Is computer audio a bust?

psst... yep. I actually have a reel to reel!

steve, I was not aware that usb cables have a common ground like balanced analog cables?, never heard of that, if they do not, usb cables are inferrior, having an interface to help or force the usb cable to work better, still does not change the fact a usb cable is inferrior, I am not talking about interfacees, just the usb cable period, thankyou steve.
Audiolabyrinth (Threads | Answers | This Thread)

WHY is it inferior, period??

cerrot, about the reel to reel, Awsome, is it old?,what do you have?, they are now making new very high tech one's for some reason, I suppose like record players, people love good analog sound, cheers.

Audiolabyrinth, I picked up an Akai GX 625 (probbaly form the 1980's). It is 7 1/2 IPS (not 15) but still have incredible sound. I have been eyeing the new 15 IPS machines, just investing $8,000 - $16,000 for limited library (and $150 - $300 a tape) puts that behind my hopeful turntable upgrade, which I am hoping to do next year. I have purchased some tapes on Ebay but I walked into a used record store last month and walked out with 16 AWESOME tapes in great condition! ($5 each!). I love my vinyl and ...FM. Any analogue source (if done right) gives you warmth and emotion your brain needs to "make up" when listening to digital. Cheers, mate.

A-L - most differential signaling uses a ground, just to insure that the source and destination ground potentials are close, including firewire. The problem with most of these is that the common-mode noise rejection provided by the receiver chips is not stellar. Therefore, it is still an issue. Its not that USB is inferior, just that most receiver chips are not great designs. Some are worse than others. Case in point is the XMOS chipset, which uses a really poor receiver chip IMO. Very sensitive to cables.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Steve N.