Nordost Tyr 2 Review (USB Cable)

[kencreten]

This will never happen, because the same people who are selling the hardware are also selling maybe not the insane $100,000 cables, but the $200 cables with 70% margin on them. Manufacturers don't want to alienate dealers so they're never going to tell the dealers not to push Monster or Audioquest or whatever other "upgrade cable" nonsense the dealers are pushing to pad their bottom lines.

Part of the problem too is that fierce competition has pushed margins way down - televisions are sold at basically zero margin, and it used to be the case that dealer markup was around 50% on speakers and audio gear, but I believe it's about half that now. Many of the value-add attaches that dealers used to make money on are dead or dying - fifteen years ago you'd buy a new TV for $2,000 and the dealer would make nothing, but you'd also buy a DVD player, a set of component cables, and a universal remote for another $400 and the dealer would make 50% on that. These days, TVs typically go out the door with *zero* additional sales, or maybe a soundbar at a 10% markup.

If boutique dealers want to stay in business against big box stores and online retailers, they have to pad their margins and make money somewhere. Unfortunately, they're making it by ripping off their customers, rather than selling actual value-add products like room treatment.

Room treatment. There we go. Provable improvements.

 

[JD_Spoon]

My science teacher clearly was not a trained audiophile when he taught us that energy is not transferred via the wire.
Would there be a market for selling audiophile EM fields?

Apparently so.

 

[Kevinfc]

Once again, this proves that the only consideration when buying a cable should be it’s construction as related to durability. About $10-$20 should do the trick on most.

 

[kencreten]

Or think you need to pay that much even for different aesthetics in cables....just stupid overall

I will admit that i have purchased one RCA cable over another, at the same price, on Amazon over only looks.

 

[Chrispy]

I will admit that i have purchased one RCA cable over another, at the same price, on Amazon over only looks.

None of my rca cables are even within sight but there are a variety of aesthetic choices without paying silly prices for 'em, too.

 

[pinpoint_oxford]

I will admit that i have purchased one RCA cable over another, at the same price, on Amazon over only looks.

I've spent more money for a cable that looks/feels better than other. Not a lot of money, but something (aside from my one audioquest RCA I bought before I knew better, although it does look nice). That's a totally normal thing to do!

I looked at Nordost's website. My god. They have so many tiers and levels of cables. They all look the same aside from color, really. I'd love for one of their engineers try to explain to me what the differences are.

 

[DonR]

I've spent more money for a cable that looks/feels better than other. Not a lot of money, but something (aside from my one audioquest RCA I bought before I knew better, although it does look nice). That's a totally normal thing to do!

We have a whole thread dedicated to that. I have contributed my bit to the thread.

 

[pinpoint_oxford]

We have a whole thread dedicated to that. I have contributed my bit to the thread.

I wouldn't say it's foolish though! One can acknowledge that a more expensive thing isn't any better than a cheaper thing, but like it for other reasons.

 

[sam_adams]

The only way to properly test the sonic quality of any USB cable is to turn it into an audio cable. Cut off the connectors and wire it up to some XLR connectors and see how it performs as far as noise immunity, frequency response, and cable specs such as LCR. Then, and only then, will we have the answer that so many seek.

I'd say it's the other way around, since USB requires much wider bandwidth than 20 kHz audio, and the connectors are all part of that.

The "right" solution probably involves some time making a couple breakout boards (and yes, layout does matter in this case) that will allow them to be connected to suitable test equipment. But before that matters, does Amir have a network analyzer?

In this limited case we are only interested in how the cable performs as an audio interconnect—in the analog domain—not as a digital signal transmission medium. It can be tested against any of the top tier commercial star-quad cables or even something like Mogami 3173.

 

[kencreten]

None of my rca cables are even within sight but there are a variety of aesthetic choices without paying silly prices for 'em, too.

I hear you. My Cables are mostly visible.

 

[kencreten]

I've spent more money for a cable that looks/feels better than other. Not a lot of money, but something (aside from my one audioquest RCA I bought before I knew better, although it does look nice). That's a totally normal thing to do!

I looked at Nordost's website. My god. They have so many tiers and levels of cables. They all look the same aside from color, really. I'd love for one of their engineers try to explain to me what the differences are.

I'm sure they won't. I'm sure they'd point us to the "specs."

 

[Ralferator]

I guess somebody has to take the money of people who have too much and spend 1400$ for a USB-Cable

 

[Chrispy]

I hear you. My Cables are mostly visible.
View attachment 192931

You could say that again....

 

[JSmith]

My Cables are mostly visible.

Mine are too;

JSmith

 

[kencreten]

Mine are too;

View attachment 192933




JSmith

Wow.

 

[DonR]

Mine are too;

View attachment 192933




JSmith

You're gonna pick up some hum from that. Just sayin'.

 

[JSmith]

You're gonna pick up some hum from that. Just sayin'.

I use a PS Audio P12 with Nordost cables and it fixes everything... it's a miracle box for sure.


JSmith

 

[CtheArgie]

The ad above is from Reliance Insurance…..

 

[Sal1950]

Mine are too;

Oh lord, what the hell is that?

 

[Blumlein 88]

Mine are too;

View attachment 192933




JSmith