Tag Archives: Digital cables
Guys who own digital master clocks are very serious about extracting the most from digital sources. If a stock power cord came with the clock, very likely it’s still unwrapped in the box, because that would be self-defeating. Audiophiles shooting for the max are OK with substantial outlays for after-market power cords—they’ve heard the solid… Read More »
The post New Cables for My Master Clock from Audience appeared first on Positive Feedback.
It’s easy to get really carried away with audio cable, especially in a high-end title like Hi-Fi+, where we’ve come across a significant amount of super high-end cable designs that cost as much as a new car. So, it’s refreshing to come across a brand that delivers the goods without a price tag that can frighten people at 20 paces. And Better Cables is that brand; it makes a range of solid, low-noise, low‑BS cables with very good connectors under its Blue Truth line. We looked at the Blue Truth loudspeaker cables in Issue 188 and were so impressed we wanted to try some more in the series. A Blue Truth Ultra XLR cable and Blue Truth USB cable were duly dispatched, and they do exactly what the loudspeaker cable did; offer great bang for the buck.
For affordable cables, the Blue Truth Ultra has some pretty high specifications. The XLR, for example, uses top-end Neutrik plugs throughout. Inside its woven outer shell (black with a subtle blue thread running through it), Blue Truth Ultra uses a dual conductor, twisted pair configuration. It features 99.999% pure silver-coated copper solid core conductors with a silver-coated 100% coverage shield of similar purity and foamed FEP Teflon dielectric. These are rated at 110Ω, making them notionally ideal for both analogue and AES/EBU digital connections.
The USB cable uses four silver-coated copper conductors using HDPE as the dielectric. This gives a precise 90Ω connection, and the high-grade gold-plated type A and type B USB connectors are of similarly high grade to the Neutriks used in the XLR.
The power problem
A problem unique to USB that Blue Truth addresses directly is that – unlike almost all other audio signal cables – two of the four conductors inside a USB cable potentially provide power from the host device. That 5V voltage can be a source of noise on the data conductor, which is why Better Cables doubles down on shielding that data pathway, using a combination of two layers of aluminium isolation; a 100% coverage foil and an 85% coverage braid.
Blue Truth Ultra XLR needs some burning-in to remove an out-of-the-packet zing to the upper midrange. Still, a thorough run-in with a Blue Horizons cable burner-inner removes that slight metallic edge to the sound. Still, it leaves the extension and the detail and considerably opens the soundstage. I let the cable run in for a long weekend before commencing. The USB cable didn’t need the same degree of attention (and I don’t have a USB connection for my Blue Horizon cable burner), but I gave it a few days of digital feed before critical listening.
These are very detailed and analytical cables, with the XLR, in particular, having a forward, expressive presentation. I made some quick and dirty comparisons between Blue Truth Ultra using Burmester’s designs, Nordost’s Blue Heaven, and Cardas Clear when connecting a Burmester 088 preamp and 911 Mk 3 power amplifier. This might seem like over-egging the pudding (using a relatively inexpensive XLR cable between two Top Line products costing just this side of £40,000). Still, it exposed the cable and highlighted any issues it might have… and the Blue Truth Ultra didn’t let the side down. In many respects, Blue Truth Ultra went toe-to-toe with Nordost Blue Heaven, although the additional speed and poise of the Nordost design ultimately showed what spending more buys you. Similarly, the Cardas Clear XLR retained a greater sense of musical refinement and naturalness that Blue Truth Ultra can only hint at.
Substantial
If anything, the changes brought about by the USB cable were even more substantial than with the XLR. This is perhaps understandable given that XLR’s pro audio use eliminates noise across long cables, so any cable characteristics are also likely minimised. But XLR’s inherent noise-busting notwithstanding, the improvement Blue Truth brought to USB was marked. Like its Ultra analogue sibling, Blue Truth is extremely detailed across the board, with extremely clean treble and deep, stentorian bass. Unlike the XLR cable, Blue Truth USB has a sense of effortless refinement and ‘listenability’ that is at odds with Blue Truth Ultra XLR’s more expressive presentation. Both are also good at broad-brushstroke dynamic range and close-combat microdynamics. However, I’d give the XLR the edge in the macrodynamic world, and the USB takes the microdynamic prize.
