Audioquest Cinnamon Ethernet Cable

Yes, they are jolly good. You don't say whether you are using a nas, but if so try connecting them both to a switch, and the switch to the AE. 

And now be prepared for those who will tell you that the cable simply cannot make a difference. They have usually not tried it, but they just know. 

Hi Halibut

Does it make a difference having a good ethernet from router to Apple extreme? I have WD Mycloud NAS and I have that connected via a cheap ethernet, so will try that out.

Ricto

Between our Virgin modem and the AE we use a Cat 6 cable that my son made for me. If you are using a switch the data moves between the nas and the streamer via the switch, so the cable between the modem and the AE shouldn't make any difference. The switch to nas wire makes the biggest difference, though the one between the nas and the switch has a surprisingly large increase. There seems to be an additive effect by using the same cable for both. 

There is an old thread I started called 'a taste of cinnamon' or something like that. You may find it interesting. Or not!

Also before plugging the Cinnamon in I listened to 3 songs I am very familiar with, Telegraph Road, Bryan Adams Live on MTV and Metallica fade to black. The difference was quite notable which I really was not expecting at all.

I swopped a cheap ethernet cable for a chord stream (similar price to yours) and i wasn't expecting any difference in audio quality (and there wasn't). But i hoped it would cure the audio drop outs on my muso on internet radio..... and it didn't do that either.

I'm running an AQ Cinnamon as well, wasn't planning on swapping the Ethernet cable from my switch to streamer but my dealer had one in stock & offered it at a good price so I grabbed it.  I wasn't expecting a difference, I more so wanted it to be of better grade like the rest of my cables & its of good build quality.  For me there was no difference that I could pick up between it & the monoprice cable I had installed before. 

I did detect an improvement when introducing AQ Cinnamon from router to switch, from switch to UnitiServe and from switch to NDS. I was going to stop there but then tried AQ Vodka from switch to NDS and was rather pleasantly surprised and rewarded with a further enhancement in SQ.

I will admit that I only tried the Vodka because the dealer mistakenly supplied it in error for Cinnamon which I ordered. Would I have splashed out on Vodka if I had to pay Vodka prices? Probably not. But now I have tried it, I would recommend it. The trouble is it is difficult to home demo these cables without buying them - unless you have a very obliging dealer.

As the OP says, a short length of Cinnamon is not so expensive so if you are tempted, try it on the most sensitive link first, that is from your streamer to switch (if you have one) or to router if you have no switch.

If you have tried it and found no difference then fair enough - not too much financial damage. But beware the naysayers who have not tried these things.

I don't have a Cinnamon ethernet cable, but I've used other various types of Cinnamon cables  and have always found that line to offer great value for money.

I have a similar set up (NAC 272, 250 DR, NAC A5 speaker cable and an XPS DR) and found that using the Cinnamon ethernet cables between the 272 and Apple Extreme router and a shorter cable between the NAS to the router did indeed make a difference. No switch in the mix. 

Super posted:

I swopped a cheap ethernet cable for a chord stream (similar price to yours) and i wasn't expecting any difference in audio quality (and there wasn't). But i hoped it would cure the audio drop outs on my muso on internet radio..... and it didn't do that either.

That's a pity that you didn't notice the difference. I also noticed a considerable difference on my side.

how about something stronger ? will they deserve the money ? 

I've made my own cables. Ardbeg Cables, far more tasteful than Vodka Cables.

Super posted:

I swopped a cheap ethernet cable for a chord stream (similar price to yours) and i wasn't expecting any difference in audio quality (and there wasn't). But i hoped it would cure the audio drop outs on my muso on internet radio..... and it didn't do that either.

It was not a small difference it was quite significant more than a placebo effect should i say. lol

rightcoastants posted:

I have a similar set up (NAC 272, 250 DR, NAC A5 speaker cable and an XPS DR) and found that using the Cinnamon ethernet cables between the 272 and Apple Extreme router and a shorter cable between the NAS to the router did indeed make a difference. No switch in the mix. 

