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Ethernet cables


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I hear a difference between interconnects, speaker and USB cables, and power cords. I don't think it's a myth, nor do I think they're just expensive tone controls. This is unfortunate because it has cost me thousands of dollars.

 

But I don't yet hear the difference fancy Ethernet cables make.

As long as you're using 6a or 7 I think you're fine. If you want to go crazy and don't mind a lack of flexibility buy Cat 8.

 

Does anyone have experience hearing a significant improvement using a fancy brand Ethernet cable vs. a standard Cat 6a, 7 or 8? Or even a difference between 6a, 7, or 8?

 

I'm interested in your experiences.

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Does anyone have experience hearing a significant improvement using a fancy brand Ethernet cable vs. a standard Cat 6a, 7 or 8? Or even a difference between 6a, 7, or 8?

 

Sure:

 

Michael Lavorgna

 

Rene van Es

 

Scott Hull

 

John Darko

 

 

I'm interested in your experiences.

 

None of them will sit down with a multi-homed system with a LAG configured switch and stipulate if the high end or vanilla Ethernet cable is currently plugged in. So that's one experience of mine :)

 

I've personally as of yet to hear a difference and that would be the 2nd :)

 

Check out Archimago's blog and also a good post here

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Thanks for the info. Once I get my system settled down I'm going to buy some Audioquest cables on Amazon and give them a listening test. The nice thing about Amazon is the returns are easy.

 

Just keep this in mind: When BJC tested the $350 Vodka it tested marginal for 6A. What that means is that another tester may very well have failed it.

 

I have a few BJC cables and measurement wise their worst measurement was 200% better then the $350 DUT.

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I hear a difference between interconnects, speaker and USB cables, and power cords. I don't think it's a myth, nor do I think they're just expensive tone controls. This is unfortunate because it has cost me thousands of dollars.

 

But I don't yet hear the difference fancy Ethernet cables make.

As long as you're using 6a or 7 I think you're fine. If you want to go crazy and don't mind a lack of flexibility buy Cat 8.

 

Does anyone have experience hearing a significant improvement using a fancy brand Ethernet cable vs. a standard Cat 6a, 7 or 8? Or even a difference between 6a, 7, or 8?

 

I'm interested in your experiences.

 

With my set-up of a Aurender N10 and Bricasti M1 I originally had from the router to the Aurender used a Cat 5e that my home was wired with and it was OK when I did only Sonos connect. But when I moved up to the Aurender and Bricasti it was not so moved to AQ vodka - Nordost at the time did not come out with there network cables yet so I went with AQ (also the diamond AQ is beyond ridiculous in $$'s). That was good until I got a demo with the new Nordost Heimdall 2 network cable that blew them all away. Bass was much better and controlled and the stream just generally sounded better overall. I would certainly say that the network cable does make a difference. I know many will say it does not but I know what I heard and smile almost everyday with my choice.

2 Channel: Bricasti M20, 21 & M28 SE /Aurender N30SA and MC10 Master clock Treatments: Acoustical panels(F, S & R walls) Misc.: SR Master Fuses

Speakers: Martin Logan CLX ART (Dark Cherry) w/30# weights / 2-ML 212's 

Grounding: QKore 1&6 / Networking: SOtM switch, clock and Pwr Supply / AQ Diamond /SR Router Power: Furutech GTX-DNCF / Oyaide inwall  wire

Nordost: 2-QB8 III, QV2's, QK1's, QSine, QWave, QX4, TC Kones, Sort Fut & LIft / Full OG Loom / 3-QSource & 12-QPoints, QNet, V2 Network

Misc.: iPad 6 /Custom Rack  Media Rm: ML: 13A's, 2-Descent i's, 6- Vanquish, Focus / 3-Parasound A23 / Legacy iV-3 Ultra / 77" LG 4k OLED / Anthem AVM90 / Pioneer Elite DVD Nordost: Odin/T2/H2, BC Kones, H2 Network, V2 HDMI

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Nordost Heimdall 2 network cable that blew them all away.

 

Those feature the same TeleGartner Industrial Application CAT6 RJE plugs as the AudioQuest Vodka and Diamond.

 

They will most likely suffer the same fate as in poor NeXT (Near end Cross Talk) performance.

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I hear a difference between interconnects, speaker and USB cables, and power cords. I don't think it's a myth, nor do I think they're just expensive tone controls. This is unfortunate because it has cost me thousands of dollars.

 

But I don't yet hear the difference fancy Ethernet cables make.

As long as you're using 6a or 7 I think you're fine. If you want to go crazy and don't mind a lack of flexibility buy Cat 8.

 

Does anyone have experience hearing a significant improvement using a fancy brand Ethernet cable vs. a standard Cat 6a, 7 or 8? Or even a difference between 6a, 7, or 8?

 

I'm interested in your experiences.

