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Asynchronous USB DAC and USB cable quality

I have converted to PC audio about 2 years ago and enjoying the hobby. I recently upgraded my DAC from a Benchmark DAC1 HDR to a DAC2 HGC mainly to download DSD files. I am now using a 'regular' Belden USB printer cable purchased at Office Depot which sounds great. I have performed A/B comparison between Toslink fiber input and USB input using well recorded Red Book files and could not hear any differences, which I kind of expected.

The reasoning behind this was that whatever jitter is generated by the PC/USB/Toslink cable is re-clocked by the Benchmark DAC which uses asynchronous clocking. However, would I gain anything sonically by purchasing an audio grade USB cable like a Furutech GT2-USB cable? I would need about 10 feet and do not want to pay a load of money (if any benefits). The Furutech would cost about $235 for that length.
128x128dasign
mceljo
983 posts
 
What is the connection between EMI / RFI and the digital signal in the USB cable? You have already said that you couldn't hear a difference between Toslink and your printer USB cable. Can we all agree that EMI / RFI have no effect on the optical Toslink connection.
dasign's avatar
dasign OP
107 posts
 
Mceljo,

I was referring to potential EMI/RFI interference on the 12ft. USB cable. The printer USB cable construction quality is far behind the Furutech cable design.
dtc's avatar
dtc
1,024 posts
 
So, do you hear a difference?
mceljo
983 posts
 
If you could not tell a difference between optical and USB then I would suggest that EMI / RFI may not be a significant factor as the optical connection is immune to it. Is it expected that the USB connection be superior so EMI / RFI would be the reason it wasn't superior?
dasign's avatar
dasign OP
107 posts
 
Dtc and Mceljo,

Please view my follow-up thread titled 'USB printer cable VS USB audiophile grade cable?'. Yes, there was a clear positive difference.

Mceljo, I did get intermittent sibilance/background noise while using the printer cable, which I did not understand where it was coming from. I initially tougth that it was coming from noise on the AC line or intermittent problem with my DAC, but none of this occuring while using the Furutech cable.

However, it could be a little too soon to conclude definitively on this, since I only had the Furutech for 5 days.
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