Please Recommend A Well Made USB (A to B) Cable For A Dac?

[Minstrel SE]

Hi

I have been reading whether high quality USB cables make any difference. It seems that the data either arrives intact or it doesn't so any standard USB lead would be fully functional.

What cables are you all using please? I may need a run of 2 to 3 metres...would that be ok or is it too long?

I am going to buy a DAC this week which will be stacked on top of an 80s :) amplifier with the USB lead running out to a laptop where I am sitting.

The little DAC magic 100 might be a start as I really dont want to spend too much more. I like the fact it has some blue leds (Im being honest with you there)and is not just a dongle...those dongles are about £79 upwards and the Cambridge is £129 on sale at the moment.

If Im budgeting on a DAC I dont really want to spend £30 on a QED usb lead and hopefully a cheapie should do
Cheers...have we had a thread on usb cables recently :)

Best wishes to everyone on the forum
Martin

[mikmas]

Lindy make some very robust and reliable cables (I have a few and never let me down)

This one on offer at the moment:

https://www.lindy.co.uk/cables-adapters-c1/usb-c449/3m-usb-2-0-cable-type-a-to-b-grey-p9509

I also have a couple of Atlas cables - they are very good but pricier (and I can't honestly tell the difference ;) )

[Minstrel SE]

yes thanks....Thats the sort of thing I will order.

When I see the salesman I will hear what advice he has on dacs but I just run a bit of music from a laptop...maybe a dongle would do but I like a few inputs on a box style dac. I just dont think I need to spend £500 on a Dac at the moment.

I should hear a substantial improvement over the headphone output on a fly lead

[Stryder5]

yes thanks....Thats the sort of thing I will order.

When I see the salesman I will hear what advice he has on dacs but I just run a bit of music from a laptop...maybe a dongle would do but I like a few inputs on a box style dac. I just dont think I need to spend £500 on a Dac at the moment.

I should hear a substantial improvement over the headphone output on a fly lead

Topping D30 dac has been well recommended on here, I think around £100 delivered.

Gary

[Minstrel SE]

Thanks Ive just read the Soundphile review. Looks interesting but some of the reader reviews underneath are having a real go at it...maybe unfairly...I dont know

Time for a think.

[Iceman16]

I’m waiting for delivery of Curious Cable usb a to b from Australia.
Some reviews here:

https://curiouscables.com/user-reviews

https://audiobacon.net/2017/09/18/curious-cables-usb-review/

https://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/review/cables-reviews/reviews-digital-cable/curious_usb_cable/

https://darko.audio/2015/09/curious-for-the-curious-a-knockout-usb-cable-from-australia/

[wee tee cee]

as budget usb cables go belkin are pretty good.

usb cables can make quite a difference IMHO

one of stan beresfords dacs would be ideal if you can get one second hand or stretch to knew.

if its a mac you may have optical out?

[Minstrel SE]

Thanks everyone. I know I ask some basic questions sometimes but I havent really embraced the separate DAC units yet. Ive soldered around a Philips TDA 1540 though :)

I have a dell mini tower and a dell laptop. I like Dell and its just good workman like stuff. I wouldnt really know about the latest soundcards or whats hot in computers

I have a lot to learn about Dacs but the way I feel at the moment is that its a chip in a box prone to all the hype the market can throw at it. Could I tell the difference in a flavour of the month market?

I thought I would start with a dac magic...if they have a cable in the box its probably fine.