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Ethernet cable for music streaming

I know there have been threads on this topic, including my own from last year, but I'd like to pursue this issue further, perhaps from a slightly different angle. Here's my conundrum: I'm not getting the sound quality from my Innuos PulseMini streamer that I think it's capable of and I've never been able to put my finger on what the weak link in my system is. I'm streaming Qobuz through the Innuos SenseApp on my Samsung tablet. While some parts of the frequency range sound really good (bass, mid-bass, lower mids, e.g.), when we get to the range where vocals live and above, the sound loses fidelity and definition. Things sound fuzzy and muddled, especially if the music is complex or dense. Loud orchestral passages can be really unpleasant to listen to.

The streamer is connected via USB to a Sonnet Morpheus DAC, and is fed via ethernet cable from my AT&T router. It's about a 35 ft. run of CAT5 that goes under the house and up through the floor of my listening (living) room. It doesn't run near any other electric lines. There's an ethernet switch that divides the signal between the TV, the Roku box, and the streamer. I do have the option of running a dedicated line from the router to the streamer, but I need some advice on whether this will improve things any. I tried plugging the existing ethernet cable into the streamer directly, bypassing the switch, but this yielded no improvement. 

Would it help to use CAT6 or CAT6a cable for this run? And should it be shielded or unshielded? I've read some posts that indicate shielded cables introduce their own distortions into the signal, so I'm really not sure which way to go here. 

I'd be grateful for advice from the many of you who are more expert on this subject than I am. Thanks.

cooper52
cooper52 OP
211 posts
 

Update:

Well, this all took a while to accomplish, but I upgraded the power supply to the one from Small Green Computer, and it did make some difference. However, there was still some way to go before all the issues were solved. 3 days ago I changed the old CAT5 that ran from the router to the network switch with a 45 ft. run of Blue Jeans Cable CAT6a now going directly to the streamer. (The Netgear network switch is now consigned specifically to the TV and Roku box via a separate run of Blue Jeans Cable CAT6.) This has resulted in a significant improvement over the streamer’s previous performance, (Innuos PulseMini, just to remind you) though I STILL think there’s room for improvement. Perhaps I’ll look into replacing the fuse in the LPS as suggested by jerrybj.

All that said, I have reached a point where I’m actually enjoying listening to the streamer but I have a nagging suspicion that further improvement may only be accomplished by upgrading to a much more expensive one which, for now, just isn’t in the budget.

pynkfloydd
57 posts
 

Were you able to narrow the issue to networking?  I'd suggest eliminating the rest of your chain before driving yourself crazy.  If you have a laptop, you can buy a USB-C Ethernet adapter to help run diagnostics.  You can also look up your internet modem, find the login and check logs then work downtream.  I recently had to do this and discovered the issue was with my exterior connection coming into the house, which was causing enough noise to causing odd slowdowns and random internet issues.

Also, be careful of running ethernet next to power.  It's fairly susceptible to EMI interference.

Here's a guideline:  Cable Guidelines for Data Integrity

ghdprentice's avatar
ghdprentice
9,510 posts
 

Op,

I have not re-read the thread…. But getting better sound at this point would most easily be done by getting a better streamer. The better the streamer the better the sound… it makes up for and problems with the network. I recommend an Aurrender… the best you can afford. My rule of thumb is that carefully chosen $ Streamer = $ DAC = $Preamp = $ amp. In my system the streamer is about 20% more than the DAC and preamp and is simply stunning.

macg19
1,410 posts
 

For $300 I'd give SmoothLan Network Filter a go and send it back if it doesn't help. 

Ozzy started on thread on SmoothLan here

I just got mine today, and I didn't have a problem to solve (that I knew of). Mine will not be going back. I don't know how it works but the change was instant and not subtle. 

I've tried 2 other inline filters: EverStar and iFi LAN filter and they did nothing. (no surprise, and no risk with Amazon)

My guess is those with high end switches, external clocks and very high end streamer/DACs would not benefit as much but I dont have any of those things.

System details in my profile.

 

 

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
8,139 posts
 

I second @ghdprentice nothing will have as big of an impact as a streamer or a dac upgrade or both. All the tweaks like switches, converters, LPS, filters…that’s pretty much just lipstick on a pig. Waste of time, money and space.

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