Cables, adaptors and ferrites

Inputs, sources, cables and clocking

Answers on this topic

Do digital cables (USB, coax, glass or plastic optical) make a sonic difference, and if so through what mechanism?
Should I put ferrites on my BNC or USB cables, and which kind?
Which BNC cables, and what length, should I use between an M Scaler and my DAC?

Everything he said on this topic (166)

One-line summaries in our words, oldest first. Each link opens the original.

2014-04-16Watts says any input supports DoP, he heard no difference between glass and plastic optical on red-book, but glass may be needed if DoP at 176.4k is unreliable. Head-Fi, Apr 2014
2014-04-26Watts explains Hugo noise with Bluetooth sources as amplitude-modulated 2.4 GHz picked up by headphone cables, and suggests looping the headphone cable through solid or split ferrite cores. Head-Fi, Apr 2014
2014-05-13Watts lists ways RF noise enters, says many audiophile cables are RF-poor, some like noise floor modulation's brightness, and advises digital connections with good RF performance. Head-Fi, May 2014
2014-05-18Watts says in his experience the signal popping in and out comes from 3.5mm optical adaptors, and quotes Chord's Matt offering a known working Toslink to 3.5mm cable. Head-Fi, May 2014
2014-05-22Watts says coax only gives problems with unscreened cable or cables that are not RF quality. Head-Fi, May 2014
2014-06-19Watts says he is about to test USB isolators, aims for Hugo to work with any bit-perfect source, uses regular USB cables in his office and optical at home. Head-Fi, Jun 2014
2014-10-01Watts says USB cables change sound through RF noise causing NFM and brightness, while signal-dependent ground currents degrade depth; galvanic isolation addresses both. Head-Fi, Oct 2014
2014-10-08Watts discusses Hugo's low fatigue and prototype surprise, says the source matters little via optical, hears no plastic vs glass difference, and mentions Chord projects nearly ready. Head-Fi, Oct 2014
2014-10-12Watts describes making his own interconnect and speaker cables from twisted solid-core PTFE silver-plated copper annealed at 200 deg C, and advises spending no more than 10% on cables. Head-Fi, Oct 2014
2014-10-18Watts describes how to make his twisted loudspeaker cable from 0.6mm strands using a clamp, a variable-speed drill and a helper, twisting wires in fours and then bundles. Head-Fi, Oct 2014
2015-12-02Watts says Dave runs warm with large thermal margins, XLR headphone drive would distort, AES is poor for high rates, and Blu dual BNC works with proper RF cables. Head-Fi, Dec 2015
2016-04-22Watts preferred a $2 USB cable over a $200 one on DAVE until he separated the headphone cable, then heard no difference; he says AES input injects RF, sounding brighter. Head-Fi, Apr 2016
2016-04-25Watts says optical handles 24/192 only with a good transmitter and cable, needing glass fiber for longer runs, and that his FPGA compensates the receiver's rise and fall time mismatch. Head-Fi, Apr 2016
2016-06-22Watts says the unit sounds like it needs service, and that optical at 192k needs a low-loss cable: 0.25M plastic should work, longer runs need quality glass fiber. Head-Fi, Jun 2016
2017-02-05Watts says he tried four USB cables from 3 USD to 300 USD and could not reliably hear a difference with Dave. Head-Fi, Feb 2017
2017-02-05Watts says his USB cable tests used headphones only, cable RF may affect pre-amps and power amps, and early differences vanished when he separated the USB and headphone cables. Head-Fi, Feb 2017
2017-03-04Watts says his cable work showed oxides cause small-signal non-linearity that harms depth yet is unmeasurable, and DAVE noise-shaper tests show any small-signal error is audible. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
2017-03-16Watts says his test used the short supplied USB cable and a 10-pound optical cable, and galvanic isolation would not help there, though results vary with source and power amps. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
