Hi all. New to the forum. Just got a DS and love it so far. However , I do need a USB cable and have an opportunity to get a great deal on either a wireworld platinum starlight or the audioquest diamond. I have read a ton but would like to hear from DS users.
System is Cary slp98/sunfire signature/soon to be Maggie 20.7s. If that helps. Appreciate all advice. Tim
Tim said Hi all. New to the forum. Just got a DS and love it so far. However , I do need a USB cable and have an opportunity to get a great deal on either a wireworld platinum starlight or the audioquest diamond. I have read a ton but would like to hear from DS users.System is Cary slp98/sunfire signature/soon to be Maggie 20.7s. If that helps. Appreciate all advice. Tim
I have also heard good things about the regen. However, just from a cost perspective regen+jitterbug+100 dollar cable = about what I am looking at for either the diamond or the platinum. So I figure each cable brings its own sonic signature to the table. I am interested in those that have compared the two and their reasons for favoring one over the other.
Im not dismissing the regen idea - but think of it as an add on later if I feel the need.
I am focusing on the WW and the AQ as my dealer can get me a nice price on them and was wondering about synergy with the DS.
While I hope someone is able to answer your specific question and understand this is not the direction your are currently planning to travel, my bet is that a Regen and a Jitterbug used with a basic good quality cable (such as the Belden) will readily beat the performance of a Starlight or Diamond.
Elk said While I hope someone is able to answer your specific question and understand this is not the direction your are currently planning to travel, my bet is that a Regen and a Jitterbug used with a basic good quality cable (such as the Belden) will readily beat the performance of a Starlight or Diamond.I agree. I just haven't used a Belden so I just suggested something decent I have used..like an AQ cinnamon...far less than $100.
Hi Patrick
I’ve been on the usb staircase for the past few months, starting with a 5m cable, to a 1m cable, to a usb hub etc., etc. I zoned in on the 5V usb supply because I could get at it, and was surprised by the results – it had a real effect. Rather than filter the PC usb 5V supply, the best strategy is to simply eliminate it.
For a quick and dirty solution try 3 x AA batteries (4.8V) in a battery holder. Strip back the cable insulation on a cheap compliant usb cable at the PC end, and tease out the 5V (red) and Gnd (black) wires. Cut the red wire and strip some insulation from the black, leaving tape and braid shields connected. The simplest arrangement is connect the battery directly to the black wire and the red wire on the downstream end. A resistor between the battery +ve and the red wire, almost any value up to say 1k5R., will help protect downstream equipment. Another resistor ca. 100R can be inserted in the black wire towards the PC, which will help cut noise on the Gnd wire.
It works. The Directstream doesn’t really require much current on the 5V wire and I’ve found the battery lasting months. I don’t even bother to disconnect it.
A further very real improvement is to incorporate a usb hub. Use a cable arrangement as above from the PC to the hub, power the hub from a linear 5V supply (rather than the supplied wall-wart), and use a second cable as above to get from the hub to the DS DAC. Very good.
That’s about as far as I’ve gone with batteries and wires. Well worth it. I’ve not used a jitterbug or filter on the usb data wires, which would be worth trying.
The fundamental sound of the system doesn’t really change - this is largely determined by speakers, stands, room etc. What changes is the detail, presence, dynamics, separation etc, and the ear is hungry for it.
Moving on, I’ve outlaid for an Audiobyte Hydra Z. It’s very impressive and will stay in my system. It converts usb to I2S/SPDIF and has produced the best sound so far from my system. And it in turn is improved by eliminating usb 5V with cables, batteries, linear power supplies as above. When I’ve sorted it all out I’ll post some comments.
Hope this helps.
Lonan
Hi all. I just wanted to get back with you and follow up since I had asked some questions here. I ended up getting a great deal on an audioquest Diamond USB and I downloaded jriver onto my laptop. I have a library of dsd and I have found the sound with this setup to be …well…quite spectacular. No ear fatigue …appropriate weight…great imaging etc. I have sat and listened for five hours straight without flinching or hearing any digititus… I guess I have no idea what jitter ‘sounds like’ …but right now I can’t imagine a regen or jitterbug helping this much. Maybe it could and I am just ignorantly blessed!! :).
