Anyone interested in some Ethernet cable evaluation info?

[bart]

Can do, Bart.

Mac Mini-> (originally generic, now Supra Cat8)1M Ethernet cable > Pace Router > (originally generic, now Supra Cat8) Ethernet -> "upstream" FMC -> 7 M (23 ft) optical fiber cable (zip cord style) -> "downstream" FMC -> Ethernet cable ("audiophile grade" under evaluation)-> Sonore microRendu -> Shunyata Alpha USB -> Schiit Gungnir Multibit DAC > CJ CT-5 preamp.

The Mac Mini, which is in another part of the house, as far away from the audio rack as possible, is powered with a Shunyata Venom 14 with a C7 plug. I'll probably move my Hydra 4 in there to power it.

The Sonore microRendu is powered by an UpTone Audio UltraCap LPS-1 PS with some ridiculous amount of capacitance reserve (60 Farads). The Meanwell AC/DC transformer for the LPS-1 is powered with a Shunyata Venom 14 plugged into my Shunyata Triton distributor. The upstream FMC is powered by a low-noise Jameco 9V 500mA 4.5W regulated linear power supply (P/N GPU410900500WDOO). This power supply is plugged into a $39 Audioquest IEC>3US power-strippy thang that is connected to the wall receptacle with a Shunyata Diamondback power cord. The downstream FMC, which is near the audio rack, is powered by a 9V iFi iPower linear power supply plugged into the Shunyata Triton.

The two FMCs are TP-Link MC200CM SC/SC 850nM Multi-mode fiber media converters. The fiber is Tripp-Lite, 7 meters, 62.5/125 fiber patch cable SC/SC, P/N N306-07M.

My "reference" Ethernet cable from the downstream FMC to the Sonore microRendu is an Audioquest Cinnamon, 0.75M

Hope this helps...

Fantastic Stephen!
Thank you very much.

I'm still thinking about the best step to proceed.
Wireless, via a device like the Auralic Aries 2, or wired.
The wireless option seems a lot less work, but wired might sound better after all...

[Puma Cat]

Fantastic Stephen!
Thank you very much.

I'm still thinking about the best step to proceed.
Wireless, via a device like the Auralic Aries 2, or wired.
The wireless option seems a lot less work, but wired might sound better after all...

Hi Bart,
If you have a very good Wifi bandwidth, it can work very well to use wireless.

My problem is that my small townhome is a veritable "WiFi black hole". I can look down the hallway from the living room where the stereo is and literally see the Wifi Router in the bedroom and yet I can't get decent Wifi bandwidth from there into the living room even with a TP-link Wifi Extender. Once I added a Ring video doorball to my network, I was having constantly having streaming dropouts, especially every time someone walked past the front door and set off a motion alert.

So a wired configuration it is.

[UltraFast69]

Fantastic Stephen!
Thank you very much.

I'm still thinking about the best step to proceed.
Wireless, via a device like the Auralic Aries 2, or wired.
The wireless option seems a lot less work, but wired might sound better after all...

Hello

Puma may be right on wireless, just don’t know, but agree on his wired approach.

My opinion and only that is to keep it wired, you have all sorts of options right now to maximize your sound if that’s something of interest, and your an Audiophile so I’m sure I know the answer, anyway, we’re here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Rob181]

I

I quoted what you said exactly so we can dispense with the word “bit.” I could also infer from what you said that your system tends to be a bit flabby and loose in the bass and the Vodka cable just made it worse. It’s like being a bit pregnant.

Please - no need for this diatribe - bit like being a bit of an ass.

[kiwi_1282001]

Please - no need for this diatribe - bit like being a bit of an ass.

“Diatribe” is a ‘bit’ (word of the moment it seems) harsh Rob.


I’ve read this as Mark providing some guidance by urging the OP to review and reflect upon possible conflicts in the descriptions and synopsis of what he is hearing.

[Mr Peabody]

All the cable companies have their spin on the tech they use. The proof is in the performance. A dealer/friend brought over a set of the Iconoclast speaker cables for me to listen to, this was back when I had a Pass amp and Revel speakers, Iconoclast are extremely expensive and I wouldn't have used them if they were free. They just didn't sound right in my system for some reason. I'm not meaning for this to sound harsh but the cables really put me off.

