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JPS Superconductor V USB Cable Review

Rate this USB Cable

  • 1. Waste of money (piggy bank panther)

    Votes: 283 96.9%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 1 0.3%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 8 2.7%

  • Total voters
    292

amirm

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This a review, listening tests and detailed measurements of the JPS Labs Superconductor V "Ultra high-performance" USB cable. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $1000.
Superconductor V USB Cable high-end review.jpg

The cable has a decent feel but does not want to be rotated. As you know though, the USB connectors need to be aligned by rotating the cable so this present some inconvenience and pressure on the mating connector. The cable as you see, lacks any hint of it being a premium one with mundane jacketing and such.

JPS Labs Superconductor V USB Cable Measurements
To test the cable I used my Topping D70s which sits on my desk for this kind of testing. The source is my workstation PC. I connected the two first with a generic 6 foot USB cable (double the length of the JPS). This cable is soft in hand, thinner and generally much easier to manipulate than the JPS. Here is the D70s performance with it:

Generic USB Cable Topping D70s.png


Distortion is at -125 dBFS which is 15 dB better than threshold of hearing. Combined with noise, we are down to about -119 dB which is about 4 dB better than best case threshold of hearing. In other words, this combo is completely transparent. What you hear, is what is in your music. Let's swap out the generic cable for the JPS:
Superconductor V USB Cable Topping D70s Measurements.png

Other than typical run to run variations, there is absolutely no difference. Everything from noise to levels and frequency are the same.

It is often thought that USB cables impact jitter so let's measure and compare that:
Superconductor V USB Cable Topping D70s Jitter Measurements.png


The D70s combined with the signal processing in the analyzer are able to easily resolve the rightmost bits of a 24-bit audio sample (see the pulses on the left bottom). Both cables provide the same resolution, noise floor and jitter. Of course, all the heavy lifting is being done by the D70s to eliminate any chance of jitter over its USB connection.

Finally, let's run 32 tones at 192 kHz sampling to push the USB cable harder:
Superconductor V USB Cable Topping D70s Multitone Measurements.png


Performance once again is identical with intermodulation/noise floor at whopping -130 to -135 dB! This is 20 dB better than what we need for total transparency. We can predict that the rest of the tests will generate the same outcome so let's move on to listening tests.

JPS Superconductor V USB Cable Listening Tests
I connected the output of the Topping D70s to Topping A90 which in turn drove my Dan Clark Stealth headphones ($4000). I used the high gain on the A90 to make sure I could hear any difference in background noise. I started with the JPS cable and the sound was as wonderful as I remembered on my standard reference tracks (which I have listened to hundreds of times). I then switched to the generic USB cable. Surprising (not), it sounded louder and more dynamic! I switched back to the JDS USB cable and difference vanished, leaving me with less perceived fidelity. Of course, this not a valid test as the switching time is way too long to allow proper comparison for small differences. But if folks want to run by "what I heard," I heard the generic USB cable sounding "better."

Conclusions
USB cables in short length deliver all the bits correctly. The ground connection though from the PC to DAC is an analog affair so in theory, some difference in noise can be there. If there is, and you can audibly hear something the solution is not another USB cable but to use better isolation (Toslink, XLR cables for interconnects, etc.). Measurements here show that there is no difference even in that department when with a "noisy" source like my desktop workstation PC.

Ad-hoc listening tests as usual produce unreliable results which if taken at face value, put the generic USB cable ahead of the JPS cable! So if you want to go by that, we still don't have anything of value here.

As you can predict by now, I can't recommend the JPS Labs Superconductor V USB. It is just a waste of money compared to any half-decent generic cable.
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As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

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JSmith

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New micro insulated quad Alumiloy conductors in a very flexible noise rejecting shielded design offers all resolutions of digital audio beyond DSD sampling rates with excellent clarity. As with analog interconnects, excellent low level details and a highly refined sound. Not dull and boring nor thin and bright, this USB cable lets you hear your music through your front end electronics with true clarity and life.
Most cable and wire place huge limitations on performance, while many more costly designs tend to tailor or adjust the sound, making a component sound more like the cable rather than what it could be.
:facepalm:


JSmith
 

solderdude

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@amirm Does this cable make a difference compared to a generic one with a DAC that has a crappy USB input (I believe an old Schiit qualifies) ?

