Ethernet cable installation...
Posted by: ken c on 22 January 2016
i bought 2 Audioquest cables quite sometime ago -
1 x AudioQuest Cinnamon RJ/E Ethernet Cable 0.75m (Cinnamon RJ/E 0.75m)
1 x AudioQuest Cinnamon RJ/E Ethernet Cable 12m (Cinnamon RJ/E 12m)
Very expensive for an Ethernet cable but i had heard good things about these so decided to try them.
When they were delivered, i never got round to installing them -- my system was sounding mighty fine anyhow and i didnt want to "upset" things.
Today, i felt i need to move the security system from the GS108 switch (where all the streaming ports are) to the router itself. In the process, i decided well, why not try to deploy the AQ 0.75m between the NAS drive and the switch?
Well, i have done it and i am playing my NDS right now.
Do i detect any difference in SQ? I can easily convince myself that it sounds better --but nowehere near the hit you in the face improvement that i got from upgrading the snaxo cable to SL.
i need to try the longer cable now, to the NDS itself -- this will take some doing -- but after paying so much -- i am curious now. again i dont expect an earth shattering difference .. in fact i might end up not liking it anyhow -- we'll see...
enjoy
ken
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by Adam Zielinski
It makes sens HH - a good power supply lowers the electrical systems noise floor. I've upgraded my PS on the NAS server - made a small, but audible difference (positive of course).
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by nigelb
Off topic I know, but I too can vouch for the iFi iPower low noise SMPS on the switch (Netgear in my system). The iPower ups the SQ in ways that HH has described and I would add that it also allows a better balance to come through, particularly the quieter instruments and vocals. Not night and day, but great VFM at £40 IMHO.
Always remember: Remove the system's noise and you'll increase the system's poise.
Still got it! 
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by ken c
Always remember: Remove the system's noise and you'll increase the system's poise.
Still got it!
nicely put nigelb 
enjoy
ken
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by ken c
....
Ken It was me that suggested that the NAS to switch connection wasn't as important as the US to switch and the switch to NDS because I assumed (wrongly) the the US was a hard drive version doing serving duties and the NAS was a back up device only. I then realised that your US was the SSD version and it is pulling files from your NAS and then serving those files to the NDS. In this case, all the connections are as relevant as each other and I would not suggest any particular hierarchy other that the final step from switch to NDS is POSSIBLY the key one. Which is why I still suggest (assuming you have any patience or energy left) you test the Meicord and the AQ Cinnamon on this final link (switch to NAS).
thanks nigelb -- its all a bit clearer now -- but this seems to suggest all the conections are important -- and that my current experiement with partial replacement probably gets in the way of a definitive conclusion... Hmmm...
enjoy
ken
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by ken c
It makes sens HH - a good power supply lowers the electrical systems noise floor. I've upgraded my PS on the NAS server - made a small, but audible difference (positive of course).
this partly suggests to me that there is probably not much point messing about with different ethernet cables till the various power supplies are sorted. also seems to me you probably need to upgrade all of them- switch, NAS, router, modem (mine is virginmedia)?
enjoy
ken
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by nigelb
I am no expert but I believe the switch/SMPS is/can be a particularly noisy item so that is the one to add the iPower to first IMHO. I also upgraded my ethernet cables BEFORE introducing the iFi iPower SMPS on the switch and heard audible improvements at both stages.
Ken, I sense your enthusiasm for all of this diminishing. Might be better to relax and listen to some music!
A better ethernet cable will make your system more able.
Remove the system's noise and you'll increase the system's poise.
Allegedly!
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by Mike-B
+1 Nigel ........ come on Ken, you know it makes sense.
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by ken c
I am no expert but I believe the switch/SMPS is/can be a particularly noisy item so that is the one to add the iPower to first IMHO. I also upgraded my ethernet cables BEFORE introducing the iFi iPower SMPS on the switch and heard audible improvements at both stages.
Ken, I sense your enthusiasm for all of this diminishing. Might be better to relax and listen to some music!
A better ethernet cable will make your system more able.
Remove the system's noise and you'll increase the system's poise.
Allegedly!
