I believe he is comparing the 62 dollar Inakustik Excellenz to it and not the 450 dollar referenz. I wonder where it wpuld compare to their premiu USB offering?
In the Inakustik ethernet line some liked the Excellenz better. Where I always found it too warm and lacking imaging space between the two. But i still use Excellenz for TV streams where it known to excel. just not dedicated digital audio streams.
I’m really itching for what may be my next upgrade but still have months to wait for the 300B amp from Decware. I have nearly completely paid down my credit card debt (a real feat on my small fixed income) and have a few things to sell that will pay off the remainder of my bill for the 300B, and common sense would mean that I should not add any big charges to the cards. . . .I have not been a great follower of common sense and really want to try a DSD Mk2. Going to have to hold myself back! That is somewhat enabled by the fact that the DSD that I would have to trade in is modded and I’d have to find a buyer for that. Whew. That is keeping me from placing an order right now!
I’m really looking forward to that 300B amp–always wanted one, and love Decware amps and how they sound. The very first one for a customer is about to be built–hopefully it will go to someone who posts on their forum. Mine will be the eleventh or so. . . I’m still 242 spots away from the very top of the build list. Probably five or so months.
It’s displacing my referenz. I haven’t had a chance to hear the excellenz.
Being debt free is always a good thing…
Sorry i read excellent and nmissed referenz. The new cord appears to separate the 5 volt power line. There have been a couple of other USB that did that, but not to the distances they are. I am curious on your final outcomeonce broke in. Other elements in the design mirror what Inakustik does in their Exceenz cords. The thick fiber wire separation. Likely why I though Excellez when i read about your new purchase and theen skimmed past that.
Yes. I’m going to keep telling myself that. 
From what I can tell, it separates out 5v and ground into their own separate lines, both of which have some kind of noise filter just before the USB B end. The wire itself is supposed to be a silver/copper alloy, and it feels like it’s in an air tube just from handling the cable. Initial impressions were a little more open and natural top to bottom than the inakustik, but who knows what will happen with burn in. Either way, the inakustik is great and I’ll be keeping it.
Sometimes silver copper can get harsh sounding in digital I have read. I do like silver plated cooper in power and analog cables like speaker wires. I think it depends on plating process and whether it is an extruded plate. But i know little about drawing wires. If I recall the Referenz might be silver copper that they own the wire manufacturer. .
I think it’s actually an alloy, as opposed to plated. I’ve been wondering if it’s this:
Pretty similar to the Pink Faun USB I’m using with great results
Initially quite dark after long break-in it is able to excel as natural, detailed and smooth. On the warm side of neutral.
With the MK II I prefer this USB cable over Matrix I2S Dragon.
I am using the Pink Faun USB and I2S cables too.
You and several users now prefer USB over Matrix/I2S. That is saying something about the USB in MK2. With your system my streamer selections are wide-open. I really wonder if AirLens will add anything to your streaming chain now (assume you can even use the Sense App).
I’m planning next days to compare USB vs Matrix/I2S again, in order to confirm you my actual preference for new MK II SQ.
As soon as someone give me evidence that Sense App works with the AirLens (and for the better) I’m curious to purchase it, otherwise I’m not in a hurry.
Do a comparison again is a good idea, but you want to do another one after 500 hours to know for sure 
And, if you plan to play with fuses and absorbent tweak later your preference may change again!
Your assessment will help me more as we know so thanks ahead!
Not to mention shorting plugs and I2S input 1 vs 2 differences.
I already put an absorber sheet on the lid (following the tweak king and his trusty squire), just one piece a little bigger than yours, between the display and half the transformer. My unit is still burnin in, after less than 100 hours, so it tends to change almost everyday and I incline to think it makes more sense to suspend all judgment at this stage.
Shorting plugs USB and I2S are on the run, already ordered them thanks to a very kind @Carousel help! I have lesser expectations here but you tempted me as usual, so I’ll keep you informed.
As for fuses I have to pospone for the same reason any purchase. However I need/want to buy one both for the Statement and the MK II.
The Purple one for sure in the Statement (3.15A) because I already got best results with it in other Innuos gear (and also my PhoenixNET sports it on board). No doubts, if I have to decide I’ll go first on this direction.
It’s too early for the MK II (0.5A in EU model) and it comes secondly after the Statement is settled with the Purple (and fully burnt in). I was leaning on a Purple choice, actually the MK II sounds so silky and on the warm side of natural and it seems to be a perfect fuse. But all of your comments on how it might tend to change after 400-500 hours are convincing me to evaluate also the M1, it could be more balanced at the end of the burning in process. I already have a mix of the two, M1 in P20, BHK Pre and SPP and Purple in PST and PhoenixNET. It means the King on the analog side and the SR on the digital other side. As always, it is a matter of overall synergy in the system.
Not to mention I have in my hands a “beta” MK II unit that will be replaced with a brand new one as soon as the importer receive a reworked batch from Boulder (ah ah ah I’ll have the privilege to compare 2 different burning in process too, what a lucky man!).
The thing that appears clear to me now is that these days are really wonderful, I’m playing all day long Neil Young repertoire while reading his book, a full immersion in emotions. Rare moments of joy for an audiophile, a music lover and an inveterate devourer of good reads. Dreaming costs nothing after all, even if this hobby isn’t ehm ehm properly inexpensive.
Patience is a virtue my friends!
3rd party streamer + Pink Faun USB + Ultra Rendu + DSD MKII?
Thanks to the PS Audio’s AirLens you can free your self from the ever to be improved and tweaked (apparently no good) USB printer port and utilize what the DSD MK is best at, I2S with fit to purpose HDMI cables without conversion.
I honestly can not understand how you would want to continue to use that printer port, with more than 10k $ of high end Audio equipment.
A connection is as strong as it’s weakest link. You can increase the cables to ginormous dimensions like that Pink Faun. But, on the front and back end of that entangled snake size and weight monster, are still crappy 5 cents tiny (in comparison to the cable) USB connectors. That entire monster is then connected to a crappy PCB mount socket that breaks out from the PCB by the weight of that cable.
No solder connection in the world can on long term survive the mechanical stress caused by such heavy cables.
Then you need to add a plethora of jitter bugs and Rendu‘s and Matrixes with linear power supplies that need more power cable and interconnects to worry about.
I sold my USB DAC and bought a Streamer DAC for the best digital connection, being the shortest interconnect without cable and connectors whatsoever. They utilizing the same clock which takes care of the jitter.
For CD transports, Audio Video set top boxes and game consoles I only use professional, designed for Audio (TOSLINK, SPDIF and AES EBU) and ultra wide band, high data throughput Audio Video (HDMI) connects. These interlinks are designed by professionals for purpose, have proper sized connectors to match weight and size of the cables. Such that the won’t deteriorate solder or tear out the PCB sockets or pull the electronics equipment from the shelf.
What a weird rant.
Sarcasm?
Parody?
Account hacked?
I was hoping for a Part 2 that might bring insight into Part 1.
