The USB interface has evolved from simple serial links to today’s high‑speed, multi‑device USB 5. However, most serious server/player‑to‑DAC connections still rely on USB 2.0 for one reason: it’s stable and universally supported across Windows, macOS, and Linux, typically without special drivers.

That doesn’t mean every USB connection is equal. In real systems, mismatches between host controllers, DAC receivers, cabling, and noise conditions can create timing errors and dropped packets. 

While the protocol is designed to recover, those recoveries aren’t free: repeated error correction, retries, and increased processing activity inside the DAC can raise noise, increase jitter, and subtly degrade the musical flow and low‑level detail.

The XerXes Reference USB cable is engineered to address the real-world weaknesses of USB audio links: timing stability, edge clarity, noise, and resulting retries/dropped packets.To improve clock integrity and reduce the need for error correction, XerXes focuses on cleaner, faster, and more consistent signal transitions. 

• Four electrically identical conductors
• Isolated, fully shielded power and signal paths.
• controlled impedance 
• inner and outer EMI/RFI barrier

Resulting in signifianctly reduced jitter and sharpener rise/fall times for more precise edge detection at the DAC.

By lowering noise, improving edge definition, and stabilizing the link, XerXes USB reduces packet errors and recovery activity, allowing the USB 2.0 connection to behave more like a high-integrity audio transport. The audible result is greater clarity, ease, and resolving reference-level performance.