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Audioquest Pearl USB Cable Review

Rate this audio cable

  • 1. Waste of money (piggy bank panther)

    Votes: 225 82.1%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 33 12.0%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther

    Votes: 11 4.0%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 5 1.8%

  • Total voters
    274

Lukino

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If it can't be measured...what if these ex cables sound worse than ordinary ones that were rationally constructed. If they add elements of trial and error What if they make things worse? What is better and what is worse. Therefore, it is measured in various branches of science. Today, such things are measured in.....with max. accuracy. I think the sound band is a small thing.;)
 

fpitas

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If it can't be measured...what if these ex cables sound worse than ordinary ones that were rationally constructed. If they add elements of trial and error What if they make things worse? What is better and what is worse. Therefore, it is measured in various branches of science. Today, such things are measured in.....with max. accuracy. I think the sound band is a small thing.;)
It's physically impossible they would sound worse. They're more expensive, hence better in all ways.
 

spigot

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I've never had an issue with a cheap USB cable used for audio, it's not one of those incremental purchases. Plug in and forget.
 

MaxBuck

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Setting aside the demonstrated fact that this cable will have no effect on produced audio, I would love to find a site that is able to test USB cables (ideally focusing on USB-C) for long-term reliability. The ones I've owned seem predestined to fail in either data transfer or charging capabilities within a few months of acquiring them.
 

snake3276120

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We should probably turn USB Cable testing into endurance test, bend it 10000 times, roll over with a car, throw it in fire, etc. Then check if it still works lol
 

TabCam

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Personally I would weed out any „unstable“ product which didn’t perform on test day. Because as a consumer how can I be sure at what day it might perform and and what day it might not.

More interesting are the „false positives“, that is the products which perform on testing day but are actually a dud. Oh well that risk is always there as one might al always get a unit as a consumer which is different from the tested one. I guess I am willing to take the chance and if the product is clearly at fault then just return it.
That is unfair agains manufacturers. It is also not how Amir has handled big issues in the past where he allows manufacturers to respond and solve which I find fair. If you know the production process and Quality Control, you know that there are always DOA and repairs.

I agree on the issue of cherry picking review units, although ASR has often review units from users send in so it is less likely.
 

Ken Tajalli

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We should probably turn USB Cable testing into endurance test, bend it 10000 times, roll over with a car, throw it in fire, etc. Then check if it still works lol
anyone using their cable like that, don't deserve a hifi system.
let alone somebody indulging them with test results.
at $2 ago, use it, recycle it.
above all, bloody behave!
 

Recluse-Animator

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Believe only in audiofoolery! That every single component in any product how minuscule they may be has a sound signature of their own.
And always remember to wash your hands with the same soap when you push the buttons so that the sound signature always stays the same.
Logic is futile, measurements are witchcraft, class D is blasphemy, active speakers are heresy!
With the whip of my physics altering directional speaker cables I compel thee!
 

DMill

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This particular cable is interesting for me because it is only $45. There is another thread going about a $4000 cable and got to thinking that the guy who buys that cable believes it works at the bottom of his heart. There is almost nothing that can be done to convince him otherwise. I’m not an engineer and I don’t believe cables make a difference but let’s just say there’s 2% of me that questions this belief… it’s only $45, I’m out $25 if I’m wrong in my beliefs. No big deal, right? That’s what makes this cable so deceptive. I wonder how many have been talked into a cable like this just to make sure that $2k gadget isn’t compromised. I know I have.
 

DonR

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This particular cable is interesting for me because it is only $45. There is another thread going about a $4000 cable and got to thinking that the guy who buys that cable believes it works at the bottom of his heart. There is almost nothing that can be done to convince him otherwise. I’m not an engineer and I don’t believe cables make a difference but let’s just say there’s 2% of me that questions this belief… it’s only $45, I’m out $25 if I’m wrong in my beliefs. No big deal, right? That’s what makes this cable so deceptive. I wonder how many have been talked into a cable like this just to make sure that $2k gadget isn’t compromised. I know I have.
It's certainly not the worst by far. The claims made by the company about this cable are nonsense though and that would be true regardless of the price.
 

