A Simple Network Steaming Upgrade in Phases - with LSPs / Router / Network Switch / WIFI access point / Cables and Tweaks

[LondonDan]

After weeks & weeks of going through very informative posts I took the next step in my hobby and upgraded the steaming network in several phases using a series of music to test the changes of each phase (by ear).

 

I am trying to use images and diagrams as opposed to just descriptive text to make it as clear as possible for others, like me, hopefully it's simple to follow. There is loads of great info out there please  post links to your posts or other posts if you think it will help combine as much constructive (visual) info as possible, there are many network posts, the idea of this one is to have more pictures and diagrams. Thanks to all those who have experimented and written about network upgrades it has been a HUGE help for me to understand more and encouraged me to try some upgrades (hopefully good ones!)

 

Some years back I moved entirely to digital streaming for music, I no longer have CD anymore.

 

For my own changes I have focused on an Ediscreation Extreme network switch as the centre piece of the upgrade path, because of the integrated LPS and thanks to great information I read on forum threads. I had to choose one starting point and that was my choice for my budget, but I would love to try them all! Just one  thing to note… I am not affiliated with any of the companies or products mentioned here in any way what so ever, I have not made comparisons with other similar products  other than those listed (sadly though I would have loved to).

 

For other comparisons and hopefully there are happy to share some of their own experience. I am a newborn by comparison to lots of the folks who have experimented with equipment on Audiophile style over the years…. so go easy on me ;)

 

My main test album has, and will continue be, an album by Melody Gardot, Sunset in the blue. 

 

I have used other music too for all the listening tests but I thought it a good idea to have a focus album on each of the phased changes to the network, comparing each of the three ways the music is streamed to the Hegel H590 amplifier.

 

1)    Streamed from Tidal via UPnP Mconnectlite (24bit / 48.0kHz) or lower like 44kHz

2)    Streamed from Tidal via laptop over Wifi with a USB connection to Dac / Amp as MQA (24bit / 96kHz)

3)    Played from Vox Player on laptop as Hi Res Flac download (24bit / 96kHz)

 

Its been very interesting for me to make these changes (my forgiving wife!) I have found so many valuable comments from others experiences and experiments that has led me to skip some trial and error that those people have made over the years experimenting and from others valuable experience I have worked out which upgrades seem logical for me at least.

 

Whats the plan? - To go towards a better quality sound with streaming music in my system.

 

All the electrical equipment (except the amp) has the same power leads (Supra 2.5mm LoRAd mains cable with MCRU silver plated UL 13amp plugs with Hifi Tuning Supreme 3 Fuses, internal fuses are Hifi Tuning Supreme 3 silver / Gold fuses, Amp power cable is Neotech with MS HD Power Rhodium Cryo plug with SR Orange Fuse and Furutech Rhodium IEC.

 

Here is a diagram of where it starts and after that another diagram of where I will end up (with some additional tweaks after).

 

 

 

 

 

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Where I have ended up for now is in the following diagram

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[LondonDan]

Phase 1

 

 

This first phase is turning off the wifi in the IPS Virgin home hub and adding wifi via a D’link Access point mounted on the wall much further away from the stereo equipment.

 

Virgin Media Cable Modem Router (HUB 3) I have no choice but to use this for the inbound cable connection. Initially it is connected with Breeze HiFi LPS and standard DC cable but changed to custom made DC cable using Neotech 16awg OCC copper cable using @Nenon style cable making process from “A Novel Way to improve…” thread (thanks Nenon for that) the cable is not earthed.

 

I chose the D-link DAP 2610 because it can be powered by 12v (1amp) so I can run a cable from my existing Breeze Hifi LPS for now and then add another (better) LPS later. I made up a DIY 4m ethernet cable using Viablue EP-7 silver ethernet Cat7 cable terminated with Telegartner  MFP8 RJ45 plugs, which are super easy to terminate and don’t require any special tools just a clamp or chunky pliers to close the fitting which automatically crimps the cable. I chose not to earth the shield on either end of the ethernet cable but may experiment with earthing at one end in the future.

 

The D’link also has a custom 12v DC cable made of Neotech 16AWG OCC cable which is double shielded with copper braid sleave, one over each individual cable then again over both, this was because I ran the cable alongside the ethernet cable so thought a little more shielding was a good idea, certainly feels well built anyway!

 

I turned on the system and left it running for background music for a few days with both wifi hub and access point active and then disconnected the new D’link access point and sat down to listen in a nearfield set up. Speakers for these tests are a full range driver (Mark Audio Pulvia) with no crossover They are not my usually speakers (different conversation) but they are a great small full range driver and surprisingly good for nearfield listening too. The goal here is network upgrade rather than hi end system.