I only share this as you hold this Galen Gareis up as some cable God.

To my knowledge Paul Speltz was the original, or at least one of if not the original, cable designers to go against having a dielectric around his cables. Now there are some larger name brands who have taken steps to separate the wire from the dielectric. They had to come up with other ways to do it, maybe out of fear of legal issues or possibly realizing Speltz was onto something but still felt shielding was important.

Just making the point, there is more than one way to skin a cat and if it works, it works. If any one designer was the only one technically correct we wouldn't have about a million cable brands to mill through.

Knowing full well Chord's reputation for making excellent-sounding products, I'm sure they sound great. And thanks for sending the link to the video. I watched the interview with Nigel with interest. In particular, his comment about changing "the spacing between the conductor and the shield" is fully consisent with point that Galen Gareis was making in his design brief for his speaker cables, specifically:

"Magnetic fields decay rapidly with distance; ratio of 1/x^3. The best defense is to MOVE the low frequency electromagnetic cables away from one another. The foil and even braid shields are higher frequency shields that are ineffective at much below 1 MHz. Magnetic fields lines need low permeability shield material (something a magnet will stick to) to route flux lines away from sensitive devices. A faraday cage is an example you can put something into to do this. Low permeability metallic shields are a pain to use (stiff and heavy). DISTANCE is the best remedy."

This is exactly what Nigel said that Chord did with the "Signature Reference".

They increased the spacing between the conductor and the shield because it makes the Chord cable perform and sound better for exactly the reasons that Garies cites above.

Nigel also commented that the new speaker cables are significantly less stiff than the older model, but added, "...relatively speaking.." This is also consistent the Galen's comment that low permeability shields are a pain to use, stiff and heavy.

I'm sure the Chord Signature Reference sound great; Chord is a solid engineering-based audio company with excellent credentials. But, respectfully, I'm not convinced that because Chord does it that it is a cable design paradigm or "central dogma." Digital coax, sure. Speaker cables, no. Personally, I'm an advocate for "fit for purpose" engineering. I don't see an advantage for engineering something just because you can. This is what Howard Hughes got caught up with with the Spruce Goose. And, particularly if it adds unnecessary complexity to a design embodiment, or, most importantly, if it adds undesired effects that then have to be compensated for.

I'll give you example. For years now, Audioquest has been installing Dielectric Bias System (DBS) units to their cables. They actually work, and reduce the time for burn-in. But, as they are battery powered and output 72 volts, it turns out that the DBS units also output RF. So, now, AQ had to modify the DBS units to a new engineering specification to include an "RF trap" to protect the cable from the RF that the DBS field elements themselves put out.

*-unrelated side note: Why do almost all audiophile product companies use terms like "Reference, Statement, Signature, Platinum, or Reference Statement or Signature Statement or Reference Signature, etc.? I find it amusing, but I digress.

[Mr Peabody]

FWIW, the character you describe in the WW is in line with similar comments on reviews of their digital cables I've read. The Vodka sounds a lot like what I heard in the AQ Diamond a friend recently tried in my system.

Okay, here are my impressions of WW Starlight Cat8:

WW Starlight Cat8 cable back in the system after the AQ Cinnamon. Its a nice-sounding cable, on the whole, its most notable attribute is that its very quiet, and compared to AQ Cinnamon is that the soundstage on the Wireworld Starlight Cat8 is quite a bit wider than Cinnamon; it extends well past the sides of the speakers; Cinnamon's soundstage does not extend past the sides of the speakers. And, there is more space around each instrument and voice in the stereo image. The overall soundstage is on the two-dimensional side in that its not particularly deep front-to-back. The musical presentation is very neutral, but on the lean, cool side of neutral than the warmish-side of neutral. Vocals and instrumentals are clean and well-defined, but what I would classify as somewhat spare and thin in presentation and body. String bass definition and articulation is excellent, and a just a touch dry and lean. Some sibilants can be somewhat hot and/or bright, depending on the recording.

[Puma Cat]

FWIW, the character you describe in the WW is in line with similar comments on reviews of their digital cables I've read. The Vodka sounds a lot like what I heard in the AQ Diamond a friend recently tried in my system.

Good to know, thanks!

