AudioQuest Diamond USB A to C Cable
The AudioQuest Diamond USB Type A to C Cable with Solid 100% Perfect-Surface Silver Conductors is the ultimate expression of what a fine USB cable can be. Its multi-layer carbon-based noise-and crosstalk-dissipation system is unique to AudioQuest and shows their commitment to reference quality cable design.
USB cables have become ubiquitous in our lives and you would be hard placed to find anyone who doesn't own quite a collection. USB C is the new kid on the block, is smaller than most other variants and is, thankfully, reversible so there's no guessing which way around it goes, it just works every time.
AudioQuest's Diamond USB A to C cable is designed to either charge your USB C device or improve high-res signal transfer or both. The USB Type A plug is the standard one we have come to know and put up with on our computers and chargers. They are not reversible and it seems the odds are not in your favour when trying to insert one of these little suckers. It seems the wrong way is often the one you've chosen, only to have to turn the plug over and try again. Not easy when you're trying to reach behind equipment or computers to plug it in. Enter the USB C plug which is quite a lot smaller but is also, joy of joys, reversible so no matter which way you try and insert it is always correct. Big sighs of relief from cable connecting people all over the known universe.
USB C connections are fast becoming the norm on many devices because of their incredibly high transfer rate. This Diamond cable ensures those transfers also occur with minimal noise and interference. And the design also reduces the timing errors or "jitter" that can make digital music sound less focused.
Solid 100% Perfect-Surface Silver (PSS) Conductors: This top of the range Diamond USB cable is another great another example of the super talented AudioQuest research and development team hard at work. Perfect-Surface Technology applied to extreme-purity silver provides unprecedented clarity and dynamic contrast. Solid conductors prevent strand interaction, a major source of cable distortion. Extremely high-purity Perfect-Surface Silver minimizes distortion caused by the grain boundaries that exist within any metal conductor, nearly eliminating harshness and greatly increasing clarity compared to OFHC, OCC, 8N and other coppers. In addition, all conductors are controlled for RF noise directionality.
Multi-Layer Carbon-Based Noise-And-Crosstalk-Dissipation System: This cable's negative conductors are covered with partially conductive Carbon-Loaded Polyethylene. This remarkable material reduces radio-frequency garbage being fed back into the amplifier. The sonic benefit is exactly the same reduction in "hash" and improved dimensionality that comes whenever RF interference is reduced in an audio circuit. In addition, a carbon layer damps interaction between positive and negative conductors, and an external Carbon-Based NDS System reduces external interference.
72v Dielectric-Bias System (DBS): All insulation between two or more conductors is also a dielectric whose properties will affect the integrity of the signal. When the dielectric is unbiased, dielectric-involvement (absorption and non-linear release of energy) causes different amounts of time delay (phase shift) for different frequencies and energy levels, which is a real problem for very time-sensitive multi-octave audio. The inclusion of an RF Trap (developed for AudioQuest's Niagara Series of power products) ensures that radio-frequency noise will not be induced into the signal conductors from the DBS field elements.
Hard-Cell Foam Insulation: Hard-Cell Foam (HCF) Insulation ensures critical signal-pair geometry. Any solid material adjacent to a conductor is actually part of an imperfect circuit. Wire insulation and circuit board materials all absorb energy. Some of this energy is stored and then released as distortion. Hard-Cell Foam Insulation is similar to the Foamed-PE used in AudioQuest's Bridges & Falls cables, and is nitrogen-injected to create air pockets. Because nitrogen (like air) does not absorb energy and therefore does not release any energy from or into the conductor, distortion is reduced. In addition, the stiffness of the material allows the cable's conductors to maintain a stable relationship along the cable's full length, producing a stable impedance character and further minimizing distortion.
Direction-Controlled Conductors: All drawn metal strands or conductors have a non-symmetrical, and therefore directional, grain structure. AudioQuest controls the resulting RF impedance variation so that noise is drained away from where it will cause distortion. The correct direction is determined by listening to every batch of metal conductors used in every AudioQuest audio cable. When applicable, arrows are clearly marked on the connectors to ensure superior sound quality. For most models of AQ cable, the arrows not only indicate the direction that optimizes metal-directionality as part of Noise-Dissipation, but also indicates non-symmetrical attachment of shield and GND in order to optimize full-system performance. A fundamental aspect of AudioQuest's multifaceted Noise-Dissipation technology, Direction-Controlled Conductors ensure induced noise is dissipated and drained properly.
Our Take
When only the best is good enough the AudioQuest Diamond USB Type A to C cable is the one to have. This is the best USB cable AudioQuest know how to make and shows just how serious they are with the inclusion of Solid 100% Perfect-Surface Silver Conductors and the multi-layer Carbon-based noise-and crosstalk-dissipation system. This extreme level of technology sets it apart from lesser cables and should be strongly considered in ultra-high-end setups. Of course, the Diamond USB A to C cable can be used in a variety of settings and offers high speed combined with low noise and vanishingly low timing errors. And, as with all AudioQuest cables, the high standard of design and construction is basically unrivalled. If you want the very best, this should be at the top of your list.
Main Features & Specifications
- Design: USB Cable with Type A to Type C connections
- For use with laptops, mobile devices, external hard drives, DACs and more
- Allows connection with Type-C enabled devices such as the latest laptops and mobile devices
- Exceeds USB 2.0 high-speed data transfer specification
- Low-jitter design specifically for USB audio
- Solid 100% Perfect-Surface Silver Conductors
- Multi-Layer Carbon-Based Noise-And-Crosstalk-Dissipation System
- 72v Dielectric-Bias System (DBS)
- Strain-relief design for increased durability between plug and cable
- Length: 750mm
- Manufacturer's Warranty: 5 Years
- Learn more about AudioQuest
Note: Features & Specifications subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE.