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Thread: Data only USB cable

  1. #1
    Join Date: Apr 2016

    Location: Bishops Stortford

    Posts: 1,250
    I'm Chris.

    Default Data only USB cable

    Most quality off board DACs incorporate their own 5 volt power supply and in that sense do no need to draw power from the source.

    There is a breed of USB cables that are called data only (no power) and as such are more likely to give audiophile performance. Can anyone recommend any.

    Please note - if it’s your opinion that cables make no difference, please don’t corrupt this thread.
    Source
    SW1X Universal Music Server UMS I Signature with Power Supply Unit PSU I Signature
    SW1X USB II
    SW1X DAC III Special
    Audiolab 6000 CDT transport
    Amps
    Pre amps -- Hi fi Collective twin mono ladder stepped attenuator, with Charcroft Z-foil and silver wired. And First Watt B1 active no gain buffer.
    Power amps -- Welborne 45 SET monoblocks 1.8W / Decware Taboo 6W / Elekit 300B TU-8600SVK plus further improved components 9W / ICE Power 1000W
    Speakers
    Highly modified Endorphin P17 open baffle speakers containing both vintage and modern alnico drivers and paper cones. All silver wired - 8" Cube Audio FC8 full range drivers and vintage 15" Altec VOTT 416 bass drivers. All sat on Townsend Audio Podium seismic isolation platforms.
    BK Electronics XLS400FF Sub.
    Cabling
    Silver mains cables, interconnects and speaker cables by SW1X
    Headphones
    HRT HeadStreamer and SennHeiser HD650 headphones

  2. #2
    Join Date: Mar 2009

    Location: Nottingham

    Posts: 625
    I'm Ian.

    Default

    Yes you can buy these, try the bay. But an easy cheap mod is to put insulation tape over the pins on the usb lead at the source

  3. #3
    Join Date: Feb 2010

    Location: Moved to frozen north, beyond Inverness

    Posts: 2,602
    I'm Dave.

    Default

    I do know that USB cables can make a difference, though I've not compared any for audio. A long while back I used to transfer video from a PVR to my computers, and I had one cable which would do the job - but only if it was suspended above the floor by a few inches. This was repeatable. There may well be cables which would work without this extra precaution, but I never tested enough to know. So I do believe that USB cables may make a difference. Whether this is truly audible in cables used for audio purposes I can't say - it would depend on the source and the receiver, but I'd expect well screened cables to do better.Not having the power alongside the signal might make a difference, and as suggested, should not put a load on the source which could affect the signal.

    Good luck with your quest. I'd be interested to know what turns up.
    Dave

  4. #4
    Join Date: Oct 2013

    Location: Hartlepool

    Posts: 328
    I'm Martin.

    Default

    These are quite spendy, but the separate power line seems to make all the difference https://curiouscables.com/products reviews here https://curiouscables.com/media-reviews



    Very transparent and open sound with my headphone/dac
    We are the love we leave behind.

  5. #5
    Join Date: Feb 2010

    Location: Moved to frozen north, beyond Inverness

    Posts: 2,602
    I'm Dave.

    Default

    As you say - a bit pricey. Still, if it works for you ... $350 for 0.8 metres in the linked file. Might be Ozzy dollars, so cheaper, but sill a bit hefty.

    Could a DIY job get close to this?
    Dave

  6. #6
    Join Date: Oct 2011

    Location: London Town

    Posts: 2,441
    I'm Julian.

    Default

    I recently bought a silver USB cable from Gothic Audio which has split power and data.
    Only just installed so bit early to form an opinion.

    https://gothicaudio.com/collections/...b-interconnect
    Sonore Rendu - Cambridge Audio Edge W - Sonus Faber Venere 2.5

  7. #7
    Join Date: Oct 2013

    Location: Hartlepool

    Posts: 328
    I'm Martin.

    Default

    Got mine before they became famous from that auction site for 50 quid, but it's only the 0.3m link lead.

    Tried to DIY a USB A to micro B, damn near impossible for my skillset, waaaaaay too fiddly.
    We are the love we leave behind.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Apr 2016

    Location: Bishops Stortford

    Posts: 1,250
    I'm Chris.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by julesd68 View Post
    I recently bought a silver USB cable from Gothic Audio which has split power and data.
    Only just installed so bit early to form an opinion.

    https://gothicaudio.com/collections/...b-interconnect
    I'd love to hear comparisons of that cable.
    Source
    SW1X Universal Music Server UMS I Signature with Power Supply Unit PSU I Signature
    SW1X USB II
    SW1X DAC III Special
    Audiolab 6000 CDT transport
    Amps
    Pre amps -- Hi fi Collective twin mono ladder stepped attenuator, with Charcroft Z-foil and silver wired. And First Watt B1 active no gain buffer.
    Power amps -- Welborne 45 SET monoblocks 1.8W / Decware Taboo 6W / Elekit 300B TU-8600SVK plus further improved components 9W / ICE Power 1000W
    Speakers
    Highly modified Endorphin P17 open baffle speakers containing both vintage and modern alnico drivers and paper cones. All silver wired - 8" Cube Audio FC8 full range drivers and vintage 15" Altec VOTT 416 bass drivers. All sat on Townsend Audio Podium seismic isolation platforms.
    BK Electronics XLS400FF Sub.
    Cabling
    Silver mains cables, interconnects and speaker cables by SW1X
    Headphones
    HRT HeadStreamer and SennHeiser HD650 headphones

  9. #9
    Join Date: Apr 2008

    Location: Warrington

    Posts: 3,451
    I'm Neil.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bumpy View Post
    Most quality off board DACs incorporate their own 5 volt power supply and in that sense do no need to draw power from the source.

    There is a breed of USB cables that are called data only (no power) and as such are more likely to give audiophile performance. Can anyone recommend any.

    Please note - if it’s your opinion that cables make no difference, please don’t corrupt this thread.
    It's not my opinion that cables make no difference, but why do you think you'd get audiophile performance from a data-only cable? DACs that use their own 5V supply will not connect to USB cable's power line, so there will be no current flow on the USB cable power line, so effectively the same thing as using a data-only cable.
    Mana Acoustics Racks / Bright Star IsoNodes Decoupling >> Allo DigiOne Player >> Pedja Rogic's Audial Model S DAC + Pioneer PL-71 turntable / Vista Audio phono-1 mk II / Denon PCL-5 headshell / Reson Reca >> LFD DLS >> LFD PA2M (SE) >> Royd RR3s.

  10. #10
    Join Date: Jan 2020

    Location: South Yorkshire

    Posts: 2,683
    I'm Andre.

    Default

    USB Giving Audiophile performance! However thats only my view..


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