Cracking the code of the humble usb cable…  Why does the humble usb cable make such a difference to sound quality in a computer-based Hi-Fi system? When I started using a computer server, people said “You won’t have to sweat over usb cables – they don’t make a difference!  It’s packets of data -  it’s not analog.”  With this advice ringing in my ears, I continued to question why I was getting a flat, lifeless, edgy and uninvolving sound from my system – despite using the best processor, usb card, power supply and so on. 

And yes, I did try a number of high-end, highly regarded usb cables – with similar disappointing results. So, if you can’t get genuine audiophile quality from many commercially available usb cables, what’s a man to do?