I agree wim. For all the ins and outs of the DS - power, inputs, outputs - IME the inputs are the least sensitive with respect to cable changes. The power cable next, and (again IME) the output cables the most. Compared to the PWD the DS inputs are a “no worry” part of the picture. Very slight changes can be heard, but it wouldn’t be at the top of the list for tweak improvements.
I use the Silver version of the Pangaea USB cable and find it to be excellent and completely compatible with the DS. I make cables for 2 companies but have no desire to build USB cables.
Just ordered the ifi iPurifier, Gemini Cable (0.7M), & iUSBPower supply. I will let you all know if any of this has real-world benefit.
Shiloh the Golden Retreiver said I will let you all know if any of this has real-world benefit.Yes, please do.
I’m using a .5M Pangea in silver as well. It worked so much more consistently than the generic 12’ one I had.
That iFi stuff looks neat, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it when you get it all setup and burned in.
I read about the ifi iPurifier posted here and decided to give it a try.
I got the iPurifier just as I had a friend over to listen to the DS. I thought I might either get a possible improvement, or at worst no noticable difference. What I got instead was a very noticable difference, but not very positive. The DS sounded definitely thinner with the iPurifier, really digital. A lot of the sweetness in sound(+stage) that I love about the DS seemed kind of filtered out, if you know what I mean.
As I said, I had my friend over, so we spend quite some time comparing with/without tests, often blind (close your eyes, is it with or without?). In all cases, we were able to correctly guess whether the iPurifier was in place or not. Definitely not an improvement!
As I’m not an engineer or even just a bit technically savvy, I have no idea what could cause such a difference in sound in a negative way. Common sense and my ears suggest that whatever is needed to clean up the usb signal is probably done perfectly well within the DS, and there’s no need for any “outside help”.
Or maybe a sweet analog sound such as the DS gives us can only be achieved when everything is not 100% squeaky clean, but just right. As I understand Ted spent, after all, 7 years getting it just right.
Take for example Paul’s Buddy Holly recommendation “True Love Ways”. Recorded in 1958, how would the studio setup from that recording fare in 2014 Stereophile measurements? Right! But man, does it sound great! Try and get that sound in a studio now (and that includes native dsd)! You won’t!
What the iPurifier taught me is that I’ll leave the DS just as-is, with a decent usb cable (Wireworld Starlight 7), and just enjoy it. Enough is enough!
I’m currently using a KingRex uART/uPower cable. Sounds good, have not tried DSD yet.
Paul McGowan said Yes and they're close. It's tough because on some music I prefer the red one and on other music the JCAT. In the end I use mostly the JCAT. However, after Arnie came and readjusted the system I have a ton more resolving power - so much so that I now am not happy with the Mac Mini server sound relative to the PWT. So I rarely listen to the mini and stay with the PWT, so much better its sound is.Sigh. It’s a never ending battle what we fight here. However, it has inspired me to figure out how to get the Mini sounding better and to that goal I have contacted several companies and we’re discussing how to upgrade the Mini to get its sound closer to that of the PWT.
Which is another testament to the vastly under appreciated PWT, Paul. It’s the best transport I have ever “not heard.” ;-). More than any other playback source I have found, it just gets out of the way and lets the music through. If you find a mini that will equal it, want to hear about it.
+1. I adore this drive. Especially on Stillpoints (4).
+2. I love it.
I’m going to add a glowing endorsement for the JCAT USB cable. I recently received mine and compared it to my previous reference - wireworld silver starlight 7 passing I2S over HDMI. The W4S server does both USB and I2S output simultaneously, so I could easily switch between the two.
The JCAT USB is cleaner, more distinct and impactful in the bass. This cable makes USB the best sounding of the DS inputs now, better than the bridge and the I2S inputs.
As a tweak for the DS, I highly recommend it, especially for those feeling the mild anaemia of bass in the DS.
harbapapa said Yes, I think it's really weird. Problem with swapping is that pops seem to appear after a day? I would be nice to get another Coffee cable for loan, but I don't believe I can get it anywhere.I’ll continue to investigate this matter…
This afternoon I had to deal too with small pops (like jitter concern) while playing a track. I remembered your remark so I tried to replace my Audioquest USB Carbon USB cable by 3 other stocks cables. One of them did even not worked at all but the 2 others still had the same pop problem than the Audioquest. I tried few things else (power plugs etc…) without success. I’m using Fidelizer6/Win8.1 since few days and use it with the custom options. Now it is clear, depending on the optimisation made by the software at some moments it introduce Jitter in my configuration. I’m using JRiver20 and all my music files are NFS mounted on the PC and I’ve a headless usage of it with Teamviewer. The Jitter is not systematic and seems to appear not so often. I continue to investigate because for me Fidelizer improve noticably the sound quality.
Fidelizer put the maximum priority on the processes dedicated to audio and for me the rest of the applications are very slow (at least through my Teamviewer remote connection). Are you sure the pops you observe are not related to the PC?
I’m use Auraliti “file player” to play music. Nothing changed in my system other than I got Directstream and in some point pops started to appear. They went gone right after I took the Coffee out. I had used Coffee with my previous dac. I’m now using Cardas clear usb and not a single pop!?
I think I will put Coffee back tonight and see what happens…
Please report back.
It is interesting how specialty “audio” cables often do not work for audio. 
I’ll continue an the subject Audioquest Coffee causing pops…
Well, I’ve had my Coffee back on my system for over a week now and I haven’t heard any pops 
(I’m allmost too embarrassed to write here 
).
First I thought they were caused by my self powered usb-drive and its cheap usb-cable but, no? I did listeng from NAS and ubs-drive but no pops…
I’m sure they will be back! 
So folks, keep using and buying Audioquest Coffee!
Thanks for reporting back!
It is great to hear the problem appears resolved.
Has anyone experience with “active” usb cables if they work with DS (or any other “audiophile” dac)?
I won’t be using it to listen music, but since DS has Asio-drivers I can use it in mixing program like Cakewalk Sonar. Computer needs to in front of me in listening spot so I can do mixing and listen it through my system. Cable length should be at least 5m.
Ted uses active USB setup. I don’t think it’s anything audiophile from what he’s said - and he’s pleased with it.
Yep, I use an 5 meter active USB cable to a powered hub that has my library and DirectStream on it (as well as all of my dev tool USB widgets.) Tho I haven’t don’t direct A/Bs I think that there’s something to be gained by having an active hub to isolate the DS from the noise of the power down the long cable. Tho the rest of my system has quality hand picked cables I use the DirectStream with stuff you can get at RadioShack…
This one looks interesting:
http://www.aqvox.de/usb-power_en.html
There is a guy at the CA forum hooking up his TotalDac this way.
I’ve tried a powered USB hub (powered by a linear 5V supply) with the DSD connected to it via a JCAT 1.0m cable. Stock Belkin data cable from the mac to the hub.
Compared to the JCAT directly connected to the mac I think the SQ is slightly better but its not a huge difference. I’m not sure I could pick it blind.
Perhaps the difference between my experience and Ted’s is that his baseline is a 5.0 meter Radio shack cable directly connected. If this is the case (and, I’m not sure it is), then the JCAT must be doing a good job?