2017-03-19Watts says starter BNC cables will be supplied because 768 kHz SPDIF is new and cables must be true 75 ohm, though expensive BNC cables he tested all worked. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
2017-03-28Watts uses standard plastic optical cables, very short at 192 kHz, saying his DACs are intolerant of jitter and of optical's asymmetric rise and fall times, which the FPGA receiver calibrates for. Head-Fi, Mar 2017
2017-04-08Watts measures the RCA inset diameter at 13.0 mm and expects a WBT plug to fit. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
2017-04-12Watts says his decades-old silver-plated solid-core PTFE wires show no oxidation, warns ordinary solder forms a poor-sounding intermetallic layer unless silver solder is used, and rules out crimping. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
2017-04-12Watts says silver-plated PTFE wire oxidation occurs at 250 deg C after 2000 hours but not at 150, and that annealing copper overnight at 200 deg C sounded better. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
2017-04-20Watts says a mono 3.5 mm plug should connect to the COAX1 input fine. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
2017-04-20Watts says a mono 3.5 mm plug grounds coax 2, which is ideal, and confirms a poster's reading of the stereo plug wiring. Head-Fi, Apr 2017
2017-06-01Watts gives the stereo 3.5 mm wiring for the coax inputs: tip is coax 1, first ring coax 2, second ring ground for both. Head-Fi, Jun 2017
2017-09-06Watts says the AudioQuest site gives little detail; he fears the adaptor shorts left and right together, giving mono at best and damaging Hugo 2 or DAVE at worst. needs context Head-Fi, Sep 2017
2017-09-06Watts says he misunderstood subwoofer connection and that using two Y splitters, one output feeding two inputs, will be fine. Head-Fi, Sep 2017
2017-10-02Watts says he hears no difference between USB cables on DAVE, optical versus USB is minute, and a battery source via DAVE's isolated USB isolates better than mains-powered optical. Head-Fi, Oct 2017
2017-10-21Watts says Hugo 2's USB has full RF filtering, he heard no change with many USB cables, doubts cable ferrites matter, and heard no optical vs USB difference from a laptop. Head-Fi, Oct 2017
2017-11-16Watts prefers silver-plated OFHC copper with silver-bearing solder, saying insulation, solid core, vibration and RF matter more; for speaker cable, impedance and conductor rigidity are crucial. Head-Fi, Nov 2017
2017-11-17Watts explains solid core beats stranded because of non-linear strand contacts and diodic copper oxide, why thin insulated strands help, and why speaker cable conductors need rigid clamping. Head-Fi, Nov 2017
2017-11-29Watts says USB cables sound identical or, if audiophile, add RF, brightness and noise floor modulation; USB ferrites did nothing, but 2.5 GHz ferrites sounded marginally better on Blu Dave. Head-Fi, Nov 2017
2017-11-29Watts explains that 2 GHz ferrites improve depth by blocking signal-correlated ground bounce from FPGA logic transitions, while random RF causes noise floor modulation and brightness. Head-Fi, Nov 2017
2017-12-02Watts says a ferrite does not change the cable's signal impedance; it raises common-mode ground impedance, improving GHz isolation into DAVE's ground plane without affecting bandwidth. Head-Fi, Dec 2017
2017-12-03Watts says his ferrite tests were on Blu 2 to DAVE, USB ferrites made no difference, and the warmer, smoother-sounding ferrite with better depth is the more transparent choice. Head-Fi, Dec 2017
2017-12-25Watts says such devices could sound warmer by cutting RF or brighter by adding it; good RF USB cables all sound the same, and a 'tuned' one generated RF. needs context Head-Fi, Dec 2017
2018-01-11Watts says his listening tests showed no change from ferrites on USB cables, though sources differ, and battery operation should avoid ground loops and RF pick-up. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
2018-01-11Watts says a USB cable with ferrites made no change for him, and external RF only matters with a ground loop, so battery operation avoids it. Head-Fi, Jan 2018
