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Thread: I was Curious

  1. #1
    Join Date: Jul 2013

    Location: Kingsbury, NW London

    Posts: 1,232
    I'm Clive.

    Default I was Curious

    I’ve owned my Chord Qutest now for 2 years but have only just (2 months) started to use USB.
    I went from using a Atlas Element USB I got when I bought my Aries G1 to a Chord Tuned Aray USB I got a few weeks ago, I was very happy with my streaming setup.
    During lockdown I’ve plenty of time on my hands and I spend it perusing forums and magazines and I came across rave reviews and UTube videos about a Curious USB cable from Australia.
    I contacted Curious to find out if they had any dealers in the UK and at the same time found one on eBay which I made an offer on, to my surprise the offer was accepted. It arrived yesterday morning and I immediately plugged it in and started listening to music. The upshot of that was that I couldn’t stop, all afternoon, evening and until the early hours of this morning only being interrupted by food I listened to music being streamed from my NAS and Qobuz.
    Curiosity had got the better of me and my wallet. The cable is stunning with great musicality and sound staging (I know, I know it’s a USB cable and they all sound the same ....NOT), simply the best SQ I’ve heard from my systems ever. The Curious USB cable has just booked a spot for the Chord Signature Tuned Aray on eBay, who knew.
    SOURCE:OPPO UDP-205 BluRay, SkyQ, Technics SL1210M5G/HexMat Eclipse/MN Bearing/Origin Live Gravity One puck/Isonoes with Boots/Jelco TK-850S Tonearm/Hana Umami Blue, PS Audio Stellar Phonostage. I also have an AT-OC9XSH as a spare cartridge.
    AMPLIFIER: Bryston BR-20 Pre/DAC/Streamer & Bryston 4B3 Power Amplifier
    SPEAKERS: Spendor D7 on Iso-Acoustics Gaia III’s
    HEADPHONES: OPPO PM-1 with Atlas Zeno cable, B&W Pi7 S2 and B&W C5 v2.
    CABLES: Analogue: Speaker Atlas Mavros Grun. Interconnect - Atlas Mavros XLR x3, MCRU Silver Tonearm cable
    Digital:Audioquest Carbon Ethernet x 4, Audioquest Carbon digital, English Electric 8Switch, Chord Optichord, Atlas Optical.
    Mains: PS Audio Perfectwave AC-05 x 5, Isol-8 Powerline Extreme with Quantum Science yellow fuse on input cable, Sounds Fantastic 6way Mains Blocks.
    STORAGE: Synology DS216J NAS with 2 x 3Tb WD Red hard-drives. Samsung 500Gb SSD.
    TV LG55B7 OLED

  2. #2
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,663
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    Who says cables make a difference....
    Last edited by Gazjam; 19-07-2020 at 12:12.
    AC POWER
    Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
    AMPS
    Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
    SPEAKERS
    Wharfedale Evo 4.4
    DAC
    PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
    TURNTABLE
    Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
    PHONOSTAGE
    Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
    DIGITAL
    OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
    MUSIC PLAYBACK
    Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
    Ipad Roon Remote.
    Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
    SPEAKER CABLES
    Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On
    "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
    INTERCONNECTS
    All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables

  3. #3
    Join Date: Jul 2013

    Location: Kingsbury, NW London

    Posts: 1,232
    I'm Clive.

    Default

    Just put the Chord Signature Tuned Aray on eBay. The Curious USB has got a bit of competition at the moment as I’m doing a long term test on the Audioquest Diamond USB. Let’s see how that goes.
    SOURCE:OPPO UDP-205 BluRay, SkyQ, Technics SL1210M5G/HexMat Eclipse/MN Bearing/Origin Live Gravity One puck/Isonoes with Boots/Jelco TK-850S Tonearm/Hana Umami Blue, PS Audio Stellar Phonostage. I also have an AT-OC9XSH as a spare cartridge.
    AMPLIFIER: Bryston BR-20 Pre/DAC/Streamer & Bryston 4B3 Power Amplifier
    SPEAKERS: Spendor D7 on Iso-Acoustics Gaia III’s
    HEADPHONES: OPPO PM-1 with Atlas Zeno cable, B&W Pi7 S2 and B&W C5 v2.
    CABLES: Analogue: Speaker Atlas Mavros Grun. Interconnect - Atlas Mavros XLR x3, MCRU Silver Tonearm cable
    Digital:Audioquest Carbon Ethernet x 4, Audioquest Carbon digital, English Electric 8Switch, Chord Optichord, Atlas Optical.
    Mains: PS Audio Perfectwave AC-05 x 5, Isol-8 Powerline Extreme with Quantum Science yellow fuse on input cable, Sounds Fantastic 6way Mains Blocks.
    STORAGE: Synology DS216J NAS with 2 x 3Tb WD Red hard-drives. Samsung 500Gb SSD.
    TV LG55B7 OLED

  4. #4
    Join Date: Jul 2013

    Location: Kingsbury, NW London

    Posts: 1,232
    I'm Clive.