This brings me to my only caveat with Blue Truth in general; while USB is usually outside the purview of ‘cable loom’ thinking, the sonic difference between USB and both XLR and loudspeaker cable is marked. The USB is more rounded and relaxed than the forward nature of the analogue cables that carry the same name. I’d go so far as to say those who like Blue Truth USB might not be as smitten with Blue Truth Ultra XLR and vice versa. They are both equally good in outright terms but different.
Not filters
OK, so if you are wanting your cables to be filters these are not the cables for you. And if you are looking for that ‘the whole is greater than the sum of the parts’ synergy, you’ll need to keep looking (and probably looking at an order of magnitude more expensive). But both Blue Truth cables offer a glimpse into a much bigger world of high-end cable design, with both the XLR and USB punching above their respective weight classes.
Better Cables has come up with the goods with Blue Truth Ultra XLR and Blue Truth USB but – in my opinion – especially the latter. Both represent fine introductions to the world of high-end cables without necessarily spending high-end bucks. Of the two, I find the USB to be the show’s real star, but the XLR is no slouch either and, after a good run-in, does the Better Cables ‘punching up’ thing well. Both are well worth seeking out!
Price and Contact details
- Blue Truth Ultra XLR: $239.95/1m pair as tested
- Blue Truth USB: $169.95/1.5m as tested
Manufacturer:
Better Cables
URL: bettercables.com
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It came as some surprise to me that, when it comes to Siltech Cables, we hadn’t looked at a single cable in the range for the longest time. Our last reviews of Siltech products were all about the company’s high-end amplifiers; fine, and very impressive in their own right, but hardly representative of the company and practically all of its output. It’s a little like spending time discussing a brand like Mont Blanc and forgetting about its line of pens.
Siltech Cables makes several ranges of cables, each with a name that sounds like a brand of whisky that sponsors golf tournaments; Royal Signature, Triple Crown, Classic Anniversary and now the new Classic Legend series. So sit back and pour yourself a glass of Classic Legend (just a dash of water, please… no ice), while I tee off.
Classic Legend is three different classes of cables in one; 380, 680 and 880, each having its own interconnects, speaker and power cables. There are also digital, USB and even network cables, but even if they are in one of the three classes, these stand alone in the Classic Legend range.
Core to the Classic Legend is the company’s new G9 silver-gold conductors. Metallurgy is a big concern with Siltech Cables, and the company prides itself on its research-based development of cables using the latest metallurgical developments. Edwin Rynveld, CEO and Head of Engineering of Siltech Cables, is the kind of guy who would have a subscription to Ruthenium News if such a title existed, and keeps ahead of the curve when it comes to developments in everything pertaining to the improvement of audio in general and cables in particular, so it might come as no surprise that where most cable brands make no great distinction about the metallic make-up of their cables (“It’s gold an’ silver, innit”), this is the ninth generation of silver-gold alloy used in Siltech Cable’s line since the early 1980s.
As the name suggests, G9 is Siltech Cable’s ninth (and most current) silver-gold alloy generation developed by the company’s metallurgists. They spent over 12 years of research and testing to develop a material that offers a significant, audible, and measurable improvement of the company’s previous G7 generation solid silver-gold wire (S8 being a solid-core monocrystal silver cable of the highest purity used in the flagship Crown models). The result of the G9 project is silver-gold alloy with up to two-times larger conductors than previous generations with an extraordinarily reduced boundary distortion of 0.01%. This 9th generation of Siltech silver-gold alloy contains all the latest developments and improvements in the melting process, resulting in an even smoother sound and improved cable run-in times.
Going a little deeper (and perhaps highlighting the difference between actual metallurgy and someone who looks up the properties of wire in a cable catalogue) Siltech’s proprietary silver-gold alloy works to improves a natural silver wire by adding traces of gold to fill the microcracks that occur during the solidification process. This means silver conductors injected with gold, rather than simple gold-plating. This has been a core component of Siltech Cables and has been improved upon time and again since the company started the process back in 1997.
Siltech’s silver-gold alloy process is able to reach a purity of 9N by increasing the filling rate of the crystal structure gaps to the highest possible level. Launched in May this year, the Classic Legend Series is the first cable range using G9.
Alongside the new elements relevant to the latest Classic Legend, there are also standard Siltech Cable elements common to all designs in the range. Siltech holds that an ideal cable should have zero series resistance (R), zero capacitance (C) and zero inductance (L). That is, of course, notional because its functionally impossible to create such a conductor, but the lower each of these basic properties of wire can get, the more stable the sound of the system. The idea being you effectively remove the low-pass filter created by higher series impedance from high inductance, lower the capacitive load for any input, and reduce the general distortion additional series resistance introduces.
