and there is only one way to find out - listen. I have heard coaxial digital interconnects lose information so my mind is open even in the digital domain.

£45 doesn't exactly take the piss. £500 does though.
Click to expand...
Listen, I've worked in the digital domain for years. You're using the wrong term in "open mind", "gullible" is the correct one.
 
Its not a new concept...

"A foole and his monie be soone at debate, which after with sorrow repents him too late"
Thomas Tusser (1557)
 
Avole's argument is fallacious on two counts. Apart from the obvious abrasive ad hominen (the stating that I am a fool or gulluble) there is also the fallacy of appealing to authority.

http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/appeal-to-authority.html

Some get it sooner, some get it later, some never get it.

Having not heard the Chord I have no idea if there is any truth to the "wild" claims. There may not be. The fool is the one jumping to conclusions having not heard it.
 
Steven Toy said:
Avole's argument is fallacious on two counts. Apart from the obvious abrasive ad hominen (the stating that I am a fool or gulluble) there is also the fallacy of appealing to authority.

http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/appeal-to-authority.html

Some get it sooner, some get it later, some never get it.

Having not heard the Chord I have no idea if there is any truth to the "wild" claims. There may not be. The fool is the one jumping to conclusions having not heard it.
Click to expand...

Not one to jump to Avole's defence too regularly.

But Steven, you're quite right, some never get it.
 
Why deliberately misspell my first name Arthur, that's a bit silly.

Anyway, how are you getting along with the transformer/OLED upgrade in the CDQ?

Have you noticed that as well as taking 40 minutes for the player to warm up and come on-song, a further 12 hours or so brings further improvements and the new transformer also gets better after a couple of weeks of burn in.

You should notice by now even greater solidity and agility in the bass, better dynamics overall with a lower perceived noise floor.

It certainly punches well above its weight.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top