Sign In:     

Forum: General Discussion

Topic: USB conductor Audio Cables

This topic is old and might contain outdated or incorrect information.

How important are the USB conductor audio cables when it comes to cdj's and digital dj software?

I use regular USB cables to connect my cdj's to my laptop in order to use them as controller when using VDJ, and I had not thought about special USB Audio cables until this weekend. Therefore, I pose the question of how big of a difference, and how important, would it be if I get USB conductor audio cables to replace the digital usb conductor cables (which are gold plated, lol) that I'm currently using?
 
Posted Tue 13 May 14 @ 6:35 pm
It depends on whether you are having any problems with the existing cables. The main difference with higher quality cables are:

1) Higher quality plugs and cables that will last a lot longer. Cheap cables can fail and/or become unreliable due the plugs becoming worn or the internal wires breaking over time.

2) RF chokes at both ends of the cable and better cable shielding to help avoid external radio interference with the connection between the device and your computer.
 
Upgrading cables is one of the biggest scams going in the hifi world - people have been known to spend £££s on a metre long twin phono lead, believing it'll give them a better sound. A digital signal either works or it doesn't - any sturdy cable with decent RF shielding should work as well as any other.
 
Thank you both for your response. In a few words, just get USB cables with better shielding, but don't go all out and paid so much money for cables that would do pretty much the same as a standard cables?
 
I tend to get the right lengths I need, i.e. 0.5m, 1m etc and heat shrink the ends.



18mm 3:1 is what I use but if you can get 18mm 4:1 even better, do not get adhesive/glue heatshrink.
 
These are USB conductor digital audio cables right? I like how you protect the connector part with the tape.
 
I use cheap usb cables. I had them for many years and they work good. I wouldn't spend money on more expensive usb cables because even the usb cables that come with a pioneer cdj 2000 or Denon 3900 look the same as the cheap ones.
 
I've been using gold plated USB cables for a long time now, and they work just fine. However, there is this humming sound that can be heard through the speakers, nothing that would ruin then quality if the sound but it is present. The debate is, if I was to buy the USB conductor digital audio cables would the noise go away, or simply just keep using the cables that I currently have.

I know that in the end, I will end up buying them, but I want to hear from you guys, are you guys using them, if so what is your experience with them, how much of a difference it makes, and is it really important to have the right cables?
 
 
Thank you, I will look into it.
 
djsherz wrote :
Upgrading cables is one of the biggest scams going in the hifi world - people have been known to spend £££s on a metre long twin phono lead, believing it'll give them a better sound. A digital signal either works or it doesn't - any sturdy cable with decent RF shielding should work as well as any other.

djsherz is right.

For digital cables like USB there is *no* difference in terms of signal quality in more expensive cables. I've been a PC enthusiast for over 20 years, and I have been DJ-ing for 6 years, and I have never heard of 'USB Conductor Audio Cables' until today.

Take a look at this website:

http://www.wireworldcable.com/categories/usb_7.html

In their first sentence they say:

Quote :
A better USB cable may not help a printer, but it can really improve an audio system.


This is completely false.

Better shielding will make no difference. Gold connectors will make no difference. Longer/shorter cables will make no difference.

USB cables are all the same. They are all digital. They either work, or they don't. If it works, it will sound and behave in an identical manner to all other working USB cables. If it doesn't work, throw it in the bin and use another.

Better quality construction may ensure the cable lasts longer, but it is no guarantee. And it's definitely not worth spending extra money on. Don't waste your money on a $25 USB cable, please.

Spend $10 on 2x$5 cables instead - not only will you save money, you will also have a spare cable! Result!
 
I am a computer technician, and I've been a DJ for about 23 years. Although I had never heard of USB conductor Audio Cables until recently, I never really bother to look into this cable issue.

I'm glad to read some of your comments, which reinforces what I had suspected, these people just want your money.

Thank you all for your input.
 
Haha, just had a look at that weblink - what a load of techno-babble. While it's true that RF can potentially mess with a digital signal, you'd need a LOT of it. Even cheapo leads are screened, and I can't see there being much of a voltage drop issue over a measly metre of cable. What a rip. Liking the heatshrink idea though, it'll make the cable live longer for sure - if a wire is going to break, it'll always be where it meets the plug.
 
I've got a plan to repair the damaged PSU cable on one of my mixers now - heat shrink!
 
I use some of these. They pivot 360 degrees at both ends. I purchased four of them. I haven't been able to find them in a couple of years now though. I also put on ferrite cores, to reduce signal hum from nearby electronics.
 
dj ho productions wrote :
I like how you protect the connector part with the tape.


Lol, thats heat shrink.
 
While the interference issues is not as big as they make it out to be in most environments, durability and wire gauge is.
Wire gauge is an issue for devices powered by the USB port. A thin gauge or to long of wire will cause to much of a power drop for the device to operate properly.

Watch the design of the strain relief, thickness of the insulation, and again, wire gauge, for durability.

I also use a powered USB3 hub for multiple reasons, one being so adding devices does not cause to much of a power drop on the bus.
 
blckjck wrote :
While the interference issues is not as big as they make it out to be in most environments, durability and wire gauge is.
Wire gauge is an issue for devices powered by the USB port. A thin gauge or to long of wire will cause to much of a power drop for the device to operate properly.

Unless he is connecting his laptop to an audio interface on the opposite side of the club, this won't be a problem. For anything below 3m in length a standard gauge found on any cheap USB cable will be sufficient.
 
I disagree. I have had external drives and my Mixtrack not power up with 6 foot cords of low quality. The cord was tested and good with other devices.
 


(Old topics and forums are automatically closed)