2018-02-11Watts says a standard stereo 3.5mm cable connects Hugo 2 to an M scaler; cheap non-75-ohm cables worked at 705/768 kHz because of de-glitching and rise/fall adjustment. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
2018-02-12Watts says ferrites on digital signals have no downside, but on analog cables non-linear inductance makes transient timing amplitude dependent, so RF treatment of headphone cables needs care. Head-Fi, Feb 2018
2018-03-13Watts says Blu 2 already has a video latency mode, hints at new DAC developments in years, and aims to remove digital and mains cable sensitivity; analog cables only partly. Head-Fi, Mar 2018
2018-04-08Watts says USB ferrites changed nothing for him; Hugo 2's 300 MHz chip ferrites made USB sound like optical on headphones, so try 300 MHz types. Head-Fi, Apr 2018
2018-04-28Watts says removing his Aeon's integrated 3.5mm-to-1/4" adaptor and plugging straight into Hugo 2 gave much better depth and detail, so any metal-to-metal interface may be audible. Head-Fi, Apr 2018
2018-04-29Watts says that cable's 0.24 ohms per meter is too high; aim for under 0.1 ohms total, lower sounding tighter in bass; 10 feet of 14AWG is 0.05 ohms. Head-Fi, Apr 2018
2018-06-23Watts says the linked XLR adaptors look fine for an HD800 on TT2 but adaptors noticeably degrade sound long term, and notes TT2's XLR outputs are male. Head-Fi, Jun 2018
2018-07-17Watts agrees the goal is reducing ground currents, which that filter cannot touch as ground is unfiltered; only ferrites reduce Blu 2 and Dave RF common-mode ground currents. Head-Fi, Jul 2018
2018-07-18Watts says extra shielding will not help; ferrites, like BNC galvanic isolation, raise the RF coupling impedance between Blu 2 and Dave grounds, with the worst problem around 2GHz. Head-Fi, Jul 2018
2018-07-21Watts says the M Scaler's code and performance are exactly the same as Blu 2's, and he has eliminated the need for ferrites. c w 30:23
2018-07-21Watts says improved isolation on the BNC output drivers removes the need for ferrites, which in listening tests made it sound slightly worse; the code is identical. c w 30:37
2018-07-22Watts says it is absolutely fine with Dave, its benefit over Blu2 being no need for ferrites on the BNC cables, which were only the top layer of icing. Head-Fi, Jul 2018
2018-08-06Watts found BNC cable differences for Hugo 2 vanished once the headphone cable did not touch them; length and exact 75 ohm do not matter thanks to de-glitch circuitry. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-06Watts suggests an optical switch, saying that if optical attenuation is not a problem there will be no sound-quality loss. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-06Watts says mirror-based optical switching should work and is cheap to try, unlike DACs with two optical inputs, which switch electrical signals internally. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-12Watts says the M scaler makes compression losses audible, audiophile BNC cables sound same or worse, TT2 measures identically in Class B, and the units stack. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-13Watts advises 75 ohm BNC cables matching the M scaler's output; scaled DACs still differ: Dave beats Qutest, with a 20-element pulse array and 30 times lower distortion. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-08-21Watts lists his sources: a Motorola Android phone with Onkyo HF Player, JRiver on Windows 10, a Kimilar OTG adaptor for the M scaler, and generic certified USB cables. Head-Fi, Aug 2018
2018-09-03Watts says certified USB cables sound the same, but one audiophile cable, servers and reclockers sounded brighter with poorer depth from RF noise; a battery bit perfect source is ideal. Head-Fi, Sep 2018
2018-09-21Watts says listening tests continue, but clamp-on ferrites do not work, sounding slightly brighter. Head-Fi, Sep 2018
2018-10-18Watts has had no issues with cheap 1.5m or bodged screened cables on Hugo 2, suggests adaptors with supplied BNC cables, and says the M scaler auto enters low-power mode. Head-Fi, Oct 2018
