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Tweaking the network, surprising results…

I’m a complete skeptic when it comes to Ethernet switches, “audiophile” CAT cables and so forth. I’ve played around with a few switches and found zero audible difference. As is, my net consists of a Arris modem (Optimum 500 mbps) to a Netgear Nighthawk router, cabling is Supra CAT8. So after dismissing the switch idea, I decided to tweak the power aspect of the network. I installed a Shunyata Venom C7 powercord on the Arris and a iFi LPS on the Nighthawk. Then plugged both the modem and router into a PS Audio UPC 200 with a fat Virtual Dynamics power 3 powercord. The results are REALLY interesting…there is without doubt an audible shift in the sound of my system. I can’t quite put it in words at the moment, and this could totally be my mind effin” with me but it seems as if the soundstage has been pushed back further. I need to sit down and try to understand what’s going on here. If anyone has gone down the path of playing with power upgrades I’d really like to know what you made of it.

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Showing 1 response by boxer12

boxer12
8,654 posts
 

Still pretty new with the whole "network" portion of audio but have been playing around with it for the last 6 weeks or so. Started out just running standard ethernet cable & moved from that to fiber with a pair of Ethernet to Fiber converters. Also added a switch just prior to the first converter.

So in short... Went from a single 50' ethernet cable from the router to the streamer to:

  • 1 meter Audioquest Pearl ethernet cable from router to switch
  • 1 meter Audioquest Pearl ethernet cable from switch to Ethernet / Fiber converter
  • 10 meters of fiber
  • 1 meter Pangea Premier SE ethernet cable from Ethernet/Fiber converter to switch

After that I upgraded power supplies (of the 1 switch & 2 ethernet to fiber converters) with ifi iPower X units. Was so impressed with the improvement from the power supplies that I upgraded the streamer power supply with a Nuprime LPS-212. Very nice improvement with clarity, detail, & soundstage.

Something else to consider that helped improve clarity was covering the short ethernet runs with expandable copper flex "tubing".   

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