This may have already been addressed, but does the DirectStream actually use the 5v supply from the USB cable? I would have thought that it doesn’t.
It does not really use it but it does need to see the 5v connection to make a proper connection so you can’t just disconnect the 5v line (unless you add a 5v source).
Hmmmm, why is that? Does it need to be 5 volt, or would an alternate battery voltage work?
The VBUS line in the USB cable is used for more than (possibly) powering downstream devices. It’s used to signal connection and disconnection of devices and hubs. Depending on the particular devices and hubs in your system and the drivers in your OS, you may or may not get away with a complete disconnect of the VBUS line, faking a VBUS line all of the time, faking a VBUS line when the DAC is connected (or disconnected). Also even if your system works fine one day, it may not another day when anything anywhere on your USB chain changes or the software is updated in the OS (or the DAC.)
Thanks. I gather, then, that the Directstream also needs to see 5V on the VBUS?
I depends on the software release… It doesn’t need the 5V but starting with the Yale release it needs to use the VBUS line to signal that it doesn’t use any current on the VBUS line in order to work reliably with more devices. The signaling on the VBUS line goes both ways.
Tim said Hi all. I just wanted to get back with you and follow up since I had asked some questions here. I ended up getting a great deal on an audioquest Diamond USB and I downloaded jriver onto my laptop. I have a library of dsd and I have found the sound with this setup to be ...well...quite spectacular. No ear fatigue ...appropriate weight...great imaging etc. I have sat and listened for five hours straight without flinching or hearing any digititus... I guess I have no idea what jitter 'sounds like' ...but right now I can't imagine a regen or jitterbug helping this much. Maybe it could and I am just ignorantly blessed!! :).Tim
Sorry to have not responded sooner, but I did not see your post. The 3 USB cables I’ve tested in my system: Wireworld Platinum 7, Audioquest Diamond and JCAT Reference. The Wireworld and JCAT are both on the organic side and the Audioquest has an analytical tendency in my system. I ended up buying the Audioquest Diamond for the main rig with Directstream and the JCAT for my office system (no Directstream there). To this day I am not sure I made the best choice getting the AQ over the WW. If I did it again I would probably reverse the purchase, but then might miss the Audioquest. They are certainly different.
To address another question, the Regen and the Jitterbugs do make a difference, but not in voicing a system like a USB cable can do…they just clean up the signal and bring more nuance to the detail.
All of this is my take…in my system.
Has anyone tried the Curious USB cable from Australia (http://www.curiouscables.com/)? The power leg is made from fully shielded mini-coax that is physically separate from the data line which is pure silver. Prices for Type A to Type B connectors range from 0.8m for $340 to 2m for $580. There is even a 200mm (approx. 8") version for use with the UpTone Audio Regen for $120, which is what I would be interested in. Shipping is free with 30 day money back guarantee including free return shipping.
Yes I am using the Curious USB Cable. I bought both the 0.8m and the 0.2m to use with my Regen. It replaced a JCAT USB Cable ($370). The soundstage, treble and bass got better with the Curious Cable. So the cable is staying.
Synology NAS - Intel NUC - Roon - HQPlayer - Curious USB Cable - Regen - Curious USB Cable - DirectStream DAC.
Stig
I too have tried it and like it very much.
I have the .8 m on my Regen, like it too. How much improvement can I expect also using the short in place of the Regen hard connector, anyone done a comparison ?
The curious cable “Regen link” makes a difference. When I added the stock Regen between my Antipodes DX and the DS DAC, it made things slightly worse. However, using the curious Regen link pushed it ahead on SQ. Adding a LPSU (the Australian made Gieseler LPSU designed specifically for the Regen) takes it up another level again. I am slightly biased here, being Australian, but I reckon the Curious USB link, USB cable and the Gieseler LPSU are essential to get the most out of the Regen.
I agree on the curious able.