Locus Polestar USB Cable

BTW - if anybody is perplexed at throwing money at a USB cable, just you wait until my hand-made Firewire cable arrives.....

$1149? For a USB cable? You'd better make sure you get it round the right way! Rest it on some pebbles, too. And once plugged in, just draw the plugs back 0.5mm to minimise microphonics.

Seriously.

If I use one of these bad-boys between my camera and computer, will it turn my holiday snaps into Pulitzer Prize winners?

Seriously.

Someone's on a wind-up here.

Seriously.

I just can't get over this. $1149? On a USB cable? $1149. Not a typo? No. Come on. Come clean. It was $11.49, right? Please tell me you didn't spend $1149 on a USB cable.

Naw, I've already tried the pebbles - no better. I am, however, going to throw some audiophile quality pixie dust on the cable next....

And yes, your holiday snaps will look like a million bucks.

Actually, having just read the sales pitch above, I may flip flop on this. I didn't realise it could remove glotches.

I was just speaking to some one at Wadia today and he brought up that it was interesting how different some sounded. Imortant for them to know as they also work with USB but don't sell cables.

I think its bullshit perpetrated by sales people to sells f**king USB cables to the utterly gullible.

But as you say, its all opinion.

Gosh, grandpa, glad you're out there looking after our best interests.

Guys,

Let's chill out! This is just a hobby we all enjoy...there is no need to attack others.

I am cool with everyone who does not believe USB cables make a differences and does not has interests to experience.

I started this post to ask people to share experiences. However, I did NOT ask for opinions/speculations especially from people who has ZERO experiences/interests!

Nobody is trying to sell usb cables here.....

Just imagine a bunch of "non audiophiles" join this forum and reply to every post saying all cd players, amps, preamp sound the same....the 555 or cds3 price is crazily expensive? Not to mention the price on hiline, powerline....

Fair enough?

I've certainly never sold any data cable other than an SPdif. Dont sell drives of any sort either. I couldn't care less about selling USB cables and I don't think Wadia does either. Why do posters need to find motive in every opinion they don't agree with? Really, it's not a self flattering perspective.

All mains cables are the same - its just wire!
All USB's are the same - its just wire and digits!
All violins sound the same - its just wood and gut!
All wine tastes the same - its just grapes!

Reality is infinitely more subtle.

That said, there is plenty of snake oil out there, which accounts for some of the resistance voiced.

I certainly understand resistance. Just not the finger pointing.

quote:

Just not the finger pointing.

Do you sell expensive accessory cables? Have you ever recommended a customer buy a 'better' cable? Have you suggested to customers they should be able to hear differences between wires on better kit? Have you increased your profits by selling 'better sounding' cables?

Are you, in fact, part of an industry which is desperately trying to move a foo hi-fi cable business into the digital domain?

If so, you shouldn't be that surprised by a little finger pointing...in my view, of course.

I do love the look of some of these expensive cables, though. Some are works of art. The USB cable that started this debate certainly looks as if it should sound better. For some, this may be enough. I don't spend large amounts on cables, but when I do purchase an audio cable I go for one that looks "substantial".

quote:

Originally posted by abbydog:

quote:

Just not the finger pointing.

Do you sell expensive accessory cables? Have you ever recommended a customer buy a 'better' cable? Have you suggested to customers they should be able to hear differences between wires on better kit? Have you increased your profits by selling 'better sounding' cables?

Are you, in fact, part of an industry which is desperately trying to move a foo hi-fi cable business into the digital domain?

If so, you shouldn't be that surprised by a little finger pointing...in my view, of course.

