You might not expect USB cables to sound different — but they do
During AudioQuest's recent visit, they showed us their line of USB cables. These cables definitely have a high-quality look and feel, but we wondered how noticeable any sonic improvements would be. The proof was in the listening. In a direct comparison to a free-in-the-box USB cable, the AQ cable delivered greater bass extension, along with more bass and mid-bass detail. The soundstage opened up and vocals sounded more natural.

A high-quality USB cable is a great way to connect your desktop or laptop computer to a high-end audio digital-to-analog converter. Playing high-res music files demands more of USB cables than routine tasks like printing text or scanning photos. For USB audio, as with all digital audio signals, it's critical to maintain accurate timing. This cable can reduce the timing errors or "jitter" that often makes digital music sound less clear and rich and three-dimensional.

Paying attention to every detail
AudioQuest Carbon is the USB cable for music addicts. It's carefully engineered, made with top-notch materials, and tested through hours and hours of listening. One way AQ improves the audio performance of its digital cables is by adding a thin layer of silver plating to the solid copper wires. When it comes to conducting signals, silver is the best-performing metal — better than either copper or gold. Carbon's silver-plated conductors are designed to reveal more high-frequency detail.

If you enjoy listening to digital music files on a high-end audio system, you'll be surprised at the difference AQ's USB cables can make.