Ethernet switch box
- Thread starter johnthomas
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mep
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- Dec 4, 2013
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What don’t I understand any of?
Randy Myers
Well-known member
Exactly. Was wondering the same thing. I would be much more worried about all those crap lines that the data is traveling through before even getting to my ISP and then their lines to my house much more so than the lines in my house. But I do not believe any of these can compare to the higher level AQ USB cable that connects from my server to the DAC.
Either you are not reading it properly or you are deliberately twisting it. Which one ? And I don't understand what you mean by data path either
I am starting to have a feeling that its going into a direction where many threads land up (sayers vs naysayers), like a courthouse if you will
u-sound
Active member
it is the switch and networkbridge who makes streaming worse or better than cd....that easy
I'm not the only one baffled, so you might consider going through it all again.
You appear to be concerned about noise and other non-signal artifacts appearing in the path the digital data traverses from its arrival in your home (at the ISP modem) to the DAC. This potentially involves cables, switches, routers, etc, as well as power supplies to each component that needs one. However, in some way the path the digital data travels to get to your home is free of such interference, or else some process effectively removes it as it arrives at your modem. If you can, please clarify your understanding of this for the rest of us?
I do understand that accurate "clocking" of the data entering the DAC is important (although how much one "needs" an external clock may be open to debate, since many high-end DACs offer clocking upgrade options)
You appear to be concerned about noise and other non-signal artifacts appearing in the path the digital data traverses from its arrival in your home (at the ISP modem) to the DAC. This potentially involves cables, switches, routers, etc, as well as power supplies to each component that needs one. However, in some way the path the digital data travels to get to your home is free of such interference, or else some process effectively removes it as it arrives at your modem. If you can, please clarify your understanding of this for the rest of us?
I do understand that accurate "clocking" of the data entering the DAC is important (although how much one "needs" an external clock may be open to debate, since many high-end DACs offer clocking upgrade options)
and if one plays from local storage (as devg is now doing)?
Now I am baffled
but I think I understand the confusion. Its possible that I haven't articulated it well. Is it safe to assume you understand how data is transmitted from the Tidal to your music server and finally your DAC ? If not, I suggest you read up on them first, otherwise we aren't volume matched 
In short, the noise is "potentially" in the analog domain and it manifests into different shape and form by the network events - that is what many manufacturers/designers seem to believe and there is NO measurements to demonstrate this. Someday we will figure it out but for now we don't know why. Let me be very clear about this. The streaming packets itself doesn't carry any noise or grunge but the act of streaming itself causes churns to occur in a way it effects the sound quality. That is why I said earlier, my local storage sound better than NAS but I have not optimized my network to the extent possible due to various reasons.
I hope I am able to clear some of it. I understand its complex, messy and not easily digestible.
W9TR
Active member
Here is where you and Mark differ. I am not sure, but I suspect his educational and occupational background qualifies him to have an informed opinion. If the digital data is transmitted as packets on an analog line, then noise can certainly be introduced. If the digital data is then perfectly reassembled at the modem, router, or DAC, then jitter/clocking should be all that matters (and all higher end DACs address this to one degree or another).
In any case, as I posted a while ago, just another reason for me not to get into streaming.
Absolutely, I don't disagree. You are free to choose and trust whatever you like. I am not here to earn your certification please and neither do I care
You just contradicted yourself :bonkers:
Randy Myers
Well-known member
The thing that is confusing me about this conversation. Some say that the signal, the data packets coming from Tidal or Quobuz, or whatever are not affected, others believe that data is data and weather it is traveling across lines around the world or inside your network it is the same thing, a data pack that requires be converted by the DAC. If there is no difference then why would a higher audiophile switch make any differences at all. Some have even stated that the difference is that "Tidal and Quobuz are not doing any D/A conversion", and so if this is the case then only the DAC would matter since it is the only piece of gear actually performing D/A conversion. Maybe I am thick, maybe I have Alzheimer's, but my mind tells me the data travelling across the lines around the world can certainly affect things the same way as those inside my network??? If it is only the DAC then why do my AQ Coffee USB cables sound better than the basic Wireworld I replaced, or generic ones for that matter?
Now I am baffled
In short, the noise is "potentially" in the analog domain and it manifests into different shape and form by the network events - that is what many manufacturers/designers seem to believe and there is NO measurements to demonstrate this. Someday we will figure it out but for now we don't know why. Let me be very clear about this. The streaming packets itself doesn't carry any noise or grunge but the act of streaming itself causes churns to occur in a way it effects the sound quality. That is why I said earlier, my local storage sound better than NAS but I have not optimized my network to the extent possible due to various reasons.
I hope I am able to clear some of it. I understand its complex, messy and not easily digestible.
I am now more confused than ever. You certainly made it as clear as...mud.
First it was 'Unfortunately, no one (I literally mean no one) has ever found a way to measure anything or prove anything.' Then, 'The noise is '"potentially" in the analog domain' but somehow 'many manufacturers/designers seem to believe and there is NO measurement to demonstrate this'. Yet somehow, other manufacturers are able to design products to fix the problem that 'no one (I literally mean no one)' cannot even measure or prove. And yet some audiophiles are buying these products!
Maybe it is time for folks to realize that the reason why the problem is 'complex, messy and not easily digestible.' or 'Someday we will figure it out' is because the noise only exists on some people's heads.
Nearly 50 years ago, humans landed a spacecraft in Mars!! It is just science guys.
u-sound
Active member
see the switch as a conditioner......or actually better as a separator (the signal you want from the billions you dont want)
u-sound
Active member
looooooooooooooolHere comes the rain again....
All good questions Randy. Did you get your hearing checked after you bought the AQ Coffee USB cable ?
No, I have been quite consistent in my stance about streaming music and me; whether or not all the refinements many choose for their streaming setups make an audible difference may be one factor in that decision, but not the major one.
CPP
Active member
I enjoy streaming, no real hangups, simple , my ears hear music and I like it, the wifes enjoys it, but I stay away from the choice of the Blue Pill or Red Pill. As one can cost you a lot and give you hardly any noticeable payback for the upward cost vs what you already have. . And I don't have to keep up " with the Jones".