Ridge Street Audio Designs

Hi Lars. Sorry; When I read your user name I read it as Liz who is Lizzard King. He signs off a lot of times as Liz. When the time is good for you, I'll look forward to talking with you again. Hello Barrows. "...can you confirm that the RSAD USB cables are entirely capable of providing the full bandwidth necessary to comply with the USB2 specifications, and that these cables will have no difficulty transferring the high resolution audio of which USB2 is capable (up to 24 bit and 384 kHz sample rates)?" When I read that I couldn't help but think of back in the day when Digital playback was new and a lot of manufacturers were slapping shiney "Digital Ready" labels on thier speakers and stuff. So now I'm thinging I should put a label on my USBs that says, in big gold italic print 'DIGITAL READY!'. That'll convince 'em...LOL! Digital Ready!? What the hell does that mean!? It meant nothing. LOL! Anyway, yeah, we're good to go with hi-rez. Cheers! Robert RSAD

Hey MarkS. Glad the Enopias is making a positive difference in your rig and, thanks for the nice kudos! Hi Liz; The Enopias you have has become an out-dated version. As of October '10 the Enopias has been completely redesigned and designated 'Enopias!!'. Just felt I needed to point that out since your comparison really isn't relevant. Cheers! Robert RSAD

Thank You Paul! Kindly, Robert RSAD

I'm having trouble getting this to work. Is all this still applicable since I'm using Snow leopard? Or is this only applicable for older OS? Thanks! Robert RSAD

Hi LC. Sorry you're having problems emailing us. I don't know why this would be. I do not have any spam filters turned on anywhere. Maybe try again? [email protected] or call us: 219.324.2253 Hope to hear from you. Robert RSAD

Hey Ajay! Glad you're enjoying the Alethias! USB cable. Thanks also for posting those two pieces of music. I sampled both of them on Elusive Disk and they sound like they'd be excellent so I ordered both of them! Cheers! Robert RSAD PS. Chris: I accidentally Flaged Ajay's post. Please disregard that. Thanks.

Hello Bob. I agree. I think you make a good point. The only exception I would take is what's rational with either how a manufacturer prices stuff or an enthusiast's buying habits. I agree - audio toys, and that's all this stuff is really, are expensive. I wished it weren't so both from a consumer and manufacturer point of view. Even as expensive as some of this stuff is, I don't believe it's fair to paint a broad brush stroke across the enthusiast landscape as being irrational for what we're willing to spend. For myself, and I don't imagine I'm too different than a lot of people, regardless whether it's audio related or something else, if it's important to me (or if I want to simply find out if it is important to me...) and I have the means to acquire what it is I want or need, then I'll get it. I don't believe that's irrational thinking. Do you? I guess it would be irrational if buying a cable would mean leaving me homeless. As a manufacturer I can tell you our product pricing is not irrational or even market driven. While I suppose there are some manufacturers who just throw a big price tag at the wall and hope it sticks, there are truly some of us who don't operate that way. RSAD's products for example are priced based on materials, labor, labor, labor, a bit of misc. overhead and, based on sales volume, what I need to make for a living which, BTW is modest, believe me. A movie and Dairy Queen with the wife once in while is as good as it gets - we're content. A little further.... Even though I appreciated the differences good stuff made, I used to think our toys, especially cables, were a stupid rip off.....until I started doing this stuff myself. Now I understand. LOL! I've always said this and stand by it still: Until someone has walked a mile in my or another manufacturers shoes, be careful how many fingers are pointed. Can't tell you how many times I've pointed a finger only to find three pointing back at myself. All in all, I think RSAD for one is making a good positive difference on more than one level. We've been doing what we do successfully for eight years and we have some pretty savvy and well respected clients. I'm sure there are others who can make the same claim. Cheers to you Bob!

Hey Acurus. Yep. Being a drummer myself I really admire Weckl's skills. One of the favorites in my music collection is CC's Elektric Band "Eye Of The Beholder". I've got this collection on LP and CD. The LP rules but ripped to my Mac and played through my Music Stream USB DAC, it's very very good. I think Weckl as band leader finally came into his own with Synergy. Other DW Band CD's that I think are exceptional are: Transition Perpetual Motion or... Live: And Very Plugged In Cheers!

"Pity the poor gentleman who stated up front... wanted to know what cables others might recommend that he listen to. He got next to nothing." Yep. Very disrespectful. Those needing to prostilitize others (or whatever might be said was being done...) should have started their own thread. Again, I apologize for my part in that. sincerely,

Hello Shenzi. I honestly don't know all the reasons why burning in works. I don't think anyone has the definitive answer here. I just know it's a real phenomena that makes a positive difference if done right. I've tried several burn-in devices: One I made - worked well enough, Hagerman Technology's Frybaby - worked better, very good value and Audio Excellence AZ's Audiodharma - by far the best if not expensive. My perception, in context of our cables, is that the burn-in conditioning contributes to a more relaxed, fluid presentation. There's a kind of stress gone that you didn't recognize as being there until you hear it not there. Know what I mean? I think whatever is going on is not so much heat related but more along the lines of a microgranuleculturalisticism level (kind of like when Horton heard a Who) - wait, that's not even a freakin' word....my mind's gone blank and I can't grab the word I'm looking for.... more along the lines of how the insulators respond to an electrical field which I would guess has something to do with some aspect of an insulator's dielectric constant. Some say it's also the wire itself breaking in. Maybe, I don't know so I wouldn't dispute it. Wished Larry Moore would pop in here. He might have something to say about this. Swell guy who's also a music loving EE brainiac. He used to be the lead engineer for Bell Labs before starting Ultra Fi. Ha! I was talking with him once about some of what I account for in our cables - their triboelectric properties. He corrected me by saying "...no, what you're describing goes beyond that. It's called van der Waals force...." Hell, I'd never heard of that! I said to him "Geez Larry, whadya do...Google 'all definitions' and memorize everything!?" Anyway, I'll have to ask him if he has some thoughts on this next time I talk with him. Sorry I can't be more informative Shenzi. Merlocpm Wrote: "...but the point of the thread was not to start a discussion on cables and whether one can hear a difference or not.....so if anyone does have experiences with other USB cables, feel free to chime in here!" You're correct pm. I apologize and I'll bow out now. Respectfully,

