Where does optical ethernet go?

[zackthedog]

I recently purchased a Cisco 2960 series switch and got it up and running with no problem.  I * think* it makes a pretty big difference, but I haven't A-B'd yet.  The immediate impression was a big improvement.  I have read the thread on adapting this to fiber optic use and understand the components needed, but what I don't understand is how to implement a fiber optic connection in my system.  

 

I have a copper ethernet cable running from my main router in the office to my stereo room.  The house is old so this is just tucked along the baseboards, about 25 feet away.  At the listening station I have the Cisco switch, which connects to my NAS, my Mac Mini running Audirvana and my Allo USBridge signature/DAC combo.  My question is, where in this system would I apply a fiber optic connection?  Any advice would be appreciated!

[plissken]

You're Mac Mini doesn't have an SFP (small form factor) cage. That is where the optical connection for the audiophile types would go. It would break the EMI/RFI connection (copper Ethernet already does most of this since it is transformer coupled at both ends).

 

You could use fiber media converters but then you are introducing more equipment including power supplies.

 

I would say that you should just go WiFi.

[firedog]

10 hours ago, zackthedog said:

I recently purchased a Cisco 2960 series switch and got it up and running with no problem.  I * think* it makes a pretty big difference, but I haven't A-B'd yet.  The immediate impression was a big improvement.  I have read the thread on adapting this to fiber optic use and understand the components needed, but what I don't understand is how to implement a fiber optic connection in my system.  

 

I have a copper ethernet cable running from my main router in the office to my stereo room.  The house is old so this is just tucked along the baseboards, about 25 feet away.  At the listening station I have the Cisco switch, which connects to my NAS, my Mac Mini running Audirvana and my Allo USBridge signature/DAC combo.  My question is, where in this system would I apply a fiber optic connection?  Any advice would be appreciated!

If you have a copper ethernet based system and want to go to optical, you need something that converts your switch output to optical and then something else that can accept the optical and connect to your setup.

 

So the short answer is that you'd need to have optical coming from the switch and then either get a streamer that accepts optical (like the Sonore products) or get a box that would convert the optical back to conventional ethernet and use your present streamer. 

 

Or get two similar but reversed boxes: one to convert copper from your switch to optical, and another to convert that optical back to copper for your present streamer.

 

[zackthedog]

1 hour ago, firedog said:

If you have a copper ethernet based system and want to go to optical, you need something that converts your switch output to optical and then something else that can accept the optical and connect to your setup.

 

So the short answer is that you'd need to have optical coming from the switch and then either get a streamer that accepts optical (like the Sonore products) or get a box that would convert the optical back to conventional ethernet and use your present streamer. 

 

Or get two similar but reversed boxes: one to convert copper from your switch to optical, and another to convert that optical back to copper for your present streamer.

 

 

Okay, thanks.  So converting the renderer (USBridge Signature) to optical would be the best place to use the optical fiber connection, to isolate the renderer from a copper connection?  

[firedog]

41 minutes ago, zackthedog said:

 

Okay, thanks.  So converting the renderer (USBridge Signature) to optical would be the best place to use the optical fiber connection, to isolate the renderer from a copper connection?  

I'm not sure I understand the question. If you are talking about optical isolation, both the methods I described above will work. I don't think there would be any differnce in terms of isolation.

[DavidL]

I'd suggest keeping it very simple if you already have a wired ethernet LAN. Buy 2 ethernet-to-optical converters and connect them back to back with fibre optic cable, and insert this immediately upstream of your renderer (or server containing a renderer) with a short wired ethernet connection.

This has worked well for me for several years and improves SQ. All my hifi system is separated from my modem, router, NAS and computers by a via an ethernet wireless bridge.

[zackthedog]

1 hour ago, DavidL said:

I'd suggest keeping it very simple if you already have a wired ethernet LAN. Buy 2 ethernet-to-optical converters and connect them back to back with fibre optic cable, and insert this immediately upstream of your renderer (or server containing a renderer) with a short wired ethernet connection.

This has worked well for me for several years and improves SQ. All my hifi system is separated from my modem, router, NAS and computers by a via an ethernet wireless bridge.

 

Okay that's clear, thank you.  Which wireless bridge do you use?

[DavidL]

1 hour ago, zackthedog said:

 

Okay that's clear, thank you.  Which wireless bridge do you use?

 

Two Apple Airport Extremes: no longer available but these continue to provide a very reliable wireless bridge after years in place. If and when I need to replace them I'd probably look at the several 'mesh' products now on the market. 

[Ralf11]

Look up the threads by @jabbr on this for very low cost, moderate effort ways to do this.

 

or stick with WiFi as per the above post

[ericuco]

If you want give fiber optics a go, I have two TP Link MC220L converters plus Jameco LPS wallwarts and 15m(?) cable that I would be willing to sell for $30 plus shipping. Or you could just go with one MC220L, wallwart and cable for $20 plus shipping given the Cisco switch has a SFP cage.
 

You would still need two SFP modules which you can usually find on eBay for cheap. Also need a set of short Ethernet cables on either end.

 

You could run this between your router and music system switch that would help isolate your music system.
 

PM if interested.

[davide256]

Steer away from wifi if you can live with wired connections. Refurbished Cisco catalyst switches are cheap on Amazon and far better made than consumer switches, get that and you won't

need optical isolation from "least cost" switch electronics.

[zackthedog]

1 hour ago, davide256 said:

Steer away from wifi if you can live with wired connections. Refurbished Cisco catalyst switches are cheap on Amazon and far better made than consumer switches, get that and you won't

need optical isolation from "least cost" switch electronics.

 

Well, that's what sort of what I thought.  The Cisco sounds pretty darn good now. 😉

[jaaptina]

If you have a dedicated streamer like a Sotm sms-200 it would be useful to connect this with fiber and a TP-Link MC220L converter to your dac. 

[bobbmd]

@plissken just a question not a criticism on my late 2012 Mac mini there is a combo headphone/fiberoptic input/output isn't there on the back panel? I could never get mine to work--- is that what you are referring to or am I( as I am wont to do) totally misunderstanding this thread?

[AudioDoctor]

7 minutes ago, bobbmd said:

@plissken just a question not a criticism on my late 2012 Mac mini there is a combo headphone/fiberoptic input/output isn't there on the back panel? I could never get mine to work--- is that what you are referring to or am I( as I am wont to do) totally misunderstanding this thread?

 

You're close. There are two separate kinds of optical connections. The one you're thinking of is the optical SPDIF connection, aka, Toslink. The one being discussed here in this thread is Optical Ethernet.  an SFP is what the optical ethernet cable plugs into and looks like this.

 

 

[plissken]

17 minutes ago, bobbmd said:

@plissken just a question not a criticism on my late 2012 Mac mini there is a combo headphone/fiberoptic input/output isn't there on the back panel? I could never get mine to work--- is that what you are referring to or am I( as I am wont to do) totally misunderstanding this thread?

 

What Audio Doctor said :-)

[bobbmd]

@AudioDoctor thanks 

[AudioDoctor]

8 hours ago, bobbmd said:

@AudioDoctor thanks 

 

You're welcome, I only know this because I have gone the optical ethernet route myself with a Rendu device.