DMill

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It's certainly not the worst by far. The claims made by the company about this cable are nonsense though and that would be true regardless of the price.
That’s kind of my point though. Amir tests these to show no difference in cable. But the guy buying Mt. Everest (or whatever stupid name they have now) AQ cables could give a crap about measurements. Can’t convert him. He thinks Duran Duran is the greatest band ever. Where I really love this review was to be able to say, take your hard earned $20 and take your kid out for an ice cream or whatever you can do for $20 anymore. :)
 

Ken Tajalli

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This particular cable is interesting for me because it is only $45. There is another thread going about a $4000 cable and got to thinking that the guy who buys that cable believes it works at the bottom of his heart. There is almost nothing that can be done to convince him otherwise. I’m not an engineer and I don’t believe cables make a difference but let’s just say there’s 2% of me that questions this belief… it’s only $45, I’m out $25 if I’m wrong in my beliefs. No big deal, right? That’s what makes this cable so deceptive. I wonder how many have been talked into a cable like this just to make sure that $2k gadget isn’t compromised. I know I have.
You are not good at maths either .
2% of $45 is 90c.
so if you are wrong, you are wrong, all the way! $45 minus a reasonable price of a cable, say $5.
$40.
 

ZolaIII

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Believe only in audiofoolery! That every single component in any product how minuscule they may be has a sound signature of their own.
And always remember to wash your hands with the same soap when you push the buttons so that the sound signature always stays the same.
Logic is futile, measurements are witchcraft, class D is blasphemy, active speakers are heresy!
With the whip of my physics altering directional speaker cables I compel thee!
You seem to like to repeat your self a lot.
 

Ken Tajalli

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That’s kind of my point though. Amir tests these to show no difference in cable.
Ermm.....
Not exactly! since the generic comparison cable showed no noise (limit of the Dac noise floor), and the Audioquest showed no change, all we can deduct is that the Audioquest cable did not add any noise, that's all.
If the cable has any filtering capabilities, it would show itself, if there was any noise for it to filter, wouldn't you agree?
Repeat the test , this time create a noisy situation with, say, a cellphone on the cables.
if you see some noise on the $2 cable, but lower, higher or same noise on Audioquest , then we know.
 
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ZolaIII

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ZolaIII

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"Available soon." No pricing shown. No reliability testing provided.
Have one abused a lot for 5 years and it still works perfectly fine. Specification whose actually for reading purpose and model signature. Did know to find them even on Alli for 3.5$ a peace.
 

DMill

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You are not good at maths either .
2% of $45 is 90c.
so if you are wrong, you are wrong, all the way! $45 minus a reasonable price of a cable, say $5.
$40.
I’m not good a writing math word problems apparently. But am quite good at math. The 2% was my brain questioning my own beliefs. The $20 would be a separate equation for what I consider to be a cable of equal merit.
If the cable has any filtering capabilities, it would show itself, if there was any noise for it to filter, wouldn't you agree?
If it did, in fact, have those properties, I’d like to see them. And yes I could agree.
 

ivayvr

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I don't think that without a generous support of audio press, cables of all kinds would ever reach the kind of prominence they currently have. One such article published in the August issue of Stereophile, written by Herb Reichert made me decide to let my current subscription lapse. The five page article is full of drama and new discoveries. The statement that broke the camel's back was as follows: Herb, as a blue-collar Sterophile reviewer was mostly using well built "pedestrian" cables costing less than $ 1,000 and he was doing more or less fine. Luckily he was exposed to Cardas Clear Beyond cables costing $ 4250 per meter and he finally figured how much flavor and excitement he lost by using the "pedestrian" cables.
Since I am really not that interested in stories like this and not a candidate even for the "pedestrian" cables, I decided to cease my relationship with the said magazine.
 

Vacceo

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I don't think that without a generous support of audio press, cables of all kinds would ever reach the kind of prominence they currently have. One such article published in the August issue of Stereophile, written by Herb Reichert made me decide to let my current subscription lapse. The five page article is full of drama and new discoveries. The statement that broke the camel's back was as follows: Herb, as a blue-collar Sterophile reviewer was mostly using well built "pedestrian" cables costing less than $ 1,000 and he was doing more or less fine. Luckily he was exposed to Cardas Clear Beyond cables costing $ 4250 per meter and he finally figured how much flavor and excitement he lost by using the "pedestrian" cables.
Since I am really not that interested in stories like this and not a candidate even for the "pedestrian" cables, I decided to cease my relationship with the said magazine.
Get the subscription's price in music. That IS a tangible improvement: you'll listen to things you haven't before!
 
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