Another important concern held by Siltech Cables is that because there is no one system that Siltech Cables are used with, any form of filtration or alteration of the signal will change the performance of a system in unpredictable ways. While this sounds like stating the obvious (cables are not tone controls), this maxim becomes more important with cable length; a design needs to be stable enough to sound identical regardless of whether a cable is 1m or 8m long. Once again, this ties in with striving to produce as low as possible LCR figures in Siltech Cables.
The ‘TL:DR’ version of all this is “it’s nerd stuff, but good nerd stuff.”
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Before I start this review I want to make one thing clear, I love WyWires. To be clear the reason I love WyWires is because they have been the only cable brand that I have found that truly enhances my system without any drawbacks. They are not cheap, but the cables act more like components… Read More »
The post WyWires Diamond and Platinum Cables appeared first on Positive Feedback.
Cardas Audio was one of the first to make an audiophile grade USB cable. Back when using USB as a digital audio connection was still something of a new thing for enthusiasts, Cardas’ Clear USB showed how that four-conductor digital link can make a significant difference to performance, and the original cable has been in production ever since. However, the digital audio landscape of 2021 is a very different one to that of a decade ago and while “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” still applies, the new Clear HS (High Speed) USB brings many of the benefits of …
The following is a press release from Wireworld.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, JULY 28, 2021 — Wireworld Cable Technology, one of the world’s most respected brands of high-performance audio and video cables, announces the release of the Platinum Starlight 8 USB audio cable. This third-generation flagship USB2.0 cable features carbon fiber plugs and five termination options, including the latest Type C connectors. Following the previous generations, the cable has solid silver signal conductors and isolated power conductors within a flat outer profile. Upgrades over the previous Platinum Starlight 7 include the ultra-quiet Composilex 3 insulation and exclusive Uni-Path geometry, which minimize interference to provide lifelike sound quality.
“Our goal for Platinum Starlight 8 was to create a USB cable with the amazing harmonic purity and dynamic expression of the scientific reference standard, a direct connection between components,” comments Wireworld designer and President David Salz. “We believe this cable is the closest ever to achieving that goal.”
In the decade since the original Platinum Starlight USB cable was introduced, this series has earned unsurpassed praise from professional audio reviewers around the world. Extending that success to a new generation required the development of a new conductor geometry, superior shields and the quietest insulation material available. Wireworld’s exclusive Uni-Path conductor geometry minimizes interference and crosstalk beyond previous designs. The cable also uses double thickness shields and a fully isolated and filtered power conductor to maximize sonic purity. Ultra-quiet Composilex 3 insulation reduces triboelectric noise in the signal conductors as it maximizes the noise-absorption of the isolated power conductor. These advanced design features and upgraded materials make Platinum Starlight 8 USB the ultimate cable for reproducing the natural acoustic character of instruments and voices.
Retail Pricing
$360/.3m, $420/.6m, $500/1m, $700/2m, $900/3m
About Wireworld
Wireworld Cable Technology, founded by industrial designer David Salz in 1992, is a premier provider of leading edge digital and analog cable technology for home and professional A/V applications, including HDMI, USB, Ethernet, interconnect, microphone, instrument and speaker cables. Wireworld earned its world-class reputation by producing measurably superior cables optimized through objective perceptual testing, innovative patented designs, premium materials, and exceptional manufacturing quality. For more information, visit www.wireworldcable.com
The post Wireworld Platinum Starlight 8 USB Audio Cables now available appeared first on Dagogo.
It’s easy to fall into ‘silo thinking’ in audio; where a company that is best known in one category cannot ‘branch out’ into another. Which means when WestminsterLab, best known for its small but deceptively powerful REI (and previous UNUM) power amplifiers, started talking about its Standard range of cables, I was at best ‘sceptical’. Then the boxes arrived; eight small, elegant, light brown boxes that prove you can make ‘interference-fit’ card (try opening them!) with similarly elegant thin white cables inside. The cable is called ‘Standard’ to differentiate it from WestminsterLab’s more upscale ‘Ultra’ range, but the two have …
Inakustik Reference LS 4004 Air speaker cable
Synopsis for those who hate to read
The Inakustik Reference LS 4004 Air, Reference Digital 2404 Air, and Reference High Speed USB are all not only among the best audiophile cables I’ve heard, they are also among the best values in high-end components that I’ve encountered in the last several years. I have no compunction about naming each of these three cables as one of my NBRs: (“No-Brainer Recommendations”). Let me expound.
