我的CAS之路 II - USB線材

kachow

每次玩CAS都係3分鐘熱度, 熱熱鬧鬧咁set 電腦, Rip file. 但係當聽到同CD既分別就即刻冷卻落黎. 始終覺得無論密度, 動態, 音樂感都同CD相差一段距離. 有7成已經叫好好效果, 所以都無比心機去玩.

今次再一次比心機玩. 因為越買越多boxset. 如果要經常換碟, 我諗我呢世都聽唔完. 所以都諗住可以方便d, 犧牲下質素都OK. 點知今次有驚喜, 試唔同USB線中比我有接近CD既感覺. 已經係差別不大.

首先, 我本身係電腦人, 所以裝程式, MAC機PC機, 乜鬼SSD, SATA, wifi,32bits,64bits, 乜Driver物Driver, iphone remote, 完全難我唔到. 所以無論win8既Foobar定係Mac機既itune或者其他Player都可以隨時試一通... 而因為電腦人既關係, 一開始玩音響都比較難以接受唔同版本既CD讀出黎既數據係有分別. 更加唔好講話唔同物料既USB線有分別. 不過今次試既4條USB線的的確確分別好大.





今次我總共試左4條USB線, 分別係$20 USB線, Entreq Konstantin, AQ Diamond, WireWorld Platinum Starlight. 而長度都係1.5M(Entreq 2M). 而自己用EAC Rip左歌黎比較. 所以今次自己會直接同CD出黎既質素比較,而以下結果係聽完4條既分析.





1. $20 USB 線, 人聲唔夠實在, 最大問題係無動態. 非常平淡.. 呢個亦都我一直以黎對CAS既感覺.

2. AQ Diamond, 動態就有喇, 樣樣野都好響亮, 人聲都無CD咁實在. 搞到有d嘈, 低頻亦都有d化既跡象.

3. Entreq Konstantin, 最特別係音樂感強, 係4條線最好音樂感既一條, 人聲亦都好實在, 充滿現場感, 雖然動態無AQ咁誇張, 但係聽係黎非常舒服. 高低伸延都交代得非常好, 特別交代我無買到Entreq地盒. 所以我將佢條地線駁左去Taralabs 既大地盒度. 亦都聽到聲音明顯靜同音場深

4. WW Platinum Starlight, 呢條係4條線中我覺得最好既一條, 音場大, 層次感做得好好. 高中低頻亦都無散或者唔實在. 非常接近我部機既CD表現. 每種聲音既分隔度都做得好好. 真係我最like既一條!







係Entreq同WW之間做左多次比較. WW無Entreq個種音樂感, 但係有好好既音效質素. 所以都好難取捨. 但係我可以講, 今次可以認認真真咁去rip碟, 聽CAS. 因為呢兩條線都已經比到我滿足既感覺. 而CAS既方便亦都令到我可以暫時放棄換碟聽CD.   

我亦都有參考大家近期玩過既CAS比拼, 賽果同我試既好唔同. 可能用既解碼器既聲音取向都好大分別, 所以結果都會完全相反..

StevenTam

下回我還想看：
- Crystal DreamLine USB
- Entreq Apollo USB + Silver Minimus + Earth Silver + Mini Wraps
- Locus Design Cynosure v2 USB
- Siltech Golden Universal USB

odysseyhk

I like Locus Design cables.  Cynosure v2 USB is very top end cable.  I use Axis which is very good already.  Looking forward to read your report.

Unfortunately, Lee (founder of Locus Design) passed away and Locus Design cable is no longer produced.

mahi

我覺得聲音取向有些人首重是‘空間感’（AQ)，另一些就重視‘存在感’（WW)，即‘曠散’vs‘聚焦’。我見stereo sound都有將喇吧這樣分成兩大派。

bigdish

Nice review! 好有用. 但係師兄可唔可以都試d平d既usb線呢? 拜託拜託。

mac1

多謝分享，我都在大約兩星期入了一條 2m Entreq Konstantin USB線, Entreq Konstantin, 細地盒，和兩條銀線（不是entreq）做地線！（一條是replace Konstantin跟的原裝地線）。
我是用的CAS 是由MBA 用ITUNES 11 + Amarra 2.4.6 + Konstantin USB -> HP-8A.

自從用了這個setting, 已很少再用CDT 了！
我已暫時放棄用CDT PLAY CDs...或將來有錢upgrade個更高質素的CDT才會再迫回CD 的家庭啦！

我感覺在我現有的SYSTEM, Arrama 2.4.6 & Konstantin USB & 小地盒真的幫助提升CAS質素了很多!之前我90%時間都是聽CD的！

PS. 我很認同 Kachow 兄Entreq Konstantin USB CABLE 是一條很有音樂感，聽得很舒服，人聲又實在的線材, 而我也覺得聲音也很自然，沒有太多做作，容易投入聽音樂！

邪同學Derek

CAS... 我已放棄了Mac,全情投入Linux!

johnmo

講到USB,我都想聽下Orpheus & Ocellia usb是什麼聲音

Bei_Hillgrover

請教樓主是否以下的項目WW Platinum Starlight都比Entreq Konstantin(+接地盒)表現好? Thx!

高中低頻伸延
聲音分隔度
結像及定位
背景寂靜度

CKKeung

kachow hing,

Many thanks for your very detailed USB cable test report!   