[Puma Cat]

All the cable companies have their spin on the tech they use. The proof is in the performance. A dealer/friend brought over a set of the Iconoclast speaker cables for me to listen to, this was back when I had a Pass amp and Revel speakers, Iconoclast are extremely expensive and I wouldn't have used them if they were free. They just didn't sound right in my system for some reason. I'm not meaning for this to sound harsh but the cables really put me off.

I only share this as you hold this Galen Gareis up as some cable God.

My first-ever pairs of speaker cables were Paul Spelz' Anti-Cables. They sounded good with the caveats that 1) they took 500 hours to burn in 2) they are incredibly stiff and heavy and PITA to live with and 3) the banana plugs were always breaking off them. I don't use them anymore because they are simply impractical to live with (for me, YMMV).

No, I do not hold him up as a "cable god" (and, please, don't put words in my mouth). I was referencing him because he is one of the very few cable design engineers that has actually published a white paper on the engineering challenges, requirements, physics and underlying equations that are important in (loudspeaker) cable design.

I used to teach TRIZ (Teoriya Resheniya Izobretatelskikh Zadatch) as a DFSS MBB when I was teaching my Design for Six Sigma courses for technical and engineering product development to scientists and engineers, and one of the key foundations of TRIZ is that there is almost always more than one (often, several) ways to accomplish a necessary or required functional response. This is the basis for the 40 TRIZ inventive principles.

I'm referencing TRIZ here to reinforce that I fully understand there is more than one (usually several) ways to design products, including cables. That being said, I appreciate being able to read a sound engineering white paper, complete with equations, to help reinforce my understanding of this discipline.

[Rob181]

“Diatribe” is a ‘bit’ (word of the moment it seems) harsh Rob.

I’ve read this as Mark providing some guidance by urging the OP to review and reflect upon possible conflicts in the descriptions and synopsis of what he is hearing.

That is the funniest response I have read in a while - you have missed your true calling - comedy.

[kiwi_1282001]

That is the funniest response I have read in a while - you have missed your true calling - comedy.

I missed the bus on comedy? Damn. Still, that will come as no surprise to some who feel I’m far too busy being a brand ambassador.

So if the bass from the Vodka is not as "tightly defined and articulated" and is "a bit loose and flabbier" than the Starlight Cat 8 cable, how can you possibly say that it is more natural and "musical sounding?" Loose and flabby bass has never sounded natural to me nor is it something I want to inject into my system.

I also struggle to join the dots between an observation that the AQ Vodka Ethernet cable contributed to a bass that was not tightly defined and articulated and was looser and flabbier than a Ethernet cable from a competing brand – yet nonetheless won overall preference for being “more natural”.


It’s almost like the conclusion is being forced to sound better than the actual findings in that the conclusion doesn’t naturally (no pun intended) flow from the observations.


I do however like the idea that Stephen is making an effort to observe and record subjective differences in Ethernet cables and the effort does give me pause for thought on the generic $5 Ethernet cable I’m presently using.

[Rob181]

I also struggle to join the dots between an observation that the AQ Vodka Ethernet cable contributed to a bass that was not tightly defined and articulated and was looser and flabbier than a Ethernet cable from a competing brand – yet nonetheless won overall preference for being “more natural”.

Why is that a surprise - could that be due to you not having access to said cables - said hardware - you waiting for one of your "brand ambassadors" to send cables - or are you fishing for new brands to be an ambassador for. A leopard cannot change its spots.

[mep]

“Diatribe” is a ‘bit’ (word of the moment it seems) harsh Rob.


I’ve read this as Mark providing some guidance by urging the OP to review and reflect upon possible conflicts in the descriptions and synopsis of what he is hearing.

That was my intent.

[mep]

Why is that a surprise - could that be due to you not having access to said cables - said hardware - you waiting for one of your "brand ambassadors" to send cables - or are you fishing for new brands to be an ambassador for. A leopard cannot change its spots.

Wow. And you accused me of being a "bit" of an ass for pointing out conflicts in observational statements. How rich.

[Mike]

Another one we tried in the store was from Revelation Audio. It was good, but still wasn’t the king.


