Will a quality USB cable make a difference....

Baka1969... sorry about the typo previously btw...

ok, so now I'm thinking that the first chance I get I'll do the easiest of two things: I'll serve my system with my laptop... last year's Dell... and see if I can discern a difference in its audio reproduction and whether or not, using the laptop as a server, I can hear differences in USB cords using the Dell laptop as a server. If you don't like Dells and Windows 7, I'm sure one of my buddies can find a late model Apple laptop for this experiment.

More to the point, I've asked one of my buddies to try to find someone who will loan me their headphone amp and headphones, equal to or better than your rig, and I'll do the same thing with a laptop. This might require some time and horse trading, but I'll see what I can do.

My hunch is that my system will be degraded considerably. Anyway, that's my operating theory. If that's invalidated, I'll be sure to pass it on as well because I will be able to free up some serious cash by selling my speakers, MacMini, and related cables (particularly the USB cables).

As I say, this might take a little time, but I'll at least do the laptop experiment within a couple of weeks (given my work schedule and family routines and scheduling). I don't have equivalent power cords to the Jellyfish... would Synergistic Research T3s and T2s be acceptable for this experiment?

I'll be sure to publish my impressions on Audiogon. I'll also bring in non-audiophiles (who won't know or understand what it is I'm doing) for their impressions as well.

:) listening,

Ed

Hi Ed,

Before you start let me know what your rig will be. I'll be curious if nothing else. I do have what many will consider as a top tier setup. My laptop is a Gateway WinXP. Not that should make enough of a difference. I've heard setups with win7.

Maybe it could be that the Nordost and Belden Gold USB cable just don't have significant differences? I haven't heard other name brand USBs yet so I won't speak of those.

I think/hope you'll enjoy the headphone syetem. It may not be the same as a two channel one, but can be pretty damn stellar. Let me know.

Ross

Since I grabbed some unknown red USB off a peg on the wall, I've been quite satisfied. This doesn't mean I wouldn't be more satisfied wth a $250 cable; what it does mean, is that I will never find out.

This got off track fast. My question was a simple one requiring a simple straight answer to; "can you detect an audible difference (improvement) with a higher quality USB cable when used between a STORAGE DEVICE (EXTERNAL DRIVE) AND A MUSIC SERVER (NO DAC)?". I've concluded no, simply based on the fact the data is not being transferred through a sensitive link between a digital source and DAC or converter. My example is the same as the music files being stored on/retrieved from a drive connected to a computer or on a network. It's not until that data is being transferred between the digital source (music player, streamer,...) and a DAC/converter that the cables quality comes into effect and becomes imperative. That's my unqualified, non-tech, take on this subject. If you have experience to the contrary I would like to hear.

Ok, I set up the Dell Windows 7 laptop as the server for the Tranquility SE DAC using iTunes as the playback software, and it was as though the oxygen was sucked out of the soul of the system. Yeah, I tried different USB cords, but I couldn't hear a difference. The whole system just went flat, no depth, no point sourcing, no ghostly instrumentation: just flat, dry and soul-less.

I hooked the Tranquility back on to the MacMini 2010 and returned to bliss.

I can truly understand how the difference between USB cords cannot be perceived when using a laptop.

Thanks for the opportunity. I would have never tried this otherwise. It was ugly but worth knowing what I have.

:) listening,

Ed