USB cable shootout: 8 cables tested

[Olesno]

I've been using the FTA Calisto between my Lumin U1 and the Lampizator Golden Atlantic TRP without the 5V power. Considering you also have the Lampizator DAC, did all the cables you tested have the power disconnected?

 

[Anyoldears]

I've been using the FTA Calisto between my Lumin U1 and the Lampizator Golden Atlantic TRP without the 5V power. Did all the cables you tested have the power disconnected?

Only the Emerald

 

[Olesno]

Only the Emerald

I don't remember anymore but doesn't Lampizator require non-powered USB cable, or does it simply sound better with 5V disconnected?

 

[Anyoldears]

I don't remember anymore but doesn't Lampizator require non-powered USB cable, or does it simply sound better with 5V disconnected?

Dunno about Lampi, but I didnt do a test with the same cable both with and without the 5v. My guess is it would depend on the DAC. Some dont work without the 5v

 

[Geoffkait]

How long would it take to test 8 cables properly and reliably? My guess is a very long time, probably at least many months. All cables would have to be broken in first, no? Also, when a cable is unplugged the replacement cable would ideally have to undergo some readjustment period to account for having broken the delicate electrical/mechanical interface at the connectors. So, give the cables a week to readjust. That’s 2 months right there if you are testing 8 cables.

Then add another 8 months to allow for break in of all 8 cables. Yes, I know what you’re thinking, “But you can get an idea what they sound like right out of the box.“

Next add the time required to test for cable directionality.

 

[Anyoldears]

How long would it take to test 8 cables properly and reliably? My guess is a very long time, probably at least many months. All cables would have to be broken in first, no? Also, when a cable is unplugged the replacement cable would ideally have to undergo some readjustment period to account for having broken the delicate electrical/mechanical interface at the connectors. So, give the cables a week to readjust. That’s 2 months right there if you are testing 8 cables.

Then add another 8 months to allow for break in of all 8 cables. Yes, I know what you’re thinking, “But you can get an idea what they sound like right out of the box.“

Next add the time required to test for cable directionality.

Yep it was just over 2 months. Some were demo cables and so had been broken in when I got them. Directionality not a thing as they have different plugs at each end so they only go one way. I had a second system so when I was listening to one, I was breaking in cables on another

 

[FT251]

How does the A Q diamond stack up to some of these? Or is it at least a reasonably good cable?

 

[Anyoldears]

How does the A Q diamond stack up to some of these? Or is it at least a reasonably good cable?

Not heard one, so cant comment

 

[Phantom-Audio]

6000 or 3000 for a USB?

 

[Anyoldears]

6000 or 3000 for a USB?

Depends if you want whatsbest.... I don't think the Grand is worth the extra IMHO. It is better, but double?

 

[Phantom-Audio]

I'm baffled by the price of a USB cable,

 

[audiophilac1]

6000 or 3000 for a USB?

what brand/type of cable is that?

 

[Anyoldears]

what brand/type of cable is that?

Tara Labs Master and Grand Master

 

[Juiced]

Did anyone had a chance comparing Faber's USB cable to David Labgoa?

eX-solutions - Faber's Cables

Faber's Cables - eX-solutions - Cavi speciali di interconnessione audio realizzati a mano e pensati per la musica.

www.fabercables.com

 

[Lotus]

Results:

Albedo USB
Length: 153cm
UK price: Oops, I forgot to ask!
View attachment 116694

Brown cloth (?) wrapped floppy cable. It’s bass is OK, not tight though, but slightly boomy. Its not as clear or pure as say the Sinope. Also its not quite as alive as some of the others, it had a very slight dull and slow feeling to it. Unfortunately it doesn’t really excite you listening to it. Upper end detail was OK but again nothing exceptional.