2018-10-24Watts says many audiophile cables are not true 75 ohm RF cables, so Chord supplies RF cables used in testing, and 768 kHz over SPDIF is technically very challenging. Head-Fi, Oct 2018
2018-10-25Watts says cables without dropouts are fine, and darker, warmer cables with better depth perform better technically, while brighter ones add RF. Head-Fi, Oct 2018
2018-10-25Watts says 75-ohm-rated cables from technical suppliers work perfectly fine in his experience. Head-Fi, Oct 2018
2018-11-01Watts says clip-on ferrites do not work with the Hugo M Scaler, sounding slightly brighter and flatter, probably because the gap interferes with its built-in filtering. Head-Fi, Nov 2018
2018-11-11Watts describes his homemade TT2 speaker adaptors and annealed 16-core PTFE silver-plated copper speaker cables, and says he mostly listens to classical, electronica and prog rock. Head-Fi, Nov 2018
2018-11-20Watts says 2 m standard 75 ohm cables sound a bit better than 1 m, but he has no evidence shorter cables reduce dropouts. Head-Fi, Nov 2018
2018-11-23Watts says the suggested setup should work and agrees better transparency comes from terminating the loudspeaker cables directly. needs context Head-Fi, Nov 2018
2018-11-26Watts says he has not compared optical cables recently, but previously heard no change from cheap plastic to expensive glass fiber. Head-Fi, Nov 2018
2018-12-12Watts says the cable depth difference was easily heard, 350 dB is unmeasurable, any error is audible, and digital cables' RF creates audible noise floor modulation. Pursuit Perfect System 29:21
2018-12-13Watts explains 2 GHz ground-plane noise crossing the BNC isolation's 5pF; clip-on ferrites help Blu 2 but degrade the Hugo M Scaler, solid-core help slightly, cables beyond 2m don't. Head-Fi, Dec 2018
2018-12-13Watts says listening tests with Hugo, Hugo 2 and DAVE found no difference between USB cables, and the M scaler should be even less sensitive. Head-Fi, Dec 2018
2018-12-29Watts says Chord confirmed the BNC connector datasheet states 75 ohms, size differences come from dielectric constant, and 75 ohm cable is essential since M Scaler outputs are 75 ohms. Head-Fi, Dec 2018
2019-04-17Watts says ferrites on BNC cables raise common mode impedance, unlike a single-wire RF-to-heat device whose mechanism he doubts; he offers to test one. Head-Fi, Apr 2019
2019-04-17Watts says M scaler cables need 2GHz ferrites, and clip-on ferrites do not work on the Hugo M Scaler because 2GHz ferrites are built into its drivers. Head-Fi, Apr 2019
2019-04-17Watts heard no change from ferrites on USB, suggests trying 300 MHz types, says clip-ons surprisingly made the Hugo M Scaler brighter, and defends his honesty. Head-Fi, Apr 2019
2019-04-19Watts says chip ferrites in the coax ground corrupted data, but USB tolerates ground ferrites as differential signaling, which is why the M Scaler is isolated on the transmit side. Head-Fi, Apr 2019
2019-05-16Watts says a reviewer's hi-res dropouts came from an optical plug not fully clicked in, plastic fibers over 0.25 m may fail at 192 kHz, and rate changes cannot damage TT2. Head-Fi, May 2019
2019-07-05Watts says if it locks it is fine; optical switchers he has used work well, and an AB listening test can confirm no degradation. Head-Fi, Jul 2019
2019-11-25Watts says few DAC designers understand sampling theory or noise floor modulation, warns clip-on ferrites worsen the isolated M scaler, and says floating point creates noise floor modulation. Head-Fi, Nov 2019
2019-11-27Watts explains 2 GHz loop currents through the DAC ground plane, why clip-on ferrites stopped helping after his M scaler treatments, and why linear PSUs degrade sound. Head-Fi, Nov 2019
2019-11-27Watts says he uses solid-core ferrite cables at home but not when traveling with Hugo 2, TT2 or DAVE, and notes a battery-powered Hugo 2 avoids ground loops. Head-Fi, Nov 2019
2019-12-30Watts says his planned cable will use multiple individually insulated silver-plated PTFE solid cores, wound, annealed and silver soldered, and corrects a double negative to 'insensitive to the PSU'. Head-Fi, Dec 2019
