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

[camrector]

My expected take is that the network switch + muon + k50 + mps-x + playback dac will likely be the best sounding, but I do find it interesting to mess with taking the Network Switch and MUON in and out over and over to see how that fares given that the
MPS-X is optimized with the playback dacs so heavily already.

I never gave any Fs about science projects, but this type of experimenting makes me excited and curious.

Side note to Rob, would you advocate for putting the network switch and muon before the server in my case or between the server and player via ethernet connection?

Thank you in advance.

What’s feeding that amazing switch Ethernet?

 

[F208Frank]

What’s feeding that amazing switch Ethernet?

Basic standard ethernet cord into network switch into muon into k50 server into mpsx player into playback dac.

To be clear I am already VERY happy with the chain without the mpsx, but my curiosity got the better of me as many reported significant gains by using plink between player and dac as they are from same company and its optimized to be used together. Not to mention Andreas Koch is the real top G.

 

[camrector]

Basic standard ethernet cord into network switch into muon into k50 server into mpsx player into playback dac.

To be clear I am already VERY happy with the chain without the mpsx, but my curiosity got the better of me as many reported significant gains by using plink between player and dac as they are from same company and its optimized to be used together. Not to mention Andreas Koch is the real top G.

Yes but a basic ISP modem/router?
This is the area Im trying to improve.

Agreed Playback is my end game streamer/Dac. Andreas Koch is the top G.

 

[iFi audio]

I will be first in-line when ifi makes a dac/streamer combo with a spf port. Im very surprised the Pro Signature iDSD didn’t. Run that up the ladder please!

Roger that, we never say never and we've been watching very closely audio networking in general. On a side note, NEO Stream is a DAC/streamer device with optical (SC) network input

 

[camrector]

Roger that, we never say never and we've been watching very closely audio networking in general. On a side note, NEO Stream is a DAC/streamer device with optical (SC) network input

Wow that went under the radar for sure!!!
Put it on the v2 Pro iDSD!!!! Or standardize it across the platform. Drop the optical and coax ! No one uses that

 

[iFi audio]

Put it on the v2 Pro iDSD!!!! Or standardize it across the platform. Drop the optical and coax ! No one uses that

We've been always all about options, so it's unlikely that we'll say no to i.e. coax. We listen to what you folks here want however and optical networking is more popular now than ever before, so something cool may come out of this as far as our offer goes. Thanks for your input and I'll gladly pass it on internally!

 

[F208Frank]

We've been always all about options, so it's unlikely that we'll say no to i.e. coax. We listen to what you folks here want however and optical networking is more popular now than ever before, so something cool may come out of this as far as our offer goes. Thanks for your input and I'll gladly pass it on internally!

Basic isp router. I did not do a single upgrade to this actually. What are the most basics of the basics? I always skipped that section due to reading here and there to not bother with it and to do things near the audio chain instead. I did not try or see this for myself but just used best judgement of my ability to feel if posts about this being credible or not. It is basically a lazy way of doing things. I should try but for some reason I do not have motivation to.

I seem to approach life in a very lazy kind of way sometimes.

Audiophiles are the low key top Gs.

 

[iFi audio]

Basic isp router. I did not do a single upgrade to this actually.

PhoenixNET seems like a major upgrade to it to me

 

[teknorob23]

PhoenixNET seems like a major upgrade to it to me

Or just good of mitigating the routers influence

 

[camrector]

What are the most basics of the basics?

Well, power supply obviously. Then getting the Wifi out of the router and look at lowering ping time, latency and lowering network jitter.
Use Router/network settings to assign QoS to your streaming programs. Use IPV6. There’s many things you can do to improve your network BEFORE it hits your switch.

 

[F208Frank]

PhoenixNET seems like a major upgrade to it to me

I thought he meant more so upgrading router type stuff aka power supply as mentioned.

Anyways I understood the phoenixnet switch as near the audio chain in my head as my ethernet cable from router is about 50ft haha.

 

[sajunky]

Use Router/network settings to assign QoS to your streaming programs. Use IPV6. There’s many things you can do to improve your network BEFORE it hits your switch.

Thinking properly, but there are pitfalls. Unless you use enterprise router, better don't play with QoS setings. For example, when using Ubiquity ER-X router (I see you are getting one), activating QoS processing changes from using 100% hardware routing to software. In a hardware mode you can pool through the ER-X about 800 Mbps asymetric (i.e. for download) or 500+500 with symmetric load. In a software mode a maximum throughput may drop even ten times.

You will get more MPU load, frames are processed irregular, it runs hot and generate more power supply noise. This router has many great features, but I suggest to not disable any hardware features. Website gives lot of information on this issue. I have experience with ER-X, may assist if you declare peace.


You can achieve the same effect if you create separate VLAN for audio streaming. Then it is easy to prioritise local traffic on the router and semi-managed switches for a particular VLAN or based on the physical port. I used mini TP-Link switches, but you may have the same option on the SG108.

 

[camrector]

Thinking properly, but there are pitfalls. Unless you use enterprise router, better don't play with QoS setings. For example, when using Ubiquity ER-X router (I see you are getting one), activating QoS processing changes from using 100% hardware routing to software. In a hardware mode you can pool through the ER-X about 800 Mbps asymetric (i.e. for download) or 500+500 with symmetric load. In a software mode a maximum throughput may drop even ten times.

You will get more MPU load, frames are processed irregular, it runs hot and generate more power supply noise. This router has many great features, but I suggest to not disable any hardware features. Website gives lot of information on this issue. I have experience with ER-X, may assist if you declare peace.


You can achieve the same effect if you create separate VLAN for audio streaming. Then it is easy to prioritise local traffic on the router and semi-managed switches for a particular VLAN or based on the physical port. I used mini TP-Link switches, but you may have the same option on the SG108.

This is great to know. It hasn't arrived yet so I havent dived into the settings and features. I’ll be sure to look into all that you’ve mentioned.

 

[iFi audio]

Or just good of mitigating the routers influence

Yep, that's what I meant

We're on the same page either way

 

[chesebert]

I have a shout out for the ifi AC purifier for networking gear. I connected the ground on my network switch to the intelligent ground connection on the AC purifier and I noticed a clear improvement in the sound quality. The switch was powered by a LPS but the additional ground connection proved fruitful. YMMV but might as well give it a try.