Tubby, most if not all of Bryan's points against USB DACs are completely unfounded. Even though they are not without pitfalls and take some careful research and effort to properly implement, hard drive based server systems are the wave of the future and offer ouststanding performance at a modest price. You seem like a reasonable, rational person rather than one who is on the defensive and just looking for something to attack. Take a look at the links, do some googling, and make your own decisions. I own and use a USB DAC and I am pleased with the results, otherwise I would not have recommended it.
W and M Interconnects
Rarely do I feel compelled to say anything about products but purchasing these prompted me to let you guys know about W&M based in the U.K. First let me start by saying that you should not feel indifferent to my remarks here because I have no previous feedback. I have no feedback because I used to be a dealer and until recently I never really had a reason to purchase anything outside of the business. I have been a member for several years, logging on whenever I had free time. Now that I am in the market for some things there of course is no place to find better replacement equipment than Audiogon in my opinion. Having said this I must say that these are very fine interconnects. The quality and workmanship is some of the finest I have seen on any cable costing less than $1000 and better than many costing much more. I have not had the chance to hook them up yet but I can't wait to do so. For now, all I can hope for is that they sound as beautiful as they look... I have no worries that this will be the case either! The guys over at W&M know their stuff, always respond to emails in a timely manner (you will be greeted by a lot of “hi mates”, “cheers” and such with a lovely British demeanor that adds a sense of class and enthusiasm to the communications process) and are dedicated to quality and workmanship. Give em a try; I think you will be pleased. I can't wait to hear how they sound but I am currently faced with the dilemma of trying to decide if I should actually hook them up or just display them for all to see :-) If you are one of those people that leaves work early on the day your new cables are to arrive because you can’t stand the suspense any longer; you won’t be disappointed that you upset your boss when you open the extremely well packaged product.
Cheers
P.S. I am going to try and post this as a review under the cables section as well.
Cheers
P.S. I am going to try and post this as a review under the cables section as well.
Showing 8 responses by herman
Are you seriously recommending that I buy a cable because from the outside they appear to be well constructed?? You haven't even taken 5 minutes to hook them up and get any kind of impression of how they sound yet you are sure that I will be pleased if I buy them? You state "The quality and workmanship is some of the finest I have seen on any cable costing less than $1000." How did you determine this? By far the single most important criteria for judging the quality and workmanship in a cable is the the interface between the wire and the connector. An otherwise great sounding cable is worthless with a bad solder joint. I am sorry to be so blunt, but of all the posts I have read here over the years, this is clearly the biggest waste of space I have ever seen. |
Sorry I stepped on your toes but I don't think you get my point. I'm not angry, I don't have any desire to "prove you wrong." I believe you when you say they appear to be well constructed. I don't know it all, in fact I know nothing about these cables. I don't care about the cables. I merely pointed out that posting a review about how an audio product looks without saying anything about how it sounds is a waste of time. There is no need for further discourse if you are incapable of accepting the utter truth in this statement. |
Tubby, if you want to upgrade your front end look into a USB DAC. They offer great performance and since you already have a computer it can serve as your source. Check out these links and do a google on USB DAC. There is a ton of info out there http://www.wavelengthaudio.com/usbdac.html http://www.scott-nixon.com/dac.htm |
I don't search the forums. I only look at the "new today" section where every post comes up. Of course I've bought things without having heard them, Perhaps my analogies were not perfect but I've never recommended that others buy something unless I've heard it or drove it or worn it or whatever.. Once again, you miss the essential component of my position: a review of an audio component that only tells you how it looks is worthless. |
Let us compare our positions. ME::::: I am not recommending a specific DAC. I am recommending that you explore the world of the USB DAC based on my positive experiences with it and the overwhelming support of it from many quarters. Take the time to google the topic and read. There is a preponderance of evidence out there that supports my position that a USB DAC can deliver fine sonic performance. YOU::::: You are recommending that I buy a specific cable because you think it looks good. I fail to see any relationship. I may have been less than eloquent with my initial response but I spoke the truth. Give it up Bryan. Nobody agrees with you. You have been backed into a corner because you cannot possibly defend your initial post (buy this cable because it looks good) and like a cornered animal have taken to attacking everyone's position whatever it is no matter what merit it holds. You spew a bunch of gibberish about computers and then dismiss seandtaylor because he didn’t back up his facts (yes, they are facts) with an engineering degree?? I am very sorry to see that this has deteriorated into a pissing contest but you offer nothing of consequence. I believe I will move on. |
I’m sorry, I glanced through but did not bother to read your lengthy dissertation. However, I did nothing to tarnish the reputation of this cable company. My comments were directed at you, not them. For all I know they are the best cables in the world. My point was that your post did not provide a single bit of useful information regarding these cables. The bottom line is this; recommending an audio component based solely on how it looks is like recommending a painting solely on how it sounds. An utter waste of time. If that is rude or harsh then so be it. I’m actually quite surprised you took so much time to defend your recommendation when it is clearly indefensible. Would you buy a car without driving it? Would you recommend a restaurant without tasting the food? Do you buy shoes without trying them on? Of course not. This is no different. |
Bryan, since credentials seem to be so important may I be so bold as to inquire about yours? Since I know you will ask, I have been involved in electronics at the component level for almost 30 years after working on a wide variety of communication equipment in the military, taught electronics at an associate level for 10 years, and have been repairing medical lasers for the past 15 years. I spend a fair amount of time reading about this topic and discussing it with fellow hobbyists and friends I have in the industry, and then applying what I have learned by building and modifying my own equipment. That doesn’t mean I know everything but I do know you can’t judge a cable by how it looks. Also, please elaborate on your statement “The simple fact that a USB was originally designed to and to this day conducts enough current to power a device connected to it makes it a horrible connection for any audiophile device.” Since the function of the interface is to transfer digital data to a receiver chip I fail to see any correlation between the amount of current it carries and the sound quality, but I am eager to be enlightened. It seems to me that if the data arrives intact it doesn’t matter if the cable is carrying a micro amp or a mega amp. |