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Network cable rabbit hole

Hello,

 

I have fallen into a network cable rabbit hole…. Let me explain. 

I have found that Ethernet network cables make a big difference in my system. 

Curious, I considered the range of options between my Nagra Streamer and my WIFI Router 12’ away. 

 

I was curious about fiber, I got a cheap pair of T-link Ethernet to fiber converters and a fiber cable, it was interesting. Super clean, but super dry and a little shrill. Took it out right away… it took too much life away form the music… . 

 

Next I tried a regenerator. I tried one that was rated super well, about 1200$… and i spend the night auditioning this vs my $15 amazon network cable… and I could not tell the difference! I think the filtering and reclocking in my Nagra Streamer does the trick on its own perhaps? Regardless why, I couldn’t barely tell a difference between the with the regenerator and without. 

During this, the swap between a standard Ethernet and a $300 bronze dragon network cable was apparent. Again, pointing in the direction for my system that the Ethernet cable is a worthwhile upgrade. 

So… What do you all think of all this? 

Do you have a recommendation for a 12’ Network cable in the 1K range that is super open, wide stoundstage, but with fabulous tone and texture? 

 

Thanks,

r.

whyrichard
1971gto455ho's avatar
1971gto455ho
588 posts
 

For me with the rabbit hole, snake oil type high dollar cable situation I’d get my hearing checked. Then I’d A/B test with several people and most likely end up very happy with the money I saved, and no egg foo young on my face….lol 

total111
92 posts
 

If you want to improve your network, try an Etherregen or upcoming v2 of it. It removes all noise upstream plus reclocks the signal with a decent clock. No more expensive than a "high end" cable (whatever that is with whatever effect it claims) but with actual technical claims behind it which a cable alone could NEVER do.

 

mggartner
39 posts
 

An Ethernet switch is a repeater. (It also remembers network addresses so it can send data out the intended destination, as opposed to a hub, which repeats the data on all ports, creating traffic all over the network.) It sends exactly what it receives. It won’t clean up the data stream. Unless your cable is over 300 feet, you have no need for a switch. It’s just another possible point of failure. Believe it or not, a good quality CAT6 cable is all you need to get binary packets quite safely and cleanly from point A to point B. Keep the cable away from fluorescent lights and AC motors. 

mark200mph
842 posts
 

I use a cd player it's all in the one or two boxes ha ha.but great discussions on zero and ones and how it's transfered and jitter is real as I had it this am in my left arm listening to country music no offence.😃

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
7,879 posts
 

@total111 I think you misunderstood some of what I was saying and took some other things out of context. Which is fine. 
The EtherREGEN reclocking of the signal is questionable because. Timing is imbedded in the signal by the router and EtherREGEN will do as much as a decent switch with that, at the most. Hence the test results reported by OP.
I never said a cable alone will fix jitter.
You can use a $1000 EtherREGEN or however much it costs or any decent switch to the same effect. You can use fiber converters that also introduce noise, both electrical on the way out to copper, and AC because they are plugged in using cheap wall wart SMPS. You can change those out to LPS. You can do whatever you want.
I’m over and out as far as this goes. 

 

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