The Ethernet cables, Switches and Network related sound thread. Share your listening experience only.

[bluenight]

Nice, I have an SW-8 too, it's superb. But still benefitted from adding an upstream Netgear GS108.

So you have the GS108 connected after one of the SW-8 Ethernet outputs? And from GS108 Ethernet output you connect to final music source?

But its rather the other way around? i would think. The best at last practice.

Router - GS108 - SW-8 - music source

Admittedly not sure if uppstream is before or after to me it sounds like something that come after?

So it sounds from you that one more electrical box dont degrade quality as compared to just use SW-8 and ditch the GS108.

Yes i have the GS108 also in use. But its good to know for me that it doesent get redundant if I decide to get an audiophile switch.

 

[kingoftown1]

Upstream usually means closer to the modem -- being the first component in the in-home internet chain.

 

[bluenight]

Thanks good to know

 

[Currawong]

The differences between digital cables in my system mostly vanished after I added a power conditioner and put the wall-warts from various devices on a noise-filtering power board. I guess it's time to find an appropriate 'scope and find out what is going on. Anyone want to suggest one to me that doesn't cost a fortune and can deal with a very large range of frequencies, that also has a good degree of resolution?

 

[Jake2]

So you have the GS108 connected after one of the SW-8 Ethernet outputs? And from GS108 Ethernet output you connect to final music source?

But its rather the other way around? i would think. The best at last practice.

Router - GS108 - SW-8 - music source

Admittedly not sure if uppstream is before or after to me it sounds like something that come after?

So it sounds from you that one more electrical box dont degrade quality as compared to just use SW-8 and ditch the GS108.

Yes i have the GS108 also in use. But its good to know for me that it doesent get redundant if I decide to get an audiophile switch.

Correct, yes, by upstream I meant before the SW-8 in the network signal path from the router as you described it: router > GS108 > SW-8 > streamer (in my case my R26's internal streamer).

 

[audiobomber]

The differences between digital cables in my system mostly vanished after I added a power conditioner and put the wall-warts from various devices on a noise-filtering power board. I guess it's time to find an appropriate 'scope and find out what is going on. Anyone want to suggest one to me that doesn't cost a fortune and can deal with a very large range of frequencies, that also has a good degree of resolution?

Furutech LAN-8 NCF

 

[cpurdy]

who's doing this?

There's at least a half dozen "audiophile network switches" out there, relabeling COTS switches. Here's a great example:

 

[endless402]

There's at least a half dozen "audiophile network switches" out there, relabeling COTS switches. Here's a great example:

they're not hiding what they started out with but they also modified it with a better clock, better resistors and caps. small $ parts but it's not being relabeled.

none of it is being hidden so it's up to the buyer to determine if those mods are worth the price increase.

 

[bluenight]

I wonder why streaming Quboz on my CXNv2 streamer from the built in chromecast compared to using the BubbleUPnP app sound so different?

I think it could be because they draw the music from different servers or that the chromecast chip thats built in makes it sound different with the rendering vs how BubbleUPnP does it.

I clearly noticed some time ago also how tidal connect sounded very different from when playing tidal from Cambridge own app stream magic.

Chromecast Quboz sound more sharper BubbleUPnP sound smoother maybe not as clear though.

 

[kumar402]

Long Ethernet cable then, tack it to the floorboards or use cable railways to hide it for bonus points

I’d still suggest a switch in between the router and NAA/streamer for galvanic isolation.

Another option would be to bring your NAA/streamer to your router/gateway

I would say go with optical fiber cable for long run. It won’t pick up any RFI\EMI on its way and are very thin and easy to manoeuvre

 

[cpurdy]

I wonder why streaming Quboz on my CXNv2 streamer from the built in chromecast compared to using the BubbleUPnP app sound so different?

I think it could be because they draw the music from different servers or that the chromecast chip thats built in makes it sound different with the rendering vs how BubbleUPnP does it.

I clearly noticed some time ago also how tidal connect sounded very different from when playing tidal from Cambridge own app stream magic.

Chromecast Quboz sound more sharper BubbleUPnP sound smoother maybe not as clear though.

That's an interesting question. In both cases, if the audio signal is coming out of the streamer, it must be using the same DAC, so somehow that DAC is getting fed differing music streams. I don't really know much about that, though.

 

[bluenight]

In both cases, if the audio signal is coming out of the streamer, it must be using the same DAC

Yes it does use the same Cambridge streamer. Just using different apps on my Android smartphone to send to streamer.

I think i will alternate between the two apps for a different flavour(Qobuz original app with chromecast vs BubbleUPnP. Both sound good in their own way imo.

 

[xcluded]

You spend like thousands or even tens of thousands on the last mile of the chain, to get probably 0.0001% to 0.1% of gain in sound quality (debatable still).

Worth it ? I am not sure.
Well, if we have unlimited disposable income, perhaps.

 

[OCC7N]

There is not alot of mention of jcat net card xe.

Im considering it over an audiophile switch, because it will be close to my jcat usb xe. Other worth mentioning, I started to like the sound very much and most of the credit goes to the usb xe + ifi elite.

Anybody using the jcat net card xe?

 

[Jake2]

There is not alot of mention of jcat net card xe.

Im considering it over an audiophile switch, because it will be close to my jcat usb xe. Other worth mentioning, I started to like the sound very much and most of the credit goes to the usb xe + ifi elite.

Anybody using the jcat net card xe?

@OCC7N There's an occassional poster on the R26 thread who has the JCAT XE USB & XE Network cards along with a SoTM motherboard. From memory he seems very happy with the combo to the extent the quality of the USB out easily beats his OCK-2 clocked R26 LAN input/ renderer (v hard to beat IME) and renders his U18 redundant - and now goes USB direct to the DAC.

If you search that thread you'll find his posts and could PM him.