 

i use Supra cat 8. To my ears it 'sounds' infinitely better than plain vanilla Ethernet cable of any cat, and much better than an Audioquest Cinnamon I had been using. And it's only $47 for a 1.0 m. run. Clean, clear, lots of 'air.'

For my system details, please see my profile. Thank you.

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Once all the obvious technical aspects are taken care of I wonder how these cable designers go about making a cable sound better.

 

I would really like to believe but I need to understand the science that allows the Supra CAT8STP that costs $135/10m sound better that my BJC C6AP that costs $42/10m. Both are actually reasonably priced when compared to some of the more esoteric stuff out there and I suppose I could splurge on the Supra but I dunno...

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Once all the obvious technical aspects are taken care of I wonder how these cable designers go about making a cable sound better.

 

I would really like to believe but I need to understand the science that allows the Supra CAT8STP that costs $135/10m sound better that my BJC C6AP that costs $42/10m. Both are actually reasonably priced when compared to some of the more esoteric stuff out there and I suppose I could splurge on the Supra but I dunno...

There is no such science.

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Once all the obvious technical aspects are taken care of I wonder how these cable designers go about making a cable sound better.

 

I would really like to believe but I need to understand the science that allows the Supra CAT8STP that costs $135/10m sound better that my BJC C6AP that costs $42/10m. Both are actually reasonably priced when compared to some of the more esoteric stuff out there and I suppose I could splurge on the Supra but I dunno...

 

I could easily offer a setup with NIC Teams in a LAG going from a server to a switch and then a 2nd LAG to another NIC Team on the client computer.

 

I could set it up so you could start playback of music and with zero interruption start unplugging and plugging cables in.

 

I could offer a $1000 bounty for the person that could pick their Supra, AQ, Nordost (as long as it passes IEEE spec for what ever the manufacturer rates it for) with 14 out of 15 flips of the coin blind.

 

I could offer to use this with their own DAC/Pre/Amp/Speakers.

 

I could actually have someone take me up on said offer.

 

Shockingly that last part is a bitch.

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Just keep this in mind: When BJC tested the $350 Vodka it tested marginal for 6A. What that means is that another tester may very well have failed it.

 

I have a few BJC cables and measurement wise their worst measurement was 200% better then the $350 DUT.

 

I find it sad how everyone ignores the post I posted above. Here and there. Pathetic really.

W10 NUC i7 (Gen 10) > Roon (Audiolense FIR) > Motu UltraLite mk5 > (4) Hypex NCore NC502MP > JBL M2 Master Reference +4 subs

 

Watch my Podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXMw_bZWBMtRWNJQfTJ38kA/videos

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So I purchased a couple of Surpa Cat 8 Ethernet cables. Used them to replace the generic Cat 8 and Cat 7 I was using. To my surprise, I heard an immediate difference. I was shocked. But it was evident. Clarity. sharpness in vocals. better resolution. tighter bottom. Although they might have been a bit bright. Not sure yet. I can't figure it out. I wish I didn't hear it. It's doubtful I'll go out and start listening to other Ethernet cables, but at $47 the Supra seemed to be a good investment. I won't be returning them.

 

As for BJC, I've bought speaker cables from them. They're OK. In fact. I have a pair of BJC constructed 8-foot bi-wires I'd love to sell. But I'm not sure why they are considered the ultimate authority on Ethernet cables. They are the only source I've read that says Cat 6 transfers more high frequency than other grades. The Aurender manual specifies at least Cat 6e. I'd be interested if others agree with BJC. Regarding the machine that measures whether the cables meet the Cat standards, those are intended to determine transmission speeds and cross-talk tolerance for data centers. While I would prefer that the grading is more reliable, especially because they do imply important things like insulation, I'm unsure they're directly applicable to how the cable sound. Whether a cable meets, or doesn't meet, a Cat standard as measured by a special machine, to do with the interpretation of the standard, the practices/honesty of the company creating the cable, or the settings of the machine doing the measuring. But there's no evidence that the measurements of the machine have any correlation with how a cable sounds.

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Hi, do you have your system all wired, or is there wi-fi in the signal path? Just curious.

 

My system could benefit from some "brightness" and so the Supra is tempting based on your report and @guidof 's posts. I just got some BJC Cat 6 (thanks @jtwrace - I found the same thing elsewhere) and they sound fine. Balanced, although perhaps the bass is fuller/a little less tight at first compared to the generic cables that preceded them. At $20 I haven't bothered to try swapping. Burn-in seems to have helped although I'll hear in few weeks...

Sum>Frankenstein: JPlay/Audirvana/iTunes, Uptone EtherRegen+LPS-1.2, Rivo Streamer+Uptone JS-2, Schiit Yggdrasil LiM+Shunyata Delta XC, Linn LP12/Hercules II/Ittok/Denon DL-103R, ModWright LS 100, Pass XA25, Tellurium Black II, Monitor Audio Silver 500 on IsoAcoustics Gaias, Shunyata Delta XC, Transparent Audio, P12 power regenerator, and positive room attributes.

