How can I improve my Ethernet setup?

[hpfish]

Here is my current setup:

Office: Dell i7/SSD Flac files/Roon—>Comcast modem/router ->50ft cat5–>Hifi room: TPLink switch—>40 feet CAT 7–>Lumin U1mini—>DAC

The SQ is decent, but I think can be improved.   
I have tried fiber optics Converters and Wifi, but did not like SQ.

Any suggestions to improve SQ of my current set up would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[lpost]

Try a DOCSIS 3.1 modem with separate router and separate wifi (if they are combined now).

 

 

[creativepart]

What DAC? Connecting via USB or what? Is that connection a long run too?

 

Why only Cat 5 from modem to the HiFi Room. Should be 5e or 6 shouldn't it?

[hpfish]

3 hours ago, creativepart said:

What DAC? Connecting via USB or what? Is that connection a long run too?

I have PS Audio DS Sr DAC, 1M USB connection from it to Lumin U1 Mini.

Why only Cat 5 from modem to the HiFi Room. Should be 5e or 6 shouldn't it?

I recheck and it's Cat 6E from modem to HiFi room.

Thanks

[creativepart]

All of those items are good - the Lumin U1Mini isn't top of the line any more. But it shouldn't be noticeably a SQ issue.

 

Of course, amp and speakers could make all the difference. But I'd assume you have equally good gear there.

 

Can you move the computer to the HiFi room for testing and connect it directly to the DAC and see how that sounds?

 

Does streaming Tidal Masters or Qobuz HiFi sound the same as the flac files on the SSD? I would assume those flac files are 16/44.1??

 

 

 

 

[cjf]

Any particular reason why you feel your network configuration is the cause for your less than great SQ? The description  you listed looks pretty normal  to these eyes (other than the fairly long ETH cable runs but each listed leg is still way under the limit of ETH anyway so probably a non-issue here).

 

Whats the rest of the equipment  chain look like?

[thuandb]

If possible at all, I'd put a decent audio grade switch or a network filter or both right after the Comcast modem/router.  Repeat with either or the combo before the Lumin.  Icing on the cake, use the best affordable ethernet cable between the switch/filter and Lumin.

 

A pair of FMCs and certain length of fiber cables will help reduce the Ethernet cable length and that's partially how I've achieved very satisfying SQ.  You didn't like the SQ but fiber optics might not be the culprit and worth revisiting.

 

Regardless, Internet brings lots of noise and that's why many of us find local files (ripped or downloaded) sound better than streaming or NAS.  IMHO, filtering out Internet noise improves Qobuz and Tidal streaming quite a bit.

[pas]

On 3/14/2020 at 9:01 PM, hpfish said:

Here is my current setup:

Office: Dell i7/SSD Flac files/Roon—>Comcast modem/router ->50ft cat5–>Hifi room: TPLink switch—>40 feet CAT 7–>Lumin U1mini—>DAC

The SQ is decent, but I think can be improved.   
I have tried fiber optics Converters and Wifi, but did not like SQ.

Any suggestions to improve SQ of my current set up would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Why the 50 foot cable followed by a 40 foot cable?

 

[photonman]

Doesn't the Lumin buffer the songs?  I bet if you disconnected the patch cable that the music would still play for the entire song so why obsess over the network setup?  Get better speakers to improve SQ.

[plissken]

On 3/14/2020 at 11:01 PM, hpfish said:

Here is my current setup:

Office: Dell i7/SSD Flac files/Roon—>Comcast modem/router ->50ft cat5–>Hifi room: TPLink switch—>40 feet CAT 7–>Lumin U1mini—>DAC

The SQ is decent, but I think can be improved.   
I have tried fiber optics Converters and Wifi, but did not like SQ.

Any suggestions to improve SQ of my current set up would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Get a measurement mic. Get a better understanding of your room. Better speakers always seemed to help.

[davide256]

On 3/14/2020 at 11:01 PM, hpfish said:

Here is my current setup:

Office: Dell i7/SSD Flac files/Roon—>Comcast modem/router ->50ft cat5–>Hifi room: TPLink switch—>40 feet CAT 7–>Lumin U1mini—>DAC

The SQ is decent, but I think can be improved.   
I have tried fiber optics Converters and Wifi, but did not like SQ.

Any suggestions to improve SQ of my current set up would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Can you borrow a NAS and source your files from NAS for comparison? I've not found PC Roonserver to sound as good for music media storage as my Synology NAS; its easy

in Roon to define your NAS as a network drive.

[hpfish]

On 3/24/2020 at 11:20 PM, pas said:

Why the 50 foot cable followed by a 40 foot cable?

 

When I built the hifi room years ago I ran the 50ft cable from upstrairs to the back of the hifi room, but my audio component rack is in front of the room.

[hpfish]

Thanks you all for your input.

Based on your suggestions, I have taken the following steps and have improved SQ a good notch:

- replace the switch in my HT room with the Cisco 2960 switch- less interference noise.

- use CAT8 cable from the Cisco to Lumin streamer.  I was surprised that this has made good impact (for the better)  to SQ.

- insert the Matrix SPDIF2/IFI power supply after the Lumin with I2S connection to my PS Audio DS DAC, this yields expanded sound stage and dead silent background.   Just had this yesterday so it might need more burn in time to really assess impact.

- move listening position 6 inches closer to my speakers- more immersive experience to recording.

