I’ve already reviewed Peter Grzybowski’s Triode Wire Labs “American” Speaker Cables from American Series as well as power cords. They’ve both received Mono and Stereo’s highly recommended product award for their price/performance value and impact.
When Peter Grzybowski offered the “Discrete” USB cable “Freedom” ethernet cables for review, I’ve happily obliged. Based on the positive outcome from the last two reviews I’ve had high expectations. Also, as many of you wanted to read about more affordable USB and ethernet cables both of the TWL’s cables seem like a perfect fit.
Let me briefly refresh the company history for those of you that this is the first encounter with the brand. The Triode Wire Labs is located in Massapequa Park, New York, and established with the clear goal to create the affordable, but highest quality high-end audio cables. The company was established by Peter Grzybowski (Triode Pete). Peter is a professional engineer with a B.S. from Clarkson University and an M.S. from the New York Institute of Technology. “Pete” has been an avid audiophile since he was 10 when he repaired and restored his older brother’s blown JBL L-100 speakers. Working for over 25 years in the power generation industry, Pete has gained considerable experience and knowledge in electrical theory and construction.”
Why the name Triode?
In 1926, the ‘71A direct-heated power triode was introduced, followed by the ’50 in 1928, the ’45 and PX4 in 1929, the PX25 in 1930, the 2A3 in 1932, the 300A in 1936, and the 300B in 1938. Over 85 years after their introduction, these triodes continue to be the lowest distortion amplifying devices ever made. These fairly simple devices can produce exceptional natural musical fidelity. Triode Wire Labs believes their products produce the same exceptional natural musical fidelity at “common sense” prices. Please see our Testimonials page regarding the sound of our hand-made products.
“DISCRETE” USB & “FREEDOM” ETHERNET CABLES
Triode Wire Labs (TWL) were both designed from the ground up as “perfectly engineered” digital cables – absolutely passive, utterly balanced across the audio frequency range. Grzybowski writes that achieving a complete neutralness was a painstakingly quest and task.
TWL’s proprietary design geometry minimizes capacitance, as well as achieving perfect 90 ohms characteristic impedance on the “Discrete” USB cable. Incorporation of a proprietary power filter is just the beginning of the technologies incorporated into this cable. Power and data lines are independently twisted to optimum geometries and meticulously terminated with high-quality Sn, Cu, and Ag alloy solder utilized along with deep immersion cryogenic treatment ensures grain-free, stunning performance. Other attributes include:
- Pure copper conductors wound preciously to 90 ohms characteristic impedance. The number of TPI is proprietary.
- Super High-Quality Amphenol USB connectors utilized.
- Exclusive 3 pole power filter at the USB ‘A’ end of the cable.
- Proprietary shielding employed.
- In-house made hand-wound inductors used.
- An organic cotton outer dielectric jacket.
The “Freedom” Ethernet cables are TWL’s Cat6 design. Cat6 is the audio standard whereas Cat7 & Cat8 (both are foil shielded) are for super-speed (Gigabyte transmission) of data. Digital audio transmission has a low-speed requirement in comparison to fast Ethernet or Gigabit requirements that are aimed at bulk data and video transmission. Foil shielding adds capacitance that causes audible ringing (jitter) that obscures low-level detail. It is a time-domain phenomenon.
As far as ethernet cables go, TWL’s “Freedom” Ethernet cable has a non-standard lay instead of a simple twisted pair. The wire itself is the fastest (velocity of propagation) wire that can be sourced, which does not have individual foil shields.
Foil shields create decreased leading edges at audio frequencies. Also, one of the recipe secrets is TWL’s proprietary cryogenic treatment and use of the highest quality & best sounding Telegärtner connectors. Other attributes include:
- Pure copper conductors with precise and constant 100 ohms nominal impedance.
- Bonded pair IBDB solid core conductors to eliminate strand-to-strand interaction and elimination of self-induced RFI and noise.
- Utilizes an advanced, proprietary twist configuration to eliminate RFI and EMI.
- Superior High-Quality Telegärtner CAT6A RJ45 connectors.
- Unshielded for superior impulse response and faster rise times at the leading
- edge of the transmitted signal to help mitigate jitter induced timing errors.
- It provides superb high speed, high traffic, and multiple connection cycles without any degradation of performance.
- The proprietary organic cotton jacket that eliminates dielectric induced timing errors and reduced velocity of propagation in the conductors.
- Reduces the noise associated with digital gear.
