Do USB Audio Cables Make A Difference?

[Roland68]

What benefit am I supposed to be getting out of a $30 USB cable when it comes to audio?

I've paid between €3.50 and €11 for my Anthra and Cromo Line USB cables (0.5-3.0m), regardless of whether I bought them from Amazon, Audiophonics, or eBay. However, these are European prices; I don't know the prices in other countries.

I'm not sure exactly what you meant by that. Are you saying the Lindy Cables (Anthra, Cromo, etc.) use high-quality adapters but are not worth it? Or that Lindy cables are worth it even though they do not have high-quality adapters? Or something else?

One other quick note on the Lindy Electronics cables for USB: from what I've read on their web site, the only difference between the lower cost Anthra (Grey) and the more expensive Chromo line is the bling factor. If the cable will be out of view, get the Anthra. If the cable will be visible in a professional setting, get the Chromo because it looks better.

Based on very positive reviews from the RME crowd, all of my USB cables now are the Lindy Anthra line (since I don't need them to look fancy), purchased via Amazon. Here are links for each line:

• https://lindy.com/en/technology/anthra-line/#anthra-line
• https://lindy.com/en/technology/cromo-line/#cromo-line

I just meant that it's not worth spending €3-5 on an adapter when you can get a high quality cable for €4-10.

 

[watchnerd]

I've paid between €3.50 and €11 for my Anthra and Cromo Line USB cables (0.5-3.0m), regardless of whether I bought them from Amazon, Audiophonics, or eBay. However, these are European prices; I don't know the prices in other countries.

Okay, but why not just buy generic USB cables?

 

[rcstevensonaz]

What benefit am I supposed to be getting out of a $30 USB cable when it comes to audio?

My Lindy Anthra cables from Amazon were $6 to $10 depending on the length. I have no idea where you are getting $30 from.

 

[rcstevensonaz]

I just meant that it's not worth spending €3-5 on an adapter when you can get a high quality cable for €4-10.

Ahh, thanks for clarifying. And yea, I'd never use an adapter in an audio chain except as a stop gap until I had a proper cable as well.

 

[rcstevensonaz]

Okay, but why not just buy generic USB cables?

Absolutely no reason at all... provided they are manufactured to the USB standards.

But a few posts earlier, people mentioned issues they were encountering with USB cables breaking over time -- some cheap and others that should have been reliable. So a few of us have suggested a low cost line that has been proven reliable in professional audio settings, even at the maximum lengths (per USB standards).

 

[watchnerd]

My Lindy Anthra cables from Amazon were $6 to $10 depending on the length. I have no idea where you are getting $30 from.

From Amazon:

Amazon.com

LINDY 36901 USB 3.1 Type C Cable, 5A PD, Anthra Line Black 1m​

$28.57

 

[rcstevensonaz]

From Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/LINDY-36901-Cable-Anthra-Black/dp/B07H9BGSP5

LINDY 36901 USB 3.1 Type C Cable, 5A PD, Anthra Line Black 1m​

$28.57

The context of this conversation had been USB 2.0 cables. But your point is also valid — there are lower cost USB cables out there.

 

[MaxBuck]

Okay, but why not just buy generic USB cables?

I'm not suggesting spending big bucks on USB cables, but I'm disappointed in the failure rate I've experienced in USB cables.

 

[watchnerd]

I'm not suggesting spending big bucks on USB cables, but I'm disappointed in the failure rate I've experienced in USB cables.

Me, too, but I've never had that be an issue in an audio context as I usually just leave them plugged in forever.

It's the USB cables that I use with power adapters and get plugged and unplugged a lot that seem to fail.

 

[Roland68]

Okay, but why not just buy generic USB cables?

I'm not discouraging you or anyone else from buying any cable. I'm recommending affordable, high-quality cables from a reputable manufacturer whose cables I've had good experiences with in all areas for over 35 years.
But I also have almost 30 years of professional experience with USB and have experienced a lot of crap with it, including with cables. And unfortunately, there are almost no brand manufacturers left these days, and truly good quality is unfortunately the exception.

From Amazon:

Amazon.com

LINDY 36901 USB 3.1 Type C Cable, 5A PD, Anthra Line Black 1m​

$28.57

This is a USB 3.1 cable that I generally advise against using for DACs, but it's also overpriced.
European suppliers have also been increasing the price of such cables for the past two years, but only by €1-2.
However, some Lindy USB 2.0 cables are apparently being sold for two to three times the usual price in your country. I suspect that such suppliers are simply taking advantage of the fact that many important and expensive USB 2.0 devices have problems with more recent cable standards (3.x/4.x). It's a good business model.
Current prices with us:

 

[Julf]

This is a USB 3.1 cable that I generally advise against using for DACs

Why?

