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

Decent cable is already made to a very tight tolerance of 100±5 Ohms, testing this accurately at RF is a challenge. It turns out that much of the impedance irregularities come from badly assembled connectors where the twists have been opened out too far from the pins.
Ethernet cable has always used solid cores in installed cable, using stranded cables for the patch cables, where flexibility is essential
We avoid silver plating at RF because it can only be used in a sealed environment, the black sulphide that quickly forms in city air is a poor conductor

There is a lot of information in this brochure:
https://www.prysmiangroup.com/sites/default/files/atoms/files/Kupferdatenkabel_internet.pdf
 
The Chronicals said:
I mean, we are talking minute differences here, unlike those found in the Isolda Vs 3104, but it's there.
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If you say so, but you seem to be taking any suggestion for how to actually verify that better as an attack against you.
 
davidsrsb said:
Decent cable is already made to a very tight tolerance of 100±5 Ohms, testing this accurately at RF is a challenge. It turns out that much of the impedance irregularities come from badly assembled connectors where the twists have been opened out too far from the pins.
Ethernet cable has always used solid cores in installed cable, using stranded cables for the patch cables, where flexibility is essential
We avoid silver plating at RF because it can only be used in a sealed environment, the black sulphide that quickly forms in city air is a poor conductor

There is a lot of information in this brochure:
https://www.prysmiangroup.com/sites/default/files/atoms/files/Kupferdatenkabel_internet.pdf
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Interesting, the silver cables sounded the most 'different' out of the bunch. The Audioquest one was completely stiff and unflexible though, bit of a nightmare to deal with.
 
The Chronicals said:
I used to use Townshend Isolda's, I loved them for a period for found they sacrificed body for clarity, I now use Mogami, which I wouldnt say is'better' than the Townshends, but in my current setup they sounded better for how I wanted it to sound. The Isoldas where too bright for me.

I have read your info on the difference in build, and yes I can understand what you are proposing but the Belden did not sound as good as the Shunyata to me. I mean, we are talking minute differences here, unlike those found in the Isolda Vs 3104, but it's there.

Your info does relate why the Supra just isn't good as the end stream cable, but its brilliant as the modem to router cable, hence why I may have stumbled across a great setup with the Cat 8 in my main data runs and the Shunyata Cat 6A in my end point, just from trial and error and experimentation.

I imagine the very same people opposing many of the results of this thread would also challenge your belief in mains cables and wrapping tin foil round your Isolda's though, for me I'd definitely love to try a Shunkyata mains cables, but the decent ones are way up the financial ladder for me. Any chance of a loaner?

No one suggested anyone spend £300 though. Thats the point of a review, its just information for others to absorb, or not. You could buy the Viablue one if it fitted your sentiments more, or the Audioquest. You also classed a £2K streamer as an entry level device, and spend £3k on mains cables, but £300 on an ethernet cable is a lot. This is where I am confused..I am not judging at all, each to their own, but its just a bit odd.
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If you are in North London, you can get loaner Shunyata cables from KJ WestOne or possibly Futureshop. I got mine from KJ WestOne, but I was an existing customer. I am in North London as well, if you want to PM.

The Lumin D2 is entry level for Lumin. They make more expensive units with external power supplies and a DC input.

Auralic and Innuos provide Roon solutions that are probably better value for money. I admit I've not heard Lumin products. I bought an Innuos Zen M3 as a Roon Core because it was the best fit for my list of specification requirements, plus they have a long pedigree, are very popular and have good technical sales support.

I don't find the Isolda's bright, but then Harbeth speakers have never been accused of being bright. I use the SHL5plus 40th Anniversary which have a super-tweeter. I'm listening to sitar now and it sounds great.

Like you, when I had a component system, I used Mogami balanced cables, about £30 each from KMR. I also have nothing against Supra, I used their power cables when I had ESL because they are well shielded and were running alongside speaker cables. (With the ESL I was using Atlas Hyper 2.0 because Quad ESL require very low inductance cables. QED79 are another option.)

I ran my 25m AudioQuest Pearl cable under floorboards and through a ceiling. They make it in CAT6 and CAT7 versions. I suspect they do so because it is their cheapest cable and probably often bought for long runs, as I did. By offering CAT6 and CAT7 they give you the option of having it with or without shielding. The unshielded CAT6 cost £93 and the CAT7 is about £244. The difference is quite a bit less than the cost of the builder/decorator for installing the cable and the work afterwards, although I needed to do the work anyway and replace the carpet. There were power cables under that bit of floor, but I was able to run the ethernet away from the power so chose CAT6 and saved £150. Anyway, it's for wifi and video.

The main thing I did was run fibre optic and ethernet at the same time.
 
sls4321 said:
If you are in North London, you can get loaner Shunyata cables from KJ WestOne or possibly Futureshop. I got mine from KJ WestOne, but I was an existing customer. I am in North London as well, if you want to PM.

The Lumin D2 is entry level for Lumin. They make more expensive units with external power supplies and a DC input.

Auralic and Innuos provide Roon solutions that are probably better value for money. I admit I've not heard Lumin products. I bought an Innuos Zen M3 as a Roon Core because it was the best fit for my list of specification requirements, plus they have a long pedigree, are very popular and have good technical sales support.

