June 23, 200917 yr ALO USB Cable Does it even comply with USB2.0specs? I guess I should start making cables too... 500 for this?
June 23, 200917 yr ALO USB Cable Does it even comply with USB2.0specs? I guess I should start making cables too... 500 for this? It doesn't. Just took a look at the spec and whatever the spec requires....they went the other way. I think the most noticeable error was the complete lack of a shield + drain wire. Perhaps the USB cable has more detail from the extra noise brought in?
June 23, 200917 yr I'm sure it will be spun as a plus when it is revealed that a HD or the like will not run off of this cable... the sound would be too "digital" if it did
June 23, 200917 yr That guy has a very impressive lunula. Indeed! How surprising is it for user with a moon-related handle to notice such detail?
June 23, 200917 yr Looks like you got a nice PR-worthy reply Nate! I can see needing to send the cable to a lab to be tested for it's electrical properties, but last I checked you don't need a lab to tell folks if the physical part of the cable follows the usb standard. I am having that cable tested at a lab with proper equipment and will report back when I do get the info, correct technically the twisted pair + and - is not being done on the woven one, rather we are using a common mode cancellation via all the wires. The cables were posted to gather interest in the product (controversy!), announce that we do have a USB cable all though of course we have not sold any yet. So far we are pretty please with what we are hearing. I think it is important for ALO to produce a digital cable as I see a lot of movement for DACs being smaller, and more prominent in not only home systems but portable one as well. I do want to get more refinement on the hand woven one. We are hoping that this will be all be evaluated quite soon, and want to provide all with more formal data testing results. I also have a few longer test versions out with some users now and hope to get some significant feedback from them as well. Ken Anyone else take a look at the USB spec? I didn't realize that pretty much every aftermarket "audiophile" USB cable is completely out of spec until I read it.
June 23, 200917 yr It doesn't. Just took a look at the spec and whatever the spec requires....they went the other way. I think the most noticeable error was the complete lack of a shield + drain wire. Perhaps the USB cable has more detail from the extra noise brought in? It also requires the signaling lines be a twisted pair. In the photo shown they aren't. As far as I can tell it does meet the low speed spec, but even there they do recommend twisted signaling lines. I certainly wouldn't trust my data to this cable.
June 24, 200917 yr You are right, though I didn't want to start listing all the incorrect parts of the cable. It's rather funny that a couple hundred dollar cable may or may not just barely meet usb 1.0 standards in terms of cable build...
June 24, 200917 yr Well it's probably not surprising if as indicated by his latest post he's using Wikipedia as his USB spec.
June 24, 200917 yr http://www.usb.org/developers/docs/usb_20_052709.zip the usb_20.pdf (5.7MB) cables start on page 87 you'd think it would be a good idea to read this before designing the product.. the best audiophile USB cable would be a $5 one, with garden hose, techflex, and pretty heatshrink on top. that way it would look expensive, but still actually work properly
June 24, 200917 yr $5? You're paying $4 too much. For only $0.81 each when QTY 50+ purchased - USB 2.0 A Male to B Male (28AWG*1P+24AWG*2C) Cable - (Gold Plated) - 6ft | USB 2.0 Cable - Regular Type
June 24, 200917 yr Well it's probably not surprising if as indicated by his latest post he's using Wikipedia as his USB spec. Wikipedia as a reference for usb spec info....nice
June 24, 200917 yr I see all posts other than the announcement were deleted (the last one first, in which someone provided a link to the real spec... bad form!), and then the thread was locked. As mentioned by edwood, I do like the jacket... quite appropriate.
June 24, 200917 yr Moreover there is a lot of interpretation on the design and what it "should" be etc.. I guess there's definitely some interpretation when a spec lists specific requirements.
June 24, 200917 yr Seems fine to me if he wants to deviate from the spec. He just shouldn't call it a USB cable.
June 25, 200917 yr It's back up... ALO USB interconnect - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio "I had originally posted this as a open thread but sadly there were a few people who were posting negative comments and twisting words and generally being difficult. The issue of a high end audio version of a USB cable is very charged. Moreover there is a lot of interpretation on the design and what it "should" be etc.. I will post more detail as they become available with regards to the USB cables we have to offer. Ken"
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