Expensive USB Cable To Connect PC To DAC

Nemiyen · 12 May 2020 at 12:36

Hey everyone, not wanting to start a rumble here but as this is a tech forum and not an audio one I figured I'd get answers more on my level.

OK. So does a USB cable affect the quality of the music we hear when connecting it digitally to a dac?

Currently I'm using a chord mojo with a cable that came with my phone so cheap and chearful. Now I've seen cables running to hundreds if not thousands so I'm wondering if I should upgrade my cable to say an Audioquest carbon or something similar?

Anyone here have experience of using a different cable improving sound quality? My IT brain says don't be an idiot but surely there wouldn't be a market for them if it didn't make a difference?

But then again I can watch flat earth videos on YouTube so then again....!

Edit: did a search but missed the snake oil thread about cables. But that seemed to focus on power cables so hope this is OK.

Nemiyen · 12 May 2020 at 14:05

Yeah that was my understanding as well with digital. It either works or it doesn't. I would definitely not believe it with picture quality but sound, I could maybe be convinced due to noise on the cable or issues causing the dac to interpret it and change the sound. Whether this is for the best or not is different!

If noise caused one pixel to be off slightly on a picture moving at 25 fps I'm most likely not going to see it, even though I know it won't change a thing.

Sound, I probably won't hear it either lol but wondered what people thought. I think it's going to be a case of it makes no difference to be honest!

Nemiyen · 12 May 2020 at 14:07

Then I started looking at things like this and I realise I'm starting to lose it!

https://www.matrix-digi.com/en/products/333.html

Nemiyen · 12 May 2020 at 14:47

dewi said:
How about:

https://petertyson.co.uk/audioquest-rj-e-diamond

I'll have 10 of them!

Now that I call bs on because data transfer and everything being digital it makes no sense. If used for say Windows files etc.

But if that was going to something where it was converted to analogue, eg sound, then.... Maybe?

As data transfer has error checking then any issues are re sent and then saved but sending digital information with noise straight to a dac, does the dac mis understand the data?

Anything that's completely digital eg pictures on a TV, files being stored on a solid state drive or even a mechanical drive, I call bs on cable differences.

Anywhere where a digital cable goes to an analogue conversion then I still sort of think bs but could be convinced. Maybe...

Nemiyen · 13 May 2020 at 14:10

mrk said:
Check your PC BIOS/Mobo documentation too, many mobos now have dedicated USB DAC ports which function as normal USB ports but with filtered power circuitry designed to be used for DACs or gaming mice etc. My mobo has 2x ports right at the top (Z170X Gaming 5).

That's a good idea for newer boards, never thought they would be doing that but makes sense. My board is an older x78 model so even though its a good one it doesn't have that feature unfortunately.

I figured the answers in this forum would sway towards the cable not mattering! Ask this in an audio forum and I think it would go the other way!!

Anyone recommend a good usb certified cable? I read the amazon basics are good but those were USA posts so the UK ones might not be aa well made.

Nemiyen · 14 May 2020 at 12:53

When I read about cables being better at sending data one way I was like.... What the flip lol. Cables should be able to send data both ways or that's a fault surely. Marketing it as better this way and not that way is surely a fault in the cable.

BUT I can sort of see how one way would be better than the other but not to a point of emphasising it lol. E. G. Less resistance one way than the other but as long as the signal gets to the other end how it should do then its not going to matter!

Still can't help myself keeping an eye on ebay for a cheaper audioquest carbon usb cable but then you run the risk of it being a fake and potentially worse than a normal cable!

Feel like I'm being an idiot to be honest but I'm a firm believer in try it for yourself but I still wouldn't build my own rocket to prove the world is round so.....