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Wiring Scheme of Dual Headed USB cable

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Posted on August 7, 2014 at 21:25:29
eduardoo
Audiophile

Posts: 1172
Joined: August 14, 2002
I am interested in rolling my own dual headed USB cable similar to the iFi Gemini or Acoustic Revive SPS, but I am unsure about the wiring scheme. Do I just have the signal wires (green white) into one USB plug and power lines (red black) in the other or does it require some cross wiring for the machines to recognise each other?

Thanks.

 

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RE: Wiring Scheme of Dual Headed USB cable, posted on August 9, 2014 at 07:39:23
Joe Appierto
Audiophile

Posts: 1050
Location: Central NJ
Joined: January 3, 2004



I'm under the impression that the whole point to dual-headed USB cables is to completely separate the twin power lines from the four audio lines as shown, for example, in the iFi illustration.
Joe

 

RE: Wiring Scheme of Dual Headed USB cable, posted on August 10, 2014 at 06:40:12
Glen B
Audiophile

Posts: 1081
Joined: October 4, 1999
AFAIK, dual-headed USB cables are used with devices where one USB port may not provide enough current to operate a device. One USB port delivers signal and power, and the other delivers power only. I have owned several USB devices like that, mostly external hard drives. They would not work on some computers, especially laptops, with only the signal/power USB end plugged in.

 

RE: Wiring Scheme of Dual Headed USB cable, posted on August 10, 2014 at 07:32:42
Joe Appierto
Audiophile

Posts: 1050
Location: Central NJ
Joined: January 3, 2004
Good to know, thank you. They're also touted from an improved sonic point of view by some manufacturers.
Joe

 

RE: Wiring Scheme of Dual Headed USB cable, posted on August 10, 2014 at 20:03:38
eduardoo
Audiophile

Posts: 1172
Joined: August 14, 2002
Thanks, guys.

Originally, like Joe, I would have thought that the "audiophile" dual headed cable would be separated by signal in one cable and power in the other. However, the "generic" dual headed cable used by CD ROMs as mentioned by Glen is also something I have seen before (and is probably the more "standard" configuration), hence my original question. Wonder whether iFi carries any power on its signal side. If it does, it would have defeated the purpose of the cable splitting, right? In any case, the scientific side of me continues to argue with myself why (if at all) USB cables, if done correctly and is up to spec, can sound any different. Since the data is sent in packets, I personally think that the sonic difference is probably much more attributable to noise and interference, rather than anything that a fancy precious metal conductor can bring. That's the reason why I was a little intrigued by the split cable idea.

 

RE: Wiring Scheme of Dual Headed USB cable, posted on August 10, 2014 at 20:12:22
Joe Appierto
Audiophile

Posts: 1050
Location: Central NJ
Joined: January 3, 2004
The illustration in my original post was actually from the iFi web site. It leaves you with the impression that the four signal lines are just that: for transmitting the signal while the two separate and thicker lines are the ones carrying the power. Otherwise, what's the point?
Joe

 

RE: Wiring Scheme of Dual Headed USB cable, posted on August 11, 2014 at 00:53:42
eduardoo
Audiophile

Posts: 1172
Joined: August 14, 2002
I agree.

Now I'm thinking about(and gathering the courage to) perhaps doing a little operation on my Supra USB cable to pick out and cut off the power line and connecting near the termination side to another USB cable for power.

Cheers.

 

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