 

I am not an audio reviewer and not great with elegant descriptions BUT I like to think my hearing is ok ;) The main focus for me is to get the best streaming possible through Tidal and to lower the noise floor so the gap between locally stored content on Vox and streamed content is as close as I can feasible get (given limitations). 

 

Test 1 - System as it was  before changes:

 

UPnP stream via Mconnect Lite through Tidal – quality is OK, I am used to it but know it can be improved.

MQA streamed from laptop via wifi 24/96 – has more detail and a rounder sound by comparison to the Mconnect stream but has a little less air around the notes and vocals (I don’t always prefer MQA I find it very much depends on the track)

Vox played from macbook M1 with wifi turned off 24/96 – lower noise floor better separation of notes, finest detail of the 3, the difference is very obvious.

 

Test 2 - Now with the virgin hub set with the wifi turned off  and the D’link access point active for wifi (as in phase 1 diagram)

 

UPnP stream via Mconnect Lite through Tidal – The noise floor is slightly lower BUT everything seems a tiny bit more closed in, some of the space has gone.

MQA streamed from laptop via wifi 24/96 –much the same as before, perhaps a tiny bit more compressed

Vox played from macbook M1 with wifi turned off 24/96 – lower noise floor better separation of notes, finest detail of the 3 no change from before.

 

 

I was thinking this step would improve the UPnP stream from Tidal (hoping for a small % gain in SQ for streaming due to getting the wifi away from the equipment and not having the ethernet cable go straight from an active wifi hub to the Integrated amplifier…. but no apparently it was not really better. Then I worked out maybe why… could it be affected by the result of 12v 3.5amp LPS  not coping well with supplying both virgin hub and d’link access point?

[LondonDan]

Phase 1 part 2

 

After searching the forums (we all love to right!) I thought “OK I don’t want to spend thousands but I would like something designed well”. I thought about larger TeraDak and many other Chinese LPS, then I scoured ebay and hifishark for Farad Super 3 and a host of other well regarded LPS thinking if I find a good one I can use that now and upgrade the Breeze hifi one later.

 

Inside the Breeze Hifi 12v 3.5a LPS

 

In the end I went down the route of upgrading LPS for the Virgin cable hub and D’link access point to a 1 box solution, removing the 3.5a Breeze hifi LPS and changing to a 12v 6amp LPS, and it was simple enough, I had already ordered an Ediscreation Extreme Network switch a week before and it was not due to be dispatched for another week, an email later “ Hi, any change you can ship  a 12v 6amp LPS (standard with 2 DC outlets) at the same time as the Network switch?” the answer was “yes” so it was decided.

 

Now there is not a lot of info out there on the Ediscreation LPS that I could find at least, but I had already decided their network switch (added later) was perhaps the right one for me and my budget and I assume its using the same technology inside to power the switch as is in the LPS so it kind of made sense to keep the power chain all similar for the network. 

 

The Ediscreation LPS and the Switch arrived (super pleased on the look and feel of these products!! Premium build is perhaps an understatement :) I wanted to know for certain what each component was doing to the network and what the upgrade in SQ was, if any, so I hooked up the LPS. Luckily the 12v DC cables had the same 3pin connections so I turned the LPS on connected all the cables and left everything running including the access point and hub as normal for a few days before sitting down to listen. I ran network switch in between the virgin hub to the TV for a few days too to begin to break the components here too.

 

Link for the LPS, there is an upgraded version too but I went with the standard version for the LPS and upgraded for the Switch. Adding HiFi tuning supreme 3 silver gold internal fuse for both.

 

https://ediscreation.com/product/low-noise-linear-power-supply-single-voltage/

Around £270 plus shipping and import fees for the standard it is without doubt really excellent value especially for the build quality. The Extreme version with upgraded Mundorf and Audio Note caps and Furutech IEC input would have been £455, still seems a bargain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Test 2 was redone – same as before

Test 3 –adding Ediscreation 12v 6A LPS powering the Virgin hub with the Breeze hifi LPS powering the Wifi Access point.

 

UPnP stream via Mconnect Lite through Tidal – The noise floor is slightly lower and detail is slightly improved vs starting the point, the space has returned and gone up a level.

MQA streamed from laptop via wifi 24/96 – More detail than the Mconnect stream, I prefer this a little over the UPnP stream (also a slightly more forward vocal which I attribute to mac/usb cable combo – cant say I prefer it but its noticeable)

Vox played from macbook M1 with wifi turned off 24/96 – lower noise floor better separation of notes, finest detail of the 3 no change from before.

 

The LPS upgrade was an improvement, very noticeable but not a "huge" leap. I am pleased at this point as its the first time everything steps up from the starting point rather than some gain some loss.

[LondonDan]

Phase 2  - Adding EdgeRouter X router and turning Virgin Media hub to Modem mode.

 

 

Image of front and back of Edgerouter X - this one is not my picture but shows both sides.

