Fiber Optic isolation causing listening fatigue


Just curious if others have experienced the issue I'm having. I have a decently resolving system: Aurender N150>Weiss DAC 204>Wyred4Sound Pre>First Watt J2>Omega RS8 monitors. Not being able to leave well enough alone, in a quest for more detail, I decided to isolate my streamer from the router by dropping in two TP Link fiber media converters separated by a fiber optic cable. Well, initially I got the effect I was hoping for: I heard a great deal more detail in my music. I could hear the singer take a breath where I typically couldn't. I heard nuances of music that typically escaped me. In fact the effect wasn't really subtle. There was much more clear instrumentation separation, etc. However, after about an hour of listening, I started noticing a feel of irrititability, just a general annoyance. I told myself "you're just over-caffinated." But I think the added level of clarity was simply causing listener fatigue.

Anyone else experience this with a fiber optic upgrade? Of course the fiber optic cable will not require break in (it is simply passing light through a channel), but maybe the fiber media converters would need time to settle in? I was trying this upgrade as a "proof of concept" thinking that I would upgrade to a Sonore Optical Module Deluxe if I liked the effect. Now I'm not so sure I'll take the risk in spending more money on this.

I guess I'm just curious if anyone has had this experience. Or might have some thoughts?

Thanks,

Tal

surlydale

 

llg98ljk

267 posts

 

The search for constant improvement can turn into a disease. If you are happy with your system, it might be best to leave it alone. Unintended consequences can be a be-och.
 

word!

If you are happy with your system, it might be best to leave it alone. Unintended consequences can be a be-och.

Wise words ... And thanks all for the feedback and suggestions. I'm going to regroup and decide if I want to pursue this further right now. My head is spinning after skimming through the 40 pages of thread suggested by foggyUS91. 

 

Although optical moats often reduces a noticeable amount of noise, numerous have reported it somehow robs some “life” out of the music.  

@surlydale I just flew in from Denver a few hours ago.

Colorado Winter Head-Fi Meet -- January 10, 2026 | Page 16 | Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org

I loved hearing gear such as the following:

  • Playback Designs Dream (MPD-8) DAC
  • Allnic D-15000 Signature OTL/OCL DAC
  • Imersiv D-1 DAC (I bought this one) and the designer John La Grou was at the Denver meet
  • Allnic ASRA headphone amp
  • Bricasti M3 DAC and m19 SACD transport
  • Meitner MA3i DAC
  • Meze headphones
  • Stax headphone
  • ZMF headphones
  • RAAL 1995 Magna (best at show) and Immanis phones

What a meet. The best gear and great folks. I did the fibre optic streaming for the Allnic and Meitner DACs. There was a photographer from The Absolute Sound taking pictures.

Reports of life being robbed of life by fibre. Interesting, like I said I only do fibre.