Power And Data HiFi Blend – Ricable Invictus USB UV15 Digital Cable
Ricable Invictus USB is a 401 Euro / $467 USD cable for the length of 1 and a half meters USB Cable with USB 2.0 A/B connectors that will be the star of our review today. You can order the Ricable Invictus USB cable in any length you may require, from 0.5 meters all the way to 5 meters, but I found that one meter and a half, and up to 2 and a half meters are ideal for a USB cable.
Introduction
Ricable designed the Invictus USB as an integral part of your HiFi system, being more and more popular with audiophiles thanks to its super tick gauge, brilliant color, and maximizing the resolution / quality of your system, through audible improvements in the quality of your digital interconnect stage.
As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases, and using the purchase links in my reviews helps me maintain this website and Youtube Channel. Audiophile-Heaven has no Ads and our Youtube Channel has no midroll ads, and our work is supported by Affiliate Links and Donations. Huge thanks to Ricable audio for providing the sample for this review, in exchange for my honest opinion.
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/41qO53O
Official Link – https://www.ricable.com/en/prodotto/invictus-usb-cavo-audio-hi-end-digitale-usb-2-0-a-b/
Build Quality – Design
From the conceiving point up to its release, Ricable designed the Invictus USB without limits, the sole objective was to make the best USB cable imaginable. To this end, the company designed the best separation between the signal and data lines, using innovative shielding and insulation techniques. New, high-quality connectors were also needed to highlight all of the work done ont he cable, so that’s how the Invicvitus USB cable came to be.
Although the standard for USB 2.0 allows for cables up to 5 meters, Ricable takes pride in having prototypes of the Invictus USB cable that can run up to 30 meters in a full passive mode, capable of playing 96 kHz hi-res audio files, connecting it between the computer and the DAC. This makes Invictus USB a cable that has extreme technical abilities that far surpass the market, as most USB cables need multiple booster active points for lengths longer than 5 meters, while Ricable was able to create Invictus that works 30 meters with zero active boosters.
Ricable Invictus USB is entirely designed by Ricable, with an asymmetrical geometry with concentric conductors for data and parallel conductors for power. This way the power line conductor has the least influence on the data line.
The highlight of the system is the RCS insulation or Ricable Cylinder System, which allows for maximum isolation and reduces the effect of shielding on electrical capacitance. There are a total of 5 shields for the whole cable, and an innovative Germanium Noise Reduction System or the RNR System.
You can order the Ricable Invictus USB in any custom length you may desire, with the company giving you an exact quote based on the length you may desire. Like all Ricable cables, Invictus USB Digital has a Lifetime warranty, Free return within a long 60 Days window and extended support.
Subjectively and physically, UV15 is a thick, not very flexible cable, just like all cables part of the Invictus Reference line, and while its effects are outstanding, it is also hard to use without the fear of breaking the USB port of your computer and DAC, if you’re not using a high-end flagship motherboard or a high-end DAC. Basically, this cable is made for flagship systems and will stand out quickly if implemented in a more reasonably priced system.
Sound Quality
Pairings – To test the Ricable Invictus USB Cable, I have used it in between my PC computer and a couple of USB DACs, including Rose Technics RT-5000, FiiO K15, FiiO K17, Topping DX5 II, and HIFIMAN Serenade. Most of those DACs do not have any kind of galvanic isolation and are quite sensitive to the quality of the USB signal they receive, although I also tested the Ricable Invictus USB Cable with DACs that are not sensitive to the quality of the cable, including Aune S9c PRO.
With certain systems, the sound improvement is noticeable, while with others it is minimal. FiiO K17, for example, does not even use a Type-A or B connector and instead I had to use a ddHiFi adapter to test the Ricable Invictus USB UV15. Using such an adapter might null the improvements that the cable brings, or reduce them, but for DACs that are sensitive to the cable quality, those improvements are still there.
