Asynchronous USB. Does it put paid to the interconnect argument?

uglymusic

Bear with me on this for a moment, and don't get all rowdy and interrupty over sample sizes and statistical significances...

@Alan and I both agree that the Young DAC with its Asynchronous USB input seems to take any USB cable we care to use and deliver the same sound quality. This, as I understand it, is what Async USB has been designed to do, so we're happy to concur.

Our experiments got me wondering if there were any cable characteristics that Async USB doesn't address. Or if anyone had found a cable that really does make a difference to the Young DAC - or other Async-equipped DAC, for that matter?

RobHolt

I think all cable differences, where they exist, can be firmly attributed to what happens at the interface with the connected equipment. This I think is true for digital and analogue cables.

I see a USB cable and the interface at either end as no different.

uglymusic

I'm not sure I follow the detail of what you're saying, Rob. Are you saying that the Async design has nothing to do with what we are hearing (or not hearing)? I guess my confusion may also be down to what you mean by 'interface' here - physical/electrical or electronic/digital?.

RobHolt

I'm saying I think the USB interface is the issue and the Async is responsible for what you are hearing.

uglymusic

OK. Thanks for the clarification.

You're saying that as we aren't hearing any differences with the small range of cables we've used so far, we shouldn't expect to hear any audible differences with cables we might try in the future.

Alan

I see no reason why I might expect a difference with any new cable that I might introduce, though I don't understand why. As whether async transfer eradicates any & all cable 'character' - well better cables have less character, which manifests itself as 'less is more' - so I would be happy to leap to the conclusion that async solves the majority if not all cable issues.

I will continue to follow the debate with interest for a while though - I already got an incredulous response from a mod on the wigwam usb cable thread, but that is to expected with all the conflicting opinions and marketing out there.

RobHolt

OK. Thanks for the clarification.

You're saying that as we aren't hearing any differences with the small range of cables we've used so far, we shouldn't expect to hear any audible differences with cables we might try in the future.

Hi Dave,

Yes, I think the Async makes for a more robust interface and this should lessen any cable effect.

If the interface is 'flakey' as it can be with standard USB then I think this could highlight any cable issues.

coops

Async whether it's USB or FireWire if properly implemented is supposed to be the best method to transfer timed data, no embedded timing signal, the DAC clock being in sole control of the flow of data etc, allowing very low interface jitter.
Do you find that the Young sounds better connected directly to USB than through a USB/S/pdif converter?
Keith.

uglymusic

Yes. It sounds smoother direct than through the HiFace. Smoother in a high-res kind of way, rather than an explcitly analogue way, if that makes sense.