advertisement


Playing with cheap ethernet cables

sq225917 said:
Whenever anyone describes a patch lead as a hifi cable they're totally missing the point of what its transmitting. It's just data, not audio.
Click to expand...
But it appears that part of the belief in data cables affecting what is heard that earth matters are affected by data cables. I think instead of inky blackness intense interstellar void, absence of light is sought.

Certainly the WigWam, Linn hearers are cutting shielding of Cat8 to improve their hearing experiences in the belief earthing is affected.

It is good to see some attempt at explanation of how the cables are making a music sound difference heard rather than I heard it if you don’t try it too I’m not interested.

For those hearers who wish to see they are not alone https://hifiwigwam.com/forum/topic/...ables-and-audition-some-cat8-ethernet-cables/ it may also show that the majority of forum members who bother to look at hearers postings react in the same way.

We must be kind to minorities of believers of a different faith otherwise Boris will legislate.
 
Last edited:
gints said:
belivers vs non belivers

Do cables can sound different?

- O, yes, yes, I heard it myself.
- No, no way, no possible because it is not possible.
Click to expand...
If you ask a silly question you will get a silly answer. Other questions can be asked including
1) to what extent does a reported change in sound by a hifi enthusiast consutiute a sold ground for assuming that the cause lies in a change in the electrical characteristics of a data cable, rather than the cause lying somewhere else?
2) to what extent is it reasonable to assume that any reported change in sound quality is caused by any change in the sound pressure waves reaching the listener's ears rather than any other input into the listener's perceptual system?
3) is my hobby dicking around with random stuff and seeing if it makes me think that my collection of early 1970s prog rock sounds slightly different as a result?
4) if it is closed-minded of me not to spend my day dicking around with data cables to see if it makes ........then is it equally closed-minded not to spend my day putting different sorts of pasta on my head to seeing if...., and if not why not?
5) how disappointed would I be if there was nothing I could do to my current hifi front end to make it sound significantly better? If so why?
 
Once someone shows a change in output signal from a data cable swap then were off to the races. Sadly we're ten years into streaming and this hasn't happened yet. I wonder why.

The same goes for grounding joxes.
 
sq225917 said:
Once someone shows a change in output signal from a data cable swap then were off to the races. Sadly we're ten years into streaming and this hasn't happened yet. I wonder why.

The same goes for grounding joxes.
Click to expand...

Actually, sure I read a review of the entreq boxes somewhere, not sure where now. It was a test with an oscilloscope and some other kit maybe. Introduced some sort of noise/rfi that was measurable, maybe something to do with adding a big antenna in a wooden box to the system, dunno. Not quiet what entreq claim it does mind...
 
I wonder though if it's possible to show a difference between say an averagely dirty record and a clean one, aside from very obvious clicks. All most measurements will show is FR to some coarse degree. Not sure how this helps. The difference between analogue cables is hard enough to prove so ethernet won't be any easier.
 
Is vinyl speed stable enough to work with Diffmaker?

Performing a difference residual from digital is trivial.
 
sq225917 said:
Is vinyl speed stable enough to work with Diffmaker?
Click to expand...

Hi Simon,

I think probably not, but it's also 'unstable' in several other ways such that difference or null testing doesn't really work well with vinyl.
The displacement of the cartridge coils/magnets within the generator is going vary slightly between plays so level and phase will also differ between plays, and indeed during play.
 
Clive, I have a wet vac, I only really use it once in a blue moon with anything that developed ticks and pops. That's probably indicative of my laissez faire attitude to playback.
 
I'm a speaker cable believer (there i said it) The difference in that arena are clearly 100% audible.
Digital 75 & 110 Ohm coax, not so much (on the fence here) maybe just at esoteric/reference level..
Ethernet and USB cables, anything after CAT6 (and basic copper construction) is pointless flagellation...
 
sq225917 said:
Clive, I have a wet vac, I only really use it once in a blue moon with anything that developed ticks and pops. That's probably indicative of my laissez faire attitude to playback.
Click to expand...
Simon, my reference to vinyl was to do with a cleaned record can sound better that a dirty one - and I'm not referring to clicks and pops. All I'm trying to say really is that something like Diffmaker can show up differences but if it doesn't does that prove anything other than perhaps the two results are not vastly different?

BTW I just use whatever ethernet patch cable comes to hand.
 
WigWam and the ChesterGroup are strong on BakeOffs and shows. Taking that inspiration how about a gathering of Ethernet difference hearers and none hearers (but open minded) plus some you must be joking music lovers. Persons like the OP and fellow I hear thisers can show what they notice, others can strain or be bowled over to hear wow.

Alternatively at one of the shows one of the evangelising hearers can take a room and demonstrate
 
sq225917 said:
Clive, I think the truth is that we can hear through most things, if we choose to do so.
Click to expand...
Yes that is the case...we can listen via a Dansette and really enjoy the music if we wish. It is much about choice, none of this is going to change the word or get rid of plastic waste.
 
Bourneendboy said:
Are you chaps that are saying the cables make no difference refering to all category cables?
Click to expand...

Well perhaps not if you include cat3 or cat4 in your all category cables question (although technically they both support enough bandwidth to transfer 24/192 audio streams)

But anything above and including cat5 will not make the blindest bit of difference to the sound.
 
Fortunately my music comes straight off ssd via direct msata plug into the pi, so only the control commands come via Ethernet. Maybe I should try different msata cables?
 
These cables are recommended and supplied by Eero for their mesh wifi systems.The recommendation actually came direct from Eero's head developer though I'm pretty sure they have Monoprice make custom runs for Eero with no printing on the jacket for that "lifestyle" look:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AJHCLKQ/?tag=pinkfishmedia-20

I'd recommend replacing ethernet cables every few years anyway as preventative maintenance as it's cheap enough. The torsional movement and the heat generated with cables moving around in the real world causes breaks in the thin foil shield of the cable as well as the wires loosening in the connectors over time (ever notice jacket sheathing creeping away from the RJ-45 connector with cables that have been installed for several years?) This drives up noise at the least so can't be good for reliable data transmission.

I'm using Blue Jean 6A Ethernet cables purely based on a personal assumption that their less flexible cable construction might hold up better over time here with minimal cable movement in my house (If I'm wrong, I'm only out $21 US for a 6 FT Blue Jean cable and I'll simply switch back to Monoprice.)

https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/data-cables/index.htm

Anyway, I can't say I've heard sound differences in Ethernet cables (and I've listened to a few to satisfy my curiosity) but I can tell you I've seen packets drop due to crappy cable connectors not making positive contact with their counterparts due to being under tension and slightly skewed even when locked in place or due to broken wires or broken shields hidden by the cable's jacket. The Sentinel brand RJ-45s Blue Jeans use seem to a have a very tight fit with a wide range of connectors on various routers and switches so you get the benefits of forcing a positive connection with a tight wire bundle that doesn't destroy itself with heat and internal friction due to the wires and shield rubbing against each other with real world use.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top