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Ethernet Cable Shoot Out – Shunyata, AudioQuest, Supra, Viablue, Ugreen

I find this all rather amusing, a test of a range of Ethernet cables in system which is clearly not optimised for digital audio. I’ve been streaming for about 10 years, first with a Linn Akurate DS, so have seen things develop. I have a QNAP, for business and photography, but found it poor for use as a Room Core. Off the shelf netgear switches using switch mode power let noise in the system. The Lumin D2 is a basic entry level unit with an internal switch mode power supply. There is little reference to mains conditioning.

At the start of the year I set up a Roon system based on the objective of low noise. A popular Innuos Zen Mk3 server, with filtered mains and sophisticated internal linear power supplies. There is no switching needed as the Innuos is one of several severs with a direct Ethernet output. The feed to the server is direct from the house modem and is mostly fibre optic. At each end is 1m of CAT cable, the media converters being 9v battery powered. The big expense was Shunyata power cables and distribution to the server and audio system (Devialet Expert Pro).

So having focused on keeping electronic noise and mains noise out of the system, and the Innuos and Shunyata kit is not cheap, the entire signal path comprises a 25m fibre optic cable that cost £17 and 3 x 1m Ethernet cables that cost a total of £40 delivered from Blue Jeans in Seattle, that the OP did not bother testing.

I have one medium price AudioQuest cable that I put in between the server and streaming input, but it made no difference and one day I will get round to selling it.

There’s lots of good and bad in digital audio, but my experience is to look at the system as a whole, keep it as simple as possible and I’ve not found digital cabling to be an issue worth spending money on.
 
I would add that the best cable design for audio is CAT6 or 6a. CAT7 and 8 have and external shield that is BAD for audio as it reduces noise rejection. Those cables are designed for long distance bandwidth far in excess of the needs of audio. Bolden cables, including those used by Blue Jeans, are made from bonded pairs of conductors, claimed to improve inductance stability. Shunyata also put great import on quality of manufacture. Whilst not stated above, that cable is CAT6a.

So I would not have included any CAT7 or CAT8 cables. They are for data centres. I’m no technician, this is basic stuff all over the internet.
 
I would add that the best cable design for audio is CAT6 or 6a. CAT7 and 8 have and external shield that is BAD for audio as it reduces noise rejection
More accurately shielded cables like CAT7 and 8 connect the two endpoint earths together if they use shielded RJ-45 sockets. This can create an earth loop if the equipment designer did not get their shielding and grounding right.
If one end is using unshielded socket - common because many casings are plastic and the unshielded socket is cheaper, you have just made a big antenna hooked to your equipment.
If both ends use unshielded RJ-45 sockets, you might as well have used a CAT6 UTP cable and saved money
 
I wanted to fix some of the ‘harshness’ I found in my digital setup to have it more alike to my vinyl tone.

A well engineered DAC is will do that more than any cable swapping.

Digital 'glare' is caused more by the output stage of your DAC, or speaker tweeters.
You can't 'fix' it with an ethernet cable.
 
If you need to spend more on your cables than your system cost, you need a new hobby ;)

Who does that? That would be silly.

I would add that the best cable design for audio is CAT6 or 6a. CAT7 and 8 have and external shield that is BAD for audio as it reduces noise rejection. Those cables are designed for long distance bandwidth far in excess of the needs of audio. Bolden cables, including those used by Blue Jeans, are made from bonded pairs of conductors, claimed to improve inductance stability. Shunyata also put great import on quality of manufacture. Whilst not stated above, that cable is CAT6a.

So I would not have included any CAT7 or CAT8 cables. They are for data centres. I’m no technician, this is basic stuff all over the internet.

Interesting, possibly why the Ugreen and Supra came out bottom. The Supra however is a common advertised 'audio' ethernet cable, hence its inclusion, the Ugreen also is touted regularly as a well built ethernet cable suitable for its job, hence its inclusion.

Feel free to do a write up of your own using the cables you feel most relevant though, you could do a mains cable one as you seem to respect those, I look forward to the posting!
 
I find this all rather amusing, a test of a range of Ethernet cables in system which is clearly not optimised for digital audio. I’ve been streaming for about 10 years, first with a Linn Akurate DS, so have seen things develop. I have a QNAP, for business and photography, but found it poor for use as a Room Core. Off the shelf netgear switches using switch mode power let noise in the system. The Lumin D2 is a basic entry level unit with an internal switch mode power supply. There is little reference to mains conditioning.

At the start of the year I set up a Roon system based on the objective of low noise. A popular Innuos Zen Mk3 server, with filtered mains and sophisticated internal linear power supplies. There is no switching needed as the Innuos is one of several severs with a direct Ethernet output. The feed to the server is direct from the house modem and is mostly fibre optic. At each end is 1m of CAT cable, the media converters being 9v battery powered. The big expense was Shunyata power cables and distribution to the server and audio system (Devialet Expert Pro).