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[pdub]

Another one we tried in the store was from Revelation Audio. It was good, but still wasn’t the king.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Traded out a no-longer-needed Revelation DB25 for an Ethernet. Classic WTF cable moment: replacing a BJC CAT 6 from run-of-the-mill Netgear switch to Aurender A10 there was appreciably more bass. Debatable whether this was a good thing, but it was certainly a thing.
Parker

[Mr Peabody]

A novice question here, are there any bandwidth limitations to the optical? You seem to have good results with it so I assume no degragation from the conversions?

A friend of mine has a digital set up maybe even more complex than yours, from a purist mind set it's a bit maddening, but every time he adds a new gizmo, it seems to improve on an already good sound.

FMC is a Fiber Media Convertor. The fiber media convertor accepts an Ethernet cable via an RJ45 jack. It also has an optical transceiver module that accepts a fiber cable. The FMC converts the analog electrial square waves passing down the Ethernet cable's metal (usually copper) conductors into light signals and sends them out via the FMC's optical transceiver output port.



Because the signals travelling down the fiber are light and not an electromagnetic square wave, fiber is impervious to the effects of EMI, RF, and other high-bandwidth noise and also provides galvanic isolation. This results in a notably quieter noise floor and improved sound quality.

I use two of them, one at the upstream end, and a downstream FMC, near the streamer, and a 7M run of Tripp-LIte fiber instead of a long run of very expensive audiophile-grade Ethernet cable. Instead, I only need a 0.75M length of audiophile-grade Ethernet cable going from the downstream FMC to the Sonore.

Example: A friend of mine on another forum recently bought a 10M run of WW Starlight Cat8. 10M of Starlight Cat8 costs $750. A 10M run of Platinum Starlight costs...$6250! My two TP-Link FMCs and a the run of fiber cost me...$66. Installing it resulted in a noticeable drop in the overall streaming digital front end's noise floor and a much more open, extended and airy top-end.

[crwilli]

Mike,

Have you posted a thread on what you have tried and heard? I have a Revelation Audio Ethernet cable on order...

Craig

Another one we tried in the store was from Revelation Audio. It was good, but still wasn’t the king.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[crwilli]

Stephen,

Keep fighting the good fight. I am enjoying your explorations.

It seems some of the sharks have some bite.

Craig

[Puma Cat]

A novice question here, are there any bandwidth limitations to the optical? You seem to have good results with it so I assume no degragation from the conversions?

A friend of mine has a digital set up maybe even more complex than yours, from a purist mind set it's a bit maddening, but every time he adds a new gizmo, it seems to improve on an already good sound.

Hi Mr. Peabody,
The bandwidth of optical is very high, which is why many telecoms use fiber for long runs over "copper". IIRC (and I may be wrong), there's less insertion loss (loss of dB over distance) for optical than Ethernet cables.

What I can say, going from a 7M long run of Cat7 ethernet to a 7M run fiber was a notable reduction in the noise floor, for a much quieter and a much more extended, airy and open top-end. The reduction in the noise floor "opened up" the presentation overall as well as making it more "natural-sounding". This is consistent with my experience with Shunyata Research's "noise management" products (power distributors and cables) that do so much to reduce the impact of noise, both the overall noise floor and CCI, for example.

A key thing, as with any active device, is to manage noise. The FMCs come with el cheapo little wall warts that I would guess are very noisy. This is why I've got much quieter LPS' that are plugged into quiet power cables and/or power distributors, to keep the noise from adding more active devices down as much as possible. Distance and the old inverse square law helps a lot here.

The next tweak will be new FMCs: the upstream FMC will be a TP-link MC220L, which accepts an SFP (small form-factor pluggable) optical transceivers.



I've ordered a TP-link SFP optical transceiver per the specifications in Sonore's SystemOptique specification for the MC220L:



The new SFP-type FMC will be the upstream FMC, and will be powered by my low-noise Jameco 9V regulated linear power supply pulled into my Shunyata Diamondback power cable via an Audioquest IEC>3US "power strip" (that little thang works really well, thank you, AQ!) It will be connected to the downstream FMC by a 7M run of Tripp-Lite 62.5/125 LC/LC OM1 specification optical fiber; this run of fiber cost me a whopping...$21.

The new downstream FMC will be the newly-released Sonore OpticalModule. The OpticalModule has very low noise regulators and a FEMTO clock and will be the "downstream" FMC that will connect via Ethernet to the Sonore microRendu.