- Deeply Cryogenically Treated Conductors & Connectors, which provides
ACCURACY AND NATURALNESS
Triode Wire Labs “Freedom” Ethernet cable “Discrete” USB cables are very flexible and user-friendly. They’re hand-made and crafted in the USA, using the best anti-oxidization and contact enhancing treatments.
Finally, the proprietary deep cryogenic treatment of TWL Digital cables adds the following benefits versus non-cryogenic versions;
- Effortless, airy highs
- Improved bass articulation
- A more natural and organic presentation, akin to “live music”
- Greater dynamic range
- Deeper and wider three-dimensional soundstage
- Sense of gain compared to other cables
The carefully selected materials combined with a quality build produce PERFECT NATURAL PRAT (Pace, Rhythm & Timing) and will be true to the original source, without coloration.
THE SOUND – THE MUSIC
With some of the digital and data cables in not exactly easy to fill up the listening notes. It gets even worse, as some won’t even work, letting the DAC showing up in preferences and fail to deliver basic data stream to the music server or streamer.
Both of the Triode Wire Labs have produced plentiful listening remarks with more than just interesting developments…
“The rite of my timps” by Maarten van der Valk from the album Touch exhibits enticing, variegated dynamism. With TWL “Discrete” USB cable dynamic semantics offer far greater distinctions than expected. It’s never exactly easy to convey the right words when writing about the sonic attributes. Especially with USB cables where any interpretation steps into the realms that for some most certainly challenge the logic.
This is where listening conclusions are the closest interlinks to formal theory. As always I’m focusing and pin-pointing the sonic attributes that are subjectively objective and of use for those who want to dig deeper.
With “The rite of my timps” Triode Wire Labs’s “Discrete” USB cable drums’ coalescing formed a more coherent and dynamical realism. This track alone divides the mediocre USB cables from the ones that can provide more than just a noticeable step-up in the performance.
Toms decays were noticeably prolonged and “Discrete” provided greater amount environmental cues; translating into a far better three-dimensional projection of the drums. I was quite surprised by how much easier the tom pitch’s changes were deciphered during the decay out time. At the TWL “Discrete” given price this is quite an achievement!
What I’ve found really inspiring was the TWL ability to present music as a connected whole, rather than the dissected assembly of sonic bits, which can be a too often merit these days. Especially with USB cables, the feeling of extraneous data propagation is something that can be easily discerned. Yet, TWL “Discrete” stands far outside of such realms.
Reference Recordings’ Van Manakas, Jim Brock Letters from the Equator album is recorded well above the usual norms. It’s not only a pleasure aural escape, but each track on the alum offers a particular challenge. Splendidly articulated “Cantina” threw an impressive holographic projection and sonic scape that extends far beyond the expected expanse.
I wanted to discern how the TWL “Freedom” Ethernet cable affects the streaming. With “Cantina” it was easy to decode its qualities. The track alone is an epitome of clarity. “Freedom” has introduced an unexpected shift… The guitar gained much better grip and presence, the air around the flute extended and dispersed with the greater spatial distribution and exuberant percussion felt less congested and more life-like. These are not the attributes one would easily associate with the digital cables, but here you have it. Vividly noticeable and of positive impact!
Any part of the digital audio can create the vortex that can withdraw many of the sonic attributes that are essential for recreating the proper sonic illusion. Even within the digital domain cables can introduce either cut-off or augmented effect. On the contrary Triode Wire Labs “Freedom” Ethernet cable “Discrete” USB cables somehow managed to operate in the middle of both extremes.
This was proven among many reference tracks, but the above two songs describe the TWL cables’ qualities most vividly.
CONCLUSION
It’s quite fascinating what Grzybowski is doing at the real-world prices. So far every product that was sent here for evaluation was of true, step-up performance and value.
While some people are still dealing with comprehension of the analog cable “phenomena” the rest of the crowd is enjoying the considerable benefits and upping their digital rig.
While we’re not using femtosecond combs or encephalographs (not yet 🙂 ), the notable sonic differences among different USB and ethernet cables are there and they cannot be nonchalantly overlooked. By each year we’re discovering new ways of refining things in the digital domain and by the progression curve, there is still a lot to be deciphered.
For a fact, more and more audiophiles, high-enders and music lovers are switching to the streaming audio. Tidal and Qobuz are among the two major and most often used services that are providing a vast catalog of “normal” red-book quality and high-resolution tracks on instant demands. Many listeners, regardless of the system level have already discovered the importance of ethernet and USB cables. They’re crucial veins of the high-end audio system as their analog relatives.
