It occurred to me to try and make my own USB cable after reading about exotic and very expensive cables that seperate power and data lines within the USB.
Having read about John Kenny's Dac where it negates the need for a power supply thereby lowering noise in the cable, I decided to try my own in my little Dacmagic.
Having run the Dacmagic from Coaxial in the past and liking the sound output from an Audiophile 192 card - I though what the hell nothing ventured and all that.
Probably be some disagreement but to me running the Dac asynchrinously probably would be best way to transmit the signal albeit including noise from PC Usb bus and noisy fan etc.
The job was a little finicky given my soldering skills, although not too difficult.
Whilst my Dac was playing I split the sheath of the USB cable and snipped both power wires and shielding and was rewarded by instantly better sound.
I cant vouch for any other Dacs that would work like this but I don't see any reason why they wouldn't.
I bought two Usb connectors Type A and B, soldered the data cable with very cheap cambridge speaker wire only 2.99 a metre and small enough to just about fit to the usb pins, soldered corresponding pins in a twisted pair type configuration, shielded the cable with alu foil tape and covered with teflon tape.
The results were night and day better, better dynamics, sound stage and very noticeable improvement all round.
For those attempting this DIY cable I can honestly say if your running your DAC in Asych mode then it is a very worthwhile hour or so spent.
The cable and all the bits including silver solder, alu tape, shrinkwrap, usb ends, no more than £20 with plenty left over for other projects.
If anyone is not familiar with USB pin outs then on a standard USB type A connector the two middle pins are Data - disregard the others.
Type B USB the right hand side top and bottom as you look at the cable end facing you, or search internet as plenty of references to pin out of USB.
Happy listening!!
Having read about John Kenny's Dac where it negates the need for a power supply thereby lowering noise in the cable, I decided to try my own in my little Dacmagic.
Having run the Dacmagic from Coaxial in the past and liking the sound output from an Audiophile 192 card - I though what the hell nothing ventured and all that.
Probably be some disagreement but to me running the Dac asynchrinously probably would be best way to transmit the signal albeit including noise from PC Usb bus and noisy fan etc.
The job was a little finicky given my soldering skills, although not too difficult.
Whilst my Dac was playing I split the sheath of the USB cable and snipped both power wires and shielding and was rewarded by instantly better sound.
I cant vouch for any other Dacs that would work like this but I don't see any reason why they wouldn't.
I bought two Usb connectors Type A and B, soldered the data cable with very cheap cambridge speaker wire only 2.99 a metre and small enough to just about fit to the usb pins, soldered corresponding pins in a twisted pair type configuration, shielded the cable with alu foil tape and covered with teflon tape.
The results were night and day better, better dynamics, sound stage and very noticeable improvement all round.
For those attempting this DIY cable I can honestly say if your running your DAC in Asych mode then it is a very worthwhile hour or so spent.
The cable and all the bits including silver solder, alu tape, shrinkwrap, usb ends, no more than £20 with plenty left over for other projects.
If anyone is not familiar with USB pin outs then on a standard USB type A connector the two middle pins are Data - disregard the others.
Type B USB the right hand side top and bottom as you look at the cable end facing you, or search internet as plenty of references to pin out of USB.
Happy listening!!
Not sure why the need to include strange words like "asynchrinously" or "Asych mode". It just makes it much harder to read.
Do i get it right, that at the end you have just snipped the +5v and ground lines?
In that case the receiver part simply won't work. Or if it does work it is only thanks to the common mains ground. Snip that and there will be silence.
So, the improvement may only be due to a broken ground loop.
Do i get it right, that at the end you have just snipped the +5v and ground lines?
In that case the receiver part simply won't work. Or if it does work it is only thanks to the common mains ground. Snip that and there will be silence.
So, the improvement may only be due to a broken ground loop.
John Kenny's Ciunas Dac is an example where only Data wires are attached not needing power from Usb bus.
This Dac gave me the motivation to try and experiment.
