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Back with the HD800 in tow, I paired the ultra-brilliant AURALiC Vega with its own Taurus and found the D1 to provide a more even and less treble-tipped tonal balance. The magnitude of these differences lay somewhere between the stack o’ Schiit and the PS Audio/AURALiC/LCD-X rig.
Switching headphones to MrSpeakers Alpha Dogs didn’t convince me in either direction. Neither ‘filtering' nor ‘separating’ was preferred. Those two flavours held equal merit.
Subsequently returning to the smoother more laid-back DirectStream DAC made the USB cable choice more clear cut: the greater top-end sizzle of the LightHarmonic stepped forward as the more system-copacetic of the two; but only just.
Into the speaker zone. With a Redgum Black Series RGi35ENR providing amplification and the Aqua La Scala MKII on DAC duties, the Zu Soul MKII’s keener drier lower treble called out the D1 as the more appropriate choice whereas a pair of Magnepan MMG benefited from the LightSpeed’s thinner tonal mass and cleaner separation. Switching amplifiers to the thicker-aired Redgum RGi60 pushed my preference toward the LightHarmonic cable on both the Magnepan and Zu speakers.
Drawing upon analogies with adult beverages to summarize each cable’s essence, the LightSpeed is champagne. It’s fizzy and fast with a brain-zapping head rush. Whilst these qualities might create more initial excitement and result in a greater number of A/B shootout victories, the TotalDAC D1 isn’t to be dismissed. It's a slow burner. Think of it as a heavier-hitting Cabernet Sauvignon that intoxicates on a deeper level.
Nowhere were these differences more discernible than with the Resonessence Labs Concero HD firing into the Alpha Dogs. Massive Attack’s "Splitting The Atom" also split audible flavours. Do you want the TotalDAC D1 for its plumper rear or the LightSpeed for its ability to tease out finer details? Your call, mister.
See-sawing inclinations like these remind us. Just like their loudspeaker and interconnecting brethren, USB cables don’t exist in isolation. They’re part of a longer chain of command. Your preference for the LightHarmonic LightSpeed or TotalDAC D1 will depend heavily on the personality traits of your ancillary equipment. That the French fella will run you roughly half the green of the American whilst easily besting printer-quality USB cables on inner spaciousness and tonal saturation may well be the clincher for some.
