[Brummle]

Are there more people here, who has invested in the Holo Red?
I wonder if it's worth it, being quite expensive..?

 

[BShaw]

@ Rolox - you & I seem to be the only ones here using CD. I also have an Audiolab, upgraded from 6000 to the new 9000 (worthwhile). I bought quite an expensive & good quality Coax cable but then read a comment somewhere that optical might be better so I substituted a good Toslink fiber optic cable, bringing a definite improvement all round. Not being one to sit still for long, I then bought a glass Toslink cable, and wow! a tremendous step forwards! I believe that one of the factors at play are eddy currents caused by the copper shielding of the coax, as there's no need for any shielding with optical.

I’ve got an Audiolab 6000 too, using silver Neotech coax with KLEI Absolute Harmony plugs and it sounds great. Unfortunately I can’t run the convolution filter Camrector made for my Roon, so streaming has a leg up! But I’d love a link to the glass cable Fluty just to give it a shot.

 

[LarsHP]

The easiest thing to do will be to run the Fmc mode if you insist on Lan.
Other options would be the expensive variant of sonore at least on the clean side.
I think the dirty side could be neglected a bit.

The other variant and more constant solution is to go after what I personally find better a DDC via I2S connection.
Singxer Su2/Su6, Matrix Spidif3, maybe one or two other DDCs.

Congratulations on keeping the R26.

Thanks. What is FMC mode?
Regarding Sonore and the DDC's you mention, I consider these too expensive as an upgrade of a $1650 DAC. Addressing LAN noise by using USB connection (which is notoriously known to carry noise) seems like complicating of things to me. The issue with USB noise was something I wanted to avoid when buying the R26.

Toslink optics are much worse in most cases. I solved the problem to some extent by means of a LAN switch and quality ethernet cables. For local streaming. To the extent that I have no need to do anything else. Tidal doesn't sound nearly as good so I think it would take extra steps for internet streaming. For example optical converters connected to each other by optical cables. It has nothing to do with Toslink optics.

Thanks. Toslink being the weakest digital connection is also what I have heard.
I should perhaps have added that I only play locally stored music files (FLAC only, actually).

 

[Fluty]

I’ve got an Audiolab 6000 too, using silver Neotech coax with KLEI Absolute Harmony plugs and it sounds great. Unfortunately I can’t run the convolution filter Camrector made for my Roon, so streaming has a leg up! But I’d love a link to the glass cable Fluty just to give it a shot.

https://soundreference.com.au/dh-labs-glass-master-toslink-optical-cable/

 

[Forgisound]

Thanks. What is FMC mode?
Regarding Sonore and the DDC's you mention, I consider these too expensive as an upgrade of a $1650 DAC. Addressing LAN noise by using USB connection (which is notoriously known to carry noise) seems like complicating of things to me. The issue with USB noise was something I wanted to avoid when buying the R26.


Thanks. Toslink being the weakest digital connection is also what I have heard.
I should perhaps have added that I only play locally stored music files (FLAC only, actually).

In this case I can recomended LHY network switch. $500 for 5 port version.

 

[LarsHP]

In this case I can recomended LHY network switch. $500 for 5 port version.

That's just as expensive as the digital to digital converters I consider too expensive. The fiber LAN converters I have seen are much cheaper.

 

[Forgisound]

That's just as expensive as the digital to digital converters I consider too expensive. The fiber LAN converters I have seen are much cheaper.

Industrial converters also bring the sound of their electronics into the audio. And besides, you need at least one linear power supply.
I'm not saying that which is better. Only, none of them are perfect.
R26 is a good basis for improvement. I even got an LHY clock. And I'm not sorry.

 

[LarsHP]

Industrial converters also bring the sound of their electronics into the audio. And besides, you need at least one linear power supply.
I'm not saying that which is better. Only, none of them are perfect.
R26 is a good basis for improvement. I even got an LHY clock. And I'm not sorry.

There is no "sound" in a network switch or fiber to copper LAN converter. There are only data packages transferred. What we may "gain" is reduced or removed electrical noise which could be carried into the DAC. Here, the noise may or may not alter the analog output, which becomes sound.

 

[Forgisound]

There is no "sound" in a network switch or fiber to copper LAN converter. There are only data packages transferred. What we may "gain" is reduced or removed electrical noise which could be carried into the DAC. Here, the noise may or may not alter the analog output, which becomes sound.

That's clear. I'm talking about the end result.

 

[camrector]

That's just as expensive as the digital to digital converters I consider too expensive. The fiber LAN converters I have seen are much cheaper.

Start with 2 FMCs, a linear power supply and a Wifi extender.

Wifi extender >Cat8> first FMC> fiber>second FMC (powered by linear power supply)>Cat5/6 to R26

All this can be had for $300 and you’ll be golden.

 

[LarsHP]

Start with 2 FMCs, a linear power supply and a Wifi extender.

Wifi extender >Cat8> first FMC> fiber>second FMC (powered by linear power supply)>Cat5/6 to R26

All this can be had for $300 and you’ll be golden.

Please be more specific, if possible. Brand and model names or links?
I am still not sure what "FMC" is short for. Fiber Media Converter or what?

 

[Deleeh]

Please be more specific, if possible. Brand and model names or links?
I am still not sure what "FMC" is short for. Fiber Media Converter or what?

Yes, exactly.
Take a look at the first page of this Threath and you will find everything you are looking for.

 

[LarsHP]

Start with 2 FMCs, a linear power supply and a Wifi extender.

Wifi extender >Cat8> first FMC> fiber>second FMC (powered by linear power supply)>Cat5/6 to R26

All this can be had for $300 and you’ll be golden.

Is a Wi-Fi extender needed? Can't I just plug a (copper) LAN cable into the first FMC? The rest of the chain should keep things clean, right?

 

[Deleeh]

Is a Wi-Fi extender needed? Can't I just plug a (copper) LAN cable into the first FMC? The rest of the chain should keep things clean, right?

Yes you can.
I also did it that way.
I used a copper cable from the industry with Cat 5 that is also shielded.

The only thing I don't have is a power supply.
I took the powerbank but I think the powerbank for the good side is not ideal.
I put the whole thing on hold for now with a power bank as I have an amplifier in the feed.

 

[LarsHP]

Yes you can.
I also did it that way.
I used a copper cable from the industry with Cat 5 that is also shielded.

The only thing I don't have is a power supply.
I took the powerbank but I think the powerbank for the good side is not ideal.
I put the whole thing on hold for now with a power bank as I have an amplifier in the feed.

Thanks. The linear PSU may be the most expensive part of the chain, but I have an old one (as in really old: from the mid 1980's!) somewhere, that I might be able to use with the right connector. Otherwise, I can buy the Topping P50 locally for a reasonable price.