I am very happy with the sound of my system however the lure of the XPS DR is strong. But the expense makes me pull my reigns in a bit. 

I have just ordered another Cinnamon and a switch should be interesting to see what the results of that are.

Ricto

Ricto posted:

 

I have just ordered another Cinnamon and a switch should be interesting to see what the results of that are.

Hi Ricto,  Where will you install the new Cinnamon.  What brand/model switch & how will the LAN system look with the switch & AE.

I have found that only the switch to streamer (player) & NAS to switch ethernet branches make a difference.   The link between switch & the wireless hub makes no difference that I can detect.   

I was going to have the switch between the WD Cloud NAS and the streamer and both Cinnamon leads would go to 272 and NAS respectively. The switch would then be connected to the Apple extreme ( I think thats how it will work ). The switch has no benefit for Tidal as I am aware just the NAS drive.

Ricto

Im most certainly not disputing the findings of everybody on this thread, but can anybody explain why changing an Ethernet cable between a NAS and a Switch, or between a Switch and a Streamer should have an impact on the sound ? Its just for the exchange of bits, across the cable, isnt it ?

Have a look at the old thread I referred to above - it's discussed in detail.

Ricto posted:

I was going to have the switch between the WD Cloud NAS and the streamer and both Cinnamon leads would go to 272 and NAS respectively. The switch would then be connected to the Apple extreme ( I think thats how it will work ). The switch has no benefit for Tidal as I am aware just the NAS drive.

Ricto

OK understand,  just as I expected.  (I was concerned you were installing the Cinnamon on the switch AE branch)  

The switch correctly manages the data streams.  My switch had a definite effect on my old set up as it was clear the ISP hub could not handle the traffic density when used as a switch.   Your AE is probably as good as the best in that role so it maybe that you don't get much change by adding the switch.   Whatever, if like me,  it makes for a tidier installation.

How does an Ethernet cable affect sound quality?  I can understand that with analogue signals, but a load of 1s and 0s, that are only either a 1 or 0 shouldn't matter.  What is going on?  And if it matters what affect does the miles and miles of transmission have on precious 24/192 Hi Res files being downloaded?  

Who knows why but when I replaced my cat 6 from switch to ndx and unitiserve to switch. The differences were there to be noticed. More of everything. I don't know the science but there are thousands of 0s and 1s if a couple are missed or mistimed somehow this surely would have an effect.

Sorry I replaced for aq cinnamon also

Judge posted:

How does an Ethernet cable affect sound quality?  I can understand that with analogue signals, but a load of 1s and 0s, that are only either a 1 or 0 shouldn't matter.  What is going on?  And if it matters what affect does the miles and miles of transmission have on precious 24/192 Hi Res files being downloaded?  

I'm happy with the 'it just does'. I don't know how my car works, nor do I really care. Just try it. If you hear no difference, you hear no difference. 

Judge posted:

How does an Ethernet cable affect sound quality?  I can understand that with analogue signals, but a load of 1s and 0s, that are only either a 1 or 0 shouldn't matter.  What is going on?  And if it matters what affect does the miles and miles of transmission have on precious 24/192 Hi Res files being downloaded?  

I was very sceptical but it's quite a change for sure. 

Judge posted:

How does an Ethernet cable affect sound quality?  I can understand that with analogue signals, but a load of 1s and 0s, that are only either a 1 or 0 shouldn't matter.  What is going on?  And if it matters what affect does the miles and miles of transmission have on precious 24/192 Hi Res files being downloaded?  

Oh dear! the old 'bit are bits' argument.

The bits are transmitted as an analogue electrical signal varying between different digital levels, and can therefore vary in timing (an analogue property) and carry RFI by varying in voltage (another analogue property).  The digital information is just an interpretation of the analogue signal in the cable.

When the file is downloaded, the analogue signal is re-interpreted at the receive end and the digital information written to memory, the CRC is then compared and the data can be re-transmitted if the values don't match.  This isn't realtime, so doesn't affect playback.