Best budget USB


Apologies, I know this has been asked before, and perhaps this question should be on the Cables forum.  However, I thought I'd refresh the question, as some of the previous instances are quite old, and it has struck me that the digital thread generally has a better insight into USB cables.

I've bought a 2nd-hand Innuos Phoenix USB to fit between my Zenith Mk3 and Hegel H390.  I also have an FTA Sinope, which I intend to fit between Phoenix and Hegel.

Unfortunately, the Phoenix didn't turn up with the original USB.  And assuming the USB before the Phoenix is hugely less significant than the USB after, and given I'm now WAYYY over budget I'm looking for something less extravagant than the Sinope.

In the UK, the go-to outlet for choice is Futureshop, and if I limit myself to approx £100 ($120),the selection is:

  • Audioquest Pearl, Forest & Cinnamon
  • Wireworld Chroma 8, Starlight 8
  • Supra
  • Furutech Formula 2
  • Atlas Element SC
  • Chord C-USB

Any preferences?

Thanks,

Mark

128x128lollipopguild

The stock Innuos cable is actually pretty damn good, at least as good as the Audioquest coffee in my opinion.  Try contacting Innuos and see what they can do would be my advice

@markiew good to know, about the Innuos cable.

I've approached the dealer who sold me the used Phoenix, and despite them being an approved Innuos dealer they're refusing to make good the missing cable.  Needless to say I'm not happy with them.

lollipopguild,

The fact that a $140 Supra Excalibur can compete with a $600 Curious Evolved and an $800 Audioquest, tells me what I need to know.....and what I've heard, Supra makes great cables. After I've completed my system install, I'll start cable rolling for more comparisons (Wireworld, Cullen Cables, Oyaide, and more Supra).....but they will all be value for dollar cables.

The slight irony here, given the fact I kicked off this thread, is that the Phoenix arrived three days ago and to get it up and running I plugged in the only USB I had to hand:. an Amazon Basics. 

And it sounds fantastic!  Compared to the Zenith alone, it's a wonderfully sound. Just perfect almost. It has lost all the glare, and forceful forwardness. The icy shards have melted.

It might be that the Phoenix has made every digital component upstream of it redundant. Then again, maybe not.