avguytx Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 I hope this isn't opening too big a can of worms like a speaker wire discussion but was curious what others have done. I play FLAC files from my computer which are stored on a NAS. The computer is hooked from a USB output to my new Onkyo P-3000R preamp with a generic "everyone has this USB around the house" kind of cable. Is it worth spending a little money on a "better" cable for any audio difference or would it be more so for shielding? (which I was thinking) I'd spend $20 to $40 on a cable if it was that much of a difference especially considering it's a new preamp wasn't cheap (compared to some) even if I did buy it at Rep Sample price. I'm a Network Administrator for the city I live in and was for a school district so I have LOTS of cables around. Just curious... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjimbo Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 Borrow a higher end cable from a friend, and do a blind test Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A1UC Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 I use a Totaldac USB cable and it's the best I tried . I think in your case a filter would benefit you more Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A1UC Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 Something like this Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avguytx Posted July 27, 2017 Author Share Posted July 27, 2017 1 hour ago, jimjimbo said: Borrow a higher end cable from a friend, and do a blind test No friends in town that get into audio. Just my best friend of 40 years and that's only occasionally with a lot of my older gear that's been stored there since moving back here in 2010. He has no internet as his place (too far out) so it's all via Spotify or CD's he already has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twk123 Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 There are generally two schools of thought on this. The first is the "Digital is only 1s and 0s so the cable doesn't matter" and the other is the "Digital 1s and 0s is still expressed as voltage levels thus a cheap cable can distort these levels to the point the DAC can misread them" Personally, I think the truth is somewhere in the middle and would get a decent monoprice one from amazon and call it good. https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-6-Feet-24AWG-Plated-105438/dp/B003BXPQF2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1501186398&sr=8-3&keywords=monoprice+USB+6ft I have heard though that going past 6 ft with a USB run can degrade the quality though. If you are using a PC, make sure to be sending out the digital info through WASAPI or AISO instead of your computers audio mixer. This will make a MUCH bigger improvement over USB quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avguytx Posted July 27, 2017 Author Share Posted July 27, 2017 Yep, those are the only two versions I use as Onkyo has "proprietary" drivers that had to be installed on the PC before it would work. I agree about it being somewhere in the middle. I would think a decent cable with good shielding and nothing crazy would be all that's needed. I mostly fall into that camp about a digital cable not mattering to a certain extent. Length of cabling is what degrades. That's why HDMI has their standards for cable length as does USB. I believe USB is 16.4 feet. May just get a decent 6 foot cable and give it a whirl. Nothing too fancy but better than what comes out of the Cracker Jacks boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWL Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 I use 'Curious' USB cables in addition to Uptone Audio's products.ISO-REGEN powered by an LPS-1 power supply and then into an IFI MICROLINK USB-SPDIF converter that has anti-jitter technology. Works for me. Sounds great. I almost never listen to cd's anymore.....going on over two years now.Sent from my SM-G920R4 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldred Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 Belkin Gold. Might not be as good as a $500.00 cable....YES IT WLL....SHHHHHH George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avguytx Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 2 hours ago, 7heavenlyplaces said: "If you are using a PC, make sure to be sending out the digital info through WASAPI or AISO instead of your computers audio mixer. This will make a MUCH bigger improvement over USB quality." Can this be done using Windows XP? Like this Windows XP? Seriously? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjimbo Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 Be nice.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muel Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 6 hours ago, SWL said: I use 'Curious' USB cables in addition to Uptone Audio's products. ISO-REGEN powered by an LPS-1 power supply and then into an IFI MICROLINK USB-SPDIF converter that has anti-jitter technology. Works for me. Sounds great. I almost never listen to cd's anymore.....going on over two years now. Sent from my SM-G920R4 using Tapatalk The ISO version is great but if you don't want to spend as much the USB REGEN is pretty darn good! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avguytx Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 13 hours ago, jimjimbo said: Be nice.... But....but....but.....it's not been supported since 4/8/14 and is more vulnerable than iPad 2's on a school network! ha 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muel Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 Hey, if it's off the network (and I mean NEVER on the network) then I wouldn't worry... just playing audio off a USB drive for example. Still... probably time to do something different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 There is an asio driver package from Realtek for the chipsets found on most modern motherboards. Bruce 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muel Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 13 minutes ago, Marvel said: There is an asio driver package from Realtek for the chipsets found on most modern motherboards. Bruce Oh whoops! I forgot to answer the question... heh heh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edmjm Posted July 31, 2017 Share Posted July 31, 2017 many times it's not the cable but the power supply of the pc that is "dirtying" the signal. check out musical paradise mp-u1 I see a few others have mentioned the usb regen already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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