AudioQuest Coffee USB Cable - USB-A to USB-B

Coffee Is the Top of AudioQuest's Copper USB Range

AudioQuest's Coffee is the top copper-based cable in its USB range. Its conductors are Long-Grain Copper with 10% silver plating, double that of Carbon. It keeps the Carbon-Based 3-Layer shield and Hard-Cell Foam, and adds a 72-volt Dielectric-Bias System pack on the cable.

Long-Grain Copper With 10% Silver Plating

AudioQuest says a USB signal is so high in frequency that it travels almost entirely on the surface of the conductor. The 10% silver layer on Coffee is the thickest AudioQuest applies to copper. Above it sits only Diamond, in solid silver. Every conductor is direction-controlled.

A 72-Volt Bias on the Insulation

The Dielectric-Bias System is a small battery pack on the cable. AudioQuest says it "saturates and polarizes insulation, allowing clear, dynamic sound against a quiet 'black' background." The batteries see no load, so they last for years. A button and light let you test them.

Around the pair sits Carbon-Based 3-Layer Noise-Dissipation. Metal and carbon-loaded layers alternate three deep, and AudioQuest says they catch most radio noise before it reaches the layer tied to ground. Coffee is a USB 2.0 cable rated to 480 megabits per second.

The USB-A and USB-B Plugs, Explained

Coffee ends in a flat USB-A plug for the computer end and a square USB-B plug for the DAC end. USB-A is the flat plug on a computer or streamer. USB-B is the square plug on most desktop DACs. AudioQuest does not publish the plug plating. Where it applies, arrows on the connectors show which way the cable runs.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Glenn Young tested Coffee in Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity on August 31, 2022 and was frank: "Frankly, I didn't hear much difference between these and the Pearl cables." He rated Carbon and Diamond higher in his system.

His conclusion on the range was kinder. "AudioQuest offers a wide range of well-made and well-engineered USB cables at varying prices," he wrote, and praised a "trustworthy warranty."

Who Is This USB Cable Best For?

• You want the most silver on copper AudioQuest makes — Coffee's 10% plating is double Carbon's, so the surface the signal rides on is as close to solid silver as the copper range gets
• Your computer sits next to your DAC — the cable runs from a USB-A port to the square USB-B input on most desktop DACs, so no adapter is needed
• You want the bias system without buying Diamond — Coffee is the least expensive AudioQuest USB cable with the 72-volt pack, so the technology arrives here
• You will judge it in your own system — Secrets heard little gain over Pearl, so audition Coffee against a cheaper rung under our 60-day guarantee
• Your DAC has a USB-C or Micro-B input — the square USB-B plug will not fit. Call us and we will match the plug

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Plug the USB-A end into your computer, streamer or server and the USB-B end into your DAC. Run any arrows on the connectors toward the DAC. Then choose the DAC as the output device in your player or system sound settings.

Then listen. Other and longer lengths available. Call for prices.

Pairs Well With

A USB cable is one link in a digital chain. It usually joins these categories.

• Digital-to-Analog Converters — the usual receiving end
• Music Streamers — streamer or server to DAC
• Headphone Amplifiers — a DAC and amp on the desk
• Power Cables — clean power at both ends

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Dielectric-Bias System?

A battery pack that holds 72 volts on the insulation. AudioQuest says the charge keeps the insulation polarized so it adds less distortion. The batteries carry no load and last for years, and a test button checks them.

Why plate copper with silver?

AudioQuest says a USB signal rides almost entirely on the surface of the conductor. A silver skin on that surface behaves close to a solid silver wire at a fraction of the cost.

What is Carbon-Based 3-Layer Noise-Dissipation?

AudioQuest's heavier shield. Metal and carbon-loaded layers alternate three deep, and AudioQuest says they catch most radio noise before it can reach the layer tied to ground.

Which way does the cable go?

Where it applies, AudioQuest marks arrows on the connectors. Run them from the computer or streamer toward the DAC.

What warranty does AudioQuest give?

A limited lifetime warranty to the original owner, for cables bought from an authorized US dealer. AudioQuest will repair or replace a defective cable that has not been abused. Keep your proof of purchase.

Is there a step up?

Not in the AudioQuest USB range we carry. Coffee is the top of that ladder. If you want to go further, call us and we will talk through the whole chain.

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Learn More

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