Fiber or Eithenet

The cable run from my network equipment to my main system room is about 40 feet. I have CAT8 Ethernet and fiber optic lines (both) permanently installed. I have A/B compared them multiple times and never heard a reliably meaningful difference between them into Antipodes, Mojo Audio, and now Sonore server/streamers. After installing the Sonore (streamer only) I now have my server (sonicTransporter i9) in the same room with the network equipment with just the Sonore streamer in my system room. Since the Sonore inputs fiber optic directly, with no conversion, the decision to use 15M of fiber optic cable from my server in the network room to my streamer in the system room was an easy one.

In summary, use what works best for your set up and if you hear something bad, check the equipment, nearby cables and power supplies, connections, and other factors before assuming it is related to the type of line.

I don’t think it makes an audible difference... but...

at 30’ or more the chances of inductively picking up a surge voltage from a nearby lightning strike is non zero. Given the chance to run either fiber or Ethernet I would 100% run fiber for that reason alone.

If you are like me you have expensive gear at both ends of a run like that. PC’s on one and HT equipment on the other. Fiber is best, but as I wrote elsewhere, your risk from nearby lightning strikes may be a lot lower than mine.

Otherwise, if you already have or must run a long Ethernet, use an isolator which is certified to UL60601. 

Fiber moats drop the noise floor, but some reported takes the “life” away from the music. 

If your streamer/dac can accept fiber directly (as my Lumin X1 does) it was a BIG improvement!

ozzy

@hollandw I’m curious about the iFi pro. Will probably give it a shot. My streamer only accepts Ethernet  

As to Ethernet cables, I periodically replace my Purist Audio CAT7 with Linkup with same result every time. I guess I’m still hoping to not hear the difference but the Linkup, which is a nice cable, doesn’t hold a candle to Purist.