+1 for the Etherregen and the new v2 is likely to come out in Q1/26. Get it with Ca6 BlueJeans ethernet cable.
Do upgraded LAN cables/purifiers/switch box make a difference. What is recommended, if so?
Streamer / DAC is Orchard Audio PecanPi+ connected to a TP-Link SG105 switch with a slightly better than basic Ethernet cable. This in turn is connected to the wall (with same quality Ethernet cable).
For completeness, the PecanPi+ is connected via XLR to Benchmark HPA4 -> Benchmark AHB2 (bridged-mono) driving Martin Logan ESL 9's.
Analog (Clearaudio Concept Turntable) was upgraded (Sumiko Blue Point 3 MC, Benz Micro Lukaschek PP1 phono with SBooster power supply). This improved sound TT sound quality.
Now I'm looking for tweaks to the digital chain to make a difference. FWIW the streaming sound quality is already great. Don't want to spend more than USD 750 on all tweaks.
Would appreciate comments / recommendations.
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Based on my recent experiences. In the order from discernable to impressive: ethernet cables https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VVFB8VX?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1, linear power supply for modem and router, Network Acoustic Eno2 https://www.networkacoustics.com/shop/eno2-ethernet-filter/?srsltid=AfmBOoqLAY5mQsun5bBZ39LfnaXK-_xIEc-7AS2Ef9m3xdtjS_ocD-5q. Into Aurender N100 and Denafrips VenusII. |
I bought a couple of LAN silencer and purifier products from SilentPower (a division of iFi) and it made a difference in my system. Everything was much quieter, and to my ear there was more definition and clarity in the music from not only my internal NAS/streamer but also from the Internet. The LAN iPurifier Pro is the primary unit and I placed it between my router and my first switch (which is a standard 8-port switch and nothing that is geared toward audiophile use), which then goes off to my computer and the NAS. I also bought a couple of the lesser LAN iSilencer products and plugged one of those directly into the LAN feed to the NAS and also placed one on my streamer. I never once considered sending these back they performed as advertised. |
No gear / cable that operates under the bit-perfect TCP protocol will make any difference in the sound quality of your system, because it can’t. TCP is bit-perfect. Period. The one (and only) thing that may yield an improvement in your digital chain is a final run of fiber cable to your streamer. That’s because fiber is impervious to EMI and RFI (being non-metallic), thereby providing your system with perfect galvanic isolation. Picture a moat protecting your castle, so to speak, keeping noise at bay. Many audiophiles here report that fiber helped in their systems, and that makes perfect sense. Best practice is to keep all internet gear (modem, router, switches) and their noisy SM power supplies in a room or closet separate from your listening room and on a separate mains branch circuit, and connecting your system to them via fiber. After you get a fiber cable and adapters, you’ll have around $650 left over from your $750 budget. Spend that on a nice weekend with your SO and reap rewards far beyond whatever you had in mind going in. It’s a win-win! Happy listening!
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