I give you Computeraudiophile.com, for audiophoolery in the digital domain.

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Today I found myself on an audio forum reading batshit craziness (for reasons that are too long to get into a second time after my f'ing browser ate the post I'd already started), and I felt the need to share it with others who could appreciate it (ie, you, my fellow EEVblog forum denziens).

I came to this audio forum by way of a Google search in the quest for information on the ICs used in some corning optical USB3 extension cables. Despite being devoid of the teardown analysis I was hoping for, the thread on said cables is priceless beyond measure, even by audiophool standards.

This early post contains a concentrated dose of dazzling digital-domain audiophoolery:

I've been using the 10 meter Corning cable, $109 for six months, and highly recommend it.

Currently, my high level config looks like this:

Asus Router> EMOsystem EN70HD> QNAP HS-250 NAS running tweaked Windows 8.1 with Minimserver & Minimstreamer> TPLINK MC210CS x2> SOTM SMS100> AQvox cable> Corning USB 3 10 meter cable> Gustard U12> 1.5 Grover Huffman AES/EBU cable to Auralic Vega DACAES input

All ethernet connections are BlueJeans cable CAT6A, with shortest possible lengths between devices. The QNAP and SMS-100 are powered with separate LPSs and are isolated on the AC power side with isolation transformers, as are the TPLINK power supplies.

I believe that USB galvanic isolation has been achieved using the Aqvox male to female connector with a Keces external power supply delivering a clean 5 volts to light the Corning cable.

The Corning cable has been blind tested, against the standard Belkin Gold cable, and in 5 trials won 4 and tied once. There have been no tests against the many high end audio USB cables.

I can confirm that the Corning cable contains a USB hub, so the signal is re-clocked on the way out of the cable. I also learned that some USB receivers will not work with the Corning cable. This is true with my Auralic Vega. There is an easy fix. Just add another hub between the Endpoint device and the Corning cable. A j5 create - 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub - BlackModel: JUH340 from Best Buy works great. I am looking forward to trying Superdad's Regen product for this purpose. My Gustard U12 does not have this problem.

Anyway, there is a theory that using multiple re-clocking devices adds to sounds quality. It certainly has in my system. My guess is that there are at least 4 USB hubs in my USB signal chain. I read somewhere that someone is using multiple Mutec MC3s this way. I can't find the direct reference, so Google is your friend here.

Since owning the Corning cable, hundreds of tweaks have been done upstream from the Corning cable. Most of these have been Windows tweaks. Never has the Corning USB been an obstacle to improving sound quality.

My theory is that the Corning cable works so well because it regenerates the electrical signal in the connector directly behind whatever device is connected. There is essential no potential for corruption of the signal on it's path, and when it arrives it's integrity is very high.

Altogether, my digital front-end delivers a wide, tall and deep sound stage with the Corning cable. On tracks with great depth, like the Cowboy Monkeys "Hard to Explain" it is just completely immersive.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Note: that he has his NAS on a linear PSU powered from mains by way of an isolation transformer!

Another nice bit is that the "Gustard U12" is a device that exists to (unnecessarily) reclock the audio bitstream arriving over USB via the Corning extension cable which, he believes, has improved his system (in 4 out of 5 blind-tests he self-administered) by re-clocking the USB data.  One might think repeated reclocking redudant, but not our commenter. He is aware of a "theory" that "using multiple re-clocking devices adds to sounds quality," testifying that "It certainly has in my system."

The above commenter isn't alone, of course, his shares his capacity for self-delusion, and a number of other delusions, with many of the other commenters.

Some are quite concerned that the opto-electric transceiver at the far end of cable receives power from the host-end over copper conductors, thereby tainting the purity and essence of the digital signal that emerges. Some had ordered ferrites to try and fix the problem, but I didn't bother finding out if it produced a noticeable (I didn't say measurable) result. I wouldn't be surprised if someone, somewhere, has started modding these cables to enable a separate supply for each transceiver for the very reasonable price of $300 (a 300% markup), not including the cost of the power supply (linear, natch, available for a modest $100 more).

The thread in question has continued for over a year. Earlier this month, a commenter posted that he was using one of these Corning cable to connect to an external HDD enclosure, and what do you know, it made an obvioius difference in the sound of his system. In his own words:

Yes I did, Corning has its signature characteristics, as almost any upgrade cable. Currently I use Corning to connect external HDD with mac mini. In my system/setting it gives fast, clean, detailed and neutral sound. Sweet highs, not much weight and body though. It may differ with various components.

All that said, I wondered if the whole site isn't an elaborate troll. If it is, it must to be computer generated, because there is a lot of activity. Perhaps more plausible is that a small minority of trolls is goading the rest of the participants into greater and greater extremes of self-deception and mass delusion.

One way or another, its amazing and horrifying at the same time.