Audioquest Pearl USB Cable Review

[restorer-john]

I couldn't even Google goober canned ! whatever it means.

I always figured a goober was a bit of silly/foolish person. A peanut. And canned means out-of-the-box, preset or default. So, silly default measurements.

 

[Cars-N-Cans]

I always figured a goober was a bit of silly/foolish person. A peanut. And canned means out-of-the-box, preset or default. So, silly default measurements.

View attachment 224431

Good ol’ jar of Goober mixed PB and J. That really brings back memories! Cant remember if it was called the same thing back then. Just remember scaling the cupboards as a toddler to get it and a loaf of bread to make a sandwich.

 

[restorer-john]

That really brings back memories!

Fun fact: Wiki says the average American kid will consume 1500 PB&J sandwiches before graduating high school!

 

[don'ttrustauthority]

Due to the false claims marketing... it is claimed this cable is better than a normal cable, it isn't.


JSmith

But you guys say if two cables measure the same, but one has inflated performance claims, and inflated prices, it's a scam.

But when two DACs measure the same, but one has inflated performance claims, and inflated prices, it's a recommendation?

 

[Kevinfc]

Half of our traffic comes from Google search. Folks are looking for review/information before they buy. They are not regular readers of the forum to know that these products are not effective. Without my review, all they will read is some random opinion.

Makes sense, you ought to repeat that regularly.

 

[JSmith]

I always figured a goober was a bit of silly/foolish person. A peanut.

That's a goober muffin...

But you guys say if two cables measure the same, but one has inflated performance claims, and inflated prices, it's a scam.

But when two DACs measure the same, but one has inflated performance claims, and inflated prices, it's a recommendation?

Not sure what you mean... some of the recent Chord products for example were down voted due to the cost, even though performance was great to ok.

That said, cables and DAC's are quite different products... one would expect stringency with outlandish cable claims.


JSmith

 

[kencreten]

I will say that I found some Audio Quest speaker cables in a stereo store dumpster, and they worked. For the price, I couldn't go without them.

 

[xray]

There was a recent review on Audio Quest USB cables that came across my news feed.
AUDIOQUEST USB CABLE SHOOTOUT

Article goes into detail about the science of digital sound reproduction and construction of USB cables but then fails miserably in applying any of that knowledge. There are mentions of ASR and Amir both in the article and the comments. Amusing.

Apologies if this was already posted elsewhere on ASR. I did a search and didn't find any so I had to come out of lurking mode to post it.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

There was a recent review on Audio Quest USB cables that came across my news feed.
AUDIOQUEST USB CABLE SHOOTOUT

Article goes into detail about the science of digital sound reproduction and construction of USB cables but then fails miserably in applying any of that knowledge. There are mentions of ASR and Amir both in the article and the comments. Amusing.

Apologies if this was already posted elsewhere on ASR. I did a search and didn't find any so I had to come out of lurking mode to post it.

Cleverly written indeed. Anyone not familiar with the subject matter, might just fall for it. Sad.

 

[TabCam]

There was a recent review on Audio Quest USB cables that came across my news feed.
AUDIOQUEST USB CABLE SHOOTOUT

Article goes into detail about the science of digital sound reproduction and construction of USB cables but then fails miserably in applying any of that knowledge. There are mentions of ASR and Amir both in the article and the comments. Amusing.

Apologies if this was already posted elsewhere on ASR. I did a search and didn't find any so I had to come out of lurking mode to post it.

He is even quite honest in his conclusion: (quote taken from https://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews/audio-cables/audioquest-usb-cable-shootout/)

I think I heard the differences I’ve listed, but I also feel pretty certain that in an ABX test (using my equipment and in my room), I could probably not hear these differences with an 8 out of 10 success rate. YMMV.

 

[Curvature]

He is even quite honest in his conclusion: (quote taken from https://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews/audio-cables/audioquest-usb-cable-shootout/)

I'd say dishonest. "YMMV" in these kinds of articles is running away from having responsibility for the content.

 

[Flerbizky]

First post.

Apparently, asking an "audiophile" who kept mentioning jitter in USB cables as source of sound degradation, if the following statement marked in red is true or false, doesn't win you any more postcards for Christmas...

And thank you for a brilliant video - everyone should be able to understand that.

 

[ahofer]

Aaargh

 

[Chrispy]

View attachment 256744Aaargh

All I need see is that doofus Michael Lavorgna is involved, Charles Ayre too....

 

[Grooved]

View attachment 256744Aaargh

I'm not a SPDIF expert, so other people can correct me or explain better, but from reading this, it looks to me a bit like they are contradicting themselves...
- they first say voltage above a specific level will give a 1, and voltage below will give a 0
- they then talk about it like only 0V level was 0/black and 1V only was 1/white, with all between 0V and 1V being grey and not doing anything

But in this case, the "grey zone" takes far less time than both voltages states

 

[Doodski]

I'm not a SPDIF expert, so other people can correct me or explain better, but from reading this, it looks to me a bit like they are contradicting themselves...
- they first say voltage above a specific level will give a 1, and voltage below will give a 0
this one is OK, even if we could say "any voltage between the chosen level (threshold) and the highest level"

- they then talk about it like only 0V level was 0/black and 1V only was 1/white, with all between 0V and 1V being grey and not doing anything
There's a threshold, being above gives 1 and bellow gives 0. Even if it takes some time to work, describing it like 0V = 0 and 1V = 1 looks incorrect
So if I'm not wrong, this part is a bad picture of how it works and contradicting what they said just before

There is a gray zone and it is called indecisiveness. The state of the voltage where it is neither a one nor a zero.

 

[Chrispy]

There is a gray zone and it is called indecisiveness. The state of the voltage where it is neither a one nor a zero.

More a problem of the reviewers than the gear.

 

[Grooved]

There is a gray zone and it is called indecisiveness. The state of the voltage where it is neither a one nor a zero.

Yes, I was editing my post because I missed the point I wanted to highlight : the grey zone state is super short, while the 0 and 1 states are far longer, so it should be a big problem
* ... shouldn't be a big problem

 

[Doodski]

so it should be a big problem

? I don't understand.

 

[Grooved]

? I don't understand.

Ohhh... "it shouldn't be a big problem"
I will stop writing for today, my brain doesn't seem to be in good shape at just writing what I think