2020-02-01Watts says SPDIF lock problems come from the cable design inducing noise into the receiver during electrical transients, and advises staying with the AudioQuest cable. Head-Fi, Feb 2020
2020-02-25Watts says cable length matters with DAVE because it requires sync, while his other DACs use the AES3 dual data flag and need no exact sync. Head-Fi, Feb 2020
2020-03-12Watts says Hugo 2 batteries are robust, advises using its own volume rather than a passive, and says certified USB cables suffice; heard differences are placebo or RF noise. Head-Fi, Mar 2020
2020-04-23Watts says solid ferrite cores should resonate above 2 GHz, the lowest impedance at 100 MHz indicates that, clip-on types make things worse, and cores belong near the cable shield. Head-Fi, Apr 2020
2020-04-26Watts says connector impedance mismatch does not matter thanks to reflection cancellation and the FPGA's 15 nS anti-glitch, but the cable itself must be 75 ohms. Head-Fi, Apr 2020
2020-05-26Watts says he does not need battery power at home because his Wave BNC cables give enough isolation that battery use brings negligible improvement. Head-Fi, May 2020
2020-05-27Watts says certified USB cables work at any length, he heard no difference among them, doubts audiophile cables, and found longer BNC cables better through reduced ground loop currents. Head-Fi, May 2020
2020-08-10Watts says 2 m BNC cables beat 1 m, solid-core 2 GHz ferrites help most, clip-on ferrites hurt with the M Scaler, and battery power breaks its ground loop. Head-Fi, Aug 2020
2020-08-11Watts explains that longer BNC cables or solid-core ferrites raise the RF impedance of the ground path from M Scaler to DAC, reducing circulating ground currents into the DAC. Head-Fi, Aug 2020
2020-08-13Watts estimates 2 m over 1 m BNC gives 25-33% of the ferrite gain, explains the ground loop, recommends Wave, and says other audiophile USB and BNC cables match or degrade certified ones. Head-Fi, Aug 2020
2020-08-15Watts says differing BNC lengths affect delay, not sound quality, and since Dave uses sync detection mismatches could cause drop-outs or failure of 705/768 kHz dual data operation. Head-Fi, Aug 2020
2020-08-16Watts says analog cables matter so he makes his own, and active balanced headphone outputs degrade transparency with no benefit given TT2's 9.3 V RMS and 5 A single-ended drive. Head-Fi, Aug 2020
2020-12-15Watts says it probably makes no difference, but he would put the BNC on the Qutest side, where mis-termination reflections have less effect. Head-Fi, Dec 2020
2021-03-20Watts says an optical-only DAC has about 0.1pF to ground, while HMS to TT2 has about 2pF through the BNC isolators, fixed by battery-feeding HMS or solid-core 2GHz ferrites. Head-Fi, Mar 2021
2021-03-31Watts says CD player differences may be RF pickup via power amps, 2GHz ferrites or cutting loops fix M scaler to TT2 noise, notes a migraine; ADC work continues. Head-Fi, Mar 2021
2021-04-02Watts says clip-on ferrites made his Hugo M Scaler sound brighter with poorer depth, suspects resonance with its internal 2GHz chip ferrites, and recommends solid-core ferrites. Head-Fi, Apr 2021
2021-04-02Watts says ferrites and inductors in the analog path cause level-dependent phase shift and hysteresis that upset transient timing, and a noisy M scaler FPGA inside a DAC is unwise. Head-Fi, Apr 2021
2021-04-03Watts says supply ferrites are fine, any trace of noise floor modulation seems audible so he expects desktop two-box, and stock cables with a battery M scaler matched Wave Stream. Head-Fi, Apr 2021
2021-04-05Watts says the DAC's single-ended output drives his B&W 803D3s with ample volume, and describes making speaker cable from twisted solid-core silver-plated wire annealed at 200 deg C. needs context Head-Fi, Apr 2021
2021-07-19Watts says ADC interpolator tests showed noise floor modulation audible near -360 dB, explains M scaler ferrites and Wave cables' solid ferrites, and suggests battery power plus optical for isolation. Head-Fi, Jul 2021
