Yep, you have correct connection protocol. If going fiber route do linear power supply for at least last FMC, lps for both best. Also may want to consider moving to Sonore OpticalModule and OpticalRendu vs the generic, well worth the premium. I'd estimate your setup will expose the improvement.
Where should I go from here with my digital front end?
Good morning
My digital front end consists of a recently purchased Lumin U2 Mini hard wired with Supra ethernet cable from an Eero mesh unit. Modem and Eero router located on 2nd floor. My listening room is in the basement.
My listening is 100% streaming from Tidal and Quboz with a budget of under $1k
should I:
1) upgrade the supra cable
2) add an Etherregen or Eno filter
3) add an audiophile switch such as the English Electric
4) other
Thanks!
Showing 6 responses by sns
Be sure to try LPS with at least last FMC before passing judgment, lps on both even better. The lps insures the garbage emanating from the FMC will be eliminated, switch mode power supplies injecting the noise. I also mentioned the Sonore optical products as upgrade to the generic FMC. Better clocks and internal power supplies within these products substantial improvement over generic. Still need quality LPS with this. In the case feeding streamer one would use two Sonore OpticalModule in series.
Optimized optical is pretty hard to beat, even the generic with lps very nice. |
Lowered noise floor is likely the first thing one will notice with insertion of fiber, this will generally be an objective finding. If one is comparing to an optimal ethernet setup it may be difficult to discern a difference here. With my present streaming setup I can have both optimzed fiber and ethernet chain. At present I'm most enjoying optimized ethernet from ISP through streamer ethernet output to Sonore OpticalModule, so fiber from the module to dedicated streamer(OpticalRendu). Full ethernet chain using custom streamer minus the Sonore fiber components not quite up to the fiber setup. I have one further ethernet upgrade available to me that could change the equation.
At this point, based on my own experience and many others, I'd suggest both routes are capable of delivering a top flight streaming experience. One should evaluate comparative reviews of these two modes with a critical eye. One will find vast majority of these comparisons between optimized and non-optimized modes of bit transmission. |
@cleeds Actually, I recall seeing noise measurements ethernet vs fiber somwhere, was cited by post on some thread here. My use of objective was directed towards near universal consensus of individuals hearing lower noise floor with fiber. I also alluded to possibility they may not hear this vs optimized ethernet.
My own experience points to variable outcomes. I tried fiber conversion prior to streamer, found it inferior to ethernet. Even greater benefit was derived from a JCAT net card XE in my ATX/Windows based motherboard custom steamer. Serves same purpose as Network Acoustics Muon. |
@cleeds Thanks for wake up, I try to never use that ridiculous word, especially in regard to audio!
@coltrane1 No doubt optimized streaming is a rabbit hole, but then so is audio in general, and don't even talk to me about vinyl. Audiophiles are rabbits, so rabbit holes are home base. |