Power Line
USB power-line arrangement describes whether bus power travels with the data, through a separate lead or is omitted.
Power and data may share a cable, use separately shielded paths or split into separate leads. A data-only design omits the 5-volt bus-power conductor. These arrangements describe construction, not a guarantee of lower noise or USB compatibility.
Power Line — USB Cable
The arrangement determines how a connected device receives USB bus power. A split lead can provide a separate power connection, while a data-only cable requires an arrangement that works without power on that conductor. Even a self-powered device may use bus-power detection, so its requirements matter.
Compare the cable's power arrangement with both devices and any external supply. Separate shielding is not the same as isolation, and a split lead does not establish which supply is suitable. Do not assume that removing bus power improves sound or that a cable labelled for data supports every USB mode.