[Charles]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Hi Charles,
I can't say which cable might sound best for you, either with respect to your listening preferences, room, and associated components and their configuration. We all have different sensibilities, a different auditory system and we don't all hear the same.

I can say that I used an Audioquest Diamond USB cable in my system for the better part of five years and was very happy with it, but in my room, with system, configuration and speakers, the Shunyata Venom sounds better the Audioquest Diamond in number of ways. Both are excellent, but I prefer the Venom: its quieter, with more air, spaciousness, extension, bigger soundstange and more precise imaging, and better and more accurate tonal range and timbral colors than the Diamond,in my system. That result may change in another system with another set of components in another room.

As for manufacturing a USB cable, in my experience, here's what matters: All devices, whether they be a MC cartridge, DAC, preamp, cable, whatever, perform a set of functional transformations. They take an input, and tranform that input into a functional response based on a transfer function, y=f(x). The things that impact the central tendency (mean or median) and variance of the functional response are the input factors, the control factors and the noise factors. Virtually all functional systems work this way.

How effective an engineer can accomplish this is dependent on how effectively they can characterize, optimize and make robust the type, number and levels of the input and control factors to mediate the desired functional response, either by putting it on-target, or maximizing or minimizing the functional response, while minimizing the impact of noise, and in so doing, create a design embodiment (product) that accomplishes this.

None of this has anything to do with how big a company is, how many stores it has, or how long it has been in business.

Its all simply down to how effectively the engineer or designer can implement the transfer function into a physical design embodiment.

Respectfully,
Stephen aka Puma Cat

Stephen, then I believe what you are saying is that Shunyata engineering is significantly better than AQ in respect to USB cable design and manufacturing. I don't believe this to be the case. If you are not maintaining this then precisely what are you saying? Is Shunyata using some special formula or manufacturing process that elevates the bottom tier Venom above the Diamond? Or is the Diamond defective? I doubt this seriously. In addition, implementation of a design is as important as the design. A large company with a large budget that is as dedicated to cable design as is AQ has significant cost and engineering advantages over a smaller company like Shunyata that is trying to manufacture a similar product. Understand I could I am sure live and be very satisfied with a Sigma USB but you are, in a very sophisticated way, panning AQ. On the one hand you praise the Diamond. On the other it is inferior in your system and to your ears to a bottom tier Venom. Perhaps I am incorrect or have misunderstood.

I think the key here is the phrase "in my system" but I doubt that your preference of the Venom over the Diamond would be the case generally in most folks systems. Certainly I don't believe it would be in mine.

Respectfully,

Charles