NEWS: Furutech Announces Audiophile-Grade USB 2.0 and 3.0 Cables
August 24th, 2009 -- by Chris Martens
Source: AVGuide
Source: AVGuide
Tokyo, Japan-based Furutech Co., Ltd. has announced the release of two new series of audiophile-grade USB cables: the GT2 USB 2.0 cable and the more highly specified GT3 USB 3.0 cables. According to a Furutech press release, both are “designed for enthusiasts with growing music collections on their computer hard drives.”
The Furutech release goes on to say that the company recognizes that “more and more people have amassed large collections of music on their computer hard disks, and there are an increasing number if USB-input DACs to serve them,” leading to growing interest in high-performance, computer/USB-driven music systems. Furutech believes those systems are potentially “capable of smooth and detailed sound,” but argues—not surprisingly—that “you need quality, well-engineered and built USB cables to get there.”
The GT2-series cables feature Furutech’s signature Alpha-process, silver-plated, OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) conductors sheathed in a “special-grade high-density polyethylene insulation/dielectric.” The main conductors are in turn surrounded by a three-layer shielding system. The cables provide a cable wrap that “includes damping and insulating materials keeping mechanical ringing from affecting the sound,” and terminated with “24k gold-plated USB 2.0 connectors said to improve grip and to keep “mechanical and electrical distortion at bay.” The higher specification GT3 cables are designed along similar lines to the GT2 cables, but provide a more elaborate five-layer shielding system.
The Furutech release lists the following highlights for the GT2 USB cables:
- Main conductor: Silver-plated (Alpha) OCC Conductors.
- Main insulation/dielectric: Special-grade high-density polyethylene.
- 3-layer shield construction for improved noise insulation.
- Connectors: Furutech-engineered 24k gold-plated USB series connectors.
- The best damping and insulation materials for improved frequency extension and tonal balance.
Three types of GT2 USB cables will be offered:
- GT2 USB-A (Type0 A-A)
- GT2 USB-B (Type A-B)
- GT2 USB-mini B (Type A-mini-B)
Two types of GT3 USB cables will be offered:
- GT3 USB-A (Type0 A-A)
- GT3 USB-B (Type A-B)
Standard and special-order GT2 and GT3 cable lengths will be as listed, below:
- Standard cable lengths: 0.6m (2ft), 1.2m (4ft), 1.8M (6ft), 3.6m (12ft), and 5.0m (16.5ft).
- Special-order cable lengths: 7.0m (23ft) and 10.0m (33ft) by request.
Pricing and availability: Both GT2 and GT3 USB cables will become available in mid-September 2009. Prices for GT2 models will range form $80 (for .6m version) to $180 (for the 5m version).
For more information, visit: www.furutech.com
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Comments
Um Yeah.... USB is a digital data transfer medium. No amount of "damping" or insulation supremacy is going to make any difference at all to the "frequency extension" or "tonal balance" of "music" passsed through these cables because there is no music passed through these cables. Ones and zeros - data bits - that is it. And there is error correction to make sure none of those ones and zeros gets missread.
How do people who sell stuff like this sleep with themselves at night? Do they think it is OK to take advantage of people who are gullible just because they are more educated than those people? For shame. Just another scam product like "audiophile quality" power cords!!! If you would like to challenge me on my harsh criticism of this product (yes I admit I haven't even tried it) I will be happy to back-up my assertions with engineering calculations showing the absurdity of the whole concept of this product. Bring it on!
I have been looking into this issue (i.e., premium power cables, etc.) for a couple of months now and have some additional thoughts that I hope you'll consider. 1. the cable can conduct not only the direct signal intended to pass through it; it can also conduct EMI/RFI (certainly via power cords and, I expect via interconnects as well). Certainly shielding is a feature that you would acknowledge is essential in certain applications (such as digital info transfer). 2. the quality of the terminations can impact the quality of the data transmission (e.g., although an indirectly related area (video transmission), I have just had the experience of having to have a Samsung flat panel display replaced in an LCD monitor. The point of failure on the replaced panel was the connector on one of the two ribbon cables - shoddy QC didn't uncover a slight misalignment that microvibrations eventually worsened and created some loss in pixel transmission onto the screen). This leads to 3. microvibrations can impact data transmission (in addition to the clear impact it plays with sonic transmissions).
I'm still learning more about the area (will for some time to come). However, there are differences that make sense (and are clearly sonically perceptible).
Happy listening!
Thanks Real World EE for your brilliant insights on cable design. Especially coming from a open-minded guy that has compared a stock USB cable with this one from Furutech.... Oh, wait, you haven't heard it. Ok. The important thing is that cables, for home applications, are all the same. Shame on the industry that put holes in the pockets of gullible people!! A stock cable of 5 bucks sounds exacl the same as another from Transparent Audio, MIT, Tara Labs etc that costs $10.000+ These industries depend on a few very rich and gullible ones. Steve Jobs comes to mind. He must be very ignorant and gullible too, for for he's an audiophile with one of the most expensive systems on this earth, including wires (digital and otherwise) that costs some serious dollars. Oh, wait, he's one of the most educated and influential people on this planet. Speaking of which, it may come as a shock but, did you know there are some people saying that the world is... round?? Not flat, round!! Talk about absurdity!!
I am glad someone borught up the issue of EMI/RFI coupling into cables. For analog signal cables, EMI/RFI coupling can cause serious problems. For digital cables - no normal EFI/RFI in a home environement is not going to cause any problem at all. The threshold levels set for bit detection are very robust and include anticipated noise for EMI/RFI coupling. Anything outside of the normal or anticipated noise will be corrected via Error Detection / Correction alogrithms.
Back to analog for a minute... Shielded or other forms of high end power cables are ridiculous for so many reasons. I will specify a few. 1st, how many miles do you think the A/C signal has passed in a completely unshielded manner? Figure tens or hundreds miles easily. And once that signal is inside your house, is it shielded then? Once again the answer is no. The A/C signal travels through solid copper wires known as Romex cable. Not shielded, not even twisted, so how can connecting the last six feet of this path with super high tech wire make any possible difference at all? The simple answer is it cannot. And the manufacturers of you fine audio equipment know that and take care of it. Which brings us to my second point, In almost all audio equipment, the A/C signals comes in and immediately gets changed in voltage level through transformers or switching power supplies, then gets rectified and finally filtered to DC. Say "bye bye" to any EMI/RFI that made it in through the noisy A/C source.
If you buy an expensive power cable for your audio equipment to make it sound better - you have been outwitted and ripped off of your hard earned cash. And if you think it sounds better you have even fooled yourself!
Thank you Real World EE (previous poster) for bringing a sane point of view to the insanity being put forth by so-called high-end cable manufacturers! As you say, USB is a digital signal whose signaling protocols include built-in error correction for the bits that pass through it. A bit is a bit. If it's a one then it will come through as a one and the error checking and correction mechanisms verify that it is a one. No need to worry about interference because if there is enough background radiation interference to actually, well, interfere with the signal then the cable will actually stop working altogether. These manufacturers are pulling the wool over the eyes of well-heeled A/V enthusiasts who don't know any better. Its snake oil, pure and simple and this kind of shady marketing makes me sick! Where has integrity gone in our culture?!? And I'm looking squarely at companies like yours, Furutech, when I ask that question.
Sheesh!