[audiobomber]

I don't like you...I have now lost all credibility with my engineering friends. Yes I did replace the SMP (with an ifi unit) on my wifi bridge that's connected to a switch that goes into my audio network bridge that is outputting via toslink to a dac, and I heard an improvement in sound that absolutely should not have happened. I was using DLNA protocol which does parity check to ensure bit perfect transmission. I have no explanation of why I heard a difference.

Good for you! Maybe you can convince your engineering friends to actually listen instead of just quoting techy scripture.

May I ask why you use Toslink to your DAC? There is a definite hierarchy, when properly implemented:
USB and I2S better than coax, coax better than Toslink.

 

[chesebert]

Good for you! Maybe you can convince your engineering friends to actually listen instead of just quoting techy scripture.

May I ask why you use Toslink to your DAC? There is a definite hierarchy, when properly implemented:
USB and I2S better than coax, coax better than Toslink.

Because my Emm Labs is back at Emm Labs and I am using my backup Chord, which sounds best using toslink. Also, as fyi different digital inputs tend to sound different and are dac dependent. So you do need to find out the preferred input option for your specific dac.

Also I am not crazy enough to suggest to engineers power supply to a networking equipment has any appreciable effect on sound. I still want whatever little dignity I have left. Thank you.

 

[audiobomber]

Because my Emm Labs is back at Emm Labs and I am using my backup Chord, which sounds best using toslink. Also, as fyi different digital inputs tend to sound different and are dac dependent. So you do need to find out the preferred input option for your specific dac.

Yes, I agree.

Also I am not crazy enough to suggest to engineers power supply to a networking equipment has any appreciable effect on sound. I still want whatever little dignity I have left. Thank you.

LOL! Understood.

 

[F208Frank]

Very happy with my muon filter/ethernet cable. I wanted to not keep them, but ended up doing so during trial. I would suggest trying them out yourself when in the mood to.

 

[cpurdy]

I don't like you...I have now lost all credibility with my engineering friends. Yes I did replace the SMP (with an ifi unit) on my wifi bridge that's connected to a switch that goes into my audio network bridge that is outputting via toslink to a dac, and I heard an improvement in sound that absolutely should not have happened. I was using DLNA protocol which does parity check to ensure bit perfect transmission. I have no explanation of why I heard a difference.

Regardless of whether there actually is a difference, you like the result. Money well spent.

I am, of course, curious if you can identify which cable is which in a blind A/B test. But doing so might destroy your result, so maybe you shouldn't try to test it

 

[OCC7N]

I ordered the Baaske MI1005 and standard Cat7 cables with Cat6 connector.

I have tried to find the advantages of this isolator. Voltage leaks is the only advantage I could find.

What about Jitter ?

 

[dougms3]

I wanted to try out a high quality ethernet cable but didn't want to spend alot. Out of curiousity, I wondered how much of an improvement if any these knockoff cables from aliexpress offered. First thing I noticed when I got this thing, the build quality is ridiculously good.

Not sure what thats called but I have a verizon fiber optic digital converter box going to my router then wifi to my pc. I placed this ethernet cable from the verizon box to my router, the difference was staggering. Bear with me because I know it seems like I'm exaggerating but I assure you I'm not.

The ethernet cable that was originally there is a run of the mill cheap ethernet cable. I normally listen to music from files and use dsd upsampling, this didn't seem to improve much if at all but streaming services like spotify, the sound quality was greatly improved. I know this because I don't like to stream music because the sound quality is not comparable to dsd upsampling, not even close. After I installed this ethernet cable it comes very close. Even netflix and youtube videos seem brighter and the color is improved.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256803871083091.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.200816d9yHp6bQ&algo_pvid=453e7dfe-741b-4dce-8261-aaddff149063&algo_exp_id=453e7dfe-741b-4dce-8261-aaddff149063-6&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id":"12000027889350385"}&pdp_npi=2@dis!USD!!43.2!!!!!@2101e9d216549878691507794e3e7d!12000027889350385!sea

 

[Gazza]

I wanted to try out a high quality ethernet cable but didn't want to spend alot. Out of curiousity, I wondered how much of an improvement if any these knockoff cables from aliexpress offered. First thing I noticed when I got this thing, the build quality is ridiculously good.

Not sure what thats called but I have a verizon fiber optic digital converter box going to my router then wifi to my pc. I placed this ethernet cable from the verizon box to my router, the difference was staggering. Bear with me because I know it seems like I'm exaggerating but I assure you I'm not.

