AudioQuest Ethernet Cables

Thanks, Simon! I think I'll ground it at both ends and just hope there won't be ground loops RF attenuation is important to me because this flat is heavily RF polluted - the neighbours engaged in Wi-Fi wars... Not enough channels, so everyone gets bigger antennas, etc.

My dedicated power spur cable has also arrived. 20 meters of 4x6mm sq. solid copper Helukabel with the leads twisted, which should provide a little RF attenuation. It's 4x6 instead of 3x6, because the Polish distributor happened to have 20 meters of such cable and sold it to me at half price. I wonder what I should do with the 4th lead - use it as ground, effectively halving the ground resistance? Or leave unconnected? I remember there was a "twisted pair" speaker cable (QED? DNM?) with one extra lead weaved in, unconnected, and they had a whole theory why that's beneficial...

I guess you are right and the proximity to the very center of Warsaw, where the central TV and radio transmitters are perched upon the top of the Palace of Culture, has probably more effect than the Wi-Fi wars Still, a friend dropped by with a DIP meter and this place is soaked in RF.

Any advice on that fourth lead in my power cable?

Gajdzin, interesting to hear about wifi wars  Perhaps you should get a leaky microwave oven just to compete 

However with carriers at 2.4 and 5 GHz, you are probably less likely to get so much coupling/interaction with your audio equipment....

by the way, your 4th wire in your cable .. Indeed I would couple it to earth at both ends...

Simon

Simon, the world would be a bad, sad place without you.

Thanks for everything I (and others) have learned here thanks to your knowledge and generosity!

I like to keep an open mind about these things but I find the prices of AQ ethernet cables way too steep for me.

I'm content using a 30' run of Blue Jeans Cable BJC C6AP (CAT6a).

It's a well spec'd, well built cable with an unconventional floating shield and each cable is individually tested, with report. And most of all it's affordable.

10 euros a plug??? Crimping is dead easy, the crimper is no more than a tenner and a bag of 100 plugs 2 quid.

Ten metres of terminated Cat 6 Is £5-£20 and Audioquest Pearl is £60, so the later is a bargain if it works as claimed and a waste of £40-£55 if doesn't.

Keith

The "100 for 2 quid" plugs are the little plastic affairs specd for Cat5, not Cat6a or Cat7, without the metal sides providing the connection to the shield, right...? I needed ones that can properly connect the shield's drain wire. Plus the 10 euro ones look really cool (see how AudioQuest Vodka is terminated)

Hello.

I am using a pair of AQ Vodka RJ/E between my NAS, router and Linn Klimax DSM.

I was a bit surprised when I later read all those reviews about AQ Ethernet cables where reviewers claim that even the difference between different AQ RJ/E cables is big. I don't think this is really true.

But I can verify that there is the difference between my previous CAT6 cable and AQ Vodka (which is much thicker than CAT6). When I installed Vodka the sound became a bit more transparent, some tiny details came out of nowhere, soundstage became more airy. That difference is not big, though (less obvious than between different power cables or interconnect cables), but it is noticable nevertheless.

It looks like better Ethernet cable decreases the backgound noise (like anti-vibration accessories, fox example). I think this is due to better insulation and high-quality contacts. (AQ cables have additional layers of insulation in comparson with standart CAT7.) This should decrease interference between Ethernet cables, audio components and other cables. But I can not say for sure. As to the silver conductors - this may be just a marketing ploy.

I would like to know is there any difference between AQ Vodka, Diamond and Cinnamon. Usually people say that the difference between neighbouring models of AQ cables is slight. I wonder is it relevant for their RJ/E cables.

+1 Cinnamon convert here. 

Any views on using an Audioquest Forest from router to Sonos Bridge?