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Nordost Tyr 2 USB Cable Review (Video)

nyxnyxnyx

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thanks for the video!
I don't know if this thread is a suitable place to ask but, are there any headphones in your backlog order that you will measure soon?
 

xaviescacs

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For one second I though you were going to use the Marantz behind you with the UBS input just to use something more expensive than the cable itself. That would have been a truly high-end review. :D

Anyway, very nice and complete review. I like the degree of empathy you are putting on these reviews.
 

JustJones

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Great review, I've never been able to wrap my head around hearing differences with USB or digital cables unless as you said they're broken. Few nights ago my TV kept freezing and getting pixelation so I did my usual reboot thinking it's the service. Nope still had problems turns out my HDMI cable was very slightly loose, probably from me moving stuff around like I do, wiggle it tight bam, no more problem.
 

aromig

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Gotta say, I love these reaction pics, Amir. Functionally similar to the text review panthers, but much more nuanced. And infinitely more amusing.
 
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amirm

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thanks for the video!
I don't know if this thread is a suitable place to ask but, are there any headphones in your backlog order that you will measure soon?
Yes, I have a few more. And some IEMs.
 
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amirm

amirm

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For one second I though you were going to use the Marantz behind you with the UBS input just to use something more expensive than the cable itself. That would have been a truly high-end review. :D

Anyway, very nice and complete review. I like the degree of empathy you are putting on these reviews.
I debated doing the Marantz review or this cable and decided on the latter. May do one on the Marantz as well.
 

DonR

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... and here come the comments... an endless source of amusement.

amir.jpg
 

alekksander

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back in the days i recall that recording from my microphone→xlr→big jack→small jack→computer caused quality issues, while having only one adapter didn't cause quality issues. the issue was an effect of what i'd desribe as „more distant vocal” – we recorded vocals only. when using these same adapters for output i couldn't spot any difference. the difference was present only on input. we ofc didn't use any interface or amplifying back then. since i keep wondering if adapters have any impact on sound quality (one, but also chained) due to impedance or other factors, my suggestion and request is to consider this subject in further tests. we already know and have evidence of „the truth” about usb, speaker cables and probably more that i missed, but nothing about adapters and it's impact on various signals.
 

DonR

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back in the days i recall that recording from my microphone→xlr→big jack→small jack→computer caused quality issues, while having only one adapter didn't cause quality issues. the issue was an effect of what i'd desribe as „more distant vocal” – we recorded vocals only. when using these same adapters for output i couldn't spot any difference. the difference was present only on input. we ofc didn't use any interface or amplifying back then. since i keep wondering if adapters have any impact on sound quality (one, but also chained) due to impedance or other factors, my suggestion and request is to consider this subject in further tests. we already know and have evidence of „the truth” about usb, speaker cables and probably more that i missed, but nothing about adapters and it's impact on various signals.
You probably had a faulty adapter. What takes place in the analogue world (XLR) is likely not relevant to a digital signal (USB).
 

alekksander

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You probably had a faulty adapter.
when using these same adapters for output i couldn't spot any difference.
What takes place in the analogue world (XLR) is likely not relevant to a digital signal (USB).
I'm not implying that. At least that was not my intention. Just suggesting a topic for future measurements. Adapters are especially interesting as their contact with conductor is purely mechanical, no chemical material bounding here (which is soldering in my understanding).
 

DonR

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I'm not implying that. At least that was not my intention. Just suggesting a topic for future measurements. Adapters are especially interesting as their contact with conductor is purely mechanical, no chemical material bounding here (which is soldering in my understanding).
Ok. Yes, I agree. There is a branch of audiophiles that claims that dissimilar metals in the signal path (as might be seen in a cable or adapter connector) affect the signal as well which would be nice to debunk as well.
 

XaVierDK

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... and here come the comments... an endless source of amusement.

View attachment 192732
I can never actually decipher if these people are serious or not. It's a fascinating non-argument to point to obviously flawed reviewing practices as criticism of Amir's way of doing things, yet it's done with absolute conviction.
 

MalinYamato

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My USB cable is not very musical, which I base on my stethoscope listening tests on the small USB cable between my RPI and DAC. Measuring equipment: my flagship stethoscope from Littman -- I am in medicine and I diagnose stuff.
3024-3024-max (2).jpg
 
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MRC01

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Another way to test digital cables like this is to connect it to a digital recorder. Play some audio and record what comes out the other end of the cable. It's easy to check whether the bits are identical.
 

MalinYamato

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Another way to test digital cables like this is to connect it to a digital recorder. Play some audio and record what comes out the other end of the cable. It's easy to check whether the bits are identical.
Like capturing the PCM streams, save them, hash them, and then comparing the hash strings.
 

MRC01

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Exactly. Just make sure you chop the start & end of the track exactly the same way, so they have the same samples.
 
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