JPS Superconductor V USB Cable Review

[DSJR]

It's a shame that it costs so much to send stuff over the pond, even something like a cable which doesn't need a huge amount of padding/protection. Perhaps there's some test we could do ourselves with REW, Audacity, or whatever? Perhaps Linn cables aren't that rare in the USA anyway? The LP12 is well known, of course, and the Linn phono preamps were favourably reviewed in Stereophile, so cables "to match" wouldn't be so unlikely, would they?

I'm well out of all this now, but I'm sure a null test could show any real differences

Got to say that these days, I use whatever I can find here of the right length. Any cable supporters would be stunned to 'hear' the Amazon Basics RCA cable if they didn't know what was in use (I remember someone who took his apart and was pleasantly surprised how the cable was put together as well as terminated).

 

[AudioSceptic]

I'm well out of all this now, but I'm sure a null test could show any real differences

Got to say that these days, I use whatever I can find here of the right length. Any cable supporters would be stunned to 'hear' the Amazon Basics RCA cable if they didn't know what was in use (I remember someone who took his apart and was pleasantly surprised how the cable was put together as well as terminated).

I'm sure the Amazon cables are fine, but I've already got all the cables I'll ever need (Linn and QED) so won't need to buy any more. Yes, they cost more than they needed to, but I still had "that" doubt and the prices were quite reasonable (20-30 years ago). I never heard the differences claimed in What Hi-Fi and the rest, of course, just felt I was "playing safe".

 

[sniegs]

What's the point of measuring USB cables, the signal is either there or not (0/1)... .
Something of a nightmare on the science side this time.

 

[theREALdotnet]

What's the point of measuring USB cables, the signal is either there or not (0/1)... .
Something of a nightmare on the science side this time.

It is of potential interest to rate cables by how much of the time the signal is there vs not. Steady state measurements in the analog domain don’t tend to show you that. Eye diagrams can give very good and easy to understand clues about the transmission qualities of digital cables, but as Amir has said, this can become expensive at today’s USB data rates.

A good way of rating cables would be by bit error rate, but again, requiring specialist equipment. Bit errors in USB audio can be detected by the receiver, but I’m not aware of a commercial DAC that would indicate detected bit errors. Even then, the issue is that those errors are presumably rare. One thing is for sure, they don’t affect audio quality in any analog way, like as colouration, sound stage, etc.

 

[sniegs]

Could agree about bit errors at very long lengths, no more.
One could draw parallels with the length of the Internet cable (speed=conductor material, shielding, length).
For example, HDMI cables are given the performance label as the latest class (eg 8K) not by the number of wires or port changes, but by its quality, aluminum, copper, shielded, etc., but in theory it is the same old cable.

 

[Martin]

Oh this is more fun than you could ever dream of.... Check out their website.... Jpslabs.Com. Start making your Christmas list.

Snake oil as far as the eye can see…

Why don’t you try responding to any of the actually decent questions that were directed at you? If you want a decent discussion, that’s the proper start.

Because he is a troll - eloquent, maybe - but a troll nonetheless.

Martin

 

[RDoc]

Snake oil as far as the eye can see…

Has amirm actually tested any snakes? I've notice high levels of hiss and a few have even rattled when stressed!
It seems to me such tests would be at least as valuable as wire comparisons.

 

[Madlop26]

Sort of negates the statement that they obsolete products.


I'm also typing this on a 10yo air. About to upgrade, and am mightily pissed off at the price apple is charging for the 32gb ram upgrade. But similar performance windows machines are heading towards similar prices, and I've never owned a windows laptop that is usable beyond 5 years.

So I'm probably going to have to hold my nose and pony up for a new macbook pro.

Apple.....right.
Many people complain about apple but it seems to me they lack some objectivity. To determine a product has shortcomings you need a point of reference. If there was a laptop with the reliability, power and longevity of an apple laptop, at a lower price, then certainly I would complain too, but do we have that point of reference?. I have owned 5 windows laptops, none live beyond 3 years, since 2011 I have bought 3 Apple laptops all of them are still alive.

