Higher End USB Cables

FWIW - I use and recommend the Opticis fiber optic USB cable. This cable is designed for industrial applications and can be run hundreds of feet. It takes the USB input from the cable, converts it to light, then reconverts it at the other end.

Personally I think it sounds better then my Belkin Gold. Since this is debatable consider the science behind it.

Technically it absolutely and inarguably breaks the electrical connection between the CPU and the DAC thus eliminating any possibility of a ground loop or other interaction.

Note that the unit requires a 5v power supply at the receiving end. Most of us who use them replace the rather low tech wall wart with a UBS battery unit which further isolates the signal.

Price will be about $140 for the cable and a stand alone battery supply.

BTW I have also used the Belkin Gold for many years. Have not fiddled with the other newer cables since I am very pleased with the Opticis. FWIW I have run it on a half dozen different DACs always with excellent results.

It sounds to me that we are beginning to see the same kinds of differentiation that made everyone crazy with SPDIF - differences in cable construction and especially termination are cleaning up various aspects of the electro-mechanical installation at both ends.

Hi -

looks like Opticis has formed a new company:
http://www.opticis.com/english/02_product/product03.htm

and that prices have gone up:
http://industrialcomponent.com/opticis/optusbext.html

MMarvin - the source side plugs directly into my Mac - at the other end after the converter I have a USB A to B cable - haven't tried to see how much I can spend on that yet...

No concern about maintaining an unbroken fiber chain - once the DAC is isolated from the computer that's the end of any possible electrical interaction between the two

Color me skeptical - but I just put a Locus Polestar in my rig and the difference is dramatic.

This is the proverbial window wiped clean kind of change - best I can figure is that Lee and his buddies have managed to eliminate a whole lot of trash and grunge in the mids and upper regions. The effect is much more detail, more air and as a result a much more layered and nuanced presentation.

The reason I find this so surprising is that the Polestar is attached to my battery powered Opticis fiber cable - there is obviously much more to this design then just isolating the 5v lines coming from the USB port on the computeer.

And to think I was a data is data guy...