Will a quality USB cable make a difference....

I have a standard commercial USB cable, a Belden Gold and a Nordost Blue Heaven (on loan). While I believe the Belden Gold is an improvement over the commercial cable I haven't heard a difference between the Belden and Nordost USB cables. I have a high end headphone system as follows:

Computer > lossless > iTunes > USB > Belden/Nordost > Cary Xciter DAC > Nordost Blue Heaven RCA/Blue Jeans RCA/DIY RCA > three channel beta22 amp with sigma22 power supply/Woo WA6SE > Senn HD800

I'm also using a Nordost power cord on the amps and Jellyfish PC on the DAC. I have found better results with the PCs and ICs than I have found using a pricier USB above the level of the Belden Gold.

It's my money and I can spend it or not spend it. They're my ears and I hear what I hear. When I state an opinion I'll say it's my opinion. When I state a fact I'll say it's a fact that is verifiable. As I've stated earlier in this thread I have listened to a commercial USB cable, a Belden Gold cable and a Nordost Blue Heaven cable. In my opinion, to my ears, I couldn't hear a difference between the Belden and Nordost.

What bothers me is when others tell their opinions as fact. Or don't qualify them as their subjective view. Both objective and subjective views are both valuable tools for evaluation for me. I weight the beliefs of others depending on who's making them. Sometimes I even value some's opinion that is contra to mines if I know their listening preferences are opposite of mine. I don't think I've read any evidence within this thread that has convicted me that different USB cable makes a significant difference between each other above a quality build. YMMV

I appreciate what Istanbulu said. He qualified it as his experience. On a similar note I have found different interconnects and power cords soud different to varied degrees. I still have the three different USB cables with me and will do some listening over the next few days just to retset what I've heard before. I have a very wide variety of genres I listen to (rock, prog, jazz, classical, blues, hip hop to name just a few of the many) so it will give me a decent idea what the USB cables do and don't sound like to me.

Ed,

I've been using the Nordost USB as my default for some time. I figured that since I have it that it can't hurt. I use two songs to do my A/B comparisons with the Belden Gold. Pink Floyd's "Echoes" and Tool's "Third Eye". They're both long, well recorded and dynamic. Plus I know them well. I've used short passages and listened to the songs in their entirety. Here's the setup I used to listen:

Laptop>lossless>iTunes>Nordost/Belden Gold USB>Cary Xciter DAC(Jellyfish power cable)>Nordost Blue Heaven IC>b22/s22 headphone amp(Nordost Blue Heaven power cable)>Sennheiser HD800

When I change out ICs or power cables I can detect differences between them to various degrees. Try as I might though the past day or so I haven't been able to distinguish any significant changes. Of course it's not a blind test and if attribute if there are any minute variations they could be placebo. I'll continue to listen but if there are any changes between the two cables I haven't found them. YMMV

I switched from iTunes to foobar and I still can't hear the difference between the Belden Gold and Nordost USB cable.

Hi Ed,

Let me address the headphone part of what you were mentioning. Two channel speakers and headphones do things a bit differently. That doesn't necessarily mean one is better than the other. Speakers obviously have "real" soundstaging and imaging while headphones have "perceived" staging and imaging. While headphones can be highly resolving. As for timbre, tonal balance, transparency and coloring it's more or less a wash between them. There are too many variables. Especially with speakers that rely on a room's acoustics and speaker placement. I've heard enough two channel systems and headphones rigs (both low, mid and high fi) to know. I also know that a properly set up two channel system and headphone setup can both be extremely revealing of source and music.

The terrific thing about headphones is it's fairly easy to bring your entire setup with you. So, I've been to meets and listened to a wide variety of different gear. Systems that cost $100's, $1000's and even $10000's. Even headphones can cost in the $1000's. The top tier headphones sound amazing and rival very high quality speakers in many ways. I'm not talking about the cheap crappy things you get with your iPod here. Hyperbole aside, the Senn HD800 has been compared to speakers costing $40000. Your mileage may vary but you get the idea. My point is that high quality headphones are more than capable of detecting minute system changes. Some even better than certain speakers. So that's not the issue.

Moving on to having a laptop vs a tower, again I believe there are too many variables. I have directly compared my setup with other setups including analog and CD players. Let me say that I think, and others that have heard my system have said it's an excellent system.

Even with amplifiers, headphones amps can be of extremely high quality. I have two excellent amps capable of detecting system variances.

The last part, one you didn't mention, is, is my hearing up to the task? Without having to submit proof I'll say my hearing is probably at least on par with someone in their 40's. Although I think it's a bit better.

The thing is that although I've tried to hear significant differences in the two higher quality USB cables I have, I just can't say with certainty I hear any.

Peace,

Ross

Hi Ed,

Before you start let me know what your rig will be. I'll be curious if nothing else. I do have what many will consider as a top tier setup. My laptop is a Gateway WinXP. Not that should make enough of a difference. I've heard setups with win7.

Maybe it could be that the Nordost and Belden Gold USB cable just don't have significant differences? I haven't heard other name brand USBs yet so I won't speak of those.

I think/hope you'll enjoy the headphone syetem. It may not be the same as a two channel one, but can be pretty damn stellar. Let me know.

Ross

Again this my system:

Computer > WinXP > lossless > iTunes/foobar > USB > Belden/Nordost > Cary Xciter DAC (Jellyfish PC) > Nordost Blue Heaven RCA/Blue Jeans RCA/DIY RCA > three channel beta22 amp with sigma22 power supply/Woo WA6SE (Nordost Blue Heaven PC) > Senn HD800

I have been to meets and friends' home and compared my system to other top tier rigs. With several different sources and DACs. I will say it rivals or surpasses others without issue. I've had more than a couple listen to it. A headphone rig is more than capable of hearing subtle system changes. What I can say is that between the Belden and Nordost USB cables I can't discern any significant difference.