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

Great, that's really helpful, and we know that what they say is backed up by the multimeter. It would be good if you could get a Lindy and try it out. I'm baffled as to why it makes a sonic difference though. 

I will try it. What's it's full name so I can ask for it at Maplins or order one on Amazon?

If you look back a bit, you'll see a post of mine with an Amazon screen shot. The title is at the top. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

I don't really get that - if there is no continuous screen, why would disconnecting something that isn't connected anyway make a difference? I suppose it's a question of connected at one end or neither end, but is there a difference between the two? I'm well out of my comfort zone here of course, but hopefully someone can make sense of it all. 

Ive been following this thread with great interest and did start to really struggle a few pages back.

But I love this comment HH - if read in isolation (or indeed if read when not fully understanding the subject at all anyway!) my head feels like it starts to spin like on that film called 'Scanners' from the early '80's !

Got it, I was worried that if I went to far back through the thread I might never get back to the present :-o

Chris - I know what you mean! Being off work has given me time to fiddle about with all this, and while I'm awaiting my psychotherapy sessions this is certainly keeping my enfeebled brain exercised. I'm just intrigued because I can hear a difference but I don't understand why. It was originally suggested that I get the Lindy in order to lift the earth, but it now seems that it's not connected so cannot be lifted. And yet it sounds different with a £4 bit of plastic on the end of a £200 cable, which many suggest does not in itself make a difference in the first place. 

KRM posted:

Got it, I was worried that if I went to far back through the thread I might never get back to the present :-o

Well done!

KRM posted:

I will try it. What's it's full name so I can ask for it at Maplins or order one on Amazon?

If you do a search for 'lindy right angled adapter' on that well known auction site, you'll find them for £4.88 inc. delivery, or they are on Lindy's own website.

I've got a right angle adaptor on its way to me here in the US for between the Vortexbox and Cinnamon. Will report back in  couple of days what I hear. 

I have avoided too much comment on this thread so far in order to first inform myself and not to create any more confusion than there already is. In summary what we know (or think we know) so far is:

It is advisable (not essential) to have one grounding point between the switch and the streamer

The Vodka cable has a screen connected to its metal case at only one end.

Keith has had confirmation that this earth of the screen on the Vodka is at the receiving end of the cable.

James N stated The Lindy adapter will (could?) make a difference (to SQ?) if it's on the end of the cable where the screen is connected - the receive end.

AQ ethernet cables are directional.

We presume that HH has his Vodka round the right way. (Well he has had a bump on the head).

HH can hear a positive difference when the Lindy is added to his NAS and the Vodka plugged into the Lindy

I also hear a positive improvement when I connect the Vodka to the Lindy and the Lindy to my UnitiSreve (the equivalent of HHs NAS).

The ethernet sockets on the NAS and the UnitiServe are the 'send' end of the Vodka - is that right?

I have Vodka between switch and UnitiServe and between switch and NDS and Cinnamon (which has its screen grounded at both ends?) elsewhere.

Goodness, this sounds like a post from Alante!

Right, my brain hurts now. Can I leave it to someone with more technical expertise to check my facts (or what we believe to be facts) and offer some analysis of what is going on here.

So in summary, it is just the connector and where it is plugged in (send or receive end) could have impact on the SQ, not the cable itself?

I have a reasonable level of technical knowledge on this subject, but I'm stumped.  

Where's Simon when you need him?       HEEEEEEELP!  

For the avoidance of doubt, my cables are definitely the right way round. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

For the avoidance of doubt, my cables are definitely the right way round. 

I didn't doubt that for a minute.

Hungryhalibut posted:

For the avoidance of doubt, my cables are definitely the right way round. 

Ahh, but are you sure? Now go and try the meter again just to be sure 

nigelb posted:

Hungryhalibut posted:

For the avoidance of doubt, my cables are definitely the right way round. 

I didn't doubt that for a minute.

I dunno. Some people. Next thing they'll be calling you Peter Belt

I'm not quite ready for a £200 plunge but after council with my dealer I am contemplating the chord c stream (£40) 

. Two quickies if I may:

1) is there benefit from have one from NDS to "box on the wall"  as well as one from router to serve?

2) i am correct in thinking the below is the right cable - certainly looks like it.... 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chord...words=Chord+c+stream 

fathings cat posted:

I'm not quite ready for a £200 plunge but after council with my dealer I am contemplating the chord c stream (£40) 

. Two quickies if I may:

1) is there benefit from have one from NDS to "box on the wall"  as well as one from router to serve?

2) i am correct in thinking the below is the right cable - certainly looks like it.... 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chord...words=Chord+c+stream 

Yep, I use a 3m one of them with Würth Elektronik ferrites (in my system, at my location, they smooth out the sound, increase resolution & decrease background 'clutter').

Dave J posted:

musicfan51 posted:

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. 

Given the collapse of £ against $, it would almost be criminal not to take advantage...

I would love to see Chord Prices come down in the USA! 

Hungryhalibut posted:

Assuming that the 200ohm position is the one at the bottom, when I turn the dial to that position, the readout shows 1 and a dot. When inconnect the probes to each metal end, nothing happens. (I have no high tech clamps, so have used garden string to attach the probes)  

When I do the continuity test, the readout shows just the 1, with no dot. When I connect the cable nothing happens. 

I guess this means that the shield is not connected at one end. 

If that is the case, I wonder why the Lindy makes a difference. 

So there should be no grounding issues using AQ Ethernet cables ?  Correct? 

Hi Music Fan,

Correct. There cannot be ground loops (multiple grounding points) which was the original issue (I think, but it's a long way back!).

The additional points:

- AQ recommend that the cable is earthed at the receive end

- some hear have heard sound improvements when putting little plastic inserts at the NAS end which we can't explain, but that doesn't mean they aren't real and that cannot be explained by some other factor(s).

Based on what we seem to have worked out, I'd say no. But I'm no expert and do not pretend to be. If you go for them I'd get a Lindy too, so you can see whether you prefer it in the system. 

KRM posted:

Hi Music Fan,

Correct. There cannot be ground loops (multiple grounding points) which was the original issue (I think, but it's a long way back!).

The additional points:

- AQ recommend that the cable is earthed at the receive end

- some hear have heard sound improvements when putting little plastic inserts at the NAS end which we can't explain, but that doesn't mean they aren't real and that cannot be explained by some other factor(s).

If AQ recommend that the Vodka (presumably) is earthed at the receive end which is the end where the screen is connected to the metal plug, then this implies the screen is acting as a drain wire.

Mike B, or anyone with some knowledge here please advise if my speculation about the drain screen is correct and if this an effective screen arrangement.

I think someone else commented that one of the other AQ ethernet cables (Forest?) has its screen connected to the metal plugs at BOTH ends implying one or some of the other AQ cables could suffer with ground loops from multiple earths due to their apparently different screen arrangement. If this is the case we might need to be specific about which AQ ethernet cable we are talking about in these pages.

At the risk of annoying the ravenous fish, who I think also has some AQ Cinnamon, I wonder if it is possible to do the multi meter test on Cinnamon also to see its screening ground arrangement. HH, I will perfectly understand if you are tiring of all this now.

I did is this morning and reported on here. Take a look!

musicfan51 posted:

Dave J posted:

musicfan51 posted:

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. 

Given the collapse of £ against $, it would almost be criminal not to take advantage...

I would love to see Chord Prices come down in the USA! 

Do you have to buy them in the USA?