AudioQuest Forest USB-B Cable
Priced only a few dollars more than generic USB cables, Audioquest Forest is a substantial improvement. Forest offers a far smoother & richer tonal balance, much greater resolution and a clearer sonic picture. The secret is in Audioquest's unyielding commitment to quality; every aspect of Forest's construction from the type of connectors used to the direction of the conductors has been scrutinized, auditioned, revised and perfected to create a cable that offers outstanding performance for a fraction of the cost of most audiophile designs.
"The AudioQuest Forest is very affordable by standalone cable standards, and it offers all-round improvements over bundled cables. Detail levels are markedly improved, there's greater precision and punch, and a general upgrade in musical expressiveness."
– What HiFi?
Metallurgy
Forest uses high-quality Long Grain Copper solid-core conductors. Long Grain Copper has far fewer imperfections than OFC copper for lower distortion and greater conductivity. LGC copper conductors are used in many Audioquest analog cables, providing a far smoother, richer and more dynamic sound than the terrible materials used in generic USB cables. LGC's lower distortion characteristics allow Forest to deliver greater resolution and musical energy with a noticeably lower noise floor. Forest is a directional cable, AQ listens to every primary signal conductor used in Forest to determine proper conductor orientation, this simple test yields a surprising improvement to sonic performance.
Digital Audio over USB
There are significant, audible differences between USB cables. We're not sure how this is possible, since USB is purported to be a purely digital interface, however, the sonic differences are repeatable and consistent from system to system. A better USB cable makes a better digital audio cable, period.
Termination
All Audioquest Indulgence series USB Cables are terminated by Wave Solder, a very high-precision soldering method originally developed for surface-mount applications in the computer industry. Wave Soldering is fast, efficient and has no human interaction, eliminating all conventional solder problems, creating a strong, reliable and electrically consistent connection. Wave Soldering is just one feature that makes Indulgence Series USB cables a far better choice than conventional USB Cables.