 

[rcstevensonaz]

But I also have almost 30 years of professional experience with USB

Is that 30 years related to audio engineering?

[In the context of USB 2.0 cables only; not USB 3.1 vs 2.0]
The reason I ask is from what little I've studied on USB protocol, would there be a significant difference in electronic signaling and bit detection in a use case where there is 16+ simultaneous audio channels (play & record) in audio mode vs. the use case where there is only 2-channel audio (play only). In the former, the strict adherence of the cable to the USB standards would be critical to avoid data errors; but perhaps there would be a lot more leeway in the case of 2-channel stereo only.

Which in turn could be the difference in needing professional standard USB 2.0 cables from a company such as Lindy (which are still relatively cheap) vs. almost any generic USB 2.0 cable being more than good enough.

 

[Roland68]

Why?

I've already written this several times, and you just had to read on.
If you're not interested or don't believe it, that doesn't bother me in the slightest.
I'm more concerned with other users reading this being able to get information here. If someone buys a 3.x or 4.x cable and has similar problems with their DAC as I do, or friends and acquaintances of mine, they'll find some information in this thread.

 

[Julf]

I've already written this several times, and you just had to read on.

If communication fails, the problem might be with the receiver, but it could also be with the transmitter.

If you're not interested or don't believe it, that doesn't bother me in the slightest.

I am interested, and it is not that I don't believe you, I just don't understand your point.

I'm more concerned with other users reading this being able to get information here. If someone buys a 3.x or 4.x cable and has similar problems with their DAC as I do, or friends and acquaintances of mine, they'll find some information in this thread.

OK, so basically "I had (unspecified) problems". I think that is called an anecdote.

 

[phofman]

The reason I ask is from what little I've studied on USB protocol, would there be a significant difference in electronic signaling and bit detection in a use case where there is 16+ simultaneous audio channels (play & record) in audio mode vs. the use case where there is only 2-channel audio (play only). In the former, the strict adherence of the cable to the USB standards would be critical to avoid data errors; but perhaps there would be a lot more leeway in the case of 2-channel stereo only.

IMO there is no difference between number of channels. More channels mean longer USB packets. The transmission frequency 240MHz is identical, no matter how many bits the packets contain.

Some USB audio devices may opt for less frequent but larger packets for smaller streams, but the amount of data transfered and the base frequency is still the same. It's not that the clock would slow down when less data were to be transferred.

 

[Roland68]

If communication fails, the problem might be with the receiver, but it could also be with the transmitter.

I am interested, and it is not that I don't believe you, I just don't understand your point.

OK, so basically "I had (unspecified) problems". I think that is called an anecdote.

This definitely has nothing to do with communication or transmitter/receiver problems, but rather with incompatibilities.
The 1 and 2 meter long "USB C" cables with 4.x standard that I own from various manufacturers work perfectly on hard drives, high-speed RAIDs, cameras, etc., without any problems. Neither the SMSL PO100 Pro, PO100 AK, nor SU-1 work with them. My DO300EX also sometimes worked and sometimes didn't. Even with 3 and 5 meter USB 2.0 cables, there was no problem.

What is no anecdote is that these cables contain ICs that can lead to problems.
On a very old USB analyzer (up to USB 2.0), two of these cables didn't work with adapters; it didn't even recognize that a cable was present.
So much for the backward compatibility of current "USB C" cables.
The Lindy USB 2.0 cable with USB C connector was tested and found to be flawless with the same adapter.

 

[Julf]

This definitely has nothing to do with communication or transmitter/receiver problems, but rather with incompatibilities.

It has clearly all to do with communication - between you and me. By "transmitter" and "receiver" I meant the person writing and the person reading.

What is no anecdote is that these cables contain ICs that can lead to problems.

If it contains an IC it is not just a cable any more, it is an adapter. Are the cables that didn't work for you male-to-female adapter cables? A normal male-to-male should simply be a (passive) cable.

 

[voodooless]

If it contains an IC it is not just a cable any more, it is an adapter

Not really. USB-C 3.2 cables over 1m are very likely to contain an IC. Thunderbolt cables always do. If the cable can deliver high-power, it will also contain ICs. They are all just “cables” colloquially.

 

[Julf]

Not really. USB-C 3.2 cables over 1m are very likely to contain an IC. Thunderbolt cables always do. If the cable can deliver high-power, it will also contain ICs. They are all just “cables” colloquially.

So my recommendation is to use pure passive cables for audio (as some DACs seem to have issues with the ICs).

 

[voodooless]

So my recommendation is to use pure passive cables for audio (as some DACs seem to have issues with the ICs).

Sure, that is fine, except that it’s never specifically stated on the cable.