- insert Velodyne F1500 sub to improved LF.

 

Revised setup with full list of downstream components:

Office: Dell i7/SSD Flac files/Roon—>Comcast modem/router ->50ft cat6e–>Hifi room: Cisco 2960—>40 feet CAT 8–>Lumin U1mini->WW Platinum USB—>Matrix spdif2/Ifipower supply-> generic  I2S HDMI cable->PS Audio DS DAC(Shunyata power cable)->Purist Audio Venustas IC->Conrad Johnson ACT2.2 preamp->Purist Audio Venustas IC->Wolcott P220 monos tubes amp->Transparent cables->Wilson Maxx2 speakers or SoundLab A1.

My other source is Ayre cx5mp universal player.

 

Possible next steps:

- add a NAS to increase storage and might enhance SQ.

- upgrade power supply for the Matrix.

- upgrade power supply for the Lumin streamer.

- Better i2S cable.

- revisit fiber optic option, connect the Cisco to a FCM switch next to Lumin.

- Others?

 

Thanks.

 

[pas]

1 hour ago, hpfish said:

When I built the hifi room years ago I ran the 50ft cable from upstrairs to the back of the hifi room, but my audio component rack is in front of the room.

Understood, thanks for replying. Upgrading of power supplies was my next suggestion, which you have already mentioned. Good luck!

[hpfish]

Updates and following up.

Installed Uptone LPS 1.2 power supply for the Matrix.

 

I am working on this step:

revisit fiber optic option, connect the Cisco to a FCM switch next to Lumin.

 

I ordered and installed the following:

TP-LINK TL-SM311LS Gigabit SFP module, Single-mode into  Cisco 2960G switch and the TP-Link Fiber MC220L converter

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003CFATYW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003CFATL0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

LC to LC Fiber cable

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T89Q8QY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I am not sure if the above components fully compatible with my Cisco switch or not, but NO data signal passed through to the TP-Link media converter to my Lumin streamer.

 

What did I do wrong?  Do I need to configure the Cisco to use the SFP output port?   And How?

 

I would appreciate any suggestions to make the above setup work.  Thanks

 

 

 

[thuandb]

Recently, I replaced the pair of TP-Link MC200CM FMCs with Sonore's opticalModules. They've been here for 2 days only but no going back.  AudioStream's review says it all.

 

Sounds like there's an incompatibility in your current fiber setup.  Try to isolate the problem, start over with known working components, then add new components one by one.

 

If applicable, try the Force switch position vs the Auto on the back of the FMC.  I'd try a different switch (TP-Link?) to find out if the Cisco is the culprit.

[Aryoh]

On 4/5/2020 at 5:22 AM, hpfish said:

Updates and following up.

Installed Uptone LPS 1.2 power supply for the Matrix.

 

I am working on this step:

revisit fiber optic option, connect the Cisco to a FCM switch next to Lumin.

 

I ordered and installed the following:

TP-LINK TL-SM311LS Gigabit SFP module, Single-mode into  Cisco 2960G switch and the TP-Link Fiber MC220L converter

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003CFATYW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003CFATL0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

LC to LC Fiber cable

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T89Q8QY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I am not sure if the above components fully compatible with my Cisco switch or not, but NO data signal passed through to the TP-Link media converter to my Lumin streamer.

 

What did I do wrong?  Do I need to configure the Cisco to use the SFP output port?   And How?

 

I would appreciate any suggestions to make the above setup work.  Thanks

 

 

 

You could have problem with sfp module, because Cisco is sometimes very picky,  it accepts only its modules.

[skatbelt]

On 3/26/2020 at 7:28 PM, hpfish said:

Thanks you all for your input.

Based on your suggestions, I have taken the following steps and have improved SQ a good notch:

- replace the switch in my HT room with the Cisco 2960 switch- less interference noise.

- use CAT8 cable from the Cisco to Lumin streamer.  I was surprised that this has made good impact (for the better)  to SQ.

- insert the Matrix SPDIF2/IFI power supply after the Lumin with I2S connection to my PS Audio DS DAC, this yields expanded sound stage and dead silent background.   Just had this yesterday so it might need more burn in time to really assess impact.

- move listening position 6 inches closer to my speakers- more immersive experience to recording.

- insert Velodyne F1500 sub to improved LF.

 

Revised setup with full list of downstream components:

Office: Dell i7/SSD Flac files/Roon—>Comcast modem/router ->50ft cat6e–>Hifi room: Cisco 2960—>40 feet CAT 8–>Lumin U1mini->WW Platinum USB—>Matrix spdif2/Ifipower supply-> generic  I2S HDMI cable->PS Audio DS DAC(Shunyata power cable)->Purist Audio Venustas IC->Conrad Johnson ACT2.2 preamp->Purist Audio Venustas IC->Wolcott P220 monos tubes amp->Transparent cables->Wilson Maxx2 speakers or SoundLab A1.

My other source is Ayre cx5mp universal player.

 

Possible next steps:

- add a NAS to increase storage and might enhance SQ.

- upgrade power supply for the Matrix.

- upgrade power supply for the Lumin streamer.

- Better i2S cable.

- revisit fiber optic option, connect the Cisco to a FCM switch next to Lumin.

- Others?

 

Thanks.

 

 

Did you consider an Uptone EtherREGEN? This will be a huge step compared to the Cisco.