Sure, but a cage is a cage as I remember it. The item is completely enclosed, not just on one side.
Yep. Need to test to see if it does anything.
Iâll believe it when I see it.
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Ah, yes, you have the milspec version.
I just use an empty mylar potato chip bag left over from the MMA match.
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@prfallon69 - I think youâre right in your view that cables are very much in the âdiminishing returnsâ category, and you easily pay as much for a cable as a perfectly capable DAC, and I expected to find myself in your camp when I started this journey, but unfortunately, I made the depressing personal discovery that cables definitely matter. Theyâre last on the list of things that matter, but they doâŚ
I always start from a position of skepticism for any piece of equipment, and I have bought and sold plenty of equipment I wanted/expected to like, but did not. The USB piece seemed particularly worthy of skepticism. There are reasonable points made in some of these white papers that purport to explain why it matters, but at the same time, being a fairly competent data analyst (and NOT an audio engineer), I also understand that technology and data can be manipulated and explained in ways that arenât quite correct, particularly to those who are not experts in the field.
With all of that said⌠The number one piece of data that matters here is your ears. Whether or not anybody can explain how or why USB cables matter is moot if you can hear the difference. If you have a highly-enough resolving system, I promise you will hear a difference. Whether you care, or feel one or the other is âbetterâ is more subjective, but the fact remains that there is a difference, and if there is a difference, then the cable matters in some way, by definition. Iâll be the first to say that I was disappointed to hear the difference. I actually wanted to plug in that Curious USB, throw on my cans, notice no difference at all, and never buy a USB cable again. But sure enough, the difference was immediate, and clear. Not life changing, mind you, but present and obvious.
I had a similar situation with power cables. Of all the things, that seemed the most likely to be complete hogwash. Itâs not. I cannot tell you how annoyed I am that a friggin power cable matters, and if now-me told two-years-ago-me that now-me has spent $200+ on a power cable, then two-years-ago-me would slap now-me in the face. But alas, it friggin matters 
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Iâm curious how running a dedicated AC line stacks up in impact compared to the other fine-tuning steps/gear.
So, I donât have a dedicated AC line in my home, but I do have a PS Audio Power Plant, which is theoretically the same thing - if not slightly better, as it isolates the individual outlets as well. That thing is, by far, the biggest non-dac/amp/headphone upgrade in my system, and Iâm never letting it go.
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Is there a rule of thumb on the recommended minimum value of the rest of the chain for $2500 to be spent on a Power Plant for example? It probably isnât sensible to plug an iFi Zen into a Power Plant.
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Oh, for sure - youâre 100% right 
I wouldnât touch this stuff until youâre in the TOTL headphone category with fairly high end DACs/amps (assuming that you already have a high quality source of CD quality, or better, music files). Thatâs obviously subjective, but would be my personal recommendation. For reference, I had a Focal Utopia, Chord Hugo 2, and custom NUC as a server/streamer before I bought the power plant to plug those all into. If I had to make up a rule of thumb, Iâd say something like âdonât buy a power plant until the rest of your major components are approximately equal or higher value - but when they are, definitely go grab a power plantâ. Howâs that? 
Also, fwiw, I tend to buy almost everything I have used, and you can definitely find a PS Audio Stellar Power Plant 3 in the $1400-1600 range if youâre patient, (like THIS ONE thatâs up on eBay, as of this writing).
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I can go with that! I also think that power management and clean power has a material impact, where there is value to having separate power supply units for example. $1400 to $1600 might be in the conversation for me down the line once I get some other aspects of my chain in order (analog things). Thanks for putting in the work and sharing your findings.
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I was just looking at PS Audioâs site and they have a very interesting trade in system, where they will give you quite a substantial discount if you send them your old equipment. For instance, I have a 20 year old B&K home theater receiver which, according to their own automated quote on their website, is worth a $660 discount on a new Power Plant 3, no matter what condition the receiver is in. That brings me down to $1539 for a brand new device, plus however much it costs me to ship the receiver to them. Quite a deal.
Regarding @bpcarbâs question about a dedicated AC line, does anyone know if the electrician can snake the new line into an existing outlet, without having to rip up dry wall? I think my wifeâs patience with my new hobby/obsession will wear thin if I have to tear down the walls vs just buying a new device like the Power Plant 3.
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Paul is asking to hold his beer. Iâm also not quite ready to try my wifeâs patience with the suggestion of ripping dry wall. This video might answer our questions (thereâs also a part 2).
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I suppose Iâm an optimistic skeptic, i.e. I donât necessarily believe in the voodoo, but I would be pretty happy if the voodoo actually works. To your point, I honestly didnât expect the USB cable to be different and was astounded at how big a difference there was.
I donât see any of this as being any different from replacing a tube, or a piece of electronic equipment:
- Listen to the new thing. Can you hear a difference? This is based on fact.
- Do you like the difference? This is based on opinion.
- Is the difference worth what you paid for it? This is based on a number of variables, including how much âplay moneyâ you have for things like this, or whether you can recoup some or all of the cost if you sell it again.
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Well reasoned and presented. If ripping up dry wall is required and yields better sonics at a cheaper cost, your better half can be convinced (permission versus forgiveness?) assuming aesthetics and structural integrity are maintained. 
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Hi @andris, I am very much in the Subjective camp myself but I do also take into account measurements. I have an open mind regarding most things. I own a couple of boutique cables around the $200 mark for some of my iems and I think I can hear a difference for the better. Though I do openly admit it may very well be placebo and expectation bias.
With regards the other things you have mentioned I cannot really pass comment on them as I donât have any experience in those components (well upgrading them). I remain open minded as always.
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I would also consider future purchases. If this is a hobby, and you plan on expanding your setup, a Power Plant would be a good pickup. At least a Stellar P3. I have a P12 and a P5. P12 in the main setup, and a P5 in the office.
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Good point about also considering future purchases. Weâre on the same page, but I erroneously neglected to specify earlier. Have you found these Power Plants to allow you to avoid having to run a dedicated AC line?
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I have a 20A dedicated line in the main system with a P12, and a shared 15A circuit with the P5. If all readings are accurate on the instruments (Power Plant graphs) the dedicated line with the P12 measures about 02-0.3% less incoming THD. Outbound THD is the same for both at 0.1% THD.
The dedicated line to 10 gauge wire was also important due to voltage drop. The OEM house build 14 gauge wire would loose a few volts along the way. My main system is on the other corner of the house in reference to the Main Panel. Instead of getting 120v, Iâd often get only 116V.
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If we were talking about wine, Iâd make a reference to purity of fruit. Your electrical situation sounds exquisite.
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I have no complaints at this point, but I had to have Edison check their gear a couple of times. Things have been great over the past 18 months. Years ago (pre-2012), I was getting an overvoltage condition and sent them pictures of the overvoltage as displayed on a Belkin Power Conditioner. (136V). Turns out a capacitor type device at the switching station to boost neighborhood voltage wasnât returning to normal in times of off peak demand. At night, voltages would regularly exceed 126v. They also replaced a couple of our neighborhood transformers (one which happens to be in my utility easement).
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