Ethernet Cables in for evaluation

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Puma Cat, May 17, 2019.

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  1. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    Thank you for the free tip but under the same token I could have bought a Sonos or whatever the google and Amazon speakers are called instead of my streamer. They will still get some noise coming out of them too at a much lower cost and I could even avoid the cable completely. The thing is I am aspiring for more than just that.
     
  2. jeff kleinberg

    jeff kleinberg Senior Member

    Location:
    Ct
    I think moving the switch and a short cable is probably best. The key is the power supply for the switch and keeping it away from your system. If you can then I think that’s the best. I have noted improvement in the upstream cables as well when I swapped in the low end audioquests.
     
  3. jimbutsu

    jimbutsu WATCH YÖUR STEPPE

    Can't possibly answer this without some insight into your indoor air quality at home. Particulates can make audio over wifi sound veiled and two dimensional.
     
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  4. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    A) I should try it -easier said than done- I could save some money on the cable run connected to the streamer.

    B) The rest of the cable is in my mind particularly since I am using really cheap cable to feed the switch I am using. But I worry that even a lower end, good cable, might start adding up as I have many meters to cover. which AQ are you using for upstream?
     
  5. jeff kleinberg

    jeff kleinberg Senior Member

    Location:
    Ct
    Cinnamon. I tried Pangea to ,didn’t notice a difference. If you have a lot it might not be worth then. Try and see. Maybe all blue jeans and a different one at the end.
     
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  6. Henry J

    Henry J If you get confused, listen to the music play

    Location:
    Asbury Park, NJ
    What about the RG6 coax cable running into the house and to the cable modem?
    Thr ethernet cable from the modem to the router?
    The ethernet cable from the router to the switch?
    How about all the ports in the above devices?
     
  7. Ilusndweller

    Ilusndweller S.H.M.F.=>Reely kewl.

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    Hi Jeff! :)

    I have not read this thread but in a previous cable thread where I felt we had fairly opposing viewpoints, we shared some great pms. Opened my mind, now I just need to hear some higher end gear! Peace out.✌️
     
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2021
  8. jeff kleinberg

    jeff kleinberg Senior Member

    Location:
    Ct
    IIRC you have one heck of system Pete! Have you tried one of these fancy Ethernet cables? They actually have significant impact on my streaming sound. I’ll truly never go back. Be well

    jeff
     
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  9. Ilusndweller

    Ilusndweller S.H.M.F.=>Reely kewl.

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    Hi Jeff! I dont yet stream, but do plan to. Every once in a while I will hook my ipad mini up to my stereo with a y cable but that is the extent of my streaming. I have had an Amazon Acct (Amazon Music) and Airport Express (given to me) for years but have not tried "non y cable" streaming yet. Thanks on my system(Carver Amazing Silver MK4/Innersound 750W monos), I do love it and I would also love to hear your setups!

    My most general thoughts on cables? I have done a lot of interconnect comparisons and can tell copper from silver in interconnects(I prefer copper). I have never been able to hear any differences in copper interconnects (from el cheapo to Audiotruths mid 90s TOTL and single crystal Harmonic Technology Truthlink 2) or speaker cables (from $7 18 AWG purchased at Wally World to ??? Tara Labs Time & Space Quantum IV). I think one needs to have darn good ears and a darn good system to hear differences. In the vast majority of ear/system combos, I dont even think differences can be heard. But who knows?

    The only person who knows is YOU. I have spent countless hours trying and sooooo wanting to hear differences. But did not. I thought I did, until I did "blind A/B" testing. Having said that, I am fully open to the idea that differences can be heard in cables. My current system which has only been set up for about 4 months "next, next leveled" my previous system and I suspect here are systems out there that would completely blow me away...
     
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2021
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  10. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    Well, I have not bought the main cable yet but based on your comment of the upstream cable plus my recent experiences with the main cable I went ahead and bought a non audiophile, but good quality CAT8. It can't possibly be any worse than the cable I am currently using to feed the last switch before the stereo so I am hopping for some improvement. I am also eager to have an idea of how it behaves before making a decision on the main which I am missing since I've returned the borrowed ones.
     