Your result is quite different from the blind-test result obtained during the Hiendy Gathering at KEF Causeway Bay showroom.  I attended that gathering.  The consensus at the gathering was that AQ Diamond gave the best performance whereas WW Platinum was ranked very low.


I think this is related to the other components of the audio system.  Your system consists of McIntosh+Focal whereas the Hiendy KEF Showroom Gathering used Krell+KEF Blade.

Therefore, the ideal is to try borrowing a few USB cables for a home-test before making the final purchase decision!

史的墳

To get the best performance, I suggest the following:

1.) Use dbPoweramp to rip CD in FLAC format
2.) Use a good quality LAN cable to transfer the data from your ripped source pool (I am using QNAP NAS and Sanwa CAT-7 cable to transfer data to my MacBook Pro)
3.) If you are not storing the data in NAS and use the Notebook, PC as storage media, try to get SSD
4.) If you are using MacBook as media, get "Audrivana Plus" which has direct mode.  Version 1.41 is the best player I have ever heard.
5.) If you are using PC, use foobar2000 + ASIO plugin.
6.) WW Platinum Starlight is natural and direct.  It will strictly re-produce the sound of your source and DAC and is highly recommended.

Ends.

kachow

邪同學Derek 發表於 2012-12-18 08:49
CAS... 我已放棄了Mac,全情投入Linux!

不如分享下Linux由裝機到Play 既過程..

kachow

Bei_Hillgrover 發表於 2012-12-18 09:29
請教樓主是否以下的項目WW Platinum Starlight都比Entreq Konstantin(+接地盒)表現好? Thx!

高中低頻伸延

純音效黎講, 高低伸延同寧靜度係Entreq比較好, 其他都係WW取勝.

obee

kachow 發表於 2012-12-18 11:37
不如分享下Linux由裝機到Play 既過程..

For Linux, you can play Voyage MPD. Easy to start:
http://linux.voyage.hk/voyage-mpd

kachow

CKKeung 發表於 2012-12-18 09:44
kachow hing,

Many thanks for your very detailed USB cable test report!   

你地重乜今日個個變晒英文人

kachow

obee 發表於 2012-12-18 11:46
For Linux, you can play Voyage MPD. Easy to start:
http://linux.voyage.hk/voyage-mpd

yes ar.你地有無人會上黎詳細分享. 例如由裝機開始, 跟住到mount USB HDD, USB2.0, iphone remote. 到最後聲音比Win/Mac好幾多..

obee

kachow 發表於 2012-12-18 12:01
yes ar.你地有無人會上黎詳細分享. 例如由裝機開始, 跟住到mount USB HDD, USB2.0, iphone remote. 到最 ...

I don't use Windows / Mac for CAS. I use Squeezebox Touch only. I will switch to MPD if I am going to replace the music source part.

obee

kachow 發表於 2012-12-18 12:01
yes ar.你地有無人會上黎詳細分享. 例如由裝機開始, 跟住到mount USB HDD, USB2.0, iphone remote. 到最 ...

For this Voyage MPD, actually you just need to buy their starter kit (~$1250 HKD). Then it is ready to play:
Requirement:
1. Voyage MPD starter kit
2. Network cable (cat 7 recommended)
3. Power supply (any 12V 1A or battery with 9V or above, DC plug is 2.1mm diameter)
4. Music file in USB (USB thumb drive, USB hard disk, etc), or in NAS
5. Controller such as iPad or Android Pad
6. A DAC with USB input that supports USB Audio Class 1/2

The above solution has two difficult parts:
First, the PSU is not included so you need to find one.
Second, if music source is stored on NAS, you need to setup a mount point that points to the network share, via Samba (i.e. CIFS) or NFS.

With all the 6 things ready, you can see the MPD device in your ipad or android pad, then you can play music and output music to DAC

You said:

我本身係電腦人

So I suppose the above not a problem to you. For sound quality, better test it yourself. There're lot of similar solution, and people say different solution, even still linux, has different sound. So I have no idea.

ivanchan

ching, 有試過用雙頭USB綫 + ifi 果部"iUSB power" 嗎? 我覺得玩CAS應該試一下...
聲音精神左空間感好左, 以前濛查查好似未食飯既感覺無晒  

k500a

史的墳 發表於 2012-12-18 09:47
To get the best performance, I suggest the following:

1.) Use dbPoweramp to rip CD in FLAC format

Hi 史的墳 C-hing,
Thanks for your sharing.
I also use the dbPoweramp to rip CD but I "FEEL" that the FLAC still inferior to the uncompressed format (like WAVE or AIFF). There would be too many pages of discussion in the internet about the best ripping format.  The final word is to try different format before making the decision.
.
I shared the common view that  SSD is best sound but most expensive too.  The NAS is cheaper and more convenient for file sharing.
.
Among the playback software (no matter Mac or Wins) , I picked the JPlay + JRiver (Wins).
I  purchased the "Amarra" and "Audrivana Plus" and  tried their latest release. However, after using the JPlay + JRiver and ab test the sound, my vote goes to the JPlay+JRiver.
It is more open, 3D , quiet and natural.
.
I don't have too much experience about the USB cables so thanks for Hiendy and KaChow C-hing to provide their review on these cables!