If you have a Naim NDS what Ethernet wire do you use?

Sorry Nigel.

What I meant was any sound difference can't be caused by disconnecting an earth that doesn't exist, if my advice is correct and yours isn't. The sound diiference would have to be caused by something else. Perhaps my dealer got confused as to which end the earth is?

Goodness knows! You have probably said already somewhere, but this thread is now so long I cannot summon the energy to search - have you tried the Lindy thingy yourself? If not, it would be interesting to see if you can hear a difference. Your setup is much posher than mine so it should be more obvious, or so one would think. The odd thing is that when I did the experiment yesterday I wasn't expecting a difference, but it was there, as plain as day. Without the Lindy it was more exciting, but muzzy and muddled. All most odd. 

No, I haven't but last night I did try the GS305 which plastic surrounded ports. I tried it with the funky iFi power supply. To be honest, it made very little difference. I would have given it more time but the latest advice suggests it leaves the cable from the Unitiserve to the switch floating. 

However, I'm prepared to risk £3. Perhaps a trip to Maplins :-)

I think the Lindy is now £6. Clearly the demand is increasing the price.... my switch is the GS105, which I believe has metal ports. Whatever is going on, the music is sounding very good indeed, which is what matters. 

Keith,  your GS305 has UTP ports, so no matter what/how it is with the Vodka screens,  they (the screens) cannot connect to each other across the GS305.  Therefore if you do have a 2nd or 3rd ground, the GS305 prevents them cross connecting.      So there is no point in trying a Lindy or similar.

Which suggests that Keith is not 'benefitting' from the cable's screens. Presumably the 105 is different and that I am. 

Hi Mike,

I have a GS108 connected at the moment, as recommended to me by AQ. I think Nigel was suggesting his setup which is Lindy on the NAS (Unitiserve).

I will try the GS108 with a 12 volt iFi though.

HH,  your GS105 carries the screen thru its metal shrouded RJ45 ports & assuming the Vodka screen is end to end continuity,  therefore the grounded RJ45 port on the 272 will carry thru the GS105 to the other STP cables on the network & connect to the grounded RJ45 port on your QNAP.  Thats a 2nd ground,  the Lindy disconnects that ground & although the network screen continuity is carried thru the whole network as far as the QNAP, will be floating at the connection point at the Lindy/QNAP.  

Having the Vodka screen floating at one or (maybe) both ends as would be the case when connected to the GS305  will mean the screen is maybe ground connected into the NDS but will be floating & passive in other sections. I don't believe it will be detrimental as a fully floating screen has positives,  but in the AQ case the floating at one end & not making it 101% clear as to how it should be connected really does not make sense (IMO).  Thing is we don't know apart from the GS305 with its UTP,  we need a man wiv a meter - I have lots of meters but no Vodka 

My head is spinning on this ground issue! 

Right now I am using all AQ Cinnamon Ethernet cables and it does sound much better than before when I was using Cat5e. I am using a Netgear 608 switcher! Not sure if I need a Lindy or not. 

I know lots of folks here ignore my comment but $10,000,00 cable would not improve system much, if any.

Mike-B posted:

HH,  your GS105 carries the screen thru its metal shrouded RJ45 ports & assuming the Vodka screen is end to end continuity,  therefore the grounded RJ45 port on the 272 will carry thru the GS105 to the other STP cables on the network & connect to the grounded RJ45 port on your QNAP.  Thats a 2nd ground,  the Lindy disconnects that ground & although the network screen continuity is carried thru the whole network as far as the QNAP, will be floating at the connection point at the Lindy/QNAP.  

Having the Vodka screen floating at one or (maybe) both ends as would be the case when connected to the GS305  will mean the screen is maybe ground connected into the NDS but will be floating & passive in other sections. I don't believe it will be detrimental as a fully floating screen has positives,  but in the AQ case the floating at one end & not making it 101% clear as to how it should be connected really does not make sense (IMO).  Thing is we don't know apart from the GS305 with its UTP,  we need a man wiv a meter - I have lots of meters but no Vodka 

OK I have tested my Vodka ethernet cable with a multimeter and the finding is that the screen is indeed floating (ie no electrical continuity between the metal plug casing at each end) but can't tell which end may be connected to the screen without taking the cable to bits.

Well that is good to know! 

Hi JohnG,

Are you saying I'm right that it isn't earthed at both ends, but you can't tell which end?

Ive emailed AQ for written confirmation as dealer did briefly confuse himself about which are the sending and receiving end. If he got it wrong it might explain HH's Lindy effect.

johnG posted:

Mike-B posted:

HH,  your GS105 carries the screen thru its metal shrouded RJ45 ports & assuming the Vodka screen is end to end continuity,  therefore the grounded RJ45 port on the 272 will carry thru the GS105 to the other STP cables on the network & connect to the grounded RJ45 port on your QNAP.  Thats a 2nd ground,  the Lindy disconnects that ground & although the network screen continuity is carried thru the whole network as far as the QNAP, will be floating at the connection point at the Lindy/QNAP.  

