USB cables conducor - help

Not necessarily…. Depends entirely on your bespoke system and listening room acoustics…. and the only way to know is by your own hands-on audition and experimentation.

it may actually be worse ( too bright, too edgy, blah blah ..)

I went with all-Cu CARDAS CLEAR ….terrific .

@akg_ca  I tried to try Cardas Clear.  I really did.  Cable sent to me was defective. open. Returned it and went with AQ at same price point because I could get it next day delivery.   Never looked back.

Metal should not matter - it is only data in packets (as it is with external USB HD).  I would look for quality cable with good shielding.

With PC as a source, get the least revealing cable. Decent copper USB cable should do just fine. Just pick one.
Invest in a streamer instead…PC is a bull 💩 streamer and you won’t be happy in a long run. 

What a high end cable sounds like is a complex combination of factors far beyond just the composition of conductor. Really inexpensive ones will take on the characteristic of the metal used.

If you are looking for really high quality sound, then I have to recommend getting a dedicated streamer. PCs are not good sources. However, if you are happy with what you want and feel like tweaking… a good quality cable may help… like well shielded. I would look at Cardas. You have to try them.

I have tried about every combination of PC, MAC, iPad and moved to dedicated streamers.