The ethernet cable that was originally there is a run of the mill cheap ethernet cable. I normally listen to music from files and use dsd upsampling, this didn't seem to improve much if at all but streaming services like spotify, the sound quality was greatly improved. I know this because I don't like to stream music because the sound quality is not comparable to dsd upsampling, not even close. After I installed this ethernet cable it comes very close. Even netflix and youtube videos seem brighter and the color is improved.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256803871083091.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.200816d9yHp6bQ&algo_pvid=453e7dfe-741b-4dce-8261-aaddff149063&algo_exp_id=453e7dfe-741b-4dce-8261-aaddff149063-6&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id":"12000027889350385"}&pdp_npi=2@dis!USD!!43.2!!!!!@2101e9d216549878691507794e3e7d!12000027889350385!sea

Thanks for the impressions! I placed an order for 3 of them as I've been hemming and hawing over whether to spend any money upgrading my network gear (cables, ethernet switch, etc) as I'm skeptical it would make any difference. With these cables I figure at worse they'll offer no improvement but at least will be better made than the cheap, ancient ethernet cables I'm using at the moment without making much of a dent on my wallet. Any sound quality increase is merely a bonus.

 

[dougms3]

Thanks for the impressions! I placed an order for 3 of them as I've been hemming and hawing over whether to spend any money upgrading my network gear (cables, ethernet switch, etc) as I'm skeptical it would make any difference. With these cables I figure at worse they'll offer no improvement but at least will be better made than the cheap, ancient ethernet cables I'm using at the moment without making much of a dent on my wallet. Any sound quality increase is merely a bonus.

I knew it would make some difference but I didn't expect much. The reason why it would make a difference is the shielding alone. Almost all the cheap ethernet cables are made from UTP (unshielded twisted pair wiring). Since the wan cable is usually in close proximity to alot of other wires and devices as well as the antennaes, its going to be affected by EMI. I haven't opened it up but it looks like the conductors are of a thicker gauge wire at least 24awg if not lower.

The build quality of these cables is surprisingly good, really wasn't expecting this good. The connectors are shielded as well and these type of rj45 connectors tend to be very expensive, the belden shielded rj45 connectors cost about $50 a piece. I ran a magnet over the rj45 connector and it seems to be non magnetic.

 

[dougms3]

Here are some pics, if anyone is interested.

The other cable is a sata cable, I asked the seller to make me a sata cable out of the same wire for experimental purposes.

 

[Gazza]

They look really well constructed. I actually ended up ordering an Odin 2 XLR cable knock-off as well as I want to hook up my STAX SR-009/007tII combo to my new Aqua DAC which outputs RCA and XLR simultaneously. As I don't have a XLR cable lying around and don't know if this combo will sound better than my 800S/Manley combo I didn't want to spend $1,000+ on a cable I might not use again. Hopefully the quality of the XLR is as good as the ethernet knock-offs.

 

[OCC7N]

My impression of the Baaske 1005 is pretty positive.

It is connected after the router/moden and before the switch that connects to all network devices.

The background of the music is more relaxed/dark. Also feel that the tempo of the songs is more on point.

EDIT: I also did change to CAT7 cables together with the baaske, dont know if that counts also

 

[dougms3]

My impression of the Baaske 1005 is pretty positive.

It is connected after the router/moden and before the switch that connects to all network devices.

The background of the music is more relaxed/dark. Also feel that the tempo of the songs is more on point.

EDIT: I also did change to CAT7 cables together with the baaske, dont know if that counts also

Interesting device.

Its a galvanic isolator. All ethernet cables are designed to carry power in the cable, even if its not providing POE it still carries some power.

By blocking the power from getting to your switch, its preventing incoming power from the modem router from getting into the switch. One less device contributing to noise in the signal path.

Good find.

 

[OCC7N]

Interesting device.

Its a galvanic isolator. All ethernet cables are designed to carry power in the cable, even if its not providing POE it still carries some power.

By blocking the power from getting to your switch, its preventing incoming power from the modem router from getting into the switch. One less device contributing to noise in the signal path.

Good find.

When I look back to remember I actually also upgraded the power supply for my diablo.

Powersupply
Network Isolator
Cat7 cables

So all in all, there is an improvement. But this is also related to the right amount of power/volume to my ears/Arya. The perfect volume settings makes a big difference.

 

[bpcans]

@teknorob23, I’m liking the improved clarity and definition of the transients, bass, midrange, and treble since I added a Cisco SG250-08 Smart Switch w/iFi iPower X - Low Noise Power Supply and an AudioQuest Cinnamon 0.75m Ethernet cable between my router and my D-Link network switch. It only took a couple of minutes to plug it all in and I immediately went to one of my favorite operas, Die Walkure by Wagner, which is very busy with a lot of singers and instrumentalists playing simultaneously, and within an hour of going back and forth I was pretty sure I was hearing good things coming through my headphones.

My question is does it matter in which order I have the two switches before the streaming signal enters my ENO Ethernet Filter? Right now the chain is CAT6 router > AQ Cinnamon Ethernet cable > Cisco network switch > L-Com Ethernet cable > D-Link network switch > ENO Ethernet System Ag > Roon Nucleus server. Is this the optimal setup for what I’ve got, or should I change things around?