This review page is supported in part by the sponsors whose ad banners are displayed below

The only potential caveat with the JCAT LAN was its significantly slower transfer speeds compared to generic CAT5e cable. Looking at the rear of my switch I saw the amber flashing LEDs indicating a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet connection instead of the green ones indicating 1,000 Mbps or Gigabit Ethernet. I’m not sure if that makes a difference other than when copying large files but I realized far lower latency stats (using Latency Monitor software) with my other cables which generally speaking should result in superior sonics. Regardless, music sounded fuller and more natural with the JCAT LAN than any of the generic Ethernet cables I had on hand including CAT6 and CAT7.

For the JCAT USB I initially compared it to several aftermarket USB cables as well as a generic $20 Belkin which obscured music and negatively impacted flow to such a degree that it was a relief to remove it. Inserting the JCAT music was far more open, intelligible and substantial and was imbued with a greater sense of momentum and purpose. Tonal balance was considerable richer. Creamy kept coming to mind.

The Transparent Audio’s Performance USB cable sounded equally full bodied and rich but music was not as easy flowing, spacious or (cough, cough) transparent. With the Performance, music became slightly smaller more distant and cloudy versus the JCAT.

The Cardas Clear and Nordost Blue Heaven USB cables I borrowed tended to favour the light and bright side of the spectrum. Tonal colors were a tad paler. Again, music seemed further removed. All three cables were good and certainly better than the cheap generic stuff. I can see any of them fitting well in many systems. However, the JCAT came across as the most revealing yet richest sounding cable of the bunch. It was a no-brainer. But as good as the JCAT was, it could not compete with the crazy expensive Light Harmonic LightSpeed which blew my mind when I reviewed it several months ago l. The latter was a wide open window on the music. Edges of notes were sharper and more defined, decays faded more realistically and sense of flow was outstanding. Music sounded bigger, more colourful and visceral with the LightSpeed. Still, the JCAT got awfully close at roughly half the cost.