 

[KSTR]

I have owned 5 windows laptops, none live beyond 3 years, since 2011 I have bought 3 Apple laptops all of them are still alive.

What? Apple is a company and Windows is an operating system. You simply cannot compare companies with operating systems.

For like 20+ years I've had numerous laptops from a multitude of companies running a multitude of operating systems, and the only laptop which died with a true hardware defect of non-replacable parts was from HP, all the others are still up and running (that is, the handful that I kept for nostalgic reasons or whatever).

 

[dananski]

I see a problem having to run some 10 kbar pipes running to my speakers.

Heh yeah. The first article I read neglected to mention that, but even so I'm sure someone would try it if they're spending this much on cables in the desperate hope of improving the sound.

 

[AudioSceptic]

Apple.....right.
Many people complain about apple but it seems to me they lack some objectivity. To determine a product has shortcomings you need a point of reference. If there was a laptop with the reliability, power and longevity of an apple laptop, at a lower price, then certainly I would complain too, but do we have that point of reference?. I have owned 5 windows laptops, none live beyond 3 years, since 2011 I have bought 3 Apple laptops all of them are still alive.

Is that for >1 user? I'm typing this on a 2012 MacBook Pro bought as a refurb in 2013.

 

[egellings]

My point exactly.

If I had a product that I'm absolulety confident to present an objective performance and value proposition and see/hear about anyone claiming to objectively prove otherwise, I would intervene to show them the error of their ways. I believe anyone who's confident in their product would.

By not engaging in here, they cease to stand by their claim, which is the equivalent of admitting that they're STRAIGHT OUT LYING to their customers.

What if a cable vendor truly believes that his magical cable is magical sounding? Is he lying then?

 

[fpitas]

What if a cable vendor truly believes that his magical cable is magical sounding? Is he lying then?

That's a good philosophical question. I guess if they truly believe in mysterious X Factor stuff, they aren't exactly lying. Just kind of goofy.

 

[Hatto]

What if a cable vendor truly believes that his magical cable is magical sounding? Is he lying then?

Still yes, unless they make it explicitly clear that their claim is purely based on subjective belief in magic.

 

[antcollinet]

What if a cable vendor truly believes that his magical cable is magical sounding? Is he lying then?

The point @Hatto was making is : if they truly believe - why are they not "intervening to show us the error of our ways"? It is a valid question.

 

[AudioSceptic]

That's a good philosophical question. I guess if they truly believe in mysterious X Factor stuff, they aren't exactly lying. Just kind of goofy.

Indeed. Which is worse: a fantasist who genuinely believes in nonsense, or a liar who knows it's nonsense but claims to believe it anyway.

Regardless, we should expect them to prove their claims in double-blind subjective tests.

 

[AudioSceptic]

Still yes, unless they make it explicitly clear that their claim is purely based on subjective belief in magic.

"subjective belief in magic."? Can there be any other kind?

 

[Hatto]

"subjective belief in magic."? Can there be any other kind?

Someone witnessing a sleight of hand trick for the first time might mistake their real-world observation (in absence of universal awareness) as evidence and claim objective belief in magic.

 

[egellings]

Someone witnessing a sleight of hand trick for the first time might mistake their real-world observation (in absence of universal awareness) as evidence and claim objective belief in magic.

What get me happens when a magician shows a viewer the mechanism behind the trick, but the viewer discounts that and still believes that magic was responsible for the trick's outcome.

 

[Hatto]

What get me happens when a magician shows a viewer the mechanism behind the trick, but the viewer discounts that and still believes that magic was responsible for the trick's outcome.

When someone who geniunely believed magic to be responsible for the observed event is exposed to the actual mechanism behind the trick, it triggers cognitive dissonance. Weak minds would disregard factual evidence in order not to face the reality that they've been wrong right from the start, to preserve he integrity of their insecure nature.

That's when it turns into subjective belief in magic.