    Default

    Further update. Chord Signature Tuned Aray now sold.
    I borrowed a Audioquest Diamond USB and left in place for a couple of weeks. Very nice cable with good bass but top end very slightly soft. Stereo separation was very much between the speakers,
    Last weekend I put the Curious back and was immediately blown away by the wider and deeper soundstage. Bass was as good as the Diamond but mid and top was so much more transparent but not too brightly lit. Overall a nicer listen. Definitely a keeper.
    SOURCE:OPPO UDP-205 BluRay, SkyQ, Technics SL1210M5G/HexMat Eclipse/MN Bearing/Origin Live Gravity One puck/Isonoes with Boots/Jelco TK-850S Tonearm/Hana Umami Blue, PS Audio Stellar Phonostage. I also have an AT-OC9XSH as a spare cartridge.
    AMPLIFIER: Bryston BR-20 Pre/DAC/Streamer & Bryston 4B3 Power Amplifier
    SPEAKERS: Spendor D7 on Iso-Acoustics Gaia III’s
    HEADPHONES: OPPO PM-1 with Atlas Zeno cable, B&W Pi7 S2 and B&W C5 v2.
    CABLES: Analogue: Speaker Atlas Mavros Grun. Interconnect - Atlas Mavros XLR x3, MCRU Silver Tonearm cable
    Digital:Audioquest Carbon Ethernet x 4, Audioquest Carbon digital, English Electric 8Switch, Chord Optichord, Atlas Optical.
    Mains: PS Audio Perfectwave AC-05 x 5, Isol-8 Powerline Extreme with Quantum Science yellow fuse on input cable, Sounds Fantastic 6way Mains Blocks.
    STORAGE: Synology DS216J NAS with 2 x 3Tb WD Red hard-drives. Samsung 500Gb SSD.
    TV LG55B7 OLED

  5. #5
    Join Date: Nov 2011

    Location: Seaton, Devon, UK

    Posts: 13,260
    I'm Adrian.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Clive197 View Post
    Further update. Chord Signature Tuned Aray now sold.
    I borrowed a Audioquest Diamond USB and left in place for a couple of weeks. Very nice cable with good bass but top end very slightly soft. Stereo separation was very much between the speakers,
    Last weekend I put the Curious back and was immediately blown away by the wider and deeper soundstage. Bass was as good as the Diamond but mid and top was so much more transparent but not too brightly lit. Overall a nicer listen. Definitely a keeper.
    Always lovely to make a small change and have a big improvement, happy listening.
    Listening is the act of aural discrimination and dissemination of sound, and accepting you get it wrong sometimes.

    Analog Inputs: Pro-Ject Signature 10 TT & arm, Benz Micro LP-S, Michel Cusis MC, Goldring 2500 and Ortofon Rondo Blue cartridges, Hitachi FT5500 mk2 Tuner

    Digital:- Marantz SA-KI Pearl CD player, RaspberryPi/HifiBerry Digi+ Pro, Buffalo NAS Drive

    Amplification:- AudioValve Sunilda phono stage, Krell KSP-7B pre-amp, Krell KSA-80 power amp

    Output: Wilson Benesch Vector speakers, KLH Ultimate One Headphones

    Cables: Tellurium Q Ultra Black II RCA & Chord Epic 2 RCA, various speaker leads, & links


    I think I am nearing audio nirvana, but don’t tell anyone.

  6. #6
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: Swansea, UK

    Posts: 503
    I'm Jayson.

    Default

    I’ve been using a Curious usb cable for a few years now and I agree it sounds great.
    Musical Fidelity AMS 35i / Electrocompaniet EMC 1UP / Transrotor ZET 3 + Konstant M1 Ref. psu / Jelco TK-850S / Hana ML / Bigbottle mk3 phono stage / KEF Reference 3 / Auralic Mini / Chord Qutest / Isotek Aquarius / Sbooster mkII psu

    Mains cables: Viablue X40 mains cable + Furutech NCF plugs + SR Orange fuses
    Speaker cables: MIT AVt MA
    Interconnects: MIT AVt MA / MIT Matrix 12 / Zavfino Majestic tonearm cable
    USB:Curious
    Rack: Solid Tech Hybrid
    Accessories: IsoAcoustics Orea Indigo + Bronze / Gaia II / SDS soundeck

  7. #7
    Join Date: Jul 2013

    Location: Kingsbury, NW London

    Posts: 1,232
    I'm Clive.

