[Loftprojection]

Hey, I just got myself a used HagUSB from a "head-fi'er", should have it in a few days so now I have to get myself some cables.

I will have about 10 feet from my computer to my audio system.  Should I buy a very short USB cable install the HagUSB right next to my computer and run a long digital RCA cable to my DAC or the opposite, a long USB short digital?

Ho and any suggestions as to the specs of USB cable I should be looking at are also welcomed...

Many thanks.  Can't wait to try out this little toy!

[hagtech]

Ten feet is not very far.  The USB cable (one was shipped with each original HagUsb) should reach fine by itself.

However, you will probably get optimal performance by making USB cable shorter and S/PDIF cable longer.

jh

[Loftprojection]

Thanks a lot for this info.  

When you say "you will probably get optimal performance by making USB cable shorter and S/PDIF cable longer"

do you mean I should go with something like "5 feet usb plus 5 feet s/pdif" or more like shortest usb cable I can find and the rest in s/pdif?  

Thanks again.

[hagtech]

The is no answer for this etched in stone.  Only a particular direction to head in.  You'll get more sonic changes playing with various digital cables than you will changing their lengths.

jh

[Loftprojection]

The is no answer for this etched in stone.  Only a particular direction to head in.  You'll get more sonic changes playing with various digital cables than you will changing their lengths.

jh

Thanks Jim, did some "internet research" last night, seems like digital and usb cables are not very expensive anyway so I will experiment with a few models and let my ears be the judge.  I was mostly concerned because in the past I've spent lots of $$$ on analog interconnect cables so I did not want to endup in the same boat with these.

Thanks again for your comments, appreciated.  I'm eager to see how this new little toy sounds like.  I just returned an "Audigy 2zs" soundcard to the store because I was not satisfied with the result versus my CDP as a transport.  We'll see how the HagUSB does in a few days!  haha

[boead]

However, you will probably get optimal performance by making USB cable shorter and S/PDIF cable longer.

jh

Hi Jim, why do you think so?
In my case I have about 35 feet from my PC to my audio system.
USB cables don’t come any longer then 16feet and over that they say to use data buffers. I bought a buffered USB cable and a non buffered USB extension to add to a 16’ cable. There was no noticeable difference between the cables and combinations of them.

However, its been my experience that digital coaxial cables have a giant impact on the sound and the shorter the better and I mean short, like a couple of feet!

I don’t think the USB cable really makes any difference in sound. I tried a thin, cheap’ass USB cable and a big beefy (heavily shielded) one and there was NO difference what so ever – very strange. I mean USB is transmitted through RF with the squeezebox and people are just gaga over them. Try that with Analong line level or SPDIF, I don’t; think you could without serious degradation meanwhile with works perfectly with RF and over standard RJ45. My device is USB I2C DAC.

I would think using the longest USB cable with the absolute shortest coaxial would be prime.

[hagtech]

Boead,  appreciate your observations.  Nothing like empirical evidence to prove a case.

jh