This will initially be powered by my iFi iPower LPS that is plugged into the Triton.

My hypothesis, given Sonore's expertise in this area, is the downstream FMC will be considerably quieter than the current one, and provide improved sonic performance over my current TP-link FMCs. I have a fair degree of confidence in this, in that, like your friend, virtually everything I have done to improve the overall "specification" of the digital streaming front-end has resulted in audible improvements in the musical presentation, like plugging in a Shunyata Venom 14 for Mac Mini and the AC/DC tansformer for the Uptone Audio LPS-1 "Ultracap". Or, for example, when I replaced the POS wall-wart that comes with the current upstream FMC with the new Jameco 9V regulated LPS that I referenced for Bart above, and plugged that into the Shunyata Diamondback/AQ IEC>3US, all these brought audible improvements to the presentation, even to having to lower the volume on the preamp a little to keep the SPLs at my preferred range.

I've come to the same conclusion that Hans Beekhuyzen has: that improving the "streaming front end" can pay dividends comparable to, or as siginificant as, the DAC itself. The streaming system took a significant step up in performance when I installed my Shunyata Alpha USB; it was equivalent to a "component-level" upgrade. Using that as a "yardstick", if the degree of improvement the Alpha USB brought was arbitrarily set to 100, the fiber setup probably gave me an additional 25 on top that, "icing on the cake".

Once I've got that new fiber system in place, and, if it brings the improvements I am pretty confident it will provide, I'll be ordering a Keces P3 from Mike, to provide an even cleaner and quieter power to both the OpticalModule and the network bridge.

[aKnyght]

great work and info for all here - thanks!!

The new downstream FMC will be the newly-released Sonore OpticalModule. The OpticalModule has very low noise regulators and a FEMTO clock and will be the "downstream" FMC that will connect via Ethernet to the Sonore microRendu...

very interested to see how this works out -- have been intrigued myself by the opticalRendu [fiber to USB] as a roon endpoint.

[Puma Cat]

great work and info for all here - thanks!!

very interested to see how this works out -- have been intrigued myself by the opticalRendu [fiber to USB] as a roon endpoint.

aKnyght,

Yep, that would work! And, it completely obviates the need for an audiophile-grade Ethernet cable.

I've thought about this. But, as near as I can figure, the OpticalRendu is exactly the same as an UltraRendu with an SFP optical transceiver port instead of an RJ45 jack. I'm thinking, from the reviews I've read comparing the microRendu to an UltraRendu, that an SOtM UltraNeo would outperform the Optical/UltraRendu. I don't know that for a fact, its just a hypothesis. But I'm more inclined towards the SOtM than the OpticalRendu.

[Puma Cat]

Stephen,

Keep fighting the good fight. I am enjoying your explorations.

It seems some of the sharks have some bite.

Craig

Thanks, Craig.

I'm not worrried about some of the sharks; dolphins are much faster than sharks!

[Rob181]

Keep fighting the good fight. I am enjoying your explorations. It seems some of the sharks have some bite.

Yep - keep your observations coming - it is an interesting read & great to get opinions down a road I am shortly to travel.

They aren't sharks - more like gummy bottom feeders.

[Puma Cat]

Yep - keep your observations coming - it is an interesting read & great to get opinions down a road I am shortly to travel.

Will do. I'm going to rent in an AQ Diamond for eval on Mike's recommendation. Mike says its a very good-sounding Ethernet cable, so I thought I should evaluate it. I would also like to be able to rent the SoTM dCBL-CAT7 (SOtM should really work on their product nomenclature) as I've also heard great things about it, but Its not available from The Cable Company for rental.

I'll also be evaluating my Supra Cat8 pretty soon now that its arrived and had some days to burn in, streaming content from the Mac Mini to the router.

[Puma Cat]

Well, after a good 6 days or so of burn-in 24/7, I put in the Supra Cat8...

