which network cable

Alkyogre

Alkyogre

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Joined
Oct 31, 2019
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260
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The Netherlands
Does anyone have an idea of a great network cable to place between my switch and my streamer?

At the moment I have a grey and a blue one, from the DIY shop. Bought 2 audioquest cables and in comparison with the cheap ones they produce a high tone in the background. :S
 
Not sure what you mean by “high tone in the background”.

Lots of Ethernet cable options available. What’s the system and how much are you looking to spend?
 
Not expensive, but has great value/money ratio - Furutech Lan-8 NCF
Furutech_Lan-8_NCF-0012.jpg
 
The entry-level Shunyata Venom Ethernet I beta-tested back by competitive benchmarking in Q2, 2019 blows everything I personally extensively tested against it, including Audioquest Cinnamon, Wireworld Starlight Cat 8, Supra Cat 8, Belden Cat6a, and Audioquest Vodka completely into the weeds. It's not even close. It's so "not close" that one evening, when I swapped out Vodka for the Venom Ethernet, I literally burst out laughing.

They folks at Shunyata told me they designed it to be superior than their competitive benchmark, AQ Diamond, and given how significantly better it was than Vodka, I'd believe it.

Just get it.
 
I agree with Puma based on my experience. I have Shunyata Alpha Ethernet cables and they easily outperform anything I have compared them to.
The difference is so great that I had no interest in further comparisons after hearing the difference.
 
I’ve been using the Shunyata Sigma. It definitely bested the AQ Diamond.
 
I'm hearing reports the AIM Electronics NA-7 ethernet cable from Japan is bettering the Shunyata offerings.
 
Audio 1 said:
I agree with Puma based on my experience. I have Shunyata Alpha Ethernet cables and they easily outperform anything I have compared them to.
The difference is so great that I had no interest in further comparisons after hearing the difference.
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This!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
I am embarrassed to say I may be hearing a difference, but most likely, it’s a very expensive placebo effect :|
 
LVB said:
I am embarrassed to say I may be hearing a difference, but most likely, it’s a very expensive placebo effect :|
Click to expand...

No, it's not a placebo effect. Copper Ethernet cables are susceptible to RFI, EMI and common-mode noise. Moreover, if a device e.g. an Ethernet switch, router, NAS is powered by an SMPS, then the audio quality is also affected by high-source impedance leakage current, which will result in noise on the ground-plane and increased threshold jitter. This causes timing errors and the impact of all of these are audible.
 
Hmm so are expensive LPS's needed to drive the ethernet devices? It's in my view better to have the audio equipment with ethernet ports protected from the ethernet port electrics in their internal circuits. That brings me to a question though, are they not?
 
plonkywonki said:
Hmm so are expensive LPS's needed to drive the ethernet devices? It's in my view better to have the audio equipment with ethernet ports protected from the ethernet port electrics in their internal circuits. That brings me to a question though, are they not?
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The switch-mode power supplies that power many networking devices create the problems described above with respect to high-source impedance leakage current, which will result in noise on the ground-plane and increased threshold jitter...as I've mentioned above. The RJ45 ports can also contribute to this with respect to the isolation transformers they use. This is why products like EtherREGEN provide a notable increase in sound quality, their isolation transformers are chosen to minimize the impact of noise components and leakage current. That being said, EtherREGEN from UpTone Audio is designed to perform nominally with the supplied Meanwell power supply brick (it's wired internally so as to not to pass high-source impedance leakage current).

As for LPS being expensive...it's all relative. You can obtain notable improvements simply using an $11 Jameco Electronics Reliapro wall adapter-style linear power supply. Most folks use something along the lines of the Keces P3 (which Mike sells at Suncoast Audio) to the Uptone Audio LPS-1. Other folks like the Paul Hynes Farad 3 or the Sbooster BOTW P&P power supplies as well.
 
Alkyogre said:
Does anyone have an idea of a great network cable to place between my switch and my streamer?

At the moment I have a grey and a blue one, from the DIY shop. Bought 2 audioquest cables and in comparison with the cheap ones they produce a high tone in the background. :S
Click to expand...

Between my switch and my streamer, I use Ethernet patch cables from Monoprice. Actually I use their patch cables between all my digital components. Well built and very inexpensive.
 
nicoff said:
Between my switch and my streamer, I use Ethernet patch cables from Monoprice. Actually I use their patch cables between all my digital components. Well built and very inexpensive.
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I've had 1 ethernet cable, 2 HDMI cables, 2 HDMI splitters and 1 HDMI switcher from Monoprice fail for me. This is over many years but regardless, Monoprice is junk.

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
 
TheGemState said:
I've had 1 ethernet cable, 2 HDMI cables, 2 HDMI splitters and 1 HDMI switcher from Monoprice fail for me. This is over many years but regardless, Monoprice is junk.

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

It is your experience and I respect it.
But what do you mean by “fail”?
You mentioned over many years but some elaboration would be helpful for everyone to understand what happened. Thanks.
 
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