I never sold fancy power cords, interconnect higher than chrysalis(because I like it), or line conditioners/esoteric power strips until Naim started making powerlines and Hilines. I also use these at home so it's still about what I actually believe in. My current recommended power strip to be used with Powerlines costs $229 US. I've always acknowledged there were differences in almost all cables but also understood the difference between different or tuning and being better. Been doing this for 35 years and haven't sold a powercable or interconnect over $100 until this past year. Tried many, many cables to try and find something worth the effort as I'm not opposed to profit, just not at the customers expense. I've got plenty of real products to sell instead. Until this past year, my customers spent less money on add-ons than most here already owned and those would have involved shelving, power strips, naca 5 and cables required cables for other inputs. Hardly add ons anyway. It's a reason I take some offense when one of my posts is followed by this sort. Some of us do this as an avocation and understand there's much more to be made in other venues. There's no fun in snake oil. My partner Ken was making recordings for himself for a decade before he was ever approached to go commercial. Can we be wrong? Sure, but we don't have ulterior motives and we do have a lot of experience/perspective on these things.

I do understand the difference between snake oil and good engineering. I genuinely dislike companies that seemingly change the laws of physics on a yearly basis and refuse to participate but I have for instance, found a firewire cable I much prefer to another I had. Both meet spec and the one I like is still under $100 but there is a diff. I don't think it should take a $1k to make a proper USB cable but until a more open minded view is taken by those that make these, only companies trying to capitalize, will. Reinforcing the all is same ideal just makes it less likely to get something done in any field.

I personally haven't compared USB cables as I don't use USB audio adapters and really don't need another mission but from my firewire experience and actual usb observations by others without an axe to grind, I have no reason to doubt reports of differences.

Any chance a moderator could kill this thread before someone gets hurt?

What? No. Threads like this are fun. It is part of what this silly hobby is all about. The true believers Vs the cynics. No-one should get their feelings hurt. Where I live at least, people are free to believe what they want, and argue their case if they so desire. No-one needs to read it.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by garyi:
I think its bullshit perpetrated by sales people to sells f**king USB cables to the utterly gullible.

But as you say, its all opinion.[/QUOTe

usb / mains cables / are in the same league / gullible

quote:

Originally posted by rich46:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by garyi:
I think its bullshit perpetrated by sales people to sells f**king USB cables to the utterly gullible.

But as you say, its all opinion.[/QUOTe

usb / mains cables / are in the same league / gullible

?? I'm not sure what you're trying to say here.

That we're all idiots. It's just a matter of degrees. A JOKE, for those in a bad mood.

I guess I shouldn't bring up my Odin power cable.......

Kidding!

Bottom Line....

If someone can afford a $1K USB cable, more power to them.

I wish I could both, afford that outlay, and actually had the balls to do it.

Bottom line, it doesn't do anything.

It's like being pregnant - you either are or you're not, there's no in between. The data sent by a USB cable either arrives or it doesn't, that's all there is to it. No timing / jitter issues, or triboelectric whatever. It's just on or off.

Say you have a lamp. If I sell you a snazzy glove that costs a thousand bucks and looks great, and you put the glove on to flick the switch, is the light it makes any better? Nope. Do you think it's any better and like the lamp more? Maybe you do, maybe you don't.

Chief,

I didnt say it was better, and dont think it is.

All i am saying is, if Michael Jordan wants to bet $50,000 on a single round of golf, or Paul Allen buys a $75,000 door, or someone wants to spend $1000 on a USB cable, more power to them. Why do you, or anyone else, give a rat's ass what this dude does with his money.

.... and your lamp analogy doesn't quite work for me. Does it make better light? Maybe. Maybe your light is a crappy shop fluorescent, and the $1000 lamp is gorgeous hand blown, antique replica incandescent bulb with the finest tungsten blah blah... the $1K lamp was designed by Naguchi and is a work of art, your crappy light was made in China and sold at Home Depot.

Regardless of whether or not it affect sound quality, i am guessing it is of nice quality and looks good connecting a Mac mini to a DAC or something.

If someone gave you one, you would proudly use it, enjoy the nice aesthetic, and tell every goddamn person that commented on it, how much they sell for.

Do I think $1K USB cable makes a difference? No. Do I understand why rich people charter flights for tens of thousands of dollars? yes.

This dude can afford a $1000 computer cable. That is sweet.

Just imagine what he spends on things that actually matter.

-patrick

Snobbery or dogma? Reality is usually somewhere in between.