- Thread Author
- #61
Do you have a link?
Do USB cables make a difference?
- Thread starter Mike
- Start date
Do you have a link?
Hi Mike,
Can you describe specifically how the Siltech Royal Signature USB cable sounds superior to the WW Platinum 7?
Thanks,
Ken
- Thread Author
- #63
Meat on the bones without loss of detail. That same Classic Siltech sound which lures you into the music with its richness. Bad 80's digital recordings have more weight and become quite listenable and even enjoyable. Siltech with its silver and gold (no copper) tames the upper frequency edge, that thin, tizzy top end on some recordings, without any loss of detail. I have two full looms, so yeah, I love the Siltech sound.
http://lampizator.eu/Fikus/CABLES.html
http://sablonaudio.com/index.php/panatela
or an adapter for a normal cable (though Sablon claims an adater is never ideal)
https://www.sbooster.com/sbooster-tweaks/sbooster-vbus-isolator
You can also use the new iFi iDefender to cut the ground connection.
Finally, the dual cables like Light Harmonic or iFi Gemini cables can be used in the same way, just by connecting ONLY the signal section and not the power leg.
Lampi Amanero is self powered and does not need even a handshake.
Mike,
Thanks for the description! It sounds like a mighty fine cable. Which Royal Signature USB cable do you have, the Golden Universal II or the Golden Universal Crown?
Best,
Ken
Thanks for the description! It sounds like a mighty fine cable. Which Royal Signature USB cable do you have, the Golden Universal II or the Golden Universal Crown?
Best,
Ken
- Thread Author
- #66
Golden Universal II.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Unpowered as much is definitely the way to go after you've become accustomed to hearing changes in SQ with different cables.
Do ask your Manufacturer if they have any objections to this though: based on your DAC's design there could be some long-term implications.
For instance, I knew that for my DAC, I can disconnect GND and get much better SQ like this (no more glare/hash) as this removes noise on the GND plane coming from the computer.
However, I asked iFi and they recommend not doing it this way (I have a switch on the GND line on my DIY USB cable) because it puts the DAC in an unplanned state, so the results long-term are unpredictable, and if it's working at all, it's because there's a ground loop somewhere else.
And so, they recommended their iDefender 3.0 which does do the GND disconnection in a safe way, but also allow for a clever +5V disconnection.
Now, I have also read that the VBus (+5V) is where there is the most noise when the computer is directly connected to the DAC, but unfortunately if I just do a manual/switched disconnect of that line, my DAC goes unrecognised by the computer.
So, DACs will vary in terms of 'disconnection' abilities in various ways: some need the VBus, some need both.
But at least the iDefender 3.0 is quite interesting in that it also makes the VBus disconnection possible with my DAC and on top of that, allows me to inject clean VBus to it. I could do that with a DIY 5V Linear Regulated PSU for instance (I have a +12, -12 Linear Regulated power supply built on my electronics desk right now).
One way to test your DAC in these modes is to use a little piece of scotch tape on pins 1 or 4 of one side of the USB cable. This is easily reversible by removing the scotch tape afterwards.
Do ask your Manufacturer if they have any objections to this though: based on your DAC's design there could be some long-term implications.
For instance, I knew that for my DAC, I can disconnect GND and get much better SQ like this (no more glare/hash) as this removes noise on the GND plane coming from the computer.
However, I asked iFi and they recommend not doing it this way (I have a switch on the GND line on my DIY USB cable) because it puts the DAC in an unplanned state, so the results long-term are unpredictable, and if it's working at all, it's because there's a ground loop somewhere else.
And so, they recommended their iDefender 3.0 which does do the GND disconnection in a safe way, but also allow for a clever +5V disconnection.
Now, I have also read that the VBus (+5V) is where there is the most noise when the computer is directly connected to the DAC, but unfortunately if I just do a manual/switched disconnect of that line, my DAC goes unrecognised by the computer.
So, DACs will vary in terms of 'disconnection' abilities in various ways: some need the VBus, some need both.
But at least the iDefender 3.0 is quite interesting in that it also makes the VBus disconnection possible with my DAC and on top of that, allows me to inject clean VBus to it. I could do that with a DIY 5V Linear Regulated PSU for instance (I have a +12, -12 Linear Regulated power supply built on my electronics desk right now).
One way to test your DAC in these modes is to use a little piece of scotch tape on pins 1 or 4 of one side of the USB cable. This is easily reversible by removing the scotch tape afterwards.
Lee Henley
New member
Has anyone ever made a DIY USB cable using pushback wire? There was an article on Jeff Days website showing how to make one, was curious if anyone had tried it
Unpowered cable is simply one with pin1 disconnected. Amanero in the Lampi doesn't need it.
Technically there are two things to consider when speaking of 'power': the VBus and the GND line.
If you disconnect the GND, current can't flow, but the VBus is still connected physically.
Some DACs won't be recognised anymore by the server if you disconnect the VBus in a straightforward fashion: there is a need for an actual circuit to prevent that, so a normal cable with just the VBus disconnected won't work.