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Do USB Audio Cables Make A Difference?

This video is unadulterated rubbish! He starts off with a long introduction about how "they laughed at Galileo" and other examples. This is somehow used as justification that scientific breakthroughs in USB are the same thing. He then offers zero evidence of how these expensive cables are better, apart from "this one has better soundstage, that one is less boomy". ASR members: I have done your TL,DW for you. It is a solid "don't watch".

I have to ask you now - what are your intentions for posting this video?
They laughed at flat earthers too, now look whose laughing.
 
Flat earth used to be common knowledge before Galileo's took over.

Just like cables making a difference used to be common knowledge before science took over.
 
Assuming the cable complies with the appropriate USB specification, the only difference is in the physical precision of the connectors/sockets to ensure solid contact. Tolerance must be followed, and not all manufacturers do. I have used dozens of cables which disconnect and reconnect if you nudge the cable even slightly, because the plug and socket are not tight. A-type plugs and sockets seem to be the worst offenders, IME. The rest is cosmetic - color, braided jacket, flexibility, etc.
 
Flat earth used to be common knowledge before Galileo's took over.

Just like cables making a difference used to be common knowledge before science took over.
No. Galileo had nothing to do with the Earth's shape. He was about heliocentrism. The earth as a sphere has been known since about the 5th century BCE.
 
Flat earth used to be common knowledge before Galileo's took over.

Just like cables making a difference used to be common knowledge before science took over.

Nobody believed that cables made a difference. Then some marketing guy had a bright spark and the myth was born. Nearly everybody on this planet uses cables every day. Only a teeeeeeeeny minority believe that cables make a difference - high end audiophiles.
 
Cables obviously make a difference. I've seen it with my own eyes. You swap cables on a composite video output you would have to be literally blind not to see it. Oh wait you mean they sound different? Oh well NEVER MIND.
 
Unfortunately, sometimes you need to think about USB cable quality because USB signals are allergic to long lengths unless you use fiber optics. My Motu M2 sometimes gets flaky after switching to a new extended USB cable to reach my PC from 15 feet away. Anybody else in a similar position? It's the same story with copper ethernet (but only for 10 gigabit) and DisplayPort cables.
 
Unfortunately, sometimes you need to think about USB cable quality because USB signals are allergic to long lengths unless you use fiber optics. My Motu M2 sometimes gets flaky after switching to a new extended USB cable to reach my PC from 15 feet away. Anybody else in a similar position? It's the same story with copper ethernet (but only for 10 gigabit) and DisplayPort cables.
You might have better luck with the active USB extenders. The Tripplite one is 16 feet and works at 5 gbps rates. Only 770 ma current. I don't know if the Motu M2 needs more current than that or not.

 
At 5 gbps USB C can be 2 meters. So 15 feet is over. There is some disagreement with some sources saying 5 and 10 gbps are okay to 3 meters. Others claim 1 meter max for 10 gbps. At 40 gbps the official limit is .8 meters. This being passive cables with no active circuits to regenerate the signal.
 
No. Galileo had nothing to do with the Earth's shape. He was about heliocentrism. The earth as a sphere has been known since about the 5th century BCE.

You see the church rejecting's Galileo clear evidence is the same as cable peddlers with none of it, my science brains are very big.
 
You see the church rejecting's Galileo clear evidence is the same as cable peddlers with none of it, my science brains are very big.
Galileo and his relationship with the church is actually much more complicated and nuanced than that. Cable peddlers aren't as accepting of scientific evidence as the church that basically put Galileo in home arrest. Which seems in agreement with your general sentiments.
 
I have an interesting question.

My PC plugs directly in to my DAC (Gustard X16) via USB with a 3m cable.

I need to add a Gustard U18 DDC so I can get AES output for my new Genelec speakers.

Knowing that a shorter USB cable is best... should I plug the U18 in to the 3m USB cable, and then have a short I2S cable, or plug the U18 in on a short USB cable, then have a 3m I2S cable to the X16?
 
I have an interesting question.

My PC plugs directly in to my DAC (Gustard X16) via USB with a 3m cable.

I need to add a Gustard U18 DDC so I can get AES output for my new Genelec speakers.

Knowing that a shorter USB cable is best... should I plug the U18 in to the 3m USB cable, and then have a short I2S cable, or plug the U18 in on a short USB cable, then have a 3m I2S cable to the X16?
A 3 m USB cable is no problem. I²S on the other hand was designed for very short connections between chips inside the same box, and also has no error detection, so you want to keep it as short as possible.
 
I have an interesting question.

My PC plugs directly in to my DAC (Gustard X16) via USB with a 3m cable.

I need to add a Gustard U18 DDC so I can get AES output for my new Genelec speakers.

Knowing that a shorter USB cable is best... should I plug the U18 in to the 3m USB cable, and then have a short I2S cable, or plug the U18 in on a short USB cable, then have a 3m I2S cable to the X16?
Question, what do you need the X16 for?
The U18 just for the AES output is a bit excessive.
I2S should be kept short, under 2m, better 1m or less.
USB can work fine at 3m. Use a high quality cable, nothing audiophile or expensive.
 
A 3 m USB cable is no problem. I²S on the other hand was designed for very short connections between chips inside the same box, and also has no error detection, so you want to keep it as short as possible.
This is I2S over LVDS, a standard to enable longer inter-IC connections and designed for up to 2m.
 
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