I’m wondering which USB cables people are using to conect PC/server to a DAC?
This year I’ll be getting a lifetime Roon and building a PC storage server with Windows 10, the server will just be for Roon and storage it will be conect to my Pioneer lx 87 recievers DAC.
I’m looking at which USB cable to buy, I’ve watched lots of YouTube videos concerning noise with cheaper USB cables. I was looking at the iFi Mercury USB cable which was getting good results, do I need to spend nearly £200 in the UK for this sort of cable or are there better priced cables as good.
@gary, not wishing to start a cable debate, but I’d say don’t bother reading personally - it can’t possibly help.
My suggestion would be only buy something you can return with a no quibble refund, and then leave it in your system for a week. After that swap your original back in and if you’re not missing anything, send it back! Even better get a helper to swap it over at some point without your knowledge and see if you notice. If you do, and it’s better, then keep it, if not back it goes.
You will find all sorts of views out there. Why not try something like this to see if for you cables make any difference or not. It’s not much more than a standard USB cable.
Having spent over three decades in IT dealing with comms and the like I would buy a nicely built cable from a decent computer company. So long as the cable is shielded and meets standards there are no audible differences. Your money is better spent on a better DAC or better yet, music. Pro audio installations and scientific installations use mechanically sound cables 1-2 metres long with much higher transfer requirements and have no issues.
All I would say is do not spend $460 on USB cables! Now I know there are a lot of arguments about whether and how much cables can help and if someone generally gets that value to their own ears then fine, it’s worth it. But be very careful of crazy claims.
Try a few Gary and take advantage of the money back guarantees you mentioned… I always found the best advice to be buy the best, according to your own ears, you can afford.
I have to disagree with a lot of the advice you’ve got here so far.
I have never heard a good sounding black or blue USB cable.
Extensive tests have been done and it has been irrefutably proven that yellow USB cables under 1.5m in length sound the best. Some say the difference between yellow and grey is almost indistinguishable but let your own ears decide.
On a slightly more serious note I have read advice to keep the USB cable short - below 1m. That might be complete nonsense of course and I hold my hands up to having never tried a longer USB cable than 75cm.
The good thing about the Curious USB cable is if you can’t hear any difference you just send the cable back and you will get your money back. I kept mine.
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UpTone Regen
All you blokes that came to my place when I was asleep, listened to my gear with my ears and determined that you KNOW different USB cables make no difference for me; can you bring some bread and milk next time ?