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Also, post 1409 from the microRendu thread (sorry I don't know how to quote another thread):

 

FWIW

I've found that the fastest ethernet cable I installed sounded better. I tried a demo of audioquest, 6a, & Rosewill CAT7, (which is really not CAT7, but CAT7 with a CAT6 RJ-45 connector). Can't afford Acoustic Revive or Meicord. So I tried fiber & it sounded better than Rosewill. I couldn't tell the difference between Rosewill and A/Q. So i have a 30ft fiber run. Two TP-Link FMCs, 2 jameco LPS, & a $17 run of fiber cable is cheaper than many "audiophile" CAT6. Total price was around $120 shipped.

 

Sum>Frankenstein: JPlay/Audirvana/iTunes, Uptone EtherRegen+LPS-1.2, Rivo Streamer+Uptone JS-2, Schiit Yggdrasil LiM+Shunyata Delta XC, Linn LP12/Hercules II/Ittok/Denon DL-103R, ModWright LS 100, Pass XA25, Tellurium Black II, Monitor Audio Silver 500 on IsoAcoustics Gaias, Shunyata Delta XC, Transparent Audio, P12 power regenerator, and positive room attributes.

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Hi, I'm all wired, no WiFi. As for the Supra Cat 8, I like it better than the stock Cat 8 I was using. (If the stock Cat 8 actually was Cat 8. Per BJC, you never know if one can trust cable ratings.) I haven't tried fiber but it's an interesting concept. As for the Supra, i would say that it's more high resolution than bright. The cable was brand some of the brightness I first heard has settled a little (or maybe I've gotten used to it). Right now it's highly resolute, and perhaps a tad bright, not distracting, though.

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Oh, thanks @Guidof for the recommendation. You were spot on. Also, I haven't compared this to the BJC Cat 6 cable, so I can't determine the accuracy of their comments.

 

You're welcome. Glad you liked it too.

For my system details, please see my profile. Thank you.

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And then there's the other options like 802.11ac wireless and fiber optics that allow you to remove Ethernet cables entirely as a factor...

 

I thought wireless was evil and was the first thing we needed to eliminate for a ''clean'' signal.

How do you replace an ethernet network connection with a fiber optic one, with converters at both ends? And what advantages are there?

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I thought wireless was evil and was the first thing we needed to eliminate for a ''clean'' signal.

How do you replace an ethernet network connection with a fiber optic one, with converters at both ends? And what advantages are there?

Fibre works better for runs of a few thousand feet and up. The advantages are especially apparent when crossing oceans.

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Oh, thanks @Guidof for the recommendation. You were spot on. Also, I haven't compared this to the BJC Cat 6 cable, so I can't determine the accuracy of their comments.

 

Okay, now I can--I couldn't resist. I just got my Supra Cat 8s today. One meter for NAS to Airport Extreme. One meter for Airport Express to microRendu.

 

Straight outta Compton, they are slightly "better" than my burned-in BJC Cat 6a (turns out I got the wrong cable--I thought I ordered Cat 6 and in fact have a longer run of their Cat 6 in my wish list--sigh). And, I recall the BJC cable being better than the generic cable it replaced.

 

How much better? Subtle but not critical. Is it worth the premium to me? Now that I have them, yes. Am I keeping the Supras? Yes. Would I have bought them had I heard the two in my system beforehand? Probably--being an audiophile means I spend more on my audio tweaks than I do on, say, kitchen gadgets.

 

In my system, there is slightly lower, tighter bass. I like how I can hear a bit more electric bass string snap on one of my test tracks. And some extra high-frequency keyboard detail comes through on another track that I don't recall hearing before. But would you miss this stuff if you hadn't heard the cables side by side? Perhaps if you use the same tracks often and listen for detail rather just listen as background noise. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

Sum>Frankenstein: JPlay/Audirvana/iTunes, Uptone EtherRegen+LPS-1.2, Rivo Streamer+Uptone JS-2, Schiit Yggdrasil LiM+Shunyata Delta XC, Linn LP12/Hercules II/Ittok/Denon DL-103R, ModWright LS 100, Pass XA25, Tellurium Black II, Monitor Audio Silver 500 on IsoAcoustics Gaias, Shunyata Delta XC, Transparent Audio, P12 power regenerator, and positive room attributes.

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I thought wireless was evil and was the first thing we needed to eliminate for a ''clean'' signal.

How do you replace an ethernet network connection with a fiber optic one, with converters at both ends? And what advantages are there?

 

yea, and I remember when I thought my 286/386 PC was evil also... time and computer speeds have moved on. The advantages of both are no LRC interaction between connected equipment... which is what keeps the cable bling manufacturers in business. Myself I'm not big on pre-industrial business models which is what USB, coax or any other metal cable solution used for digital transmission is.

Regards,

Dave

 

Audio system

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