David Laboga Emerald Mk2
Length: 107cm
UK price: around £500
NB no 5v power cable with this demo cable
View attachment 116695
This is one of the first cables I tested, and the cheapest in this group test. So that means the worst performer right? Absolutely not, this cable is incredibly impressive!
It has a naturalness that some others here would die for. And the BASS! Punchy and tight without boominess. Fantastic! And it goes REALLY deep, I would say in fact, the best in this group. Impressive stuff.
Listening to "Time" from Pink Floyd was the first time I had heard the underlying heartbeat sounds at around 1.50-2.20 really punch out and add a dramatic tension, basically engaging another sense into the experience. It felt like I was being kicked in the musical maracas each time, and I loved it!
It passes my "toe tapping test" easily, you just enjoy listening to music via this cable.
However its not as pacy as the Muon say, and the upper registers aren't as emphasised. The attack on strummed guitar strings is fine and has good air/ 3D imaging
This cable definitely gets my HIDDEN GEM AWARD, it competes with all the others here, but if you are on a budget in any way, just get this one! You’ll love it.


FTA Sinope
Length: 136cm
UK price: £1395
View attachment 116696
In some ways, this is the one to beat. This cable is held in high regard and rightly so, because it sounds great! It has a slightly more unusual profile, being quite wide and flat, but plug this baby in and it just works to produce great sound. Slightly fuzzier than the Sablon, maybe a fraction flat, and not as impressive 3d picture overall. It does have a good naturalness and good rhythm to it, it sounds balanced across the whole frequency range. Having a think about it afterwards, I think the top end is quite smooth which makes the cable very listenable to. It also means attack on say strummed guitar strings is less than others. The overall airiness is also not quite as good as some others. I did find it clearer, more musical and better stereo picture/projection than the Infigo.
The only real downside to this cable is the bass is very slightly lacking in punch in comparison to others

Infigo USB
Length: 110cm
UK price: approx £1000 (depends on offers and import duties)
View attachment 116697
A bit more bass than the Sinope but it wasn’t tight, having a slight boominess to it in comparison. The top end has a bit of well… “bite”, “harsh” or “edge” are too strong of words to use, but maybe bright is closer. Also the mid range is slightly less pronounced, the cable give me a clear picture of what its doing in bass and upper treble but less in the middle. If you have a soft sounding system this is probably what you need to balance it. Slightly more reserved in presentation than the Beethoven. Overall close to the Sinope, but the Sinope would have the victory.

Network Acoustics Muon2
Length: 150cm
UK price: £1395 (overseas will be less as no UK VAT)
View attachment 116698
When I was arranging the demo cable, I got chatting to Rob the cable’s designer. This is the new Muon2 version of his cable, and I have the privilege of being one of the first to hear it. Apart from the general form factor of being 2 thin and 1 thicker cables, everything is new about this cable, new conductor, new assembly techniques, new connectors, the works. I haven’t heard the original, but what does the new and improved version sound like?
Well out of this group, I would say this is the clarity king. Music is just clear as a bell. It has a bit more bass than the Sinope, although it could do with being a bit tighter. It has more detail, purity and clarity than the Sinope too. It feels pacier than it too, my listening notes say "more alive". Imaging is good, attack is nice, treble is more pronounced than the Sinope. More stereo imaging than the Infigo

Sablon Audio Evo USB
Length: 122cm
UK price: £1000 (overseas will be less as no UK VAT)
View attachment 116699
Good bass that goes deep, and more attack than the others on leading edge notes like guitar strums. Not quite as airy as some others though. As with the Infigo, bass and treble seem pronounced, but the mid range plays a secondary role somewhat. Imaging is OK to good, and quite musical too. Pink Floyds Time guitar piece at 4.00-4.20 can sound a bit edgy with this cable though

Skogrand Beethoven
Length: 210cm
UK price:£6000+
View attachment 116700
Yes I’m pretty sure that price is right. For this, you get an impressively chunky and substantial feeling, silk wrapped cable. So what does it sound like? It’s a richer, fuller sounding cable with good air to it. The bass is very good with a nice punch to it
Overall, its a good cable and fits in easily with these other cables, without surpassing them. If you factor in the cost though, it represents very poor value for money, and I couldn’t recommend it at this price.

