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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
krell_fan1's avatar
krell_fan1
119 posts
 

I have never had that experience AT ALL! On the contrary after installing high grade switches and FMC's my noise floor went to ZERO, Then again, I am using market leading brand equipment like Uptone Audio EtherRegen and Sonore modules. You get what you pay for, so consider it is not the "genre" or concept but rather equipment. And I have VERY resolving equipment, including an Antipodes K41 server and K22 Player feeding a Lyngdorf MP-60 with thousands invested in Lumniscate cables in conjunction with AQ Niagara 5000 units (2). 

There are, as others have suggested, alternatives but one would have to pay me to abandon my optical network. 

torontodt
17 posts
 

One the things I haven't seen mentioned yet are the types of SFP cable implementations that are available:

- DAC: DAC cable are direct attached cable with copper throughout so there is no transceivers (or isolation) between SFP endpoints. Good for short SFP+ runs on higher (10Gb) speeds. I use this for the connection from my 10Gb (Unifi) switch to the NAS (on its own VLAN).

-ACC: Active copper cables include an active signal driver or equalizer chip added inside the cable endpoints. Can be noisy/jittery.

- AOC: Active optical cables are fiber but have no external mechanical connection between the transceiver and the fiber - it's a completrely integrated cable. I chose a 5m AOC cable from Coherent/Finisar (FCBG110SD1C05). It provides the quality of the Finisar transceivers combined with factory bonded connection to the fiber. Very good cable.

- SFP modules & Fiber - Always great for custom flexibility.

I used the AOC cable with a Startech media converter. Wasn't impressed. Added a linear power supply and *wow*, what an improvment.

Ended up getting the LHY FMC media converter and now I'll never go back to ethernet. Love it.

> Streamer is Matrix Element S to a Holo May Dac.

car123's avatar
car123
159 posts
 

I’ve tried a host of different strategies to optimize my streaming signal and settled on an optical moat comprised of two sonore opticalmodule deluxe powered by sBooster power supplies with finisar FMCs, high quality ethernet cables and RJ45 into my EMM one box DV2.  It is not lifeless but organic and detailed.  I have numerous and various other gizmos, cables, filters and sundry other stuff I’ve forgotten about sitting in boxes. 

It’s fun to experiment and there seems to be quite a variety of results folks get so you of course need to use your own ears; after all they are what you use to listen to music. 

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