 

 

For this next section I added the Edgerouter x and Ediscreation network Switch and a silver ethernet at the same time and then left them running for the week before removing the network switch / silver ethernet and sitting down to listen. Probably I should have given more time for burn.

 

Test 3 repeated – this one was more complicated to go back to as I needed to reset the virgin hub to factory and have it work as a router again with wifi turned off.

 

Test 4 – With Edgerouter X added and Virgin hub set to modem only

 

Upnp stream via Mconnect Lite through Tidal – very similar to Test 3, I could be picky and say a little changed (not all good, but its tiny at best) 

MQA streamed from laptop via wifi 24/96 – No difference that I can tell from test 3

Vox played from macbook M1 with wifi turned off 24/96 – finest detail of the 3 no change from before.

 

I have read in a few places that Edgerouter x is not the best performing (sounding) switch for music streaming but the goal was to employ it as a router rather than the last network switch. 

[LondonDan]

Phase 2 + Ethernet cable change to silver

 

 

Test 4 again but with Ediscreation reference Silver Ethernet cable from router to Dac. (this cable is 95% silver and 5% copper – its an odd one but I see some small specialists are beginning to try this composition and I thought why not try too. Cable construction is copper tape around the twisted pairs and Carbon infused braid on top plus a nylon type outer sleeve with Telegartner Cat 8 RJ45s (as far as I can tell / with the info I have).

 

I do believe cables have in impact on sound, if you prefer the sound or not is another thing entirely.

 

 

 

UPnP stream via Mconnect Lite through Tidal – Space opens up a little, detail goes up a little (especially upper mid and treble) bass very slightly improved, overall it’s a noticeable improvement but still seems a little closed in and with less details when compared to the Vox downloaded file.

MQA streamed from laptop via wifi 24/96 – No difference that I can tell from test 3

Vox played from macbook M1 with wifi turned off 24/96 – finest detail of the 3 no change from before.

 

We are beginning to get somewhere, this last step is more about replacing the good quality (starting point) supra cable with something which I expected to be an upgrade and it turned out to be exactly that... for my ears.

[LondonDan]

 

Phase 3 - Adding Ediscreation Silent Network Switch (Extreme Version)

 

Ediscreation network switch seemed the right one for me because of a few key reasons.

 

1)    The Linear Power Supply  is built in meaning one less box and maybe actually less cost too as I don’t need a separate power supply. 

2)    Initial forum reviews were good to great

3)    I could upgrade to better components like Furutech IEC inlet and Mundorf /audionote caps along with UPOCC internal wiring and a solid copper base with the “Extreme Version”.

 

Build quality is truly great!! There is a an OCXO clock in the switch and its not a silly price.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://ediscreation.com/product/silent-switch-ocxo/

 

Spec taken from website:

1.OCXO clock for extreme low jitter 0.25-0.35ps. Frequency Stability ±10 ppb Phase.
2.8ports with 1000M LAN Speed
3.Meet IEEE 802.3, IEEE 802.3U Standard
4.Ground isolation switch for breaking off Ground noise from Router easily
5.True Audio grade LAN socket for best signal connection, support any giant size LAN cables
6.Ultra Low noise LPS inside
7.Top quality 6061 solid Aluminium CNC Case
8.Core module design with CNC heatsink, provide best noise shielding and lower working temperature.
9.Ground pot for Ground box connection.
10.Commercial grade Network switch MCU for best and stable performance.

 

Extreme version includes

 

1. Furutech IEC Inlet, FI-06 NCF
2. Audio note cap
3. Mundorf cap
4. Red copper base
5.UPOCC interconnection cables
6. Silver bybee (I don’t know much about this (tweak?), some have suggested ask for no Bybee and save a little money off the extreme version)

 

I added a Hifi Tuning Supreme 3 silver gold internal fuse (same as I used for the LPS) another Hifi Tuning supreme fuse is in the UK wall plug. I cant comment if the fuses made a difference here as I added them before turning on.

 

More details on other people's experience is here in this interesting thread on WBF 

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/good-mid-price-audiophile-switches.32122/page-3

 

Pictures speak a thousand words and this switch is built so well and arrives extremely well packaged. its such a shame for me that it is hidden as it looks and feels really superb!!

 

Test 5 – Adding Ediscreation Silent Switch (extreme version)

 

UPnP stream via Mconnect Lite through Tidal – Bass has increased, detail, depth and tonal quality have all increased AND I doubt everything is even fully broken in here yet, this is a significant noticeable improvement in SQ and I think the switch is really adding to all the previous steps.

MQA streamed from laptop via wifi 24/96 – No difference that I can tell from test 3 but this is still steaming from wifi then to USB to the Dac / Amp

Vox played from macbook M1 with wifi turned off 24/96 – finest detail of the 3 no change from before.

