New wireless bridge and ethernet cable.


With apologies to those of you who frequent other forums and may see similar there from me. I’m seeking advice from as large a pool as possible.

Having moved on from my Naim source I’ve spent much of the last year enjoying music more than I have in years. Still through Naim amplification. This despite using a very cheap wireless bridge recommended by a dealer as a way to get going. Outside of ludicrous amounts of music listening I’ve spent time to get the right resting place for 2,000 CDs and have finally purchased a separate solution for the covers/booklets so that they are accessible from under the sofa. So, it’s finally time to move forward on other matters.

Located next to the pre and streamer this cheap wireless bridge introduces audible noise into the system. It can’t be located elsewhere as it relies on a piece of very short and hard-wired piece of CAT 5. To make this worse I’ve run out of sockets and it currently shares a power socket with my Chord DAC. Extra sockets are not practical. Even if they were, they don’t solve the noise issue.

A run of ethernet from router to streamer would be ideal but can’t be done without a level of upheaval that would be unacceptable to all given other works which need to be funded this year and next. I appreciate that someone will always post with the best of intentions that “nevertheless if you could just run ethernet from…” but it really is off the table.

Now, I could in theory go to something like an Innuos PhoenixNET; plug it in on the other side of the living room (sorry, “lounge”) with a 3m run of ethernet across the front of fireplace but it seems to me that the more sensible first step is to replace the bridge with something better quality; plug that in the other side of the living room and run some ethernet from that.

I already have Chord Epic from streamer to DAC and from DAC to the 202 so the obvious choice of ethernet would also be Epic. However, it strikes me that my better first step would be a relocated and new, good quality bridge accompanied by relatively cheap ethernet (3m at most I think) to see how that impacts the audible noise and sound quality in general.

Best options on the former appear to be TP-Link. Best options on the latter appear to be… well I’m not sure. Where I come unstuck is that TP-Link have an array of available devices which is utterly bewildering. I have certain criteria but even when applied I remain bewildered. Any help to narrow down my choices would be much appreciated as would thoughts on cheap cables. Ideally I’d not want this to descend into a discussion on cables.

Current broadband is a rock solid 145Mbps. At peak there are, I think, up to 21 devices using wireless broadband.

My focus is very much on a good workable bridge. The ethernet cable, any ethernet cable, cannot be any worse than the thing attached to the current bridge so, whilst advice on cheap cable would be great my feeling is that the bridge is the priority.

The location for the new bridge will be very visible. I don’t want anything too big as we’re talking a run of sockets which already struggle to accommodate TV, DVD and a Sky Q box. I also don’t want anything with very conspicuous flashing lights. Current bridge ceaselessly flashes blue and green but is at least hidden from view via Blu Tac down the side of my Hutter rack.

Two reasons re: the flashing lights. Firstly, Mrs. H. will complain if there is something constantly flashing away conspicuously whilst trying to relax, watch TV or listening to music. Secondly, one of my eye conditions means my vision will be constantly drawn to said flashing lights.

So, having spewed all that, which TP-Link device and why? Anyone with experience of decent alternatives with Naim amplification would also be helpful. I get a sense TP-Link are both the best and rather prolific. If you think otherwise then by all means offer alternatives.

 

mahughes

I’ll try to be helpful… but i find hard to follow your post.

First, I have a high end system. I am using a wall wart extenders to bring a connection to my streamers… which I plug my Ethernet cable… see my systems under my user ID. No noise whatsoever. $69 extenders. I did add a EtherRegenerator to my main system… there was a small improvement in sound quality. My dealer uses the same method to feed his streamers for his $200K systems.

A word about Naim. I don’t normally voice much opinion about brands as different people are looking for different sounds… and I haven’t heard Naim in a while. But to my ear there is no more unmusical sound that I have ever heard. I mean you can hear the details, but to me when I have heard it, it stripes all the music from it. I apologize to all the Naim lovers… but I just have to say it.