2021-08-13Watts says audiophile USB cables are unpredictable, while certified generic high-speed USB cables should be length independent, though he has not used one longer than 2m. Head-Fi, Aug 2021
2021-10-13Watts advises certified USB cables over DIY, says audiophile cables can add RF brightness, explains ground-plane RF currents and Mojo's ferrites, and suggests an optical test. Head-Fi, Oct 2021
2021-10-18Watts covers phone RF loops with Mojo, USB cable dressing, 2G buzz, Netflix audio, USB galvanic isolators in desktop DACs and M Scaler, and why brighter cables mean more noise. Head-Fi, Oct 2021
2021-10-20Watts uses Dolby off on Shield, says 2go is not his project, recommends a power bank for Hugo 2 desktop use, and describes his DIY solid-core PTFE interconnects. Head-Fi, Oct 2021
2021-10-21Watts says longer M Scaler BNC cables sound better by suppressing 2GHz ground current, 2m beats 1m markedly, his PowerAdd supplies while charging, and the app sends 192k. Head-Fi, Oct 2021
2021-10-22Watts says supplied BNC cables are starters; 2GHz ferrites, Wave cables or battery power cure ground currents; Qutest uses Mojo's output stage; M Scaler was developed with TT2 and DAVE. Head-Fi, Oct 2021
2021-11-17Watts says solid core matters for analog cables because oxidized strands make impedance vary with signal level, upsetting depth, but digital cables should be certified ones of correct impedance. Head-Fi, Nov 2021
2021-11-18Watts describes his DIY speaker cable of 16 annealed PTFE-insulated 0.6mm silver-plated solid cores, recommends 0.4mm for interconnects, and says speakers need setting within one inch. Head-Fi, Nov 2021
2021-12-24Watts says solid-core cable both brightens tonal balance through transparency and warms it by reducing grain; with the more revealing Hugo 2 the warmth likely wins over Mojo. Head-Fi, Dec 2021
2022-02-13Watts says battery power on the M Scaler removed his need for ferrited BNC cables, and Wave cables removed the need for batteries, both cutting GHz ground currents into DAVE. Head-Fi, Feb 2022
2022-02-19Watts comments on a poster's DIY cable, saying speaker cable impedance down to milliohms affects bass damping and thick cores brighten through skin effect, hence multiple insulated solid cores. Head-Fi, Feb 2022
2022-02-19Watts says an adaptor costs a little transparency through extra contacts, and Mojo 2 shuts down after 10 minutes without SPDIF lock or USB VBUS, by design. Head-Fi, Feb 2022
2022-02-26Watts reports 6.5 hours powering his M Scaler from a new power bank, warns against its DC out for Hugo 2, and explains annealing his DIY PTFE-insulated cable. Head-Fi, Feb 2022
2022-04-08Watts says -301 dB phase measurements are digital-domain only, analog paths suffer small-signal non-linearities, and he recommends multiple 0.6mm solid-core PTFE silver-plated conductors for speaker cables and 0.4mm for interconnects. Head-Fi, Apr 2022
2022-04-10Watts describes twisting eight PTFE solid cores per conductor, hopes to finish the xM scaler and ADC later this year, and says the next ADC prototype will take ribbon mics. Head-Fi, Apr 2022
2022-04-25Watts says TT2 and M Scaler can be stacked, but are better apart with Wave or solid-ferrite BNC cables; use high gain unless IEMs hiss; avoid wireless subwoofer links. Head-Fi, Apr 2022
2022-04-26Watts advises high gain into a power amp, keeping units on Wave cables apart to avoid capacitive coupling and cable ends touching, and says TT2 tolerates running warm continuously. Head-Fi, Apr 2022
2022-05-07Watts prefers optical over coax, uses regular optical cables plus a 2m Lifatec optical cable for 192k and Wave Stream BNC cables on the M scaler, and sees no benefit in I2S or balanced. Head-Fi, May 2022
2022-06-27Watts says 5m BNC cables work fine, and a 5m plastic KableDirekt Toslink worked at 192k on his scaler, sounding identical to his 2m glass Lifatec cable. Head-Fi, Jun 2022
2022-06-27Watts says he bought the 2m Lifatec optical cable for lab convenience and the 5m KableDirekt to test it, which may suit recording sessions. Head-Fi, Jun 2022
