Devialet and USB cables

[Infiniteloop]

It's very interesting that almost everyone posting here can hear differences between USB cables. In other similar threads on other forums there is a very vocal community who insist that as USB cables carry 1's and 0's only for the sound signal, it is impossible for USB cables to sound different to each other. - i.e. Either they work or they don't.
I'm not trying to be confrontational or clever, but could what we are hearing (I hear differences too) be down to placebo effects due to the knowledge that we just handed over a lot of money for a short piece of shielded copper wire?

In other words, is there any science that we can trust, to show that USB cables are capable  of sounding different?

The 0 and 1 discussion is over among the advanced. Those who still cling to 'bits are bits' are not listening, just arguing...
I would say that the UpTone Regen device should be enough proof that the USB link is vulnerable. There is quite a big improvement in sound with the Regen connected in most setups. And no, it is not placebo.

Thanks for that. It's pretty much as I suspected, as I too can hear a difference.

[Antoine]

I wonder what is the functional difference between the UpTone Regen and the black box of the Totaldac Usb cable? Also would they supplement each other or not?
Also Audioquest's jitterbug should be available soon. If that one would be of similar benefit I would prefer it because of its tiny size (and price).

The Regen does impedance matching, cuts the 5V from the PC and injects clean 5V power and it regenerates the USB signal (using an active USB hub IC) using clean and precisely regulated power and a good quality oscillator/'clock'.

The TotalDAC D1 cable has a built in passive filter.

I own both and yes they complement each other, though I myself haven't tested with a different USB cable (not going to as well) I've seen this reported by others. Even two Regens in series helps to improve performance.

The AQ jitterbug is "merely" a USB data and power filter so I don't think you can compare it to the Regen.

[Rufus McDufus]

Antoine - difficult question but which of the Regen or the Totaldac USB cable do you think gave the biggest improvement? Difficult to answer I guess if you were using one for longer than the other. I have the Totaldac USB but am seriously tempted with a Regen.

[LBameule]

The iFi iUSB also works in a similar fashion to the Regen, although I understand it doesn't do exactly the same thing. It definitely cleans the signal (I have one at home) especially regarding power, but I don't know if there is any other magic involved with it. The Regen also does this impedance matching, etc, that the iUSB doesn't. So probably combining them should be a good idea and have a real impact on SQ. The iUSB definitely had a clear, easily audible and very positive impact in my case.

Cheers!


L


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
MBPro 2008 > Dev 120 > KEF LS50. Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina.

[Antoine]

Hi Rufus, that is indeed a very difficult question as I indeed already owned a Totaldac D1 cable, then introduced the Regen and haven't bothered to evaluate them both seperately (I'm kind of lazy that way plus I really 'hate' A-B testing ) so I can't tell what only the Regen would do or in what exact way they complement each other.

All I can say is that the Regen provided serious improvements (after I switched to a linear PSU feeding the Regen. Thus far I seem to belong to a very small group of Regen users for which the SMPS turned out to become a deal-breaker.) Especially noticable for me in my system are the improvements in low level detail retrievement, clarity and bass reproduction. The differences aren't tiny/hard to notice.

I really think you can't go wrong with the Regen (I myself will never ever let it go again) and even if you don't hear improvements (a loss in SQ so far is very rare and were only connected to the SMPS thus far) I am sure you can resell it without a loss quickly.

[Antoine]

@LBameule, the magic of the Regen is, as it's name tells you, in it's regeneration functionality. Doing this as close to the DAC as possible also guarantees you proper impedance matching.

There's also the Schiit Wyrd USB decrapifier. Personally I don't know how all these different devices compare to each other sonically but as I am following the different Regen threads on the computeraudiophile.com forum I do recognize the Regen is something really special.

[LBameule]

@LBameule, the magic of the Regen is, as it's name tells you, in it's regeneration functionality. Doing this as close to the DAC as possible also guarantees you proper impedance matching.

There's also the Schiit Wyrd USB decrapifier. Personally I don't know how all these different devices compare to each other sonically but as I am following the different Regen threads on the computeraudiophile.com forum I do recognize the Regen is something really special.

Thanks, Antoine, you clarified the issue for me. ?

In your (or anyone's) view, is FW 8.1.2 as good using USB and Regen as using Air Eth? Better, worse?

Thanks!

L


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
MBPro 2008 > Dev 120 > KEF LS50. Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina.

[warpeon]

I wonder what is the functional difference between the UpTone Regen and the black box of the Totaldac Usb cable? Also would they supplement each other or not?

Also Audioquest's jitterbug should be available soon. If that one would be of similar benefit I would prefer it because of its tiny size (and price).

The Regen does impedance matching, cuts the 5V from the PC and injects clean 5V power and it regenerates the USB signal (using an active USB hub IC) using clean and precisely regulated power and a good quality oscillator/'clock'.



The TotalDAC D1 cable has a built in passive filter.



I own both and yes they complement each other, though I myself haven't tested with a different USB cable (not going to as well) I've seen this reported by others. Even two Regens in series helps to improve performance.



The AQ jitterbug is "merely" a USB data and power filter so I don't think you can compare it to the Regen.

Antoine, how did you connect both the regen and total dac? Mind sharing a photo?

[Music or sound]

I wonder what is the functional difference between the UpTone Regen and the black box of the Totaldac Usb cable? Also would they supplement each other or not?
Also Audioquest's jitterbug should be available soon. If that one would be of similar benefit I would prefer it because of its tiny size (and price).

The Regen does impedance matching, cuts the 5V from the PC and injects clean 5V power and it regenerates the USB signal (using an active USB hub IC) using clean and precisely regulated power and a good quality oscillator/'clock'.

The TotalDAC D1 cable has a built in passive filter.

I own both and yes they complement each other, though I myself haven't tested with a different USB cable (not going to as well) I've seen this reported by others. Even two Regens in series helps to improve performance.

The AQ jitterbug is "merely" a USB data and power filter so I don't think you can compare it to the Regen.

So your assumption is that passive filters like Totaldac or may be Audioquest (obviously presently unknown) perform similar tasks? Also why Devialet needs clean 5V from USB? I tried some experiments with and with out USB power from my macbook to my D250. It needs the power connections to do the " hand shake" to initialize the connection but afterwards one could cut that connection. I do not know which side of that connection really needs that hand shake. I surmise that reclocking could be the major improvement to any computer based audio!

[completeluxury]

http://uptoneaudio.com/pages/j-swenson-tech-corner

John swenson explains why different cables can make a difference with USB audio.