Higher End USB Cables

I'm not sure I want to be one of those b#stards, even if it meant a nice $6.5mil bonus for nothing more than negligence. Names will be named, then we'll see if the politicians and the tax system can provide some justice for a change.

It's an MHDT Havana tube DAC, but I'm using an Empirical Audio Turbo-3 USB interface. Steve Nugent of Empirical suggested the Belkin Gold that I'd already owned before buying his product. He also indicated that other USB cables do make a difference (i.e. Locus Design). I guess it's just financially morbid curiosity that has me interested in these other cables, I've already spent enough on power cords, etc. (all of which make a big difference as well). I feel pretty stupid even posing the question though...when you think about how much a single high-end USB cable costs, especially given state of things.

Yeah, the Havana is a mighty nice DAC and the Off-Ramp Turbo3 is something I'm saving up for. Did you get Superclock 4 w/ it? And the mega battery?

I was gonna get the Kimber USB, but switched to Belkin after reading one of Stve's posts.

Mike

Hi -

looks like Opticis has formed a new company:
http://www.opticis.com/english/02_product/product03.htm

and that prices have gone up:
http://industrialcomponent.com/opticis/optusbext.html

MMarvin - the source side plugs directly into my Mac - at the other end after the converter I have a USB A to B cable - haven't tried to see how much I can spend on that yet...

No concern about maintaining an unbroken fiber chain - once the DAC is isolated from the computer that's the end of any possible electrical interaction between the two

I really do like the Havana. I've had it for about two months. Steve actually tipped me off to it after I was ready to throw in the towel with computer audio (tried the Bel Canto DAC3 and owned the DAC1 for about 10 months). I was a bit of a skeptic about his Turbo 3, but it does what it's advertised to do. Pricey though. I didn't spring for the battery, just running it off my Hydra. Yes, it does have the superclock 4. To me it brings the Havana to a level comparable to the Benchmark DAC1 I used to own, so basically all the detail/dynamics of the Benchmark but the benefits of a NOS tube DAC. I didn't care for the DAC1 because of its brightness, but otherwise thought it was a good DAC (dealt with jitter pretty well).

Hey Mb9061,
I too am running the Havana dac and love it. I thought I'd mention that Ridge Street has a 40% discount promotion on their poiema usb cable, just in case you weren't aware of it. Check out their audiogon listing.

Robert