2022-07-22Watts says a 50 ohm BNC connector would not matter, as its 100 pS reflections cancel against a 2000 pS rise time, but cables should be 75 ohm. Head-Fi, Jul 2022
2022-10-03Watts says USB sounding different from optical on TT2 is RF noise through the isolator's 2pF coupling, causing brightness, and a £9.29 5m plastic optical cable equals his glass one. Head-Fi, Oct 2022
2022-11-06Watts says the adaptor will technically work fine but he does not know if it sounds best, and suggests trying alternatives. needs context Head-Fi, Nov 2022
2022-12-10Watts says a 5m KabelDirect and 2m Lifatec plastic optical cable both work at 192k and sounded identical on the M Scaler in careful AB tests. Head-Fi, Dec 2022
2022-12-13Watts says audiophile USB cables add RF or sound identical, optical (KableDirekt) is best, a phone or battery laptop is the reference source, and Wave Stream cables help. Head-Fi, Dec 2022
2023-01-06Watts says with a Poweradd powerbank and optical on the M Scaler, quality BNC sounded like Wave Stream, since no ground currents can reach the DAC's ground plane. Head-Fi, Jan 2023
2023-01-12Watts says star earthing's 2uH is 25,000 ohms at 2 GHz; adaptors are fine but long cables should be 75 ohm, and his short 50 ohm cables never drop out. Head-Fi, Jan 2023
2023-03-26Watts says residual unmeasurable noise floor modulation is audible as warmth and smoothness changes, explaining power supply differences and why USB cables or optical versus USB sound different. Eric's Hi-Fi 32:01
2023-06-18Watts says an isolated power bank or Wave cables break the M Scaler's GHz ground loop, longer standard BNC sounds better via common mode inductance, and Krisdonia sounded worse. Head-Fi, Jun 2023
2023-06-21Watts says the M Scaler passed EMC tests, the reported problem is likely 50 to 104 MHz rather than GHz, and suggests trying stock or Belden BNC cables. needs context Head-Fi, Jun 2023
2023-09-04Watts names the Bixpower BP90-12v as the best-sounding pack, used only on flights; supplied PSU and Wave cables sound the same with optical input. Head-Fi, Sep 2023
2023-10-01Watts says the cables had been changed. needs context The Source AV 19:29
2023-10-01Watts says the visitor had changed the headphone cables, and that cables make a difference. needs context The Source AV 19:31
2023-10-01Watts says the visitor changed the cables back and, after 30 seconds of listening, the headphones sounded the same. needs context The Source AV 19:35
2024-02-26Watts says stock optical, a 5m Kabeldirekt and expensive glass fiber all work at 192 and sound identical, with no technical reason to differ on his DACs. Head-Fi, Feb 2024
2024-03-20Watts introduces his new seminar 'Digital Isn't' and the myth that digital cables and sources cannot change sound because the data is bit perfect; he says they can. MFG Audio Reviews 0
2024-03-20Watts says a digital cable's RF characteristics, especially if not impedance matched, change RF noise, and RF current through the DAC ground plane to the mains creates small voltage drops. MFG Audio Reviews 17:23
2024-03-20Watts says current needs a loop to flow; ferrites on connections reduce it by raising impedance, and fully battery-operated setups prevent it entirely. MFG Audio Reviews 18:51
2024-03-20Watts says his powerful MSI design computer shows substantial differences between optical and BNC, and in his tests high-end USB cables tend to sound brighter by increasing RF noise. MFG Audio Reviews 25:32
2024-03-20Watts says USB cables are costly to design; good audiophile ones sound identical to generic cables, bad ones add RF noise and sound brighter, and optical fiber type is irrelevant. MFG Audio Reviews 26:16
2024-03-20Watts says optical cables working at 192 kHz sound the same with his DACs, unlike jitter-sensitive DACs, then calls 'linear supplies are best' his most contentious myth. MFG Audio Reviews 27:01
2024-05-10Watts defines noise floor modulation as noise pumping with the signal, says it sounds artificially bright yet seems more transparent, is audible below measurable limits, and explains why digital cables sound different. Reactcore 0
