Ethernet


I’m considering using a 25 foot ethernet cable run from my router to my Node N130 instead of using wi-fi. Will there be an improvement by bypassing the wifi receiver inside the Node? Any recommendations/input would be much appreciated..

maprik

Bluejeans cables work great - as in they pass the signal from origin to destination without issues. The sound? Dull and lifeless. I keep a spare rca and xlr just to have on hand in case I need it. RCAs are actually better sounding than XLRs. Their digital coax cable is pure crap. I’ll be tying one of the garbage bags with it soon if I don’t forget. I expect Ethernet to be on par with the rest of their cables. 

@dwette --I know. I believe it's more audiophile nonsense. I have tried various cables at varying lengths vs WiFi and have not found any sonic difference. I agree with @mggartner. Money is better spent on upgrading equipment (amps, preamps, DAC's, etc..) 

As to the OP-NO, Keep using WiFi if it's more convenient. 

 

Cheers,

I run everything via ethernet using powerline adapters into wallplugs. My house was built in the 60's using mostliy aluminum wiring.  My main rig streamer is an NAD C658, paired with a tube pre-amp and a vintage power amp. It all souds great to me. I've never been able to discern noise or any other sound impurities.  Curse these apparently non-audiophile ears o' mine.  smiley

@audphile1 We shall see! My wi-fi connection is solid, my router is in the same room. My ears will be the judge on if the BJ ethernet cable and bypassing the node wi-fi receiver is an improvement.

The digital data rides in an analogy stream that’s prone to picking up audible noise that we can hear.

 

Can you please explain this? What audible noise are you talking about

@grunge1000 I'm assuming kennyc may have been referring to noise floor (hiss through speakers).

I know. I believe it's more audiophile nonsense. I have tried various cables at varying lengths vs WiFi and have not found any sonic difference. I agree with @mggartner. Money is better spent on upgrading equipment (amps, preamps, DAC's, etc..) 

Agree that money can be better spent, but there's nothing wrong with experimenting and finding your own conclusions if money and time permits. In terms of "audiophile nonsense": I agree that bits are bits, but my research also indicated that ethernet cable can act as an antenna in respect to RFI/EMI - essentially riding along the cable as it enters your streamer or DAC and to the analog stages. As Kennyc mentioned, members here have historically expressed that better components help reduce this noise. 

Personally, and unlike many on this forum, I reside next to high-voltage power lines that generate EMI/RFI. Utilizing FMCs within my network helped immensely in respect to lowering the noise floor that was rather high when using a very long ethernet cable from my router to my streamer. Unlike Kennyc, I didn't use a better streamer but instead used a different approach in my network to reduce the noise going to my streamer.

Whether FMC (or any other alternative approaches previously mentioned) would help others? I can't say, but who am I to invalidate other members' experience?  Lots of variables within our audio systems and where we reside. "It depends" has become my motto, especially compared to being a former absolutist that resided in the ASR forum.