 

1)    Wifi access point cabling separated (not necessarily fully isolated) from the Dac / Amp, 

2)    Wifi signal moved away from the Stereo Equipment.

3)    Budget virgin Hub 3 that was working as modem / router / wifi now reduced just to Modem.

4)    Router added

5)    Audio grade designed Network Switch added

6)    Cables upgraded (for now) AC and Ethernet

7)    Another (better quality) LPS added for the Modem & Router, this also allowed me to keep the Wifi access point power separate too.

 

 

Testing different Ethernet cables

 

I tried the same test over and over with different mix of ethernet cables. Initially I had thought to use silver ethernet cable from the Edgerouter X to the network switch and another silver ethernet cable from the switch to the Dac / Amp with a DIY  Viablue Silver plated copper ethernet downstream from the Modem 

 

After trying the above I found this a little too bright sounding so I tried every combination of the cables I had in between these 4 components  and settled on the final for  now set up.

 

Modem to router - Supra LoRad ethernet (plastic connections)

Router to Switch – Viablue silver-plated copper with Telgartner RJ45s

Switch to Dac / Amp – Ediscreation Silver Refernece with Cat 8 Telegartner RJ45s

 

I don’t think I am done experimenting with ethernet cables but this is as it is now now. One experiment to come is with a Net Isolator. The Isolator will be in the final silver cable between the switch and the Dac / Amp.

 

Am I pleased? YES I am very pleased :) I expected a lot having read for many hours about people experimenting with network switches and Clocks and cables and wifi and fibre. I expected a decent increase in sound quality and that is what I got! Thanks to many many people trying things and writing about it I was able to make a great jump quickly without much experimenting myself.

 

I now prefer the UPnP Mconnect Stream from Tidal on all music rather than the MQA or another Tidal stream from the Laptop. Some people for sure won't agree about a comparison from regular Flac file of varying resolution to an MQA file but it was not the goal to compare the file types it was just used as one of the sound tests to benchmark how the UPnP steam was changing / improving. The same music file streamed and downloaded to SSD hard drive is much more logical and I will try more of that type of comparison as well as what I have done already.

 

The gap from (higher quality resolution) stored content has closed significantly. The laptop is normally played by USB connection to the Dac / Amp with wifi turned off, all programs except VOX closed and the screen turned to dim and with the laptop running on battery. 

 

This I think is a big step as the difference I am hearing is more down to the resolution of the music files. Whereas before, I assume, I was having interference / noise from Wifi and basic quality network equipment. 

 

So what’s next? 2 things over the next week or so….

 

1)    Adding a network Isolator on the final cable from switch to Dac/Amp, I can do an A/B test here as I have 2 cables to use.

2)    Trying test 5 again BUT with the laptop connected via ethernet cable to the network switch with wifi on the laptop turned off.

 

 

****Please excuse any typos in the above texts****

[TomJ]

Hi Dan,

 

really nice journey!

Where have you bought the switch? (At first I thought you bought two switches, but one box is the power supply)

Is there any comparison with other audiophile switches (e.g. sotm, silent angel) available? 

 

Have you also tried to connect the Dlink Wifi router to the Virgin router instead connecting to the switch?

There may be noise coming from the Wifi router which could be lowered by the Virgin router - but not sure.

Maybe worth a test.

 

Regards,

 

Tom Eric

 

 

[LondonDan]

Switch came straight from ediscreation which is N&E audio.

 

the LPS is inside the switch which I think is good, space plus less cables. It’s probably just 1amp 12V. The second box is a separate LPS which is 12v  6amp for the router and virgin box in modem mode. 
 

I had thought about WiFi access into virgin modem for that very reason to keep WiFi as far away from final switch but I can’t test it sadly as the access point is not managing dchp and modem is just on output 1 of the virgins box with the rest all switched off. I might be able to investigate further when I change provider (coming soon) because I think the fibre modem they supply has 2 outputs.

 

final great test would be fibre link between router and switch or after switch before dac, some have even suggested to put between router and WiFi access but in this scenario I would not need a fibre link with an audio quality clock.

 

after custom speakers are finished in September and building the crossovers I would love to try the fibre box :)

[skids929]

Great write up thanks for taking the time...Curious on the switch with the extreme upgrades...What was the total cost for you? Im in the US not sure who distributes. 

[F208Frank]

So would you say single handedly the LARGEST upgrade for you was adding in the ethernet switch?

[LondonDan]

Frank for me, yes it was the most single largest improvement for streaming while going through the above, and with break in it improved more. Now if I bypass the network switch by connecting the amp straight to the edge router (which I have done a few times) I notice a  drop in SQ. I would not take the switch out, it does good things to the streaming that are worth spending the cash on. If I had more space for my equipment I would certainly try adding another switch to daisy chain them like many have recommended.