• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

L7AudioLab USB Cable measurements

Riversquirrel

Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2020
Messages
5
Likes
1
https://www.l7audiolab.net/f/一个关于usb线的测量(玩票)/
Found this site looking for information on the upcoming SMSL bookshelfs, but I thought this was interesting enough to share. Between questionable translation and being fairly new to the audio science game, I am not entirely sure what to think about the results, and am curious to hear your opinions. I have never believed usb cables will make a difference in audio, but they did measure a difference. I am just not entirely sure if it's an at all important one.
 

Racheski

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Apr 20, 2020
Messages
1,116
Likes
1,699
Location
Chicago
Who the eff uses a fiber optic USB cable? I have only ever heard of people using something like that for very long thunderbolt cables.
 

pozz

Слава Україні
Forum Donor
Editor
Joined
May 21, 2019
Messages
4,036
Likes
6,825
He is our very own @WolfX-700.

The differences are below the noise floor. We're talking -140dB. No chance to hear anything. These are technical measurements.
 
OP
R

Riversquirrel

Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2020
Messages
5
Likes
1
Thanks for the info @pozz, probably should have just rtf graph in the first place, didn't pay close enough attention to the y axis scale.
 

WolfX-700

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Jul 26, 2019
Messages
537
Likes
4,508
Location
China
Regarding this measurement, it is actually just an experimental thing.I said in the measurement introduction (sorry that it is in Chinese). A friend asked me whether I can measure the difference between USB cables.In the end I did distinguish the difference, but the difference was extremely small-and it also proved that the so-called HiFi USB (Audioquest Diamond 3) was the worst performer in the measurement.I insist that this is below the listening threshold... But, on the other hand, I found a particularly excellent (that is, optical USB) from the basic principle that it completely isolates the EMI from the front-end equipment.I also introduced this cable when I participated in an AP meeting before, because they encountered some conditions during the measurement and burned the USB port of the PC.

Anyway, in my opinion.
1. Can be distinguished (indicating that the digital cable can be measured by the analog terminal.)
2. The difference is minimal (see the vertical axis)
So I insist on using ordinary USB cables in my audio system (this is even a bit politicized among my friends... haha)
 

Racheski

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Apr 20, 2020
Messages
1,116
Likes
1,699
Location
Chicago
Regarding this measurement, it is actually just an experimental thing.I said in the measurement introduction (sorry that it is in Chinese). A friend asked me whether I can measure the difference between USB cables.In the end I did distinguish the difference, but the difference was extremely small-and it also proved that the so-called HiFi USB (Audioquest Diamond 3) was the worst performer in the measurement.I insist that this is below the listening threshold... But, on the other hand, I found a particularly excellent (that is, optical USB) from the basic principle that it completely isolates the EMI from the front-end equipment.I also introduced this cable when I participated in an AP meeting before, because they encountered some conditions during the measurement and burned the USB port of the PC.

Anyway, in my opinion.
1. Can be distinguished (indicating that the digital cable can be measured by the analog terminal.)
2. The difference is minimal (see the vertical axis)
So I insist on using ordinary USB cables in my audio system (this is even a bit politicized among my friends... haha)
Thanks for clarifying! I was just about to purchase the Audioquest Diamond 3, but now I'll hold off ;)
The optical USB - that would be Type A out from the computer to an optical in on the AP?
 

WolfX-700

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Jul 26, 2019
Messages
537
Likes
4,508
Location
China
https://www.l7audiolab.net/f/一个关于usb线的测量(玩票)/
Found this site looking for information on the upcoming SMSL bookshelfs, but I thought this was interesting enough to share. Between questionable translation and being fairly new to the audio science game, I am not entirely sure what to think about the results, and am curious to hear your opinions. I have never believed usb cables will make a difference in audio, but they did measure a difference. I am just not entirely sure if it's an at all important one.

BTW: SMSL Tabebuia sounds great... I like it very much... I got the sample and sent it to a friend for review... he also liked it very much...

Good sound at a low price...

cause my ability to measure speakers is very limited, I won’t say much about the measurement results...

It sounds like a modern version of LS3/5A, the sound is lighter and the resolution is higher... but it has a very good vocal playback
 

WolfX-700

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Jul 26, 2019
Messages
537
Likes
4,508
Location
China
Thanks for clarifying! I was just about to purchase the Audioquest Diamond 3, but now I'll hold off ;)
The optical USB - that would be Type A out from the computer to an optical in on the AP?

A from Computer to B
 

WolfX-700

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Jul 26, 2019
Messages
537
Likes
4,508
Location
China
Do you know what they will be priced at? People seem to have very different opinions on "low" prices in the audio world :)

The specific pricing manufacturer is still under discussion, but it is said to be around $400
 

Rusty Shackleford

Active Member
Joined
May 16, 2018
Messages
255
Likes
550
Regarding this measurement, it is actually just an experimental thing.I said in the measurement introduction (sorry that it is in Chinese). A friend asked me whether I can measure the difference between USB cables.In the end I did distinguish the difference, but the difference was extremely small-and it also proved that the so-called HiFi USB (Audioquest Diamond 3) was the worst performer in the measurement.I insist that this is below the listening threshold... But, on the other hand, I found a particularly excellent (that is, optical USB) from the basic principle that it completely isolates the EMI from the front-end equipment.I also introduced this cable when I participated in an AP meeting before, because they encountered some conditions during the measurement and burned the USB port of the PC.

Anyway, in my opinion.
1. Can be distinguished (indicating that the digital cable can be measured by the analog terminal.)
2. The difference is minimal (see the vertical axis)
So I insist on using ordinary USB cables in my audio system (this is even a bit politicized among my friends... haha)

My apologies if I’m missing it in the Chinese text, but can you provide a link to or the name of the optical USB cable?
 

Matias

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Messages
5,029
Likes
10,794
Location
São Paulo, Brazil
Very interesting measurements.
 

Katji

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 26, 2017
Messages
2,990
Likes
2,273
BTW: SMSL Tabebuia sounds great... I like it very much... I got the sample and sent it to a friend for review... he also liked it very much...

Good sound at a low price...

cause my ability to measure speakers is very limited, I won’t say much about the measurement results...

It sounds like a modern version of LS3/5A, the sound is lighter and the resolution is higher... but it has a very good vocal playback

Is it actually available now? I saw your review and one other at the time, saw the SMSL pics and the outdoor pics on Fb, checked on the day after the scheduled launch date and a few days after, nothing was happening.
Since then I lost interest, decided that I wanted to try some active speakers and got new speakers from the company that has sold 100 million speakers. :cool:
 
Top Bottom