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Specific question for BADA USB converter users.

What lengths of USB and SDPIF cables do you use? I'm trying to decide between the BADA and the Audiophilleo w/PurePower converters. One of the issues is how much will i have to spend in cables to get optimum sound. BADA advises 1.5 meters for both cables, which contradicts conventional wisdom with regard to having the USB cable as short as possible. If I ignore BADA's advice, I could buy a 0.3m USB cable with a 0.5 meter AES/EBU cable, which would be more comparable in price to the two 0.3m USB cables I could use on the Audiophilleo.

I'd rather have higher quality shorter cables than longer less effective cables. I would also prefer the shorter cables because they would be easier to install in my planned setup. For those who use shorter lengths on the BADA than what they advise, have you tried the 1.5m lengths before deciding on the shorter cables? I'd like to get the impressions of those who have used/are using the BADA USB converter and have used shorter lengths than advised. This is not a general question about cable lengths, about which there are already several threads on various websites.
asindc
rocketiii
46 posts
 
hi Asindc, I have used Wireworld Starlight at 1.5m and now using an Atlas cable at 0.5m

I prefer the 0.5m cable but it's not a massive difference.

I've been getting much more significant improvements switching from Jriver to JPLAY
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
All digital cables that are used in jitter sensitive applications should be around 1.25-1.5m in length. Read this:

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue14/spdif.htm

Digital is not like analog. Shorter is not always better, unless it is really short like 4 inches.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
mesch
3,394 posts
 
Thanks Steve for the link. Very informative.

A couple questions come to mind.
1) Does the impedance issue pertain equally to USB transmission as SPDIF transmission?

2) With use of purepower with the audiophillieo. How much of the benefit is due to the ellimination of the problem of 5V transmission along side the audio signal through the USB cable?
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