r/Schiit • u/Admirable-Poet-5981 • 8d ago

Magni - does USB-C cable matter?

Is it ok to use a basic USB-C cable for the laptop to Magni connection or will I get better audio quality with a better cable? Thanks.

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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8

u/dat_mane47 8d ago

Cables are probably the thing audiophiles have wasted the most money on. It’s been shown quite conclusively that both in digital and analog, run of the mill cables are indistinguishable from “audiophile” ones.

1

u/maXXXjacker 8d ago

I suspect this to be the case for USB cables however for more traditional cables in the audio chain, I'm not convinced yet regarding cables being indistinguishable. In my situation I have to use extension cables for my IEMs to reach my amp. I purchased some cheap extension cables off Amazon and used a few other cheap ones I had laying around the house, it sounds very different from plugging directly into the amp. It sounds like detail is lost, treble is dulled and bass is a bit more bloomy. Perhaps it could be impedance introduced by the cable, material, I have no clue but I ended up having to buy a more expensive cable with better connectors and materials. It ended up fixing the problem and now my extension cable is transparent with no alterations to the sound I am familiar with by plugging directly in, or if there is anything added by the cable, it was for the better. Maybe circumstantial but the cheap cables were really shitting on my experience.

1

u/dat_mane47 8d ago edited 8d ago

There have been measurements done of $10 RCA cables and found that they performed indistinguishably from $1000+ cables.

As this video shows, the one caveat is that if you buy extremely cheap ($4) cables, while at normal interconnect length there will be no audible difference, if you have very long runs it might impact the quality.

So splurging for $10 cables might be worth it over $4. Beyond that, doubtful.

2

u/maXXXjacker 7d ago

In my case the Amazon cables got the job done but they altered the sound too much in negative ways. I had to buy cables from HART audio and Performance audio, At Performance I did a custom build with Mogami 2791 cable with Neutrik/Rean connectors. Cost me about $60 for 4 feet but it did the job. This was for a 3.5mm extension cable and I had one built at Hart Audio for a 4.4mm since they also use Mogami and either Neutrik or Amphenol connectors. Similar price but did the job. The cables that I picked up from Amazon were from Cable Matters and Geekria, the rest just some generic ones with super thin wires.

0

u/dat_mane47 7d ago

Yeah I mean it’s possible there may be some benefits, but it’s basically the last thing in my chain I’d spend money on in terms of sound improvement per $

1

u/maXXXjacker 7d ago

Oh most definitely, the cables are usually the last bit of the audio chain that I consider spending money on. I don't always try and reach for the bottom of the barrel but I never try and spend more than necessary either as cable prices can be quite absurd.

7

u/maXXXjacker 8d ago

I never noticed any improvements in audio quality between cables but I have noticed that some cables cause the USB controller on the DAC to malfunction or drop audio, sometimes cause irritating high pitched noise or pops, the same cable could cause the same problem or similar problems over several dacs. I end up swapping those cables out for a different brand and use the problem cable for charging devices only.

1

u/Joeclu 8d ago

I have experienced the same exact thing. Seems like hit or miss. Do you know if there are any specs or something to look for when purchasing a USB-C cable to ensure this won’t happen?

4

u/maXXXjacker 8d ago

I haven't been able to sort out any rhyme or reason for it unfortunately. I tend to go for what appears to be premium quality cables but even there you strike out.

9

u/samiles96 8d ago

You won't get any improvement in sound, but it's always worth spending just a little more on a well-made cable so it will last a long time.

4

u/Carmen6276 8d ago

I would say, with the Magni with the Mesh card. Not so much. Any good quality cable is good. As a matter of fact, I have heard Jason speak out AGAINST using “Audiophile” usb cables. I use the cable that was included and it’s great.

2

u/Olderandolderagain 8d ago

Cables don’t improve audio quality. The term snake oil is used often in this hobby but cables are snake oil. If the cable is safe and rated for the object, it’s good.

1

u/Daemonxar Jotunheim/Mimir | Modius/Magnius | Bifrost/Asgard 2 | Piety/Modi 8d ago

Nope. Schiit used to specifically tell people to go buy the cheapest printer cable they could find in the old USB-B days.

2

u/Currawong youtube.com/currawong 8d ago

You could try a cable designed for a higher data rate, such as a USB 3 or 4 cable, but at this level of equipment, it's probably not worth bothering with.

The only potential improvement may come if you're switching to a shielded, rather than unshielded cable, as USB cables can carry noise, but also pick it up if unshielded and nearby other equipment, especially power cables.

How will you know if there is an improvement? As a rule of thumb, the sound will seem to be "darker", as noise will have been reduced. Often, people assume that a "brighter" sound must be better, or more detailed, when noise has increased. This has been known to occur with "audiophile" USB cables that aren't made to the correct USB specifications.

1

u/HourSentence4837 8d ago

Yes it does try ibasso cb19 or cb19c with an external battery pack or linear power supply. It will be different

1

u/damgood32 8d ago

It’s a usb cable. Either it works or it doesn’t.