Performance sits at the heart of the QED range, above the entry-level Connect series and below the Reference and Signature tiers. QED describes it as the cable it would recommend to most music lovers building a good digital audio system and wanting the confidence that every connection is properly taken care of. Performance USB A(M)-B(M) is the Type-A to Type-B lead in that family, supplied as a single 3 m run for connecting a computer, music server or streamer to a USB DAC.
Built for Digital Audio
QED makes the point that not all USB applications place the same demands on a cable: moving a file to a printer is one thing, delivering high-resolution digital audio to a DAC is another entirely. Performance USB has been engineered specifically for audio applications and supports high-resolution formats including 24-bit/192kHz audio and DSD512.
Independently Certified
The cable carries USB-IF High Speed certification. That is independent verification that it meets the standards required for reliable USB operation, giving confidence that it will perform as intended with modern DACs, streamers and digital audio devices rather than relying on the manufacturer's own claims alone.
Protecting the Signal
Digital audio is particularly sensitive to timing accuracy. Performance USB uses an individually screened 99.999% oxygen-free copper data lane alongside low-loss dielectric materials, a combination QED specifies to help minimise interference and reduce the potential for cable-induced jitter.
Keeping Power and Data Apart
A triple-screened construction keeps the power conductors isolated from the data lane. Screening is by aluminium Mylar with a tinned oxygen-free copper drain and shield braid, and the conductors sit in a foamed polyethylene dielectric. Both ends are fitted with nickel-plated USB plugs in the range's new silver-grey styling, Type-A at the source end and Type-B at the DAC.
System Matching
QED intends Performance USB for DACs connected to laptops and desktop computers, music servers feeding DACs, streamers with USB audio outputs, desktop audio systems, and dedicated headphone DACs and amplifiers. The 6.8 mm jacket is finished in stone grey TPE, a softer, more flexible material that QED says makes installation effortless and helps the cable sit naturally within any setup.