So having focused on keeping electronic noise and mains noise out of the system, and the Innuos and Shunyata kit is not cheap, the entire signal path comprises a 25m fibre optic cable that cost £17 and 3 x 1m Ethernet cables that cost a total of £40 delivered from Blue Jeans in Seattle, that the OP did not bother testing.

I have one medium price AudioQuest cable that I put in between the server and streaming input, but it made no difference and one day I will get round to selling it.

There’s lots of good and bad in digital audio, but my experience is to look at the system as a whole, keep it as simple as possible and I’ve not found digital cabling to be an issue worth spending money on.

Depending on the QNAP, it is excellent as a Roon Core. My previous Qnap wasn't great, but the new 453DX which was designed with Roon partly in mind is absolutely excellent. This is using ethernet. Using USB on the previous Qnap did not yield the same results into my previous Cambridge Audio 851N as Ethernet, I havemt tried USB with this one as the Lumin does not have a digital input.

I didn't 'bother' not to include the Belden as I actually only realised I had it into the testing night and five was already enough and would have skewed results introducing a new subject, but yeah appreciate the respect for the effort...

My Netgear switch did let noise in definitely, much of which was solved by adding an IFI Quiet PSU to it, night and day difference.

The Lumin is a £2K streamer/DAC, I would not call it a basic entry level unit like a £500 Bluesound Node.If you class 2K as entry level, we live in different hifi/financial worlds that for sure. It does have a switching PSU sadly, which eventually I will swap out. Lumin did spend a lot of time upgrading this PSU form the D1, and many have reported it sounds as good as the D1 with an LPS, showing its quality of design and engineering. Currently with all the tweaks which include LPS's for everything like the router, modem, NAS etc, sheilded mains cables, I do not feel there is anything much more that can be gained, but I may try an Sbooster for the Lumin one day - I would have already tried it but sadly its a little more involved on the D2 that just plugging it in. The reports from those that have are that there isn't a whole lot more that is gained.

I would like some Shunyata mains cables, but the cost is pretty high and recently outlay has been pretty big, so I'm just going to sit back and enjoy things for a while :)
 
A very brave post. Popcorn ready and waiting for the usual suspects to arrive.

Tony made a point of removing the usual trolls from cable threads recently to create a safe haven for those interested in cables to discuss, some are already walking a fine line on this thread, so hopefully the Gov' will control the muppets as and when needed, and this thread can just be for the interest of those wanting to experiment with their systems ethernet cables. Those that don't, don't need to get involved.
 
Agreed, great write up, I don't have any ethernet to "worry" about and would tend to sit on the other side of the cable fence, ignoring that an entertaining detailed write up as good as any you would find in a bought and paid for mag. Dearly hope this doesn't become a bun fight Tony has to shut down, let the ethernet cable folk enjoy this thread as it was clearly intended. The rest of us just need to let it go, live and let live, 'cmon people we can do that right?

EDIT: Yup I was writing this when The Chronicals was posting above ... completely agree
 
I've used everything from the cheapest, oldest, tattiest cat5 install cable, to fully shielded end to end audiophile approved cat6. None of it made a damn bit of difference to how my dac sounded.
 
I've used everything from the cheapest, oldest, tattiest cat5 install cable, to fully shielded end to end audiophile approved cat6. None of it made a damn bit of difference to how my dac sounded.
I think there are a lot of us who have explored what difference their network connections make and quietly avoid upsetting those who do hear differences and want to tell the world about it.

Is it the person or their equipment or both?

Have a bump
 
My Netgear switch did let noise in definitely, much of which was solved by adding an IFI Quiet PSU to it, night and day difference.

Nothing to do with the cable then ? Only equipment injecting noise into the cable, which if true would affect all cables equally.
 
Nothing to do with the cable then ? Only equipment injecting noise into the cable, which if true would affect all cables equally.

In the instance, what was removed when adding the IFI had nothing to do with the cable testing as this came first, then when adding the ethernet cable later, more changes/ improvements (to my ear) came, thus this thread is about the ethernet cable(s), not the IFI, that will come later. 'Noise' was definitely a big issue for me from the outset, now it's not.

What cables did they use in the studio ?

Lots.

I think there are a lot of us who have explored what difference their network connections make and quietly avoid upsetting those who do hear differences and want to tell the world about it.

Is it the person or their equipment or both?

Have a bump

or the cable, all three I'd say.

My equipment is hardly low rent, therefore the 'well engineering or not' argument dosent wash with me as . It may not be the pinnacle of Hifi and the top of the pricing pyramid, but it's definitely not a 2K set up either.

Generally, being an audio forum, traffic is desired to raise advertising revenue through levels of footfall and membership. So threads, where members take time to experiment with their own kit, ears and personal preferences and write reviews and experiences are extremely valuable and should really be supported. This is all free of charge, and not swayed by manufacturers backhanders/bias's like it could be in a magazine.

It also supports the hobby, and the industry as a whole. An industry, and no doubt a forum that envelopes it, would quickly die if there is only one dac, one cable, one set of speakers, and it all sounds the same.
 


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