    Default

    I’ve owned and used the original Curious USB cable for a couple of months now between my Aries G1 and Chord Qutest and have loved what it does to my system, but curiosity has got the better of me and I have pulled the trigger on a replacement, the Curious Evolved USB which I have been advised is on the way to me from Australia. Sadly it won’t be here for another 2-3 weeks, so I will have to make do with the original Curious cable. Woe is me.
    SOURCE:OPPO UDP-205 BluRay, SkyQ, Technics SL1210M5G/HexMat Eclipse/MN Bearing/Origin Live Gravity One puck/Isonoes with Boots/Jelco TK-850S Tonearm/Hana Umami Blue, PS Audio Stellar Phonostage. I also have an AT-OC9XSH as a spare cartridge.
    AMPLIFIER: Bryston BR-20 Pre/DAC/Streamer & Bryston 4B3 Power Amplifier
    SPEAKERS: Spendor D7 on Iso-Acoustics Gaia III’s
    HEADPHONES: OPPO PM-1 with Atlas Zeno cable, B&W Pi7 S2 and B&W C5 v2.
    CABLES: Analogue: Speaker Atlas Mavros Grun. Interconnect - Atlas Mavros XLR x3, MCRU Silver Tonearm cable
    Digital:Audioquest Carbon Ethernet x 4, Audioquest Carbon digital, English Electric 8Switch, Chord Optichord, Atlas Optical.
    Mains: PS Audio Perfectwave AC-05 x 5, Isol-8 Powerline Extreme with Quantum Science yellow fuse on input cable, Sounds Fantastic 6way Mains Blocks.
    STORAGE: Synology DS216J NAS with 2 x 3Tb WD Red hard-drives. Samsung 500Gb SSD.
    TV LG55B7 OLED

  8. #8
    Join Date: Oct 2013

    Location: Hartlepool

    Posts: 328
    I'm Martin.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Clive197 View Post
    I’ve owned and used the original Curious USB cable for a couple of months now between my Aries G1 and Chord Qutest and have loved what it does to my system, but curiosity has got the better of me and I have pulled the trigger on a replacement, the Curious Evolved USB which I have been advised is on the way to me from Australia. Sadly it won’t be here for another 2-3 weeks, so I will have to make do with the original Curious cable. Woe is me.


    Please post your thoughts on the newcomer Clive, I already use a Curious usb cable and am intrigued to see if it can be bettered although the original is superb.

    Not really hard to live with, I expect you'll survive for a couple of weeks.
    We are the love we leave behind.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Jul 2013

    Location: Kingsbury, NW London

    Posts: 1,232
    I'm Clive.

    Default

    So after 18 days of travel from Australia, my new Curious Evolved USB arrived this afternoon. Within 45 minutes I had swapped it out for the Curious USB I have been using. Differences are NOT chalk and cheese but I have the feeling I can hear a little more detail and it certainly has a more smoother sound. Please bear in mind that the cable is brand new and not “burned-in”(something I have never personally experienced in cables) so I will leave it plugged in and see what comes, if anything. I have 30 days to make up my mind to keep it or send it back to Aus.
    SOURCE:OPPO UDP-205 BluRay, SkyQ, Technics SL1210M5G/HexMat Eclipse/MN Bearing/Origin Live Gravity One puck/Isonoes with Boots/Jelco TK-850S Tonearm/Hana Umami Blue, PS Audio Stellar Phonostage. I also have an AT-OC9XSH as a spare cartridge.
    AMPLIFIER: Bryston BR-20 Pre/DAC/Streamer & Bryston 4B3 Power Amplifier
    SPEAKERS: Spendor D7 on Iso-Acoustics Gaia III’s
    HEADPHONES: OPPO PM-1 with Atlas Zeno cable, B&W Pi7 S2 and B&W C5 v2.
    CABLES: Analogue: Speaker Atlas Mavros Grun. Interconnect - Atlas Mavros XLR x3, MCRU Silver Tonearm cable
    Digital:Audioquest Carbon Ethernet x 4, Audioquest Carbon digital, English Electric 8Switch, Chord Optichord, Atlas Optical.
    Mains: PS Audio Perfectwave AC-05 x 5, Isol-8 Powerline Extreme with Quantum Science yellow fuse on input cable, Sounds Fantastic 6way Mains Blocks.
    STORAGE: Synology DS216J NAS with 2 x 3Tb WD Red hard-drives. Samsung 500Gb SSD.
    TV LG55B7 OLED

  10. #10
    Join Date: Feb 2015

    Location: Turkey izmir

    Posts: 107
    I'm Doruk.

    Default

    Hi Clive
    Any update about the new cable, how does it sounds after 10 days??

    BLA-L09 cihazımdan Tapatalk kullanılarak gönderildi

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