tarquineous

I've heard the opposite from a few others... local SSD files sound cleaner than NAS file playback. Any idea of what's going on there ? Could it be proximity to internal computer noise ? There are still a few people who like HDDs over SSDs. They seem to be a minority, but they are hearing something.

CD players never looked so good ! Unless you subscribe to a monthly CD shipment and use a demagnetizer, spray, special cloth, and tuning crystals. Things can get really complicated, really quick !

Then Windows ?

What is an "FMC" ?

Well stated! There are power cords out there costing half as much as the Phoenix, which would raise sound quality, but would also start a fight! Thanks for keeping the review corralled.

Thanks for letting us know of another option ! How good is sounds or compares is another story, but it definitely accommodates more types of products. And Denafrips has a good reputation.

I still have a set of Music Metre silver interconnects which I purchased in 1995-96. They sound pretty good, and are smooth sounding compared to some others. In general, and after trying at least 25 interconnects since then, I do not prefer silver cables over copper for audio use. Silver tends to soften the bass, highlight the midrange, and lessen full harmonic content. Silver plated is just as bad or worse for interconnects, but is sometimes very good on tweeters and midrange drivers. The better sounding interconnects do not have heavy insulation on the metal wires, base on what I have actually heard over the last 15 or so years.

BMC is a reputable company with very good engineers. They are a high end product manufacturer, so their products are not cheap in comparison. There are many other products on the market now that address noise on the 5 volt line. I tried the the Audioquest Jitterbug which worked well on my $79.00 computer speaker, but degraded the sound somewhat when used on the BMC usb cable. Another product is the USB Disruptor by another company. This is a low noise power supply which plugs in to the usb inlet on a receiving component, then your usb cable plugs into it. This one clarified the music, a small but noticeable amount when used with the BMC usb cable. Their price is fairly low at $79.00. I've seen more elaborate ones for $300+

Your jokes don't help in this case. I've tried the BMC cable and it works fine at 5 meters. It sound a little better than a cheaper usb cable I have here, but then again they all sound a bit different, if they are made different.

The BMC cable works well and sounds good to me.

I find it quite amazing how footers and platforms can help the sound, even though it is a relatively small amount. I have one of the tripod units in the picture, but do not have the room right now to use it. So I use three Cardas wood blocks to good effect. My opinion is this should be done after settling on power cords and interconnects. Just make hearing an improvement easier.

I can recommend three power cords : JPS Labs Digital AC, Clarity Cable Red, Sablon Audio (any of the tree they make). I would say try the Clarity first.

Please keep the garbage out, goldsdad. In response to Barrows issue with Nordost: I don't trust Nordost Corp. in general. They can make a cable to any length with little problem. Their reluctance is an example of their dishonesty. They make good cables, but are certainly not the best, even if you fall for their false notion that all cables in a system have to be the same brand. Also, no cable is exactly 1.5 meters. And as soon as you plug it in, the length in the circuit changes. So what part of the cable or circuit are they referring to ?

I have found the same true with SPDIF cables. I have no idea why, but the silver is definitely brighter. My preference is copper cables. The sound is less emphasized, more natural. That my take on it. This goes for hook up wire inside the component. I removed the silver internal wire I had installed in one DAC, and replaced it with copper wire. Even the one inch of silver could be heard. (FYI). Haven't tried it with USB, but it wouldn't surprise me if the silver is brighter. And it may be a good thing, as I like the silver cables for video equipment, digital or analog.

Engineers do get fired and layed off similar to any other field. Also some are more productive and innovative than others, depending on many things such as interest in the product line, dedication to the company, personal problems, skill level, etc. There will always be a variance of products, at least in this world!