A few weeks ago, I was asked if I wanted to review a full loom of cables. I was told that the products were by a German company I had not previously encountered: Inakustik. “Sure, send them over,” I said.
After I received the products, I immediately encountered some limitations. Not all of the cables with their lengths and types would work in my main system. Although I could install some of the cables in my secondary systems, initial listening quickly made it evident that these cables should be evaluated in the main system. Consequently, I was disappointed to be unable to give the Reference NF 2404 Air interconnect a thorough test, though based on the results obtained using their USB, digital coax, and speaker cables, I have no doubt that the companion interconnect is quite good. I decided to start with the easiest cable to evaluate in my main rig — the USB cable.
Cables in general
Since this review covers three different types of cables, it’s useful to describe my philosophy on cables. I’ve had a wide variety of power, interconnect, speaker and digital cables in my systems, including my main system and two secondary systems. The suggested retail pricing for the cables I’ve actually tried ranges from $50 to $22,000. In all cases, the more expensive cables sounded “better” in some ways, but sometimes the improvement was so slight than it took extensive listening to identify it.
I have had cables in my systems that were intentionally used as “tone controls” to adjust for a perceived shortcoming in the system’s sound. This approach is roundly criticized by many audiophiles as a band aid solution for a problem in the underlying equipment combination. I agree with this criticism, but of course it fails to take into account the fact that people don’t generally have infinite resources to replace expensive equipment and applying cables as tone controls may actually result in a perceived improvement at a much lower cost. Financial reality matters! To be clear: the Inakustik cables are definitely not tone controls. In fact, they are probably the most neutral cables I’ve heard. More on this below.
Over time, as my main components improved, it became increasingly important to use cables that are fundamentally neutral. This is very difficult to assess in listening tests. First, you need to select a reference for “accurate” reproduction of the music. This alone is actually impossible to do if you weren’t present at the recording venue when the recording was made. The closest you can come is to regularly attend live performances in good venues and then attempt by memory to recall the live sound when you are back in your own listening room. I live in the Chicago area, and my principal references are Symphony Hall, the Green Mill, City Winery, the United Center and Lincoln Hall. These venues are all vastly different and present a wide variety of music genres, which allows distinctions between a small acoustic jazz trio, a full symphony and a loud rock concert.
Once you’ve identified your reference performance venue and genre, you then must repeatedly change out cables and listen for any differences. This is extremely tedious, and I’ve periodically rejected doing cable reviews because I was just not in the right frame of mind for such an exhausting task. Furthermore, as you continuously make improvements to your system with better cables, the differences between cables tend to become more and more minute.
Initial evaluation
My typical approach to evaluating cables is to start by inserting them into one of my secondary systems. At this point I had no idea where these particular Inakustik cables fit into the Inakustik hierarchy, nor did I have any idea of their prices. I replaced a Creative Cable Concepts Black Knight digital coax ($99) with the Inakustik Reference 2404 Air digital coax and an AudioQuest Type 5 speaker cable with the Inakustik LS 4004 Air speaker cable. Substituting high end cables in a midfi system is very dicey. The vast majority of the time the midfi equipment is not resolving enough to highlight differences between cables. It’s not until you put the cables into a high-end system that differences become apparent. That was not the case here. Despite the modest system and poor room, everything about the music was just a bit more: more extension, more resolution, more sense of space. Time to move on to the real evaluations in the big rig.
The post Inakustik Reference LS 4004 Air Speaker Cable, Reference Digital 2404 Air Coax cable and Reference High Speed USB cable Review appeared first on Dagogo.
Cardas Audio is based in the coastal town of Bandon, Oregon. The town is well known for the annual Cranberry festival (their local harvest), its beaches, cheese, golf and rock formations… and one of the largest employers in this town; Cardas Audio. Founded in 1987, in Ontario, CA, by George Cardas, the family garage becoming the laboratory, George enlisted the help of the family to ‘colour in logos and hammer the grommets into the packaging’ says Angela Cardas. With a career as a telephone engineer George was well versed in the challenges of analogue and digital transmissions through cables. I …
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