Tara Labs Master
Length:
UK price: £3000
So the final cable is a bit of an outlier as its considerably more expensive than the rest (excluding the overpriced Skogrand). So to be fair to the rest, its a little bit of an apples to oranges comparison. It is also unusual in that it has a special grounding box with it. You connect a small supplied cable from the end of the USB cable to the box, and also attach a ground wire from the chassis of the source to this ground box as well.
It was also the last one I got my hands on, so when you read comparisons above, they dont include this one.
But this is whatsbestforum, so whats best out of all these cables? Answer, this one! Maybe not a step up over the rest, but at least a good half a step. It wasn’t hard to realise this one was the winner, whereas with other cables, they were pretty close. (Again for the number people, I would say around 15%)
This cable projects music out into the room unlike anything else here. The bass is plentiful and oh so tight and punchy. Have "Devil Inside" going at high volume and you really feel those intro bass punches in your chest. But its not boomy. I find the recording of Pearl Jam's Alive can be bass saturated in my system.
But no, it was the USB cable all along! With the Tara its perfectly listenable for the first time. Have the last part of "The Chain" on high volume, and after the bass riff, Buckingham's guitar can sound a bit shrill and biting. But again, not with the Tara. But this isnt due to it being soft at the top, not a bit of it, its just clear and free of harshness.
This cable is beautifully clear and the instruments are clearly separated, the air is very good, a wonderful open sound. I wondered at one point if it was a fraction slow sounding, but after further listening decided it was spot on (maybe just it was warming up in my system in retrospect). The stereo picture was excellent. It gets my OUTRIGHT PERFORMANCE AWARD and convincingly so.
However finally, there is one small problem with the Tara Labs Master. It is only their mid range cable, it has a big brother, the Grand Master cable at £5k.... Eeeek!

Conclusions:
OK its pretty clear which was my favourite, but how would I rank the rest? Well I think the best for you will depend on the sound of your system and what you like. For my preferences and my system, despite their weaknesses in various areas, the ones I personally kept coming back to are the Sinope and the Emerald. I just found them particularly musical and enjoyable, which to my mind is the essence of what listening to music is about.
As to the others, if you like attack on the leading edge of your guitars, or your system is soft sounding and needs more bite, get the Sablon. If you want clarity and purity, get the Muon2. If you fancy the Sinope but its a bit too pricey for you, look at the similar Infigo. Horses for courses.

And finally, many thanks to the reps/manufacturers/distributors for the loan of these cables to make this group test possible!

Nicely done Mark. We now have the Hemingway Z-core USB at the same price point as the Master. Equal overall I would say but a different sound. It is winning around 50% of the time against the Tara Labs Master ... depending on system/tastes.

 

[highstream]

Dunno about Lampi, but I didnt do a test with the same cable both with and without the 5v. My guess is it would depend on the DAC. Some dont work without the 5v

I think it’s a matter of whether the source supplies the 5v. For example, on a USB run from an SSD in a drive enclosure to an Oppo 203, the 5v line is needed because the case doesn’t provide it, the Oppo does.

Thanks for the comparison. For the SSD run I use a WyWires Diamond, which would be competitive in the test group (WyWires cables seem to be seriously underestimated, I think in part because they are often heavily discounted, which is looked at askance by many audiophiles).

A cable that I haven’t heard, but from what I read may be up there with the Tara in sound and price is the Stealth double tune.

 

[Synaxis]

Stealth double tune.

I had the first one they produced and did a video on it.

It is a truly stunning cable that frankly reset what I thought a cable could do to help the sound.

 

[DetroitVinylRob]

Thank you for this very well written piece and nice sampling of a good variety of contenders. I am relatively new to the digital audio domain and this offers some good insight to just how different a USB cable can connect with a discerning HiFi system.

 

[VPN]

I tried several USB cables, including the Kubala Realization, Sablon, Totaldac, Vertere and other. The one I liked best, and the most neutral in my system, is the Intona Ultimate 1.5meter USB cable. The ultimate version is sold only directly by Intona.

 

[DetroitVinylRob]

I’d be curious if anyone had experience with the Tubulus Concentus USB Cable. My experience with their I2S cable has proven out with what many reviews have said here and elsewhere… It may not be the ultimate cable at any price, but it is a fabulous value and seems to check all the boxes, minus none.