Overall Signature – I would call the new Ricable Invictus USB UV 15 a highly detailed, cohesive and natural sounding cable, it is super crisp and has a natural – organic texture, with an excellent control. For most DACs, it seems to reduce the background noise and improve the THD, or Total Harmonic Distortion, by reducing it, with the whole signature always taking me by surprise by how detailed and revealing it is.
While there is no noticeable change in the FR or Frequency Response of the whole system when using the cable, I can hear noticeable improvements in the impact, dynamic range and overall naturalness of the sound. Most of those are supported by how the textures change when implementing the cable, as everything gets a bit more natural, less edgy, less sharp, more organic and nuanced. This being said, UV15 is likely one of the most detailed pieces of cable that I’ve reviewed to date, it highlights information, helps it breathe and become more evident.
With certain DACs, like HIFIMAN Serenade and Rose Technics RT-5000, there’s a rather large improvement in the instrument separation and layering as well, as Ricable Invictus UV15 helps each layer have a better definition, stronger instrument separation and just a more clear image for the soundstage. This being said, the soundstage does not get wider, but the separation is tighter, more precise, and this also aids the resolution and just clarity of the overall system quite a lot.
Value and Conclusion
The price / performance of a cable increases with the cost of your system, and for an entry-level system, while it most likely has a sonic impact, because those are super sensitive to cable quality, it does not make as much sense to invest in a high quality cable as it does for a high-end system. All in all, at 400 USD, it is not ridiculously expensive, but it has a price that is better for the high-end market rather than a match for an entry-level system.
At the end of the day, Ricable Invictus USB UV 15 is an excellent option for those who want to squeeze every bit of detail, for those who have a DAC that is sensitive to the quality of the USB connection of their system, who want the best resolution, tightest instrument separation and layering, and for those who want a visual splash of color for their systems.
PROs
- Excellent build quality, with reliable components
- Brilliant blue color
- Reliable connectors
- Zero RFI, Zero EMI
- Vivid, detailed, revealing sound
- For systems sensitive to USB quality, it can improve the resolution of music noticeably
- Some systems show other improvements too like a tighter, more clear instrument separation
Cons
- Quite a bit pricey
- Does not make sense for a system that is not high-end
- Certain DACs are more sensitive than others, so it is hard to predict where it will have the highest impact.
- You have to practice quite a bit of caution to make sure you don’t break your USB ports, it is so thick and sturdy that it is not very bendy
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/41qO53O
Official Link – https://www.ricable.com/en/prodotto/invictus-usb-cavo-audio-hi-end-digitale-usb-2-0-a-b/
Technical Specifications
Capacity – 29 pF/m
Impedance – 90 Ω
Resistance – 45 Ω/km
Max. transmission distance – 35 m passive – 50 m powered
Outer Diameter – Ø 16 mm
Material Conductors – MARC Pure Copper 7N 99.99999%.
Diameter strand – 0.08 mm
Conductor Structure – UR System (USB-specific Asymmetric Twisting System)
Conductor sections Power supply – 2 x 0.55 mm²
Conductor shielding Power supply – Mylar/Aluminum + OFC Copper Braid with 95% Coverage
Conductor geometry Power supply – Parallel
Dielectric Conductor Insulator Power Supply – Polyethylene R-TEC
Conductor Sections Data – 2 x 0.34 mm²
Shielding conductors Data – Mylar/Aluminum + OFC Copper Braid with 95% Coverage
Conductor Geometry Data – Concentric Twisted
Dielectric Conductor Insulator Data – Double Technopolymer R-TEC
RNR Noise Reduction Data – Germanium semiconductor
Interior Insulation – 8 x cylinder system
External Shielding – Tinned OFC Copper Braid
External Protection – High-density sheathing with Polyethylene/Nylon braid
Connector Material – Non-magnetic alloy shell with increased insulation
Contact – Hand-welded with special Sn/Ag/Cu eutectic alloy
Features Connectors – 24K Gold Plated Copper Contacts
--- Please remember to stay safe, and always have fun while listening to music!---
- If you have a dime to spare, please donate, and help us! It would make the day brighter for me and my wife-
Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
--- Contact Us ---
