USB Cables with isolated power leads-

[garylkoh]

Hi Fred,

I just ordered a USB cable from Ferdie Ludo (fld) of Sounds and Images, Cebu. He's already in Manila prepping for the weekend's show but Kit is flying in tomorrow. If you catch fld today, Kit can bring you a cable along with mine.

Jack - say hi! to Ferdie for me. I haven't seen him for ages - almost since I used to live in Cebu.

 

[agisthos]

A friend of mine, Michael Parin, has been making USB cables for a while that have isolated USB power or no power lines at all. He just got a Brutus award from Positive Feedback, but for his standard USB cable though.

http://www.elijahaudio.com/

If you doubt isolating the power makes a difference try listening to a battery powered DAC that is fed from a SOTM USB card. This USB card has a switch to disconnect the power so the comparison is very easy.

Follow Gary's advice on post #15 if you want to try an isolated USB cable. As mentioned earlier, some USB computer/laptop USB chipsets do not 'engage' unless the power pin is live, and my friend found occasional compatability issues. Doing the test by taping the pin seems to be the only way to know if an isolated cable will work on your equipment.