Skeptics need no deep digging. An enlivingly step-up performance is recognized by a vast amount younger headphone aficionados and enthusiasts, that can be easily confirmed on various forums. And the two-channel connoisseurs are of similar or even more zealous conclusions…
For the past two years, I’ve been seriously refining my reference digital hub and surrounding equipment. It’s mind-blowing how sensitive anything digital related is. Devices like audiophile ethernet/optical switches are introducing the new increases in performance and the higher one goes on the audio plateau, the more subtle and evident they are.
Triode Wire Labs “Freedom” Ethernet cable “Discrete” USB cables rates went through an extensive circulation with my reference front ends; the MSB Technology Select DAC, Totaldac d1-Direct DAC, Aries Cerat Kassandra II Sig DAC. Aqua Acoustic Quality Formula xHD DAC and nonetheless MSB Technology The Pro USB.
The differences were expected and of various degrees, dependable on the digital front end. The return of investment on the upper plane is a sobering fact, but the top tier DACs does have a leading edge.
Triode Wire Labs “Freedom” Ethernet cable “Discrete” really had a premium field of exploration and they’ve provided a recognizing continuum. While many, even far pricier cables punctuate and intersperse signal, the TWL hovered above such traits and in absence of sparse sonic ramifications.
While some of the exotic, exuberantly priced USB and ethernet cables struggle or fail to work with computer (server) or DAC the TWL “Freedom” and “Discrete” Triode Wire Labs provided instant non-questionable “lock & load”, as well as a sonic potency with non-expecting perusing quality and with most positive stimulus.
Both Triode Wire Labs “Freedom” Ethernet cable “Discrete” USB cables rates high on the audiophile barometer and shouldn’t escape the attention of those who’re in the quest for affordable and highly-performing USB and ethernet cables. Again TWL is true to their slogan “Affordable Audiophile Cables”. For what they represent performance/price wise I’m wholeheartedly granting both of the TWL “Freedom” and “Discrete” cables 20202 Mono & Stereo Highly Recommended Product award!
Matej Isak
PRICE
– “Freedom” Ethernet Cable. Cable lengths: 1.23m ($249) and 2m ($299)
– “Discrete” USB Cable $249.00 – $349.00
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
“Discrete” USB Cable
- Pure copper conductors wound preciously to 90 ohms characteristic impedance, which is an extremely important characteristic. The number of TPI is proprietary.
- Super High-Quality Amphenol USB connectors.
- Super high-quality Sn, Cu and Ag alloy solder utilized.
- Exclusive 3 pole power filter at the USB ‘A’ end of the cable.
- Proprietary shielding employed.
- In-house made hand-wound inductors used.
- An organic cotton outer dielectric jacket.
- Designed for all digital and Class D devices, it produces the most natural, organic balanced analog-like reproduction with perfect PRAT!
- Reduces the noise associated with digital gear
- Deeply Cryogenically Treated Conductors & Connectors, which provides Accuracy and Naturalness.
- Extremely Flexible and User-Friendly.
- Hand-made and Crafted in the USA, using the best anti-oxidization and contact enhancing treatments.
- All USB cables are “burned-in” at TWL, featuring an audio dharma CABLE COOKER™ HIGH POWER Anniversary Edition 3.5 with premium all-copper billet Cardas CCGR binding posts.
- 30-day Audition Trial – please see our Terms & Conditions.
“Freedom” Ethernet Cable
- Pure copper conductors with precise and constant 100 ohms nominal impedance.
- Bonded pair IBDB solid core conductors to eliminate strand-to-strand interaction and elimination of self-induced RFI and noise.
- Utilizes an advanced, proprietary twist configuration to eliminate RFI and EMI.
- Superior High-Quality Telegärtner CAT6A RJ45 connectors.
- Unshielded for superior impulse response and faster rise times at the leading edge of the transmitted signal to help mitigate jitter induced timing errors.
- It provides superb high speed, high traffic, and multiple connection cycles without any degradation of performance.
- A proprietary organic cotton jacket that eliminates dielectric induced timing errors and reduced velocity of propagation in the conductors.
- Reduces the noise associated with digital gear.
- Deeply Cryogenically Treated Conductors & Connectors, which provides Accuracy and Naturalness.
- Very Flexible and User-Friendly.
- Hand-made and Crafted in the USA, using the best anti-oxidization and contact enhancing treatments.
- All USB cables are “burned-in” at TWL, featuring an audio dharma CABLE COOKER™HIGH POWER Anniversary Edition Premium Plus with all-copper billet Cardas CCGR binding posts.
- 30-day Audition Trial – please see our Terms & Conditions.
CONTACT
Triode Wire Labs
Massapequa Park,
NY 11762
USA
Email: triodewirelabs@outlook.com