I can assure anyone that the only connection from my PC to the Dac is two data wires - nothing else and it works flawlessly, more musical and without the coaxial dropouts that many with this DAC have experienced.
This Dac gave me the motivation to try and experiment.
I can assure anyone that the only connection from my PC to the Dac is two data wires - nothing else and it works flawlessly, more musical and without the coaxial dropouts that many with this DAC have experienced.
You may be lucky and found that cheap speaker wire just happens, by coincidence, to have an RF characteristic impedance which is not too far removed from that expected by USB - and on a short run of cable you can get away with gross electrical errors.
If you value data integrity don't use homemade USB cables for connecting disc drives to your computer!
If you value data integrity don't use homemade USB cables for connecting disc drives to your computer!
I would be afraid of voltage potential between your current loop transmitting data from the PC and the power supply voltage of the separate DAC. While both are galvanically separated by their power supplies, I have seen many times when a voltage potential due to bad grounding (+ bad home power instalation) or leaking PSU occurs. IMO elimitation of the voltage potential difference by joining the grounds of PC and DAC is less dangerous for the equipment than feeding this voltage to the input pins of the USB receiver. IMO a galvanic isolator should be used (e.g. some sort of optocoupling) in such operation.
Understood I think.. so I could encounter problems along the way although its been working for many hours without data corruption or artifacts.
After all i'm quite happy with the solution as I have spare computer + plus 2 year old dacmagic = £40 on the second hand market.
I have no electrical knowledge and bow to greater knowledge but still persist in bad science versus good sound.
After all i'm quite happy with the solution as I have spare computer + plus 2 year old dacmagic = £40 on the second hand market.
I have no electrical knowledge and bow to greater knowledge but still persist in bad science versus good sound.
I would never even consider buying a £500 USB cable (or any other cable). I object to paying more than about £15 for a bit of wire with connectors on the end. This is not because I am tight or deaf, but because I am a physicist.rojo said:
I note that system modifications which are claimed to provide 'better sound' often (although not always) involve changes which either demonstrably (by measurement) or arguably (by electrical theory) actually degrade the correct transfer, amplification or transducing of an audio signal. If you enjoy the sound then fine; it is your sound.
If that was the case, the voltage difference which previously resulted in currents in your USB ground wire, creating residual voltage peaks disturbing your circuitry, appears now at full aplitude between ground and data inputs of your DAC. I wonder if it was designed to withstand such voltage in the long run...
The very basic question - do you have both your PC and your DAC hooked to the same power socket?
Do really know what this means. All I can say is that pins 2&3 in type A Usb (data wires are connected and data pins in type B usb are connected also. No further modifications albeit with two speaker wires acting as data transfer cables in twisted configuration, then shielded and covered.
Also yes both dac and computer in same power strip.
Again - did you try to avoid your ground loop by powering all your gear from a single socket?
Did you try to troubleshoot your problem by trial disconnecting the DAC supply ground wire (just to test)?
I never professed to have any knowledge, just like experimenting that's all.
If you prefer to pay ridiculous sums for cables etc then by all means do so.
I fail to see however if a factory takes two lengths of wire and solders a connection on the end that, that is considered somehow superior.
For example the usb in question both connectors are pennies, I probably upgraded the construction of the wires buy buying better quality than was originally supplied with the usb, added shielding - I just fail to follow your logic that because something is shop bought it's superior.
If you prefer to pay ridiculous sums for cables etc then by all means do so.
I fail to see however if a factory takes two lengths of wire and solders a connection on the end that, that is considered somehow superior.
For example the usb in question both connectors are pennies, I probably upgraded the construction of the wires buy buying better quality than was originally supplied with the usb, added shielding - I just fail to follow your logic that because something is shop bought it's superior.
Not really sure what your asking - all gear is supplied with the same power strip which is plugged to same wall socket.
I don't have any problem with dac or computer so why disconnect Dac supply ground.
Sorry if sounding a bit dense but don't really know the reason for the question - everyone else seems to have issues with the concept - I do not!
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