I don't find the Isolda's bright, but then Harbeth speakers have never been accused of being bright. I use the SHL5plus which have a super-tweeter. I'm listening to sitar now and it sounds great.

Like you, when I had a component system, I used Mogami balanced cables, about £30 each from KMR. I also have nothing against Supra, I used their power cables when I had ESL because they are well shielded and were running alongside speaker cables. (With the ESL I was using Atlas Hyper 2.0 because Quad ESL require very low inductance cables. QED79 are another option.)

I ran my 25m AudioQuest Pearl cable under floorboards and through the floor. They make it in CAT6 and CAT7 versions. I suspect they do so because it is their cheapest cable and probably often bought for long runs, as I did. By offering CAT6 and CAT7 they give you the option of having it with or without shielding. The unshielded CAT6 cost £93 and the CAT7 is about £244. The difference is quite a bit less than the cost of the builder/decorator for installing the cable and the work afterwards, although I needed to do the work anyway and replace the carpet. There were power cables under that bit of floor, but I was able to run the ethernet away from the power so chose CAT6 and saved £150. Anyway, it's for wifi and video.

The main thing I did was run fibre optic and ethernet at the same time.
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I didn't think Futureshop did Shunyata? is it something off the site they they do? I'm actually in South London, far more civilised down here :) I might ask Jack at Audiobarn if he wouldn't mind a loaned of the Shunyata mains, as I bought the ethernet from him.

Yes Im aware of the Lumin models, but Id still say it's hardly entry level persay. Its performance definitely vast exceeds anything entry level thats for sure, it's a sublime device. The reason I chose it as I don't get on with ESS based Dacs, and the Aurelic at the same price point had an ESS which rattled my senses to much. The Lumin, is just a little more analogue and organic and works faultlessly with Roon.

I think Isoldas probably work great with the Harbeths, at the time I had Dynaudio Focus and Kef R's..the Isolda was just too much. I never tried them with my Concept 300's which are more relaxed than those two. Atlas cables are again different kettle as the higher end ones use OCC copper which has a distinct difference in its sound signature over OFC. Again, was a little too much for me in detail, much like the Isolda's. I actually had my Mogami's Cryod , like the Isolda's, and it made a good difference and removed some of the caveats I had with it.

I only have a small(ish) flat (probably quite large by modern standards), EVERYTHING is in the livingroom from modem, router, switch, tv, playstation, hifi, etc etc all on top on each other on one wall, with one mains. Probably the reason I find big benefits from Linear power suppliers etc.
 
I have both an Audioquest cinnamon and an Audioquest Vodka ethernet cable on trial at present.
I've not had much time to listen properly yet as I've hardly been home over the last couple of weeks but I can hear a clear difference between each of them as well as the standard one I have been using. Given my age and how much of a battering my hearing has been given I was quite surprised how clear the difference was.
You may say that given how much they cost so I ought to.
However, my 15 year old daughter listened to the same track, same volume with her eyes shut and I swapped from one to the other. She had no idea what I was doing but could instantly hear the difference, and chose which she preferred in cost order. I plan to repeat this with my wife when I am home next.
 
steveinspain said:
However, my 15 year old daughter listened to the same track, same volume with her eyes shut and I swapped from one to the other. She had no idea what I was doing but could instantly hear the difference, and chose which she preferred in cost order. I plan to repeat this with my wife when I am home next.
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Ever heard of Clever Hans?
 
guest said:
They all have one common thing. That is that they all run data packets and nothing else. That data is only converted (at network target) into source requirement ( be it audio, video, data base query, website data, mission critical power station or a banking transaction) etc). And it is done by a target piece of embedded firmware or hosted software or generic protocol - all into required application usage. This is irrefutable in the world of IT data storage conversion transmission and interpretation. Hi fi is neither singular nor a special unique case in that respect.

If you genuinely believe any Ethernet cable sounds better above another, great. But if you do, then you really should apply this methodology to each and every Ethernet cabling run or step in your audio setup. End to end.

Otherwise credibility In any (perceived or otherwise) aural improvements to your digital hi fi, can also be limited by (or to the quality of) the weakest link in your digital data source to endpoint scenario.

The most basic understanding of data and data flows has to encompass this end to end approach. Most in the know chose cat whatever Ailey based on bandwidth.
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Cool. I like the Shunyata best, sounded better than the others, not debatable whatever they do with whatever it is that runs through them and also, what dosent.

I think the other poster, sls, who has engaged a lot onthis thread, has explained the merits of Cat 8 in my other sections of this setup, so overall, I think its setup pretty darn well and Im happy. I dont think there is much to gain adding Shunyata to the other sections. Possibly, but pound per pound performance increase will be a lot less.
 
The Chronicals said:
I think its setup pretty darn well and Im happy. I dont think there is much to gain adding Shunyata to the other sections. Possibly, but pound per pound performance increase will be a lot less.
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Yes but you will never know unless you try it, you are convinced your £ 300 cable sounds better so try it on all of them.
And try the the £ 900 ones also, you may achieve a better sound than the original master tapes.
 
misterdog said:
Yes but you will never know unless you try it, you are convinced your £ 300 cable sounds better so try it on all of them.
And try the the £ 900 ones also, you may achieve a better sound than the original master tapes.
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Sure, if you want to buy one/them and send it all over, I'll give it a go for you, no problemo. Loving your new enthusiasm!

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