Shunyata USB Cable

[jax4736]

Is anyone using this cable? I have a new DAC on the way, and am considering it this cable. I already have other Shunyata gear, mainly power cords and the Triton.

I haven't found too much about it online. Caelin or Grant, do you have any interesting thoughts about what makes this cable special?

[G8YU]

I read a very positive review somewhere. It was compared to cables costing much more.
My problem is that 1.5 meters is too short for my application, and 3 meters is very long. Two meters would be about perfect for me.
So, another question to add to the discussion: Will other lengths be available?

[jax4736]

I too would like to see a 2m cable.

[G8YU]

I just noticed that the Venom USB is silver plated copper. A search didn't turn it up, but it seems like I read a post in this forum where Caelin Gabriel said he used pure copper and didn't care much for plating. Maybe he was only talking about power cords. I'm sure USB cable's requirements are quite different from other signal cables.

I don't mean to stir anything up, just wondered why it isn't plain copper.

[speedofsound33-3]

If you find that review, please post. I'm very interested in these cables.

Cheers,

Gregory

[CGabriel]

Originally Posted by G8YU

I just noticed that the Venom USB is silver plated copper. A search didn't turn it up, but it seems like I read a post in this forum where Caelin Gabriel said he used pure copper and didn't care much for plating. Maybe he was only talking about power cords. I'm sure USB cable's requirements are quite different from other signal cables. I don't mean to stir anything up, just wondered why it isn't plain copper.

I am not a fan of silver or silver plated AUDIO cables.

The USB cable is a digital cable and the silver plating can be a advantage since the signal moves almost exclusively over the surface of the conductor.

[Crion]

In my own listening with digital cables like HDMI, coax and ethernet. I've heard the best results with solid silver conductors compared to the plated models consistently and without exception.

Could this be because the "almost" always conducts/runs on the silver plating? Or other galvanic factors?

[CGabriel]

Originally Posted by Crion

In my own listening with digital cables like HDMI, coax and ethernet. I've heard the best results with solid silver conductors compared to the plated models consistently and without exception.

Could this be because the "almost" always conducts/runs on the silver plating? Or other galvanic factors?

Since HDMI, ethernet and USB are high speed digital cables the conductors are transmission lines with corresponding characteristic impedance issues. The signal travels over the surface of the conductor unlike audio signals that penetrate into the conductor.

Technically and measurably there should be NO reason why a silver plated or silver conductor would sound better than a copper one on a high speed digital cable. The miniscule difference in resistance between copper and silver over such a small distance is absolutely irrelevant compared to the impedance of the output and input circuits.

However, it DOES sound different. I'll leave it to the rocket scientist to figure it out. There are many theories but none of them hold up with known electronic principles.

As to a pure silver USB or HDMI sounding better than a silver plated one - fine. But there are other cable characteristics that affect the sound also. For instance we have found that a .5 meter USB cable sounds significantly inferior to a 1.5M of the same type cable.

Then, there is the matter of price to performance issues.

[G8YU]

Originally Posted by CGabriel

Since HDMI, ethernet and USB are high speed digital cables the conductors are transmission lines with corresponding characteristic impedance issues. The signal travels over the surface of the conductor unlike audio signals that penetrate into the conductor.

Technically and measurably there should be NO reason why a silver plated or silver conductor would sound better than a copper one on a high speed digital cable. The miniscule difference in resistance between copper and silver over such a small distance is absolutely irrelevant compared to the impedance of the output and input circuits.

However, it DOES sound different. I'll leave it to the rocket scientist to figure it out. There are many theories but none of them hold up with known electronic principles.

As to a pure silver USB or HDMI sounding better than a silver plated one - fine. But there are other cable characteristics that affect the sound also. For instance we have found that a .5 meter USB cable sounds significantly inferior to a 1.5M of the same type cable.

Then, there is the matter of price to performance issues.

I too have heard about length (especially short length) affecting a USB cable's sound. I think it had something to do with timing and the way USB signals work. I've not seen the Venom USB offered in a length between 1.5M and 3M yet. Is that because any length between those two compromises sound quality or just to keep the price down?

[CGabriel]

Originally Posted by G8YU

I too have heard about length (especially short length) affecting a USB cable's sound. I think it had something to do with timing and the way USB signals work. I've not seen the Venom USB offered in a length between 1.5M and 3M yet. Is that because any length between those two compromises sound quality or just to keep the price down?

We are makimg a new run of USB cables so they are currently backordered. In the next run we plan to make .75M, 1.5M, 2.5M and 5M lengths. Some people need and want a short cable or a long cable which is fine. I think the 1.5 and the 2.5M lengths have the best performance for those that care.

You can try this yourself with Office Depot USB cables, not just audiophile cables. Get a short cable and then get a 2M cable of the exact same type and compare them. When I was in the network industry we had similar issues with 10Base2. There was a minimum length for each length of wire otherwise it wouldn't even work ir there would be network errors. The issue has to do with signal reflections that come back to the output too quickly affecting the output digital signal.