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Best budget USB

Apologies, I know this has been asked before, and perhaps this question should be on the Cables forum.  However, I thought I'd refresh the question, as some of the previous instances are quite old, and it has struck me that the digital thread generally has a better insight into USB cables.

I've bought a 2nd-hand Innuos Phoenix USB to fit between my Zenith Mk3 and Hegel H390.  I also have an FTA Sinope, which I intend to fit between Phoenix and Hegel.

Unfortunately, the Phoenix didn't turn up with the original USB.  And assuming the USB before the Phoenix is hugely less significant than the USB after, and given I'm now WAYYY over budget I'm looking for something less extravagant than the Sinope.

In the UK, the go-to outlet for choice is Futureshop, and if I limit myself to approx £100 ($120),the selection is:

  • Audioquest Pearl, Forest & Cinnamon
  • Wireworld Chroma 8, Starlight 8
  • Supra
  • Furutech Formula 2
  • Atlas Element SC
  • Chord C-USB

Any preferences?

Thanks,

Mark

128x128lollipopguild
soix
9,554 posts
 

@lollipopguild Just fyi and so you know it’s not just me, a few others here have tried Lavri and all have been very happy with their performance and in all cases they bested the cables they replaced. I found them because I thought the Apple Camera Adapter was suboptimal for getting USB out of my iPad for my HeadFi rig and LavriCable was one of the only aftermarket products I could find so gave it a shot. It was a significant improvement and since then I’ve bought a pair of balanced interconnects and headphone cable in addition to the USB and all have been excellent. They’re out of Latvia and fly under the radar but maybe not for much longer. FWIW.

danager's avatar
danager
954 posts
 

If you're really budget.  One of the biggest changes I've made to my system was filtering the power from the USB source with a simple power blocker adapter and then adding it back with a powered USB hub.  If you want to go whole hog you can use a inexpensive 5V linear power supply to the hub.  Topping makes one and there are even less expensive ones. 

So for about $25 plus the PS  (little over $150 with).  

YMMV but again it might not

jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,612 posts
 

monoprice

pangea


belkin

there’s budget then there’s budget 😜

 

 

nutty
2,907 posts
 

I use the Wireworld Ultraviolet 3.0 USB A to Micro B on my outboard hard drive. It  uses silver plated copper conductors, the Chroma is a great budget cable with 100 % copper conductors. I have the Chroma as well and I believe the Ultraviolet 3.0 USB is better at frequency extremes. - Better bass and attack -

For my transport I use The Chord Company Signature Super ARAY Digital Coax Cable.  RCA to BNC. The cable is dynamic with excelent high frequency resolution. 

pennfootball71's avatar
pennfootball71
278 posts
 

Get a silver dragon cable spend 300 bucks form moon audio. Spend a few bucks don’t be cheap.

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