Higher End USB Cables

Ditto. I still have the Nucleus (Mk I as well)

Have done some testing with Audioquest Coffee, Wireworld Silver Starlight, Locus Design Axis and Synergistic Research Basik Activ. I wrote a kind of detailed review in Portuguese here:http://www.htforum.com/vb/showthread.php/199786-minha-saga-montando-um-novo-sistema?p=4599395&viewfull=1#post4599395 and since I don't feel like translating everything I guess that google translate might help out. I would just like to point out that I had forgotten to give my system a proper warm-up before listening to the Axis. With a properly warmed-up system (aprox. 1h play time in my case) things looked different. It wasn't my favorite and, for the money, I prefer the SR Basik, but the delicacy and extension of the highs were, by far, the best of the pack. Best bang for buck: the Silver Starlight. Fantastic LF. Am very curious about the Platinum.

Thanks for the shootout. Axis was one of my favorites.

Make sure that when you do these tests, that the USB DAC or USB converter is powered from the same AC circuit as the computer that is driving it. Otherwise the common-mode noise can get in the way of the performance. One way to reduce this noise is a USB cable filter, but even with this you should power them from the same circuit:

http://www.empiricalaudio.com/products/short-block

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Hi Steve,
I used a SB Touch with USB out to do these tests (with Welborne Labs PSU). They were all on the same circuit.
I have to say that the additional PSU for the Basik is not very practical. Would be great if SR did sth like Audioquest does: with batteries.
For that kind of price I'm very, VERY interested in seeing what the Platinum has to offer. Also interested in Revelation Audio.

The audioquest Diamond does it for me but I have not yet tried external USB converters which is first on my list of things to test when my new room is ready.