 

Over the last fifty years pursuing high end audio I have slowly moved in the direction of where I am now. All tubed Audio Research gear, musical, rich with detail, midrange bloom and fantastic rhythm and pace. I could have gone others routes, Conrad Johnson, VAC, or Cary. If I have gotten anything from your post, I suggest you sit down and listen to a ARC, VAC, CJ, or Cary system and see if the music doesn’t take you away.

 

If I missed on the networking question… set me on the right question.

I can not follow. What’s a bridge? I’ve never experienced a network player making ANY "noise."

TP Link for what? I have their mesh but your post makes my brain hurt.

I do not own Naim but I have been favorably impressed by the brand in personal experience.

@ghdprentice As per the original post. Insufficient sockets for “extra” devices. I simply need a better quality wireless bridge which can then be located in a socket away from the DAC and physically on the other side of the room where there is a socket. 3m run of ethernet should then be fine and noise reduction significant. 

Not really interested in a discussion about Naim. I had a Naim source for 20+ years which was excellent but no longer suited our needs. I now have an Innuos Zenith 3 streamer. It is also excellent in a different way. The Naim streamers remain wholly unengaging to me. The amplification is excellent. If it’s not to your taste then fine. Not sure what that had to do with this subject beyond promoting your own alleged superior taste. 

As it happens the Naim amplification will eventually go as there’s an impedance mismatch with the speakers and I will likely try my first valve amp but that’s way off topic for this.

By extender do you mean broadband over the mains or… a wireless bridge? Both do introduce noise which can be mitigated by a switch and a decent distance between bridge and boxes. My current bridge doesn’t allow for that. 

@fuzztone my post very clearly does not say the streamer produces noise. That is an issue with the current cheap wireless bridge which cannot be located away from boxes because it has about 8cm of ethernet hard wired. 

Must say, that having posted this on several forums to gain as wide a poll of responses as possible this is the only place to start with “I didn’t understand the post”. With due diligence I’ve re-read it and don’t think it’s especially complex. 

Must say…OPs that write missives of drivel then get butt hurt when responses don’t match high expectations.

 

be concise, dude. Ask direct questions. Don’t make people WORK to help you.

Ironic really. Posted the concise version and was criticised by even more posters for not providing detail or context. Apparently, the answer to “which wireless bridge” is “buy a new streamer”. Oh no, it’s actually “bin your amplification”. Nope, it’s “buy 50m of ethernet Cat 5e even though you’ve already said that’s not practical in your space”. Actual answer appears to be “As a human being I cannot read half a page and understand it despite reading countless threads which go on for pages.

Thus deleted and posted this and… hey ho. Looks like people are more interested in being right than helpful. Lesson learned.

Elsewhere an immediate and obvious answer has been provided for which I am grateful and have said thank you.

@mahughes 

Glad you found an answer to your marathon question.

Sorry that you feel slighted by the responses you received, but it is easier to answer a concise and specific question without all the extraneous details.

Case in point:

"The location for the new bridge will be very visible. I don’t want anything too big as we’re talking a run of sockets which already struggle to accommodate TV, DVD and a Sky Q box. I also don’t want anything with very conspicuous flashing lights. Current bridge ceaselessly flashes blue and green but is at least hidden from view via Blu Tac down the side of my Hutter rack.

Two reasons re: the flashing lights. Firstly, Mrs. H. will complain if there is something constantly flashing away conspicuously whilst trying to relax, watch TV or listening to music. Secondly, one of my eye conditions means my vision will be constantly drawn to said flashing lights."

 

OK then. What is a cheap wireless bridge?

A switch?

PS calls the optional card in their DAC a bridge. That’s the only one I know of off hand. And it IS a streamer.

Hard to be helpful when ignorant of the issue.

I have 5 streamers , 3 switches and no cheap ass bridges.

Whatever they are.

A wireless bridge is a repeater. If neither of those terms are familiar to you then there’s this thing called the internet…

Forgive the sarcasm but it was a straightforward question. Others elsewhere have kindly provided a brilliant answer which I am already pursuing. Here people simply seem to want to score points.