I know.... invest $ 1000.- to connect a poor $ 100.- DAC and then connect the audio using expensive RCA cables as well ...:facepalm:
 

uwotm8

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invest $ 1000.- to connect a poor $ 100.- DAC
Truly enlightened audiophiles know that cables matter way more than "basic" electronic componens. So they may and have to cost more than source and amplifier. LET'S SEE YOUR $129 DAC FULL POTENTIAL
 

restorer-john

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USB Voltage drop test?

With what current draw? I think USB B is rated for either 1.5A or 2.0A, the gauge of the cable and the length (3ft) must be taken into account when compared to the (6ft) one.
 

VintageFlanker

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Thanks to your previous review, that saves me another post:
Thanks @amirm !

We're beating a dead horse here, but it is always useful for those who still doubt...

Cablophiles will still going in circles, anyway: "You listen to music, not to graphs", "I've been an audiophile for 40 years and I hear a significant difference", "Your system is not resolving enough"... Blablabla...

science-based AudioQuest
So far, best joke of 2023. ;)
 
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theREALdotnet

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I suppose the JPS cable needs cable risers to really start lifting veils…
 

solderdude

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With what current draw? I think USB B is rated for either 1.5A or 2.0A, the gauge of the cable and the length (3ft) must be taken into account when compared to the (6ft) one.

One could convert the absolute voltage drop to voltage drop/meter or voltage drop/ft.
Most USB is only rated for 0.5A so could be a measurement 'standard'.
Or simply list the V+ and GND wire resistance/m(ft)

Then again one should maybe also test USB inputs of USB devices for minimum required voltage for a number like 'voltage drop' to be somewhat useful.
Also not all USB sources will have the same USB output voltage or can supply a similar current.
 

poxymoron

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$1000!
Get a Wiim mini streamer, a budget transparent dac/amp with some cheap cables and a decent set of cans, and stick it on your bedside locker. That's how you spend $1000 on audio. Well, one of the ways.
 

solderdude

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$1000!
Get a Wiim mini streamer, a budget transparent dac/amp with some cheap cables and a decent set of cans, and stick it on your bedside locker. That's how you spend $1000 on audio. Well, one of the ways.

But then you can't show off your $1000.- USB cable to your audiophool friends....
 

martijn86

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Can we get a TMDS (Transition Minimized Differential Signaling) 'eye diagram' to test cables for digital signals (USB, Coax S/PDIF, AES)? It won't tell you anything about the sonic properties but I think those are thoroughly debunked by now. However, I would still be interested to see when and if a certain cable is actually a high quality product and good value or money.
From a consumer perspective, you get to judge the esthetics and the marketing but for the actual quality you're flying blind. I can probably dress up a copper clad aluminium, PVC coated cable with a pretty sleeve and gold connectors vs a braided silver plated copper wire in plain black PTFE and rhodium plated connectors. The look would not give you any clue about the performance.
 
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restorer-john

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Then again one should maybe also test USB inputs of USB devices for minimum required voltage for a number like 'voltage drop' to be somewhat useful.
Also not all USB sources will have the same USB output voltage or can supply a similar current.

That's why a specific current pulled over the supply pair would be more useful with a fixed 5V supply. The supply ground is often a different gauge in any case to the +, so the loop should be tested.

In practice, it just doesn't matter. I use some 3-5M USB 2.0 (A-B) for audio and test devices and have never had an issue with either current draw or low voltage issues. Come to think of it, I don't ever remember windows shutting down a USB port for overcurrent, ever. Even back in the P4 laptop days running XP. :)
 
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