Ah, thanks Nigel -- that makes it very low risk to try, then... My enthusiasm was never that high Nigel -- i guess curiosity is what got better of me... but its doesnt seem as straight fwd as i thought -- you start by wanting to try a few different wires -- and then all of a sudden the power supplies come into the issue.
would my streaming be a LOT better if i enclosed all the comms equipment -- switch, NAS, router, modem -- in a Faraday cage? seems the ultimate solution to me!
enjoy
ken
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by ken c
+1 Nigel ........ come on Ken, you know it makes sense.
i will give this a try actually Mike-B-- its a lot cheaper - it seems that the ethernet cables :-)
enjoy
ken
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by Mike-B
Yes Ken, but I did both ethernet & SMPS within a few days of each other. It was clear that both bought positive changes & was not so difficult to separate what each was doing.
I really would push on with the ethernet experiments , you have it started so keep at it. especially the switch-NDS section. It might be the most advantageous in SQ gains.
Regarding the switch SMPS, what switch do you have ???
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by ken c
Yes Ken, but I did both within a few days of each other. It was clear that both bought positive changes & was not so difficult to separate what each was doing.
I really would push on with the ethernet, especially the switch-NDS section.
Regarding the switch SMPS, what switch do you have ???
Mike-B, switch is Netgear GS108...
enjoy
ken
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by Mike-B
OK, the iFi iPower 12v power supply is whats needed. See www MCRU.
Having a longer think about this, IIWY I would be more tempted to get the ethernet optimised first, then the gains with the very low noise (1uV) switch SMPS will be better appreciated.
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by nigelb
Come on chaps a poem (even a one-liner) at the end of your posts will bring a light-hearted feel to proceedings and a smile to the faces of forumites.
Ken, I believe the fishy one and Chris Dolan found this very therapeutic when the fiddling and faffing all got too much.
See my last post for the sort of thing I am talking about.
No? OK I'll get me coat.
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by ken c
Remove the system's noise and you'll increase the system's poise.
Allegedly!
yes i got that first time nigel -- very good! thought i had commented on it -- but evidently not... ah well...
yes, its good to have some sense of humour round here... so, no, dont get your coat yet...
enjoy
ken
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by ken c
...Ken, I believe the fishy one and Chris Dolan found this very therapeutic when the fiddling and faffing all got too much.
ah, so there are other 'faffers' around ... good to know i'm not alone...
enjoy
ken
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by nigelb
Yes, other faffers and other (budding) poets.
Please don't take me too seriously, but I am currently on a one-man crusade to bring some verse and a bit of humour to the forum. Don't know why, just am.
Lest the forum become too terse, let's all attempt some verse,
After all we are the consumer so let's enjoy some humour.
Like that but betterer.
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by Huge
The trouble with verse is that you can't be terse.
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by dayjay
More like the verse that can't be worse!
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by John Willmott
The trouble with verse is that you can't be terse.
Of curse you can be terse in verse ..
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by Huge
The trouble with verse is that you can't be terse.
Of curse you can be terse in verse ..
Good answer, but being terse in verse is worse!
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by dayjay
There is not much worse than being terse in verse apart from being a passenger in a hearse, that is certainly worse
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by nigelb
Why would you want to be terse in verse? That would be adverse to the verse l'd like to nurse. So terse verse is worse than no verse and a curse to the verse I'd prefer in which to converse.
Blimey!
Posted on: 10 February 2016 by Huge
Posted on: 11 February 2016 by Graham Clarke
OK, the iFi iPower 12v power supply is whats needed. See www MCRU.
Having a longer think about this, IIWY I would be more tempted to get the ethernet optimised first, then the gains with the very low noise (1uV) switch SMPS will be better appreciated.
Mike,
Ken has a dedicated mains spur for his system. Assuming the switch is NOT on that spur, do you still feel that changing the switch PS will make an audible difference? My gut feeling would be "no", but then I've never tried this.
Posted on: 11 February 2016 by ken c
Thanks Graham -- i can confirm that the switch is not on the dedicated hifi radial circuit.
i can see you have recovered from Salisbury visit jet-lag very quickly indeed...
enjoy
ken
