Network Improvements and their Impact on Sound Quality

[2ndLiner]

Hi guys, i tried to install an Edgerouter X SFP that i had since last year behind my ISP Modem.
When i connect my Roon NUC to the Edgerouter X, Roon would not work.
Does that mean that the Edgerouter X cannot be used in Router mode when pluged into the ISP Modem ?
Do i have to configure the Edgerouter in Switch mode so that Roon Rock would connect to it ?
I wanted to use the Edgerouter X as a dedicated router just for my system and see if it improves the sound.
Thanks.

Hi Thieliste! Who is your internet provider?

 

[Thieliste]

Hi Thieliste! Who is your internet provider?

Orange from France, fiber box 5.

 

[2ndLiner]

Orange from France, fiber box 5.

Not sure about Orange from France but with ATT here in the USA, special certificates need to be installed in the Edgerouter for the ATT fiber optic ONT to recognize and connect with it. I hope you have success!

 

[agisthos]

emphatically agree:
isolating the audio network through an edgerouterX was the single biggest improvement i've made on the network side.

To you and @nenon
So you found configuring the audio network port to be on its own separate VLAN made a difference?
Its just software routing, so you would not think it would make an improvement.

I have a TP-Link Omada VPN router I am playing with here so can try this.

 

[Powerman]

So I don't get it. I had my streamer wired from router. Tried wifi to see if it mattered couldn't really tell. Why go thru all the trouble of multiple boxes and products simply to use a wire?

USB is terrible and needs several boxes to fix. Fine, don't use USB. I use network wired to streamer and I2S to DAC. Network is terrible and requires many more boxes to fix. Fine, don't use network, use wifi. What is terrible about wifi... Other than unknown interference which everything seems to have.

My streamer is Pi4 Mercury with NVMe drive on board. Trying to go as simple as possible. I have it on a LPS. I have no issue going from router if it is better. No issue putting it on LPS. I would not even have a problem with a etherregen prior to streamer just to make sure... But after that you lose me. And yes, I get it... Try it yourself and see. You are right. But at what point do we just accept USB and network have serious issues and use something else? I assume there is nothing else better...

 

[jasond]

Even though having a quite sophisticated setup with an EtherRegen (with Finisar SFPs with a Farad Super3) which is connected via an Audioquest Diamond Ethernet cable the streamer - the integration of the MUON Pro streaming system before my streamer had an amazing positive effect. Much more energy, dynamics, richer details, …
Never would have thought such an impact is possible with a passive solution.

 

[jasond]

And got a question someone might have a clue on. On my QNAP 453DX there is a 1 Gb/s and a 10 Gb/s port. What should be better to use sound quality wise?
There seem to be reasons (pro/cons) for both, but maybe someone has experience.

 

[GillesCharette]

Just a heads up for everyone using the Planet MGB-TLX transceiver modules... Out of curiosity, I decided to try the Planet MGB-TL40 transceiver modules to compare, I found them to be significantly better than the MGB-TLX. They are only a little more expensive, $8 more. Try them out, I would love to read your impressions. I don't know if playing around with other Planet modules would yield even better results. If you do decide to try others, I would love to read what you have to say. Remember that you do have to let the modules burn in a couple days to obtain best results.

I would also like to say that I have extremely great results using Audiophool's (Hans van den Barg) upgraded Meraki switches (basic + OXCO clock) and linear power supplies. I bought 2, one Meraki at the source coming into the house and then fiber run to the other Meraki where my system resides.