which quality USB cable to consider?

[pam1975]

Hi,

I am looking for a quality USB cable (rather short, 1m max) for a "reasonable" price...considering that reasonable is a relative concept, let's say $100 to $300 max. Used is perfectly fine too.

Any brand/model you would recommend that I consider?

Thanks!

 

[firedog]

54 minutes ago, pam1975 said:

Hi,

I am looking for a quality USB cable (rather short, 1m max) for a "reasonable" price...considering that reasonable is a relative concept, let's say $100 to $300 max. Used is perfectly fine too.

Any brand/model you would recommend that I consider?

Thanks!

 

You can get cables like Audioquest and Supra for under $100; there are also more expensive  models if you want to go there.

[mike eastman]

I found that Mapleshade cables to be very nice and beat out other brand of cables costing much more. You can get a 1m with their plus upgrade for $135.

[pam1975]

thank you guys!

[wgscott]

I've been using this one ($8) and haven't detected any deficiencies:

 

[jhwalker]

3 minutes ago, wgscott said:

I've been using this one ($8) and haven't detected any deficiencies:

 

 

When I was having trouble with my first DAC (a few years back now), a well-known and respected company owner told me to get one of these, since most of the "boutique" cables are not well made and generally don't even meet the USB spec.  Solved the problem.

 

Have followed that advice ever since, but I now use BlueJeans cables as much as possible, just because they seem sturdy and well-made.  $2 / six foot cable.

[wwaldmanfan]

I have a SUPRA USB cable currently listed in the For Sale forum for $30, but I'll sell it for $100 if that will make it sound better.

[pam1975]

thanks for your PM and your comment here. Looks like you're eager to sell it

 

[wwaldmanfan]

Too much accumulated stuff. I'm not a "saver". My wife excels in that department.

Maybe someone else can use it, is all.

[bogi]

I own both Belkin Gold Series and Supra USB cable. I bought them based on recommendations from this forum. When I did sound comparisons on my rig I found these cables improving sound against standard cables I got with old CD/DVD burners. More detail, less blurring. From those 2 mentioned I clearly preferred Supra. It somehow helped to get more involving sound.

 

Then I set up NAA on small miniPC. That enabled me to place the mini PC on top of my DAC metal chassis so I could solder the shortest possible USB cable. Some centimeters only. It is made from inexpensive 16AWG silver stranded copper wire I bought on ebay for about $10. I used quite ordinary cheap USB connectors. The ground wire is a bit  longer to keep few cm distance from twisted data wires. +5VBUS is taken from external LPS. The short cable sonically helped - more dynamics, more detail, more real sound. I no more use my Supra.

 

It seems the best cable is no cable. I think it makes sense when in other threads hard adapters are recommended where possible (for example between Regen and DAC).

[KnockKnock]

Go for the Curious Cable from down under, it does magic. And they have a 30 day money back guarantee  so what are u waiting for?  ;=)

[SWL3600]

I just picked up some Curious Cables (Regen-Link). I'm gonna let them burn in over the weekend  (50 hrs) and see what all the hoopla is about.

 

Prior, I found that the cheap hard adaptors sounded better than any of the cheap USB cables I had laying around. 

 

I'm anxious to do the comparison after 50 hours, but so far the Curious Cables are sounding very nice.

[mecanica]

I used before belkin, analysis plus,  neotech 1020 silver.  Now using cruious which has i heared best cable. Its unbelievable cable. Its change of structure of music.  

[chauphuong]

any reviews of Lavri silver usb cable?

[agladstone]

On 3/24/2017 at 4:46 PM, KnockKnock said:

Go for the Curious Cable from down under, it does magic. And they have a 30 day money back guarantee  so what are u waiting for?  ;=)

I have a Curious "full loom" ( a longer Curious Cable and a short "link" for a W4S RUR or a Regen) and I am not using either, PM me if your interested, I'd be willing it to sell it to you for a fair price. 

 

[KnockKnock]

Agladston

thanx I have three of them wonderful cables already

[Rak]

 

OYAIDE CONTINENTAL 5S is very open and dynamic cable:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/OYAIDE-CONTINENTAL-5S-USB-CABLE-1-2M-/401188239410?hash=item5d68aeb832:g:v8wAAOSwzaJX2GVW

[skatbelt]

+1 Curious. I tried and/or owned quite a few in the <1K range but the Curious beats em all. Reasonable priced too. Don't believe people who say that the quality of USB-cables doesn't matter. Believe people who say that not every component is equally sensitive to the quality of USB-cables.

[pam1975]

thanks a lot

[nkbg]

I'd recommend give Oyaide Neo d+ Class S a shot. It's very reasonably priced (check Amazon) for the build quality and a steal for sound quality. Sounded better than the Curious loom and AQ Diamond in my setup of Aurender > Intona > RUR > Berkeley USB > Devialet 400.

[CAMSHAFT]

On 3/25/2017 at 9:18 PM, chauphuong said:

any reviews of Lavri silver usb cable?

I used their Lightning to Micro for my Mojo/iPhone combo, I liked the Paul Pang and Curious better... Not to say the Lavricable isn't nice.  It is a well constructed, great sounding cable, I just thought the overall performance of the latter is better. The Curious Cable is my primary cable right now.  

[ctsooner]

For cables in your price range, the best I've heard and most neutral are Audioquest.  I've heard many of these other cables in the thread and always have friends bring their over and the AQ cables in the various price ranges end up being the best sounding and sometime not by a little.    For the 500 range I like AQ Diamond and Total DAC USB.

[limniscate]

I was skeptical about USB cables until I heard the Curious.  My previous cables were Belkin Gold and Oyaide Neo d+ Class A.

[chauphuong]

For 75$ I bought 6 feet pure silver 26awg cable (for data lines), 10 feet 24 awg copper cable (for 5v and ground lines). Another 25$ for usb jacks. 50$ for a Chinese made LPS having usb out port rated at 5v 2A. All these were made into a 1 metre dual head usb cable sourcing data from PC and power from the LPS. Results were, say, phenomenon.

[Kevin M.]

I've owned the Wireworld 7 Platinum, Straightwire, Supra and now have D H Labs Mirage. I found the Wireworld Platinum and D H Labs Mirage to be the best. Seems like the cables with a separated power wire, sound better. My favorite is the DH Labs Mirage and the one I kept. It's the most neutral cable I have tried. I notice the Curious cable also has a separated power wire.