USb Prices Iamkirk Wrote: "Poiema!!! R-v3 USB Digital Master 700 bucks What goes in to the pricing for "high end" usb cables? I mean they look fantastic and everything, but what differentiates it from some 30 buck belkin cable? I know the whole argument going on so far, but I was just curious to hear from someone making usb cables." Well, evidently my box didn't help. LOL! Kirk, if I tell no, not $700.00 but $420.00 does that change your "700 bucks :S" to "420 bucks :/" or better? Without giving away my intellectual (some would say lunacy...) property, here goes... Most audio cabling, spec'd or generic, is mass produced and can take huge advantage of economy of scale. In my experience and opinion there's a downside: The manufacturing process, while it poops out tons of bulk, compromises materials and it severely limits design options and choices. There are a very few companies, of which RSAD is one, that builds their cabling one at a time from the ground up - i.e. we're not pulling cabling from a spool or shoving a wire through a tube of some sort then putting a pretty dress on it. Here, I actually start with bare wire sourced from our precious metals vendor. This gives us a lot of materials and applications choices that very few if any even consider. Before I even begin to build the cabling there are several processes we apply to the bare conductors. The other build materials must be prep'd then we're ready to begin the build. Distinct from our chosen topology(s), the build technique we developed is laborsome but worth it - it makes a difference. There is not a high production manufacturing process that can do what we require. Wished there was - my life would certainly be easier. I had to design and build my own tooling to help facilitate the build process which is mostly hand work. After build is complete all our cabling gets a burn-in conditioning on a modified Audiodharma Pro to help facilitate break-in once installed in a system. BTW, here's a tidbit you may find helpful: there is a distinction between burn-in and break-in or, "settling" if you will. During the settling or break-in, it's not just the cable that's acclimating. Finally, Lynn (my wife) and I sleep two nights with each cable before it goes out the door. Kinda gives our cables that portrayal of intimacy when installed in a good system. Okay...not really. BobH Wrote: "I have to admit, I have absolutely no idea how much it costs to develop, market and support an audio product. I only know how much I would like to be able to spend on keeping the industry healthy..." I love it! Someone who understands what I believe the buyer/seller dynamic should be: Win/Win. I get so tired of the self centered "Give it to me at your expense" mentality. Little tolerance I have there and I'm usually pretty short with such conversation. "...and it's nowhere near as much as I've actually got! (Which is, in turn, considerably less than my wife thinks I need!)." LOL...I can definitely relate to that! Cheers!

Hey Ashley. If you felt part of your apology needed to come my way, no worries. No offense taken. Still, Just to be clear... "I did feel it important to stress the dangers of down valuing science..." I don't think anyone was devaluing science. Science or otherwise wasn't talked about until you brought it up. I imagine you're a credible Gent. Have you ever audtioned a high end USB cable? If you haven't, want to? I'll send you one to play with for a week if you'll send it back. No agenda, conspiracy or strings attached. Pop me a post if you'd like: [email protected] Cheers!

Hey Tim. "If you want people to understand that a 2.0m cable is $420, not $700, update it." Good Point. I put a box around the "Current Promotions and Specials HERE" that's at the top of the page. Should make it easier to notice. Cheers!

"Cute..." Thanks Tim. I thought it was kinda clever too. Hmmm....headphone diaphrams just move back and forth - pretty simple, no? "...I just saw that you're getting $700 for a 2.0 meter USB cable. " Na...We only get $420.00 for 'em at 2.0m. Not cheap I suppose but, agree or not, good value compared to what could be spent. Next time you want to quote pricing from us check with me first or check our advertised promotions - not hard to find really unless there's a reason you'd not want to notice them. Done with tit for tat. Carry on if you must. Cheers!

Good morning Ashley. Looks like we're the early ones hu? "...USB2 cable as might be supplied with a Printer or a Back up HD will be as good as it gets." Ummm....maybe you need a better printer and HD. Well, all that says to me is that even objectivity is subjective. I guess I'm to conclude that no matter where we turn, our experiences are delusional. So be it. For me personally, I'll take my delusions. I think my wife is hot - even at 53, I like Jell-O but not Lima Beans even though both have some degree of sustenance, I like dogs more than cats and I enjoy what good cabling brings to a good music system, even USB cables - I hear differences that are important to me. These are just four things that have made my life a little more colorful and rich instead of analytical and sterile. Really, I do think science is useful and valuable but not the be all, end all as it's propped up to be many times by intellectuals. I find it fairly condescending when science is paraded as god on a stick. Also, really don't have a problem with you having your position. Just seems like you're saying everyone (which includes me...) should share your position if we wanna be right. Am I to assume if I don't I'm screwy? Anyway, no need to go round and round on this. We're good. Lets call it done. Cheers!