SUPRA USB 2.0 — Review of a Swedish-Made Audio USB Cable

【Audio USB Cable Comparison】
1｜2｜Oyaide ｜4｜WireWorld Chroma｜ELECOM｜6 Models ｜SUPRA

This time we have a detailed review of the SUPRA USB 2.0, a long-selling USB cable from SUPRA — the consumer audio brand of Jenving, one of Europe’s major electrical materials manufacturers, based in Sweden. Following the recent 6 USB cables comparison review, in which I tried swapping various USB cables I had on hand for the first time in a while, I ended up going back to the SUPRA USB 2.0 0.7m once again.

Compared against high-end USB cables costing tens of thousands of yen or more, the SUPRA USB 2.0 is admittedly a little middling in terms of quality, so if asked whether this USB cable is truly excellent, I’d honestly have to say — hmm, not quite. That said, as a compromise within the entry-class constraint of being available for a few thousand yen in short lengths, the sense of sonic character is remarkably well-judged, and all things considered it holds its own rather nicely. I should note that as the author of this little AUDIO STYLE blog, my listening is predominantly classical music, so there’s probably something like a 30% bias in its favour.

The SUPRA USB 2.0 also received a five-star rating from What Hi-Fi?, winning the What Hi-Fi? Award in 2012, and has since become a standard recommendation for budget Hi-Fi USB cables in Europe and North America. The review on What Hi-Fi? is notably brief by their standards, and it’s true that the matt grey connectors are nothing to look at — the plastic feels rather cheap. The cable itself, with its light blue sheath, is quite thick and stiff at φ8.5mm, which personally I find rather characteristically SUPRA and quite likeable. That said, the flexibility around the connector area is not especially good, so care should be taken when choosing length in environments where cable routing is tight.

SUPRA USB 2.0: Materials and Construction

The construction of the SUPRA USB 2.0 is described differently between earlier and later sources, specifically regarding materials. Wondering whether there had perhaps been a minor revision along the way, I contacted SAEC Commerce, who have been SUPRA’s importer in Japan for many years and have also co-developed acoustic cables with them.

(Incorrect) Silver-plated 5N OFC multi-core twisted pair construction. PE foam + aluminium foil shield. Insulation: air layer with cotton filler + PVC jacket.
　　　↓
(Correct) Tin-plated high-purity 5N OFC oxygen-free copper. Twisted pair + aluminium foil + tin-plated copper braid double shield + PVC jacket.

To cut to the chase: there was no minor revision. The mention of “silver plating” and so forth in early coverage — including the stereo magazine feature and various media at the time of release — was apparently an error at launch, and the correct information is what is now stated in the updated descriptions, with “tin plating” being the accurate term. Honestly, I had always assumed it was silver-plated, so this came as quite a surprise. To make matters more confusing, the bulk USB cable sold by the reel (bobbin) at source is actually named “USB 2.0 SILVER QUAD BLACK B300” — which is about as misleading as it gets.

Beyond the USB cable, I own a selection of SUPRA-brand audio cables across various types — speaker cables, RCA interconnects, power cables and so on — covering both tin-plated and silver-plated varieties. Among these, the sonic character of the SUPRA USB 2.0 strikes my ears as closer to the silver-plated type than the tin-plated type. The fact that such a beautiful sound can emerge from a tin-plated conductor is, if anything, rather astonishing. I will discuss the subjective listening impressions further below, but my suspicion is that the aluminium foil shielding may have quite a strong influence on the overall character.

SUPRA USB 2.0: Sound Quality Review

At its core, there is a hint of the same slightly nervous, bleeding quality that runs through SUPRA’s other cables, so I wouldn’t call it a relaxed sound — which is also to say it does not lean towards the punchy, rhythmic, lively, hot-sounding character that What Hi-Fi? reviewers tend to favour. The frequency response is broadly flat across the low, mid, and high registers, though the treble character is on the bright side and may come across as somewhat top-heavy depending on the system. The overall tonal character is elegant and lustrous — the clear, sheen-forward presentation of a plated conductor — accompanied by a degree of hardness, while the bass, though not especially voluminous, has an unhurried resonance. There is some tendency towards edge emphasis, but from the midrange upward the sound opens up freely, and the presentation is wet, resonant, cool, and beautifully clean.

The musicality is fairly high as well, though not in a rhythmically forward, positive-energy kind of way — rather, it tends inward, peering into the inner life of the music. The somewhat ordered, clean sense of atmosphere suits Baroque music particularly well, as well as church music resonating off stone walls, choral works and the like. One might describe it as having the sonic character of BIS or ECM recordings — the clear, transparent air and refined beauty one associates with imported CDs; a Scandinavian quality. Its appeal lies in a distinctly European approach to sonic craftsmanship, and I think it will especially suit those seeking a beautiful, import-flavoured sound that domestic Japanese cables simply do not offer.

The clean, sharp sonic character also tends to compensate for the shortcomings of entry-level audio equipment and desktop PC audio speakers — which generally suffer from poor S/N ratios, a dark quality, and a tendency towards muddiness. In terms of three-dimensional soundstaging, the hall ambience spreads wide and tall, though if one were to be demanding, the sense of depth could perhaps be a little greater. Used with a full-size system and compared directly against high-end audio USB cables, its limitations would likely become apparent, but within the confines of a desktop PC audio setup, the stage scale is more than sufficient and the perceived S/N is good. In particular, with desktop PC audio where speakers tend to sit low relative to the listener’s ears — causing instrument and vocal imaging to shift awkwardly downward — the SUPRA USB 2.0’s slightly elevated, upward-reaching presentation helps to improve the front-of-face image noticeably. Even at entry-class level, one senses that it has been carefully considered to be as pleasant to the ear as the design allows.

～ Summary ～

The desktop PC audio setup here at AUDIO STYLE is, in terms of equipment grade, firmly entry-class plus a little. Within that range, the SUPRA USB 2.0 is unlikely to leave one with any major complaints, and the clearly audible improvement in sound quality more than justifies the investment — cost-performance is good. You’re no longer satisfied with the sound of a standard office-use USB cable, but at the same time, your equipment level doesn’t really justify spending tens of thousands of yen on a high-end audio USB cable. In that situation, connecting the readily affordable SUPRA USB 2.0 yields the kind of refined, composed beauty one expects from an audio USB cable — and that, perhaps, is why the SUPRA USB 2.0 has continued to sell consistently around the world for so long.

＋For
　Exceptionally beautiful sound. Lovely resonance.
　Cool, clean, and classical Scandinavian character.
　High sense of freshness on first listen, with a crisp, open quality.
　Reasonably good value as an introduction to high-quality USB cables.

－Against
　Can become a touch harsh in the treble depending on the system.
　The conductor is on the stiff side, so be mindful of flexibility.

Category: Sweden / SUPRA
Category: Audio USB Cables

【Audio USB Cable Comparison】
1｜2｜Oyaide ｜4｜WireWorld Chroma｜ELECOM｜6 Models ｜SUPRA