bodiebill

Better not to know 🙂 I only compared dropout-free settings...

Agreed. NAA enables me to run a very low footprint endpoint. I have one without any harddisk or SSD (SATA is disabled in BIOS) which runs GentooPlayer or Audiolinux from RAM. I once measured the maximum current draw and it was very low. It is easily powered by a 2A SR4. Me too. However I found that I like the sound best if the last bit downstream is copper ethernet (RJ45), however counterintuitive this may seem. It makes the sound less thin/strident. A few days ago I received a Cisco 2960G and I prefer it to the MikroTik it should be replacing. However, it is much too noisy, so I ordered one without a fan. Luckily they are cheap (approx. € 50). The JCAT net card FEMTO arrived today. I will try it in the endpoint PC. I definitely prefer ASDM7EC/DSD256 to AMSDM7/DSD512 and even to AMSDM7/DSD1024 (which my Denafrips DAC accepts).

I understand. However I have the impression that FMC's and fiber NIC's are noisy and that could be worse than the isolation advantage. My post was in reaction to @jabbr's post, but I appreciate your answers! Learning all the time...

So you do not believe in the concept of an audiophile ethernet switch? As for me, I still just don't know. Just trying to find out... Could it have been the same bias made me embrace fiber optics some time ago? I do know that I now prefer copper ethernet downstream, i.e. as the last connection before the endpoint. I even removed the fiber NIC from my NAA PC. Never tried WiFi though.

So that puts me before a difficult choice: doing what is 'correct', or what sounds 'better' to my ears... I will keep experimenting... There are many advocates on AS for a bridged setup (the 'after' setup), but apparently you have a different view? Is this based on theory or perceived SQ, or both?

I will receive a Cisco WS-C2960G-24TC-L switch soon. You suggest I put it instead of the 2nd MikroTik? All CAT cables are unshielded, thanks to your caveat 🙂 Suppose I would only use copper between the server and the NAA: would it be a problem if the cable is 23 meters long?

before main modem router => CAT7 => 1st MikroTik SFP switch => fiber => Server SFP NIC 1; 1st MikroTik SFP switch => fiber => 2nd MikroTik SFP switch => CAT6 => NAA endpoint after main modem router => CAT7 => 1st MikroTik SFP switch => fiber => Server SFP NIC 1 <BRIDGED WITH> SFP NIC2 => fiber => 2nd MikroTik SFP switch => CAT6 => NAA endpoint And soon I will receive a Cisco WS-C2960G-24TC-L switch (SFP + RJ45) and the JCAT net card FEMTO to play with. Where would you put the latter?

A JCAT net card FEMTO is on its way to me... In my HQP server => NAA endpoint setup, could anyone recommend the best place for it? In the server or in the NAA endpoint? (The server is in another room and currently optically isolated from the endpoint with a fiber connection.)

Not sure if I understand: after bridging the HQP server, NAA is connected to a switch, namely to the server operating as a switch. Correct? So this should be OK? Or do you still recommend an additional HW switch between the server and the endpoint? Could not the perceived SQ improvement be the result of less devices between the server and the endpoint? There was no doubt to my ears that SQ was better after bridging, however I always admit the possibility of placebo when we are getting into these small incremental so called improvements. Ah, then I know what happened. After bridging I also deactivated the on board LAN, so that was the HW change changing the fingerprint. Thanks Miska!

@Miska Yesterday I bridged the Intel dual fiber NIC's two SFP ports on my HQPe server: SFP NIC 1 (connected to the main router) is now bridged with SFP NIC2. The latter is connected to the NAA endpoint. I like the SQ change! However, I see that my HQPe has reverted back to the trial version as the fingerprint has changed. Is this to be expected in the case of bridging? I will not make any rash decisions as I am also expecting a JCAT net card FEMTO, and I am not sure yet whether I will end up mounting this in the server or the endpoint. But I may have to request an updated key before long.

Update to the previous: I managed to bridge the two SFP ports of the Intel dual fiber NIC on the HQP server PC with Audilinux. SFP port 1 is connected to the main router and port two semi-directly to the NAA endpoint in another room, as follows: main modem router => CAT7 => MikroTik SFP switch => fiber => Server SFP NIC 1 <BRIDGED WITH> SFP NIC2 => fiber => 2nd MikroTik SFP switch => CAT6 => NAA endpoint No doubt the sound has improved, and this is even without the JCAT net card FEMTO! I like the idea that there is some optical isolation, although I prefer copper downstream SQ-wise. Still planning to put the net card FEMTO (when it arrives in a couple of days) in the NAA endpoint PC, but correct me if I am wrong to do so...

Two net card FEMTO newbie questions (mine is now en route from Poland to The Netherlands): First my current setup: modem/router => MikroTik SFP switch => fiber => Intel fiber NIC1 => HQPe server => Intel fiber NIC2 => MikroTik SFP switch => CAT6 => NAA endpoint Before this, everything was fiber, but I prefer the sound with copper downstream. (1) I am planning to mount the net card FEMTO in the audio PC, assuming that it would have the most effect downstream. Is that a good idea? Or should I put it in the control PC (which is optically isolated and in another room) and use it instead of the dual fiber NIC? (2) Assuming I put it in the audio PC, and given that the control PC has the dual fiber NIC (+ stock RJ45 NIC), how would I go about bridging? Any advice welcome!

Interesting, and thanks for sharing. I am also more happy now with the upstream fiber / downstream CAT6 setup. Indeed a more natural and fuller sound than with fiber alone. Although I tend to think that this is not due to the media itself (glass vs copper), but to the noise that the Intel fiber-NIC creates in the endpoint. So already a clear improvement, and that is still without the Cisco 2960G-24TC-L switch and the JCAT NET card FEMTO that are both on their way to me... And I agree with the try&try&try strategy! It is the only way. 🙂