2. cables
  3. 128927-305

Most Important, Unloved Cable...

Ethernet. I used to say the power cord was the most unloved, but important cable. Now, I update that assessment to the Ethernet cable. Review work forthcoming. 

I can't wait to invite my newer friend who is an engineer who was involved with the construction of Fermilab, the National Accelerator Lab, to hear this! Previously he was an overt mocker; no longer. He decided to try comparing cables and had his mind changed. That's not uncommon, as many of you former skeptics know. :)

I had my biggest doubts about the Ethernet cable. But, I was wrong - SO wrong! I'm so happy I made the decision years ago that I would try things rather than simply flip a coin mentally and decide without experience. It has made all the difference in quality of systems and my enjoyment of them. Reminder; I settled the matter of efficacy of cables years before becoming a reviewer and with my own money, so my enthusiasm for them does not spring from reviewing. Reviewing has allowed me to more fully explore their potential.  

I find fascinating the cognitive dissonance that exists between the skeptical mind in regard to cables and the real world results which can be obtained with them. I'm still shaking my head at this result... profoundly unexpected results way beyond expectation. Anyone who would need an ABX for this should exit the hobby and take up gun shooting, because your hearing would be for crap.  
douglas_schroeder
dgarretson
2,588 posts
 
That test is more Where's Waldo than ABX.  Post two files of the same music, each recorded with a different Ethernet cable, and the opportunity to compare them at leisure. 
douglas_schroeder OP
3,281 posts
 

jinjuku, as you said, " The upstream amp, cabling, speakers, room interaction, are all moot because they aren't in the loop." Do you have any idea how many times I have heard that both from people who have or have not done testing as you have?

It's the same logic that is employed by those who disdain power cords by saying, "How can it make any difference? There are miles of lines between the power company... the wiring in the wall, etc." SIGH. Wonderful logic, lousy system building.

You say, "If the Ethernet cable is altering the output of the DAC then it should be captured in the tracks I provided." Perhaps. That will happen if the system is good enough. If it's poor then likely the difference will not be noticeable. Seriously, a couple hundred dollar system is what you are putting up for evidence? How about you get some serious gear and do the test? Audiophilia is not the reduction of quality to the lowest common denominator. You WILL get mediocre sound that way.

You didn't answer my question regarding comparison to a dedicated server. Have you done comparison between your cheap computer digital source and a dedicated audiophile grade server? I suspect the analogue output stage of the dedicated server will make your computer source sound horrid and so compromised that it seems half the information was missing in playback. That is why I think you have support for your perspective, but it's based on wretched gear that is not able to produce a good result.

I suspect it would take about ten seconds for you to be humbled in your confidence about your digital source when compared to a fine server such as the Salk StreamPlayer Gen II.

Sorry, but I'm not impressed by your couple hundred dollar experiment. If you want to get serious, get some serious gear and do some cable changes as I have done. It's not difficult, and you will be humbled. And, you will have FAR better sounding music.  


dgarretson
2,588 posts
 
Doug, if you listen to Jinjuku’s two posted hi-res files you will understand that he knows how to make an excellent recording from ADC to DAC to ADC. If the files are played back through your system, that’s all that’s important here.
shadorne's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
shadorne
7,467 posts
 
@jinjuku

Amazing to see that that those from the school of you can’t dismiss all manner of tin foil hat tweaks "unless you have actually tried them you can’t have an opinion" - apparently will not test their own assertions!!!

Frankly it is laughable that high end audio gear would be affected by an Ethernet cable. What you have demonstrated is that even modest equipment costing a few hundred $ is more reliable than boutique high end audio gear that is so badly designed that you have to worry about speaker cables, power cords, interconnects and now Ethernet cables.

To me the answer is simple - if a mere Ethernet cable affects the sound then get rid of that piece of sh*t boutique high end audio boat anchor as soon as possible - no matter the prestigious name and all the marketing tripe and testimonials. Plain and simple if something minor like an Ethernet cable makes a difference then the entire audio chain, setup and system is suspect!

Until reviewers get reliable high performance setups we will get testimonials for all manner of bogus results from every and all kinds of tweaks. The point is that good audio systems should NOT be so terribly temperamental and unreliable!
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