The Shunyata Research OMEGA-X-Ethernet Cable

Time (again) for moderator....

Having 50+ years in audio and own8ng a audio store 

the top Shunyata Omega x or even last generation Ethernet and usb are Excellent 

cat 6,7 8 means -0 for the transmission data does not travel even past cat 5 

if you don’t have a high resolution system you willnot get your moneys worth out of the cable . I asked Frank to list his whole system before he totally refuses 

for obvious reasons it’s most likely low midfi at best . Try going with a AQ carbon 

that would be equal to your top digital  cable !!

I have already explained numerous times where interconnects make a difference. It seems like you failed to read about it.

...says @frank009, who makes claims of what he wrote, but does not quote what he claims that he wrote.

He writes that he explained it, and then he expects everyone else to go hunting.  He knows what he wrote, so it would be simple for him to quote himself.  But no.  He hands that off to everyone else, knowing that people are not going to do what he was supposed to do; people are not going to go searching for a claim of his that might not exist.

@frank009 I have explained the above to you already.  You failed to read it.  So go back and search for where I already explained this to you.  Perhaps I should quote where I already explained this to you?  Well, you are in favor of having others searching for things you claimed that you wrote.  So go searching for what I claimed that I wrote.  I already went over this with you.  You did not read it.  Go find it.

I will attempt to summarize facts from a quality engineering perspective:

1.  Data packets are transmitted as differential electrical signals.  Therefore, an Ethernet cable is a wire connecting a modem to a streamer (unless you have an optical connection).  
2. Standard data transmission and receipt protocols assure data is bit perfect; therefore, incorrect data packets are remote, or corrected.  Think of the potential collapse of global financial systems is this is not the case. 
3. Considering that an Ethernet cable (or any digital cable like a USB cable between the streamer and DAC) carries an electrical signal connecting a modem to a streamer, any cables can alter RFI noise coupling, and the resulting interference of electrical environment of a streamer or DAC are physically plausible.  Therefore, the design of the conductor and shielding is critical to reducing the probability of RFI noise from entering the system.  
4. If the electrical current carrying the data package carries RF, RF energy can couple into chassis grounds, power supplies, clocks, or analog circuitry.

The quality of an Ethernet cable affecting sound quality is physically plausible.  Everything is simply physics.  We can debate the degree of the affect and benefit / cost ratio of an expensive cable ad nauseam.  
 

From my experience, when I purchased my first streamer I purchased an audiophile grade Ethernet cable that cost $500.  I was hearing hi-frequency noise.  I contacted Aurender.  They stated my cable had metal connector housings and stated to go with a good cable that plastic connector housings to prevent RFI.  The recommended a $50 Blue Jeans cable.  Problem solved.  My experience is that the design and quality can affect sound quality due to the design and quality from the perspective it is an electrical connection.  The affect on sound quality has nothing to do with data package transfer since transmission/reception protocol assure bit perfect transfers.  

@jsalerno277 

Standard data transmission and receipt protocols assure data is bit perfect; therefore, incorrect data packets are remote, or corrected.  Think of the potential collapse of global financial systems is this is not the case. 

Financial institutions can usually (not always) withstand retransmissions.

For example, I used to manage a Thomson Reuters market data business unit.  We sent out "ticker" to our customers.  That ticker was "real time".  But there were times when a symbol was missed, due to a packet loss, and some of the customers were not happy.  The retransmissions were immediate, but immediate was too late.  And we had to get our leased lines checked.

Whereas, if I do a Venmo transfer, it makes no difference if packets are lost, and re-sent, and it takes 1/100th of a second more to complete the transaction.

The affect on sound quality has nothing to do with data package transfer since transmission/reception protocol assure bit perfect transfers.  

With audio, it is more than the bits eventually getting there in their entirety.  It is about the uncanny accuracy of those bits, and for the bits to be in timed order.  Anything less results in jitter.

I am not an expert on which devices need to be perfectly timed, where re-transmissions are ether pointless or taboo.  But the device feeding the DAC needs to be perfectly timed.  If that is an Ethernet cable that is feeding the DAC, then TCP/IP error correction protocols will not help.

I do not use an Ethernet cable to feed my DAC.  I have no experience in swapping Ethernet cables for that purpose in the data chain.  But I have heard improvements with quality USB cables and quality AES/EBU cables.  So I am open to the notion that quality Ethernet cables might be beneficial, too.

And the design quality has to be audio centric, as you discovered.  That cable that you had issues with would likely work perfectly on a router or switch, for general data transfers.