Forest USB-A > B

I have been skeptical on these high end cables but no longer. I can tell a noticeable improvement over a budget cable. Although this is an entry level cable among a wide choice of high end cables I’m very pleased and I’m glad I bought it.

I bought this product with the mindset of that there would be a 50/50 chance it might work or might be a waste of money (based on research and other reviews). I decided to give it a try considering it is not terribly expensive compared to the higher end cables (the cinnamon, diamond, carbon, Wireworld, etc). I just did an A/B test on my Macbook Pro on uncompressed wave files using an RME Babyface and higher-end Yamaha headphones. There is actually a positive difference. But I am sure that if I was not in a critical listening environment, such as doing audio file editing, and without an alternative present, I would have not noticed. This will probably make the smallest difference in your signal chain after your source, interface, monitoring method, and other gear. If you are not sure what to listen for or have a modest to poor sound system or setup then you will say it is a waste of money, and rightfully so. If you have a sub-$100 pair of headphones and sub-$500 interface, you will probably not hear any difference because your gear is not clear enough to even get that level of detail that these cables affect. My advice is to buy the cable are try it if you are not sure, and be wiling to lose a small amount for return shipping if you are unsatisfied, which is what I tried. I would also suggest that you first invest heavily in all the other gear you have before even considering buying a higher-end USB cable. I listened primarily to orchestral recordings that I am in the process of editing together to remove mistakes and background noise. The separation between different instruments, even in the same section, is clearer. For example, I can hear the lower of two harmonized flutes as an individual instrument now, rather than as just a smeared harmony as before. I can also hear solo instruments over an orchestra better--the separation between sounds is just clearer now. Stereo imaging and instrument positioning seems wider, clearer, and more accurate, although I am not sure why this is. The sound is just more "focused". It seems that the whole idea of digital data just being the same no matter what cable it goes down is true. What most people ignore is that these cable manufacturers claim that it is the timing of the data down the cable that can create "jitter" in the audio. So a superior cable will sound clearer and more true to the source by the timing being more true. There must be something to this.

I've had some $5 cables work very well and some $20 cables cause issues. I think many of the higher levels of AudioQuest are wasteful and overkill, but I actually own two Forest cables because they are solidly built and I know what I'm getting. Of all the cables I've tried in the under $40 range, these have been the most consistent. It's true that all data being sent over a USB cable is 1s and 0s, but there's a big difference between data managed by the OS (files, control data for devices, etc.) and streaming music: Error correction. When the OS is moving a file between a computer and USB attached storage, for example, any data errors are identified and the corrupted data is resent. Music streamed to a DAC, on the other hand, is just blindly sent and accepted. Noise on the line can change some of those 0s to 1s and vice versa. That's not to say a well-made inexpensive USB cable could work just as all as an over-priced cable, but many cheaply made USB cables will indeed interfere with audio quality. If you have the ear, time, and patience, you could do well just to dump out your box of spare USB cables and test each one until you find one that works well.

Very well made cable that not only looks good, but delivers clear, crisp signal. I am using mine to run from my laptop to a Cambridge Audio DacMagic 100. I have several different types of AudioQuest cables, in fact I have replaced all my RCA cables with AudioQuest cables and I am very satisfied with them. Yes, they are more expensive than the cheap cables that come with most audio/visual components, but you will not regret spending the money. These cables will easily last the life of your equipment, provide excellent sound/data transfer and look terrific in the process. Highly recommended.

I bought this to replace the factory USB A to USB B cable that came with my audioengine 2+ speakers (used to connect to my MacBook Pro). I don't claim to have the ear of a true audiophile, but I've grown to like AudioQuest products after starting with some of their speaker cables for my Bowers & Wilkins CM series speakers. I guess I like the idea of knowing that I have the quality of an AudioQuest cable supplying the digital signal to the audioengine 2+ speakers, which have a built-in digital-to-analog converter (DAC) . Plus, the fact that this was available in short length helped tidy up the appearance of my desk. The only complaint I have is that I wish they made this in a USB C to USB B version, so that I wouldn't have to use a USB C to USB A adapter.

I have recently ordered 3 audio quest cables two forest and one cinnamon. None of the boxes were factory sealed and one even had a tape label on the box warning not to accept if seal is broken. This tape appeared to be placed on the box after it has been opened. This raised my suspicion. Now looking at the forest cable the word forest is written on the one side while the usb symbol is on the other, the image from audioquest has forest and the usb symbol on the same side.

Audioquest cables are great, immediate difference in sound quality- highly recommend.

It's not snake oil. The difference is cable brands is real.

Well made and should last a lifetime

From streamer to dac usb is the right way to go

Great cable

Keine Angst, jetzt kommt kein "Kabel-Voodoo". Ich wollte für meinen DAC nur ein ordentlich verarbeitetes USB-Kabel und fand das Preis-/Leistungsverhältnis bei diesem Artikel für angemessen. Es lässt sich ordentlich verlegen - sofern das bei 75cm maßgeblich ist - und die Steckverbindungen sind absolut stabil. Ansonsten macht es, was es soll: es kommen vorne Daten rein, hinten wieder raus und am Ende macht's Musik. ;-)

Zweifellos ein hochwertiges Kabel, welches noch dazu gut aussieht. Es funktioniert genau wie es soll und überträgt Datenpakete von A nach B. Dem Kabel aber eine hörbare klangverbessernde Wirkung zu entlocken, ist mir beim besten Willen und mit viel Optimismus nicht gelungen. Abgehört habe ich mit einem RME ADI-2 DAC sowie einer ProJect Pre Box S2 Digital und einem Fostex TH 900 MK2. Quelle Tidal Master und Amazon HD Music. Dabei lag Tidal Master teils bis zu 24Bit/384kHz (MQA) vor. Ich muss leider zugeben, und ich betone leider, denn ich hätte es wirklich zu gern gehabt, es gab bei mir keine positive (aber auch keine negative) Auswirkung auf den Klang im Vergleich zu einem ordentlichen Standard USB Kabel. Aber wie sollte es auch, werden doch vom Player (in meinem Fall der PC) zum DAC Daten digital in komprimierter Form, kodiert und paketiert übertragen und nicht als analoges NF Signal. Vielleicht hat mit einem hochwertigeren Kabel die Fehlerkorrektur im DAC etwas weniger Arbeit, was möglicherweise in einem saubereren, räumlicheren Klang münden könnte, ja das wäre denkbar aber selbst das konnte ich auch bei allem Optimismus nicht ausmachen. Freilich ist High-End auch immer etwas Philosophie und allein der Glaube kann einem ein verbessertes Klangempfinden bescheren, das ist wohl so und das ist ja auch völlig ok so. Bei wem das funktioniert, meine Kaufempfehlung für dieses Kabel, man macht damit keinesfalls etwas verkehrt, bei mir allerdings hat es leider nichts gebracht.