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This morning I was looking for my USB cord to connect my PC to my ADL Cruise headphone amp so I could listen to some music while on the computer.
I finally found the cord in the basement, as I was walking past my son's room I noticed his Sony PS3 gaming system. I walked over to it and lo and behold he had the same type of USB cord from the console to the game controller. So, like any good audiophile, I grabbed it and took it upstairs for some quick comparisons.
Well, it was no contest. His PS3 cord sounded more open with better bass than my over priced boutique cord which shall remain nameless so as not to impugn it as a result of one persons experience....... Could it be the ferrite bead thing? I don't know, but I have now permanently swapped my son's cord for mine.
While I am praising this gaming cord, I have to say a few words about the ADL Cruise. The ADL Cruise (Furtech) is a seriously good headphone amp/dac. It holds a charge for 80 hours and fits in the palm of your hand. I bought to take on the road for my job as it made my android phone a viable music source to go along with the Sennheiser Momentum headphones. When connected via USB to a laptop or PC allowing the Cruise's DAC to show its stuff, it takes music to a whole different level. I would describe it's character as full with plenty of meat on the bone. If however, you like a super extended top end this is not the amp/DAC for you. It's not that the top end is missing or anything, but just slightly recessed compared to other more "lit up" amps. I love it because I can listen for 2 or 3 hours with zero fatigue.
Meat; It's the right thing to do. Romans 14:2
Follow Ups:
I removed the ferrite rings on my Kimber CU USB cable after reading Gordin's comments. He was right!! The difference was not subtle in my system.
Ferrite beads are funny things -
In some places they are invaluable to reject/reduce RFI - like a Phono stage - or in certain positions in a tuner-
However when misapplied they can bring the whole show down -
Ferrite beads on Computer devices seem to be from the Big = better and if good on some, then it 'will be' better on all - which is not the case
If the shield is good and there is not a lot of RFI - you can get by w/o one-
OTOH - putting smaller beads on just the signal part - not the power side could have positive effects...
Happy Listening
It has been a general observation here on the asylum that ferrite beads on cables typically worsen the sound of the cable. Remember this is a generalization but many contributors seem to feel that way
Alan
I removed the ferrite on my Metrum Octave DAC (going from power supply box to DAC box) and that improved the sound. I am plugging the power supply into a filter though.
I'm in no hurry, since my sound is great, but one day I hope to try an R. A. L. power cord for the DAC (their umbilical for Channel Islands DAC was worth the price in sound improvement).
What it did was wake me up to the possibility that a usb cord could make a positive difference in sound.
Why do some manufacturers bother with the ferrite bead?
I will attempt to find a usb cable that betters the Play Station cable. I am not naive enough to believe the PS3 to be the end all, be all of usb cables.
I would like to stay under $80.
Meat; It's the right thing to do. Romans 14:2
A search in the archives here will find some interesting comments from J. Gordon Rankin of Wavelength audio who measured errors with USB cables fitted with ferrites. He also refers to a dialogue with Ray Kimber on this subject.
I note that on some of their cables (not necessarily USBs) Audioquest used to fit ferrites but have now dropped them. NB: I have found their Forest USB to offer good value albeit bettered by their more expensive offerings (outside of your budget). Still, cable recommendations are difficult to make as people's tastes and circumstances differ so much.
Hi and thanks a lot for the info that " J. Gordon Rankin of Wavelength audio who measured errors with USB cables fitted with ferrites ".
I had indeed some suspicions ... but this is the scientific answer to my doubts.
Thanks a lot again.
Kind regards,
bg
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