Man, this little cable is wonderful! It's is a very nice-sounding cable, indeed. Very detailed but not at all etched, edgy, or spiky. it presents an incredibly layered and complex presentation that is really very nice. The presentation is not quite as spacious front-to-back and "fullsome" as the AudioQuest Cinnamon or Vodka, but it actuallyi has more and a finer layering of detail. The micro-detail, microdymanics and timbral shadings of this cable are really quite impressive and musical as all get-out. I hear fliligreed and sublte little musical details and timbral shadings I don't hear on any of the others. Its like going from a 240 dpi JPEG digital photograph to a 300 dpi TIFF file, using digital photography as an analogy. It has an overall sonic signature and "body" that reminds me of wood-bodied phono cartridges, in in particular, my Sumiko Pearwood Celebration II that was on my Rega P5.

For $54, man, this cable is a winner! Big thumbs up!

[Mr Peabody]

Yep, I spoke to the friend I mentioned, this evening, he already uses the optical cabling and FMC. He told me the same as you just mentioned, he uses an upgraded power supply from Uptone.

Hi Mr. Peabody,
The bandwidth of optical is very high, which is why many telecoms use fiber for long runs over "copper". IIRC (and I may be wrong), there's less insertion loss (loss of dB over distance) for optical than Ethernet cables.

What I can say, going from a 7M long run of Cat7 ethernet to a 7M run fiber was a notable reduction in the noise floor, for a much quieter and a much more extended, airy and open top-end. The reduction in the noise floor "opened up" the presentation overall as well as making it more "natural-sounding". This is consistent with my experience with Shunyata Research's "noise management" products (power distributors and cables) that do so much to reduce the impact of noise, both the overall noise floor and CCI, for example.

A key thing, as with any active device, is to manage noise. The FMCs come with el cheapo little wall warts that I would guess are very noisy. This is why I've got much quieter LPS' that are plugged into quiet power cables and/or power distributors, to keep the noise from adding more active devices down as much as possible. Distance and the old inverse square law helps a lot here.

The next tweak will be new FMCs: the upstream FMC will be a TP-link MC220L, which accepts an SFP (small form-factor pluggable) optical transceivers.



I've ordered a TP-link SFP optical transceiver per the specifications in Sonore's SystemOptique specification for the MC220L:



The new SFP-type FMC will be the upstream FMC, and will be powered by my low-noise Jameco 9V regulated linear power supply pulled into my Shunyata Diamondback power cable via an Audioquest IEC>3US "power strip" (that little thang works really well, thank you, AQ!) It will be connected to the downstream FMC by a 7M run of Tripp-Lite 62.5/125 LC/LC OM1 specification optical fiber; this run of fiber cost me a whopping...$21.

The new downstream FMC will be the newly-released Sonore OpticalModule. The OpticalModule has very low noise regulators and a FEMTO clock and will be the "downstream" FMC that will connect via Ethernet to the Sonore microRendu.



This will initially be powered by my iFi iPower LPS that is plugged into the Triton.

My hypothesis, given Sonore's expertise in this area, is the downstream FMC will be considerably quieter than the current one, and provide improved sonic performance over my current TP-link FMCs. I have a fair degree of confidence in this, in that, like your friend, virtually everything I have done to improve the overall "specification" of the digital streaming front-end has resulted in audible improvements in the musical presentation, like plugging in a Shunyata Venom 14 for Mac Mini and the AC/DC tansformer for the Uptone Audio LPS-1 "Ultracap". Or, for example, when I replaced the POS wall-wart that comes with the current upstream FMC with the new Jameco 9V regulated LPS that I referenced for Bart above, and plugged that into the Shunyata Diamondback/AQ IEC>3US, all these brought audible improvements to the presentation, even to having to lower the volume on the preamp a little to keep the SPLs at my preferred range.

I've come to the same conclusion that Hans Beekhuyzen has: that improving the "streaming front end" can pay dividends comparable to, or as siginificant as, the DAC itself. The streaming system took a significant step up in performance when I installed my Shunyata Alpha USB; it was equivalent to a "component-level" upgrade. Using that as a "yardstick", if the degree of improvement the Alpha USB brought was arbitrarily set to 100, the fiber setup probably gave me an additional 25 on top that, "icing on the cake".

Once I've got that new fiber system in place, and, if it brings the improvements I am pretty confident it will provide, I'll be ordering a Keces P3 from Mike, to provide an even cleaner and quieter power to both the OpticalModule and the network bridge.

[Puma Cat]

Yep, I spoke to the friend I mentioned, this evening, he already uses the optical cabling and FMC. He told me the same as you just mentioned, he uses an upgraded power supply from Uptone.

