100$ usb cables recommendations? worth to pay more? suggestions!

I hear lots of good things about Wireworld. I got one of their entry-level cables. I like that it's flat. I heard the Anticables USB cable improve the sound of a system at a show when it was subbed in.

I suggest getting a cable with separate power and data lines, and using a 5v power supply that's not the computer. These can be DIY'd for less money. The Curious cable does the second-best thing, which is to just physically separate them, but then the cable is still dependent on the computer's 5V, which may or may not be ideal depending on the DAC.

 

thanks
oh so the short regen link can be used with non regen products?

 

Correct. It’s just a very short version of their USB cable, just poorly named. Nothing special about it except length.

 

Wireworld Chroma USB?. They haven't let me down in any situation. The Ultraviolet were measured by AtomicBob.

 

I use Wireworld Chroma and Ultraviolet USB currently. I can't say that the Ultraviolet sounds any better than the Chroma, but both cables are well made and don't cost a fortune. I've also used several of their RCA cables in the <$125 range over the last 25 years and like them for their build quality and non-offensive sound. As a company they seem to be less marketing driven than some who peddle magic unicorn feces, and just focus on geometry and quality of materials used.

 

Personal story about Wireworld from last month.

Wireworld is a nice company, I had a recent issue where a customer got one of their headphone cables and UPS had some sort of snafu and the cable was going all around the country. As soon as I talked to Wireworld about it, they made a brand new cable that day, sent it out expedited shipping and just asked when he got the first cable with the weird shipping to just send it back. They also called the guy and explained the situation.

 

I posted over in the decrapifier thread, but I did some informal tests of a few USB cables (media bridge, AQ forest and carbon, and Pangea Premier) and I could pick out the carbon almost every time (it's in front of an Eitr). That said, maybe you already know this, but the difference wasn't huge especially between the AQ-c and pangea.

That said, I'm using the carbon.

 

The last cable i had before going the lynx route and bypassing usb completely was a Supra Cables USB... i thought it was great...well built, seemed to sound as good or better in the decrapifier chain as anything i had tried at the time which included PYST and Curious Cables... Supra Cables (at least their usb cables, never researched anything else they made) seem to be well liked around the net and are reasonably priced.

http://www.supracables.co.uk/digitalaudiocables/usb-digital.html
https://www.ebay.com/i/401508826934?chn=ps

 

Based on your criteria, and my own experience with the units, I think you should give a hard look at the Neo-D+ cables sold in music stores (not HiFi stores). The NeoD+ S is right at the limit of your price point, but you may find the others in the series just as much to your liking (NeoD+ Class A, about $50; NeoD+ Class B, about $30).

Made by Oyaide, Japan's favourite go-to audio cable brand. Flat construction like the Wireworlds.

Warning: First Post.
No, I didn't join to flog cables. Just putting my 2c in; take if for what it's worth.

Is it worth it to pay more? Maybe, but in my personal belief, everyone needs a baseline to compare to, in particular with cable. I don't feel $50 is too much for any interconnect, since you really need to get past the "as cheap as possible" construction to a reasonably sound level, and $5~10 a connector and $10 or $20 for the cable and the assembly is pretty much where that starts. A "better" cable should of course beat that one out demonstrably, but without a decent baseline you are really flying blind if that baseline isn't in the cable closet or being used in the system.

And honestly, the Neo+ Class S is a very good baseline. You may never want for better. If you decide to go elsewhere, I'd even suggest picking up a Class B for $30 as a spare.

 

I have bought and sold lots of usb cables (probably a dozen) mostly in the $300 - $1,000 range. I've also had a couple Audioquest in the $100-$200 range. With some usb cables, I struggled to note too many differences, however, for the most part, the cables were easy to distinguish and had distinct characteristics when listening in my main speaker system. It was harder to tell on my work system.

My wallet wishes it was not the case but the differences were large enough in some cases to make or break the sound- those usb cables with a harsh or sibilant high frequency, or hard sounding. Those would be the Uptone USPCB, iFi Gemini

My clear favorite is the Sablon Audio Panatela Reserva. A few rungs below the Sablon it would be a toss up between TotalDac D1, Light Harmonic Lightspeed 10G, and Curious Cable.

The Mapleshade Clearlink is a great cable for the money. It is not perfect by any means, but offers lots of detail and transparency.

 

What's the rest of your system? What made the Sablon cable stand out from the others?

 

Main system is in a dedicated music-only listening room with acoustic treaments and no wife considerations and speakers, subs and listening position dialed in using Jim Smith's Get Better Sound techniques and lots of trial and error.

Sonore UltraRendu (Roon) + Uptone LPS-1.2 | Berkeley Alpha USB | Schiit Yggdrasil Analog 2 | Jeff Rowland Coherence II Series 2 preamp | Blue Circle Audio BC202 amp | Revel Ultima Gem speakers | 2 x Revel Performa3 B112 subwoofers (Sablon Audio usb+ethernet+power cords on all gear/MG Audio Planus 3 speaker cables,/Siltech interconnects/GIK Acoustic Panels and bass traps/Stillpoints/Blue Circle Conditioners). Headphones: Cavalli Liquid Carbon > HD800/Meze 99

The Sablon is exceptionally detailed and transparent, like well-done digital. It reveals all the plankton on the recording, while still remaining very natural and realistic sounding with all the meat on the bones (analog, if you will). I am getting a very well-sorted and large soundstage, with a very black and clean background. It combines the strengths of the Lightspeed 10G (detail monster- very high end digital sound) and the TotalDac D1 (natural, analog at its very best). Basically, it meaningfully contributes to creating the illusion you are in the room with the musicians.

Of course, we all have different preferences, gear and ears. We all know the only way to find out if the cable is right for you is try for yourself, but I have discovered my holy grail usb cable.

 

This is what I find so fascinating about USB cable deniers - why the angst? Just try them for 3 weeks - any reputable dealer will give you a 100% refund and, given cable deniers are already biased against hearing any difference, it should be a simple way to confirm.

It's easy - Put them in your system for 3 weeks, then switch back. If you hear no difference, nothing lost, if you do hear a difference then something gained.

 

Not a cable denier. I’ve spent thousands over the years on cables. I’ve just found the correlation between price and performance isn’t there, for the most part. Certainly not at the prices were looking at today.

 

to upgrade this thread, I wish I had the money for the Sablon, but ended up with Curious regen link. sounds amazing feeding my Mutec mc3+

 

I've had Supra 2x3.4 Ply in my home system for around 10 years. They sound great and could survive mortar shelling, plus they look beautiful in light blue and silver. Good company and great service. My next USB will most likely be from them.

 

Digital - 1s and 0s. All USB cables sound the same unless defective. Paying extra for better durability seems like the only reason to spend a bit more. Unless you care about how it looks. Then you are just paying for aesthetics, not sound quality.

 

Thanks for the patronizing platitude post. “Digital 1s and 0s all the same”- Didn’t they say that in the 80s when CD players came out? Enjoy your printer’s USB cable.

 

Seems worthwhile to spend a bit in this case

 

Sure, if you have to spend a bit extra to get a cable that isn't defective, then so be it. I never said cheap cables were better or worse. I just said that all non-defective cables sound the same. If you get errors because you sneezed on a cable, I'd call that defective. If it doesn't connect securely, either it's defective, or what you are plugging it into is. End of story.

The argument that early 80's cd has anything at all to do with this is silly. Many 80's cd's sound bad because of mixing/mastering for a new medium. CD covers all audible sound with some to spare. I don't see the connection here to USB cables.

In the end, I don't care what you spend your money on. But all usb cables will sound the same, unless something is defective.