Optical Network Configurations

[muski]

7 hours ago, ericuco said:

If you are just using the UR as a HQP NAA, then you want to consider a fitlet2 (or new fitlet3) with a SFP port before getting a OR. Lot less $$ with very similar SQ.

Very cool! Hadn’t seen them before. Besides HQP NAA, wouldn’t it also be possible to run Roon or, my preferred option, Squeezelite?

[muski]

Intel 100G-CWDM4

 

@Barrows—I assume these would work in the OMD & opticalRendu?

 

 

 

 

[muski]

8 minutes ago, barrows said:

I have no idea... One thing to be aware of is the power requirements of these much faster QSFPs, if they require more power, and make more heat, that might be a problem, but it might not.  Of course they would only run at 1 GBe in Sonore devices.  We do not test with other than 1 Gbe SFPs, but I am interested in hearing of any customer's experiments.

Ok, I just ordered a pair. I'll let you know how it goes. I already have heat sinks on both my OMD and OR. I found them getting a bit hotter running 10GBe SFPs. But it's been months and no issue.

 

Onwards with the SFP journey. I now have a drawerful of them! But I do hear improvements. 

 

Thanks, @jabbr for the recommendation.

 

best,

muski

[muski]

15 hours ago, dbastin said:

Given there has been discussion here about SFP+, you may be interested to hear Taiko's new switch can be SFP+.

https://taikoaudio.com/taiko-2020/product/taiko-audio-extreme-switch/

Interesting! Strange that it’s just one port in and one port out. The Innuos Phoenix Net is three out, though only RJ45. But it allows me to have my server and two streamers all on one switch. It’d be cool if Innuos added optical!

[muski]

42 minutes ago, Jud said:

 

I remember an Innuos piece at the last RMAF being the subject of rave reviews. I gave it a good listen and didn't see/hear what the fuss was about.

 

 

I found the PhoenixNet really cleaned things up and made an audible impact. But I also think I have a terribly noisy router, so I can see how YRMV. (The PhoenixNet has four ports and embeds a Sean Jacobs PS).

[muski]

20 minutes ago, Meridimac said:

 I also bought a cheap 10GTek FMC 

I had one of these in my chain. I upgraded it to a Sonore Optical Module Deluxe. Pretty significant sound improvement—unsurprisingly, there's much less RF. 

[muski]

The impact of upstream RF noise is an interesting question. I recently changed ISPs from Xfinity cable to AT&T Fiber. I switched for reasons of price and  upstream speed and wasn't even thinking about any impact on my audio chain. But during my first post-installation listening session, I immediately noticed the soundprint of reduced RF in the chain, wondered where it came from, and realized I'd changed ISPs.

It could be that the AT&T Fiber modem is quieter than the Arris SB8200 on Xfinity, or because of a new network topology my audio subnet was now optically isolated from the AT&T Fiber modem. Either way, this is all upstream of my final optical network run, and yet I could hear a very significant difference.

 

All of this brings to mind my favorite AS topic of all time, which asks if we are all chasing improvements to reduce
RFI/EMI?  I'd say yes...sure feels like RF/EMI is the Achille's heel of all digital music reproduction.

 

P.S. I've tested about half a dozen SFPs. To my ears the Finisar FTLX1475D3BCV sounded best. It's 10G and single mode. One is in my Sonore Optical Module Deluxe (fed by an Innous Phoenix Net), and the other is in my Sonore opticalRendu.

[muski]

These are the other ones I've tried...

TP-Link TL-SM311LM

Finisar FTLF1321P1BTL

Finisar FTLX8574D3BCV

 

[muski]

11 hours ago, jabbr said:

for example this: NVIDIA MSN2100-CB2F Spectrum 100GbE 1U Open Ethernet Switch

 

 

“with 16 ports running at 100GbE, the SN2100 carries a whopping throughput of 3.2Tb/s”

 

Nice. I want one!