Hi Somppsa - where did you get the inakustic usb from ? How much is it ?
I bought it new from Finnish importer for around 300ā¬ 1.5m long cable. Since it is German brand,no customs involved for me. I have no idea how much it costs in US or where you live. Maybe other forum members or google can help you with that. I am sure you will like it though,let us know if and when you get one 
For reference US pricing for the Inakustik Reference USB 2.0 cable is $340 for 0.75m or $430 for 1.5m length.
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Diminishing returns of epic proportions, while you may increase USB from generic to average Audioquest by 25%, then to Curious or higher end Audioquest by another 10%ā¦ the jump to $2K cable is like 1-5%, so you spend 10X and get 5%ā¦ itās basic math and engineering as I am an engineer. Cableās only job is to deliver the BITS in SPECIFIC TIME, thatās IT! Also, NOT to introduce interference inside the device itās connected to (hence the shielding), and literally thatās all it has to do. You can make speaker cables and analog cables improve a lot more than any digital cable could possible achieve. Hence beyond a certain level, itās ALL snake oil.
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I think the part that is relative is what might seem like a 25% increase in SQ to one person might feel like a 50% improvement to another.
At that point the ROIs are completely different.
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In other words, placebo!
SNAKE OIL SNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OILSNAKE OIL ā¦
There are a lot of Innuos owners posting here, me included, and the thing has a direct ethernet output. Use that. Cable Ā£15 delivered from BJC in Seattle to London - thatās about $20. People here seem to be spending more on the cable than the server. Please take a breath and look in the mirror. Iāve also got just as good results with a usb cable that was free in a blister pack on a copy of HiFi News. Itās a Chord USB-C and Iāve had it about 7 or 8 years and costs about $50.
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So not to throw another log in the fire but, how in the world do you know? You say there is definitely improvements with different cables, but you havenāt even heard this one. Does your engineering background make you the ultimate arbiter of snake oil and purse strings.
If you are going to have a diehard opinion of peopleās choices and then start talking trash at least maybe have an informed opinion that includes trying the thing in question.
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Hey, YOU explain to me, HOW as $2000 USB cable could provide bits and data to the DAC, from server SO MUCH better than a properly constructed Audioquest USB cable!
GO! Iām right here patiently waiting for your responseā¦
So you feel that the Audioquest cable is properly constructed? If so how do you know different materials and construction wouldnāt be more effective? You donāt.
Dude, itās a DIGITAL SIGNAL, itās BITS (0,1), followed by TIMING of each (0,1), plus power! Hence, ONLY JOB is to deliver BITS at RIGHT timing, thatās it! ANY properly constructed USB should be able to do so. The OTHER issue is minimizing NOISE coming from the server to DAC or vice versa, OR interference from power lead (hence Curious has power lead separate), therefore SHIELDING works to do that, and thatās why shielding by Audioquest, or Chord or others are sufficient.
So, still waiting for expalanation on HOW $2000 USB cable can deliver BITS betterā¦ still waitingā¦ 
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So I doubt I will ever convince you. Your argument is flawed. You know have said that cables make a difference delivering bits but have decided that this is a cable too far.
Best wishes to you, I have been able to skip using the ignore button until now.
Itās because you have ZERO evidence, logic, engineering to prove your case. I mentioned clearly, what areas of USB cable could be improved and ALL decent cables achieve that, hence adding exotic materials or whatever nonsense canāt possibly deliver BITS any better. Itās just a fact.
So bits 0ās and 1ās are analogue on a wire going from source to destination.
Sure it can be a square wave but it is subject to the vagaries of an analog signals - as much as it is subjected to the properties that are conducting and inducting it.
It is also subject to RFi and emi.
Once we establish that there is no such thing as a digital signal ( itās all Analogue) then we can have another conversation. In that scenario why spend money on a power cord or speaker cables or interconnects.
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True, BUT at the ends of the day itās all about delivering the BITS from source to DAC, and maintain the timing. Thatās where Jitter comes in, which requires good cable, but as long as you could deliver that, itās job done!
Noise free timing and integrity of the amplitude wave = good SQ
Good cables have an impact on both of them.
I can hear the difference.
Dude, you should really listen high end cables so you at least know what you are talking about. Also, your claims about diminishing returns are totally wrong in this case. If you had heard a Shunyata Sigma or Wireworld Platinum in your system you would know. There is greater difference between the Sigma and a $100-200 cable and a $100-200 cable and a generic.
It seems like the part you are getting hung up on the ābits is bitsā thing, when the important thing is role of the cable in negating electrical noise from the source device. Maybe jitter is a tad better, but IMO it is a real and obvious difference in noise and intelligibility, and that is exactly what it sounds like: less noise, deeper black backgrounds, less haze, greater dynamics. These digital cables are useful for the exact same reason that high end power cables, and power regenerators/distributors are, and they create a similar effect by reducing noise in the DAC signal.
I understand that you are coming at this from the current consensus about digital signal transmission, but unfortunately this is wrong, and audibly so. Iām not in a position to prove to you why this is so, but it just is.
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DEMO IT. I said, letās do this at next AXPONA. Talk is cheap! To me, based on my engineering background, research, audition, and just pure LOGIC and common senseā¦ as soon as you cancel out the noise, isolate power lead, and shieldā¦ youāre DONE! In analog cables, the other items MAKE a difference, NOT in Digital.
For instance, I heard a clear difference with Audioquest high end speaker and power cables, but in digital demos, from various companies, the differences in sound were negligible or non-existent.
Iāve heard demos of various cables, Shunyata is a great company, theyāre not as bad as Synergetic Research crooks, BUT theyāre just selling an exotic cable for people who are willing to pay, for next to nothing improvement.
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For what you believe to be ānext to nothing improvementā. As shocking as the notion may be, people are paying a premium because it actually sounds really, obviously good in their systems.
Got a $10 head? Get a $10 helmet!!!
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