Having the Vodka screen floating at one or (maybe) both ends as would be the case when connected to the GS305  will mean the screen is maybe ground connected into the NDS but will be floating & passive in other sections. I don't believe it will be detrimental as a fully floating screen has positives,  but in the AQ case the floating at one end & not making it 101% clear as to how it should be connected really does not make sense (IMO).  Thing is we don't know apart from the GS305 with its UTP,  we need a man wiv a meter - I have lots of meters but no Vodka 

OK I have tested my Vodka ethernet cable with a multimeter and the finding is that the screen is indeed floating (ie no electrical continuity between the metal plug casing at each end) but can't tell which end may be connected to the screen without taking the cable to bits.

But without taking apart, you won't know whether the shield(s) are floating... what you have confirmed is the shields are not connected to both ends, they could however be connected to one end however, with what is sometimes referred to as the 'shield drain' connection... 

It all makes a difference alright. I started with Chord C Stream then Sarum tuned array which I subsequently had upgraded to super array. For the last 3 weeks I have been listening to the Music on the NDS with super array on the Serv. The Music is a significant improvement initially in pure hi fi terms but it's now doing what it says on the tin.  Going back to the super array told me in no uncertain terms that I'm going to have to buy it. At that point I will try one on the serv as well. Gulp

musicfan51 posted:

My head is spinning on this ground issue! 

Right now I am using all AQ Cinnamon Ethernet cables and it does sound much better than before when I was using Cat5e. I am using a Netgear 608 switcher! Not sure if I need a Lindy or not. 

Netgear Product Specifications for the 6 series (copy/paste)  suggest not

• Network Ports:
- GS605: 5 auto-speed sensing UTP ports
- GS608: 8 auto-speed sensing UTP ports

So if it's only connected at one end and you want to use it as it was designed to be used then you can't go wrong with metal plugs at both ends.

However, HH has found he prefers the sound with the Lindy in the NAS so there might be something else going on which may or may not be unique to his setup. It may be he prefers the sound when the shield is floating, although my information (which I'm checking) is that the earth is at the other end, or his cable is the wrong way round or something else.

KRM posted:

Hi JohnG,

Are you saying I'm right that it isn't earthed at both ends, but you can't tell which end?

Yes that is the case and see SS comment above.

Keith, I have found using a back to back similar to  the Lindy can change the 'sound' irrespective of whether you use shielded cables or not... such a device no doubt changes the properties of the cable impedance and crosstalk performance slightly, and this is what is heard with coupled audio equipment IMO. BTW professionally back to back Cat10/100/1000BaseT connectors are not usually recommended certainly in my world..

I currently use a no-name coupler to connect unshielded Cat5e to Cat6 shielded for my streamer.. I like it that way.

Awaiting instructions...

murray harden posted:

It all makes a difference alright. I started with Chord C Stream then Sarum tuned array which I subsequently had upgraded to super array. For the last 3 weeks I have been listening to the Music on the NDS with super array on the Serv. The Music is a significant improvement initially in pure hi fi terms but it's now doing what it says on the tin.  Going back to the super array told me in no uncertain terms that I'm going to have to buy it. At that point I will try one on the serv as well. Gulp

The Sarum Super Aray Ethernet cable is darn pricey! But I bet it makes a big difference. I want to say I want to hear one, but then I would want it. 

Mike-B posted:

musicfan51 posted:

My head is spinning on this ground issue! 

Right now I am using all AQ Cinnamon Ethernet cables and it does sound much better than before when I was using Cat5e. I am using a Netgear 608 switcher! Not sure if I need a Lindy or not. 

Netgear Product Specifications for the 6 series (copy/paste)  suggest not

• Network Ports:
- GS605: 5 auto-speed sensing UTP ports
- GS608: 8 auto-speed sensing UTP ports

Great! Thank you ! 

HH, I think you have the best and final answer for your system. It sounds better with the adapter in place. I would let my ears be the final decision maker, as with the dedicated mains. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

Awaiting instructions...

With the test cable in hand - set meter to 200 ohms - connect meter probe to one cable end metal plug body - connect the other meter probe to the other cable end. 

If meter reading does not change, that means the screen is not connected from end to end

If the meter reading shows a number it means the screen is connected end to end ,     ........   & what is that number.

To tell which end is connected & which is not connected,  the plugs need to be opened up.    There is a trick of the trade that I would use,  but not advisable for use by non-'lecky peeps. 

Just out of interest whilst i was ripping a couple of CD's i noticed i have a couple of Audioquest Forest cables (given to me a while back so i just used them and forgot about them). One sits between the NAS and switch, the other between my Network isolator and Melco (more for length needed than any SQ reasons). Most my system is unscreened CAT5e. Out of curiosity and as i'm working from home today, i took one of the cables out and measured it. The Forest connects the metal plug casing at both ends.