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  11. elvisizer

    elvisizer Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Jose
    why not?
     
  12. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    Simple, it's pretty old, cheaply made CAT5 vs this CAT8 which looks pretty decent instead and costs several times what the other costed me.
     
  13. Archimago

    Archimago Forum Resident

    Hmmm... Comparing sound quality of ethernet cables vs. speakers seem just a tiny bit like a false equivalence... :shake:
     
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  14. elvisizer

    elvisizer Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Jose
    ironclad!
     
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  15. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    Yes, specially when you don't ignore the other information provided to you. You might think you look clever doing that but sorry, you don't.
     
  16. rich100

    rich100 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Middle of England
    Sounds legit, exactly what the nice salesman says too so must be true! I wonder if these cables come with a 5 year coating protection insurance too to make sure the colour doesn't fade.
     
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  17. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    Wait till CAT10 comes along. The justification and clamour for a cable that'll have galactic data throughput standards for music that CAT5e is already more than sufficient to handle...
     
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  18. Archimago

    Archimago Forum Resident

    Sorry Bro, Cat10 will still not be good enough! Still too noisy and still too jittery according to some audiophiles!!!

    You'll see... o_O
     
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  19. mongo

    mongo Senior Member

    Nigel only buys CAT11
     
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  20. MattHooper

    MattHooper Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    It's amazing how imagination can make up the difference, though. ;-)
     
  21. Archimago

    Archimago Forum Resident

    Indeed.

    I must admit that I jumped around a little bit here and there on this thread given the length of 66 pages over all this time.

    But has anyone presented any shred of evidence with real equipment they're listening to that either noise or jitter is a problem with standard Cat5e ethernet cable?

    Here's my evidence based on my own listening and measurements accumulated over years. For the record, my home is a detached house, 3 levels, built in 2007, >3500 sq ft, here in the City of Vancouver itself (not metro suburb), each room on all floors has its own ethernet outlet wired with Cat5e or Cat6 so plenty of wire length to "catch" interference if there is much. Central ethernet patch panel in the basement with the broadband cable modem and central switch which these days is a combination of 10GbE as discussed here or standard Gigabit.

    No significant noise other than minuscule 60Hz hum measured from an inexpensive DAC - I imagine most audiophiles have much better DAC than this!
    MEASUREMENTS: On the value for ethernet "galvanic isolation"...

    No significant jitter regardless of cable or even standard consumer quality switches:
    MEASUREMENTS: Ethernet Cables and Audio...

    As a bonus - here's my "audiophile quality" ethernet switch :agree::
    MUSINGS/MEASUREMENTS: Netgear Nighthawk S8000 (and audiophile ethernet switches)

    In an age where more than ever, it would be nice to have some evidence before saying stuff that could be untrue (audiophilia really of minor consequence of course), can anyone point to evidence of any sort beyond vague impressions or perhaps "imagination" to show value in purchasing expensive ethernet cables?
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2021
  22. elvisizer

    elvisizer Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Jose
    interesting- since you did exactly that to me earlier in the thread, I actually edited your comment more to see how you'd respond than to remove any information.
    Thanks for not disappointing! :laugh:
     
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  23. Fahzz

    Fahzz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Outside Providence
    "Evidence"apparently is no longer a requirement for anything. You simply have to repeat a statement enough times and it becomes true.
     
  24. Cherrycherry

    Cherrycherry Forum Resident

    Location:
    Le Froidtown
    Is that a bad thing?
    Isn't that what makes up almost the entire fields of Marketing and Advertising?
    And self-help bookstores?
     
  25. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    This has nothing to do with audiophile cables, is anybody posting on this thread able to read or comprehend?

    So the different Ethernet standards don't exist, a CAT5 compliant cable is as good as a CAT6, CAT7 or CAT8 cable? Is just all the same, right?

    You people need to inform yourself before opening your mouth, you just embarrass yourself.

    Good try but not the same as you shrugged at my comment previously but in this case you have ignored that I am replacing a long and old CAT5 cable for one that complies with a superior communication standard to the one I am replacing.
    However that didn't stop you making a sarcastic remark insinuating that changing from a CAT5 to a CAT8 might not be an upgrade, what is your excuse for that?
     
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