Yep, I likely have a very similar one for the microRendu, an LPS-1. I'm sure the upgraded PS from Uptone is paying notable dividends for his optical config.

Unfortunately, as someone is presently retired, and living on a "fixed cash flow", I can't afford to spend ~$800 on Uptone power supplies for $50 worth of used FMCs.

[Puma Cat]

So, I've the Supra Cat8 in for a few hours now, and the cable has settled a bit; its become notbaly more spacious and filled-out-sounding. The amout of detail this cable will pull out of a recording is really, really impressive.

Moreover, this cable has a very lively, dynamic presentation. It reminds me even more of my Rega P5 and Sumiko Pearwood Celebration II moving coil cartridge in that this Ethernet cable just frickin' "kicks out the jams", baby! Its great for rock-oriented content; I'm listening to Rodrigo y Gabriela's Rodrigo y Gabriela, and the Supra8 just explodes with this album's rhythmic drive and propulsive energy.

[UltraFast69]

Puma

So far from what I am reading and correlating with my experiences are;

- Ethernet cables matter, a view I have always held
- optical isolation makes things night and day
- different systems, different approaches are cumulative


I learned of the Supra 8 and that they are hand made in Sweden and each cable comes with a card attached that is signed by who soldered the connections.

Mr Peabody indicates something to the affect that The Vodka and Diamond have some sound similarities - I read this on the Audioquest website, with one having silver around copper and the latter being solid.

I’m glad someone else is taking charge in this area, because I believe it’s well worth it and does not have to be crazy expensive!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Puma Cat]

Puma

So far from what I am reading and correlating with my experiences are;

- Ethernet cables matter, a view I have always held
- optical isolation makes things night and day
- different systems, different approaches are cumulative

I learned of the Supra 8 and that they are hand made in Switzerland and each cable comes with a card attached that is signed by who soldered the connections.

Mr Peabody indicates something to the affect that The Vodka and Diamond have some sound similarities - I read this on the Audioquest website, with one having silver around copper and the latter being solid.

I’m glad someone else is taking charge in this area, because I believe it’s well worth it and does not have to be crazy expensive!

Ultra, I would concur with this summary as being very accurate. I haven't listened to different systems, but my experience with other types of cables is consistent with the view that there are Interactions between cables and system components & speakers.

Regarding the AQ Vodka and Diamond, I've heard they are similar in character, the Diamond brings more "goodness" that the Vodka provides.

Just a note the Supra Cat8 are hand-made in Sweden.

[VoicesInMyHead]

Just a note the Supra Cat8 are hand-made in Sweden.

It's not the first (or last) time someone mixes up Sweden and Switzerland. When Spotify went public the New York Stock Exchange even raised a Swiss flag to honour the Swedish company. Anyway, back to topic...

[Puma Cat]

It's not the first (or last) time someone mixes up Sweden and Switzerland. When Spotify went public the New York Stock Exchange even raised a Swiss flag to honour the Swedish company. Anyway, back to topic...

[UltraFast69]

Ultra, I would concur with this summary as being very accurate. I haven't listened to different systems, but my experience with other types of cables is consistent with the view that there are Interactions between cables and system components & speakers.

Regarding the AQ Vodka and Diamond, I've heard they are similar in character, the Diamond brings more "goodness" that the Vodka provides.

Just a note the Supra Cat8 are hand-made in Sweden.

I said Sweden


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[Darrel]

I decided to order a couple of the Supra Cat8 ethernet cables. And one Supra USB 2.0 cable to help complete my cable upgrade. At least for now. I've been using a Amazon USB 2.0 and ethernet cables from my HTPC. And a standard ethernet Cat6 cable from my modem to my router. Found a store on Ebay and they are based and ship from Seattle. I still use a HTPC as my Roon hub and haven't decided where I'm going as a replacement yet. I'm curious to hear if the Supra USB and ethernet cables to my PC changes the audio from my PC to my preamp to any degree. I should have the cable this Friday.

[UltraFast69]

Darrel - Im looking forward to hearing your results

[Rms]

That's the best place for computer audio servers, well away from the audio system! With Ethernet renderers now commonplace, distancing computers is easier than ever.