2024-05-16Watts says 200-plus-component RF filters at Quartet's input and supply output keep RF out of Quartet and DAVE; stopping circulating currents makes BNC cable quality irrelevant. ConvinceMeAudio 2:12
2024-05-16Watts says the noise does not leak into the mains, so it sounds like battery power and BNC cables matter less than with the Hugo M Scaler. ConvinceMeAudio 10:47
2024-05-16Watts says it depends on the splitter, which should have 75 ohm resistors; a splitter he bought 10 days ago lacked them and did not work. ConvinceMeAudio 13:15
2024-05-16Watts says a splitter with the resistors works, since the 4 volt output drops to 2 volts and 1 volt is needed, but he has not found one to recommend. ConvinceMeAudio 13:53
2024-05-16Watts says this isolates Quartet (phrase partly garbled), giving much better sound quality and less need to worry about BNC connections. The Speaker Shack 5:00
2024-06-18Watts says Quartet links over BNC like the M Scaler but has three FPGA isolation stages to its one, making it less sensitive to BNC cables. article, Jun 2024
2024-07-12Teaser clip: Watts says 100 meters of poor cable and a short audiophile cable measured no different in distortion but sounded massively different in detail resolution and depth. HIFICLUB 0
2024-07-12Watts says with analog simple is better; interconnects, speaker cables, solder joints and plating matter, yet 100 meters of poor cable measured no distortion difference from a short audiophile cable. HIFICLUB 25:48
2024-07-12Watts says such cables sounded massively different; silver-plated vs standard copper, high-purity solder and gold vs tin phonos are audible because of small-signal errors. HIFICLUB 26:39
2024-07-12Watts says cables measure the same but sound different because the brain perceives tiny errors, which is why minus 301 dB accuracy is needed and analog must stay simple. HIFICLUB 27:26
2024-07-12Watts says the M Scaler was noticeably sensitive to BNC cables (ferrites helped) and sources, from current injected into the DAC despite galvanic isolation; a battery power bank solves it. HIFICLUB 45:42
2026-03-17Watts says in the 1980s he designed interconnect and loudspeaker cables and found high-purity copper, silver solder and silver plating improved depth and detail. ecoustics 45:56
2026-03-17Watts says copper oxide is non-linear, attenuating small signals more, like noise shapers, yet 100 meters of poor cable measured no more distortion than one meter of silver-plated PTFE solid-core. ecoustics 46:39
2026-03-17Watts says that since errors matter down to 300 dB, cable losses will never be measurable, and putting a number on an error explains its effect. ecoustics 47:23
2026-03-17Watts says this explains why cables make a big difference while their effects can never be measured. ecoustics 48:04
2026-03-17Watts says it is small-signal non-linearity: in twisted, oxidized stranded cable, small-signal current flows around the individual strands. ecoustics 51:38
2026-03-17Watts says larger signals break through the oxide so strands connect, giving small signals higher inductance and different timing, and for small signals oxidized cable behaves like Litz wire. ecoustics 52:17
2026-03-17Watts says speaker or interconnect cables, but at CanJam he was talking about mains cables. ecoustics 53:46
2026-03-17Watts says RF noise reaching the analog parts is the main reason digital cables change the sound, at least in his DACs, which are completely jitter tolerant. ecoustics 1:03:17
2026-03-24Watts says even the cabling went through half a dozen prototypes to find the best construction and best sounding cable, as tiny details matter. needs context Audio Force 27:12
2026-05-03Watts says the built-in 4.4 mm connector sounds better than adapters, since any metal-to-metal interface hurts detail and depth, and adds a programmable USB-C charging option. Audio Force 21:35
2026-10-17Watts lists Quartet's hardware problems: heat removal, nine prototypes, over 2,000 components, BNC cables sounding the same, and a supply as good as battery power. article, Oct 2026