[Puma Cat]

I decided to order a couple of the Supra Cat8 ethernet cables. And one Supra USB 2.0 cable to help complete my cable upgrade. At least for now. I've been using a Amazon USB 2.0 and ethernet cables from my HTPC. And a standard ethernet Cat6 cable from my modem to my router. Found a store on Ebay and they are based and ship from Seattle. I still use a HTPC as my Roon hub and haven't decided where I'm going as a replacement yet. I'm curious to hear if the Supra USB and ethernet cables to my PC changes the audio from my PC to my preamp to any degree. I should have the cable this Friday.

Darrel,
What is an HTPC? Not familiar with the term.

Also, if the HTPC is in your audio rack, my recommendation/suggestion would be to move it as far away from the audio components as is practicable.

With respect to USB cables, the best one I've heard at an "entry level" price point is the Shunyata Venom. Available at $99; this USB cable outperformed the $600 Audioquest Diamond in my system. I haven't heard the Supra USB cable yet.

[Darrel]

Darrel,
What is an HTPC? Not familiar with the term.

Also, if the HTPC is in your audio rack, my recommendation/suggestion would be to move it as far away from the audio components as is practicable.

With respect to USB cables, the best one I've heard at an "entry level" price point is the Shunyata Venom. Available at $99; this USB cable outperformed the $600 Audioquest Diamond in my system. I haven't heard the Supra USB cable yet.

HTPC= Home Theater Personal Computer. In Home Theater it's a audio/video storage server. It's on its own 20amp circuit and about 8 feet away. It connects to my NAD M12 using the USB 2.0 cable for Roon or computer audio/ Concert and Movies as well as the net etc.

[Puma Cat]

HTPC= Home Theater Personal Computer. In Home Theater it's a audio/video storage server. It's on its own 20amp circuit and about 8 feet away. It connects to my NAD M12 using the USB 2.0 cable for Roon or computer audio/ Concert and Movies as well as the net etc.

Got it, thanks, Darrel! All these acronyms these days....HTCP, UPnP, DLNA, etc...

[Darrel]

I received the shipment of Supra cables today. One advantage of buying local. Even there they don't have a store front to walk into. Hooked up the USB 2.0 4 meter from the computer to the NAD M12. Also one 4 meter Cat8 from the router to the computer. And one 2 meter Cat8 from the modem to the router. These are very early impressions. Played from the computer off of Tital MQA to the NAD. A few Diana Krell, Joni Mitchell and Modern Jazz Quartet songs. Just to get a feel. Then went to the Lumin T2 and using my Ipad and Roon played the same artist and songs. My first impression on both was a feeling that I needed to move my listening chair back a few feet. I left the chair in place. But, the sound was more livelier with more air and brightness. I'm guessing it has to do with new cables and some burn in time will settle things down. I'll play them throughout the weekend to see how things go.

[Puma Cat]

I received the shipment of Supra cables today. One advantage of buying local. Even there they don't have a store front to walk into. Hooked up the USB 2.0 4 meter from the computer to the NAD M12. Also one 4 meter Cat8 from the router to the computer. And one 2 meter Cat8 from the modem to the router. These are very early impressions. Played from the computer off of Tital MQA to the NAD. A few Diana Krell, Joni Mitchell and Modern Jazz Quartet songs. Just to get a feel. Then went to the Lumin T2 and using my Ipad and Roon played the same artist and songs. My first impression on both was a feeling that I needed to move my listening chair back a few feet. I left the chair in place. But, the sound was more livelier with more air and brightness. I'm guessing it has to do with new cables and some burn in time will settle things down. I'll play them throughout the weekend to see how things go.

They are very lively and "energetic" indeed. I use the phrase that they "kick out the jams". They are also very detailed, revealing an incredible amount of detail overall as well as inner, "micro-detail." They can be really fun on some content, but rather a bit "much" on other content. A lot of it comes down the to miking, recording and mastering of the content. If you're listening to Blue Note CDs mastered by Rudy Van Gelder in the early 90s, they might be a bit much, if you listen to the same jazz content re-mastered by Alan Yoshida for the Audio Wave series of XRCD24 Blue Note releases, it'll sound great.

They should settle down on the brightness front with some burn-in. I would recommend streaming content through them 24/7 for 5 to 7 days, then come back and re-evaluate.