New Ethernet Noise Control from CAD

[Kingrex]

I was going to get a cheap switch to stack too. I need one for my house. I hear the 108 works well.

The nice thing about a switch is they are say $100. Maybe $500.
The 2 filters I tried did not work. The EMO EN30 was just worse. Closed it in and added grain. The Gigafoil was not worse. Its just sounded not natural. Kind of Hifi ish. It wasn't wrong. Just presented in a way I don't like.
FWIW my server has a JCat ethernet card with a dedicated power supply to it. Even so, I still hear changes to ethernet. I don't hear changes to stored files. I have tried physically pulling the ethernet when playing stored files and it does not help.

I have also turned off my Router wifi and that did nothing either.

I did very much notice and uptick when I changed my modem/router combo unit to separates. More so than the LPS that I added to them later.

I thought hard a obout a QSA LAN Adapter. The $500 one. Never pulled the trigger as the QSA club seems to keep going to stratospheric price points in a quest for better. It made me question does the chaper unit do much. The yellow fuse or fuse that was say $150 did nothing I noticee.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

I was going to get a cheap switch to stack too. I need one for my house. I hear the 108 works well.

The nice thing about a switch is they are say $100. Maybe $500.
The 2 filters I tried did not work. The EMO EN30 was just worse. Closed it in and added grain. The Gigafoil was not worse. Its just sounded not natural. Kind of Hifi ish. It wasn't wrong. Just presented in a way I don't like.
FWIW my server has a JCat ethernet card with a dedicated power supply to it. Even so, I still hear changes to ethernet. I don't hear changes to stored files. I have tried physically pulling the ethernet when playing stored files and it does not help.

I have also turned off my Router wifi and that did nothing either.

I did very much notice and uptick when I changed my modem/router combo unit to separates. More so than the LPS that I added to them later.

I thought hard a obout a QSA LAN Adapter. The $500 one. Never pulled the trigger as the QSA club seems to keep going to stratospheric price points in a quest for better. It made me question does the chapter unit do much. The yellow fuse or fuse that was say $150 did nothing I notice.

Rex, WIFI is on a seperate network in our house. Really not sure what effect this has but the wifi routers are on the second floor, and is used for running all business computers...

 

[Lee]

I've been using the Ansuz Ethernet Sortz which works really well.

 

[Kingrex]

Rex, WIFI is on a seperate network in our house. Really not sure what effect this has but the wifi routers are on the second floor, and is used for running all business computers...

Thats good you have wifi on a separate network. People have reported the wifi turnes on, on the audio router can reduce performance. I did not hear turning it off on my system.
Do you have 2 routers tied to 1 modem?
Or do you have a modem to a switch and the 2 routers are into the switch?

 

[Republicoftexas69]

Thats good you have wifi on a separate network. People have reported the wifi turnes on, on the audio router can reduce performance. I did not hear turning it off on my system.
Do you have 2 routers tied to 1 modem?
Or do you have a modem to a switch and the 2 routers are into the switch?

2 modems into seperate networks.

 

[sbnx]

So yesterday i was listening to a high oerformance sysyem (Stenheim Ultime 2, CH C1.2, custom amp, and a very well sorted network configuration.) I was doing cable compares. I brought the CAD eithernet control for the person to listen to. So at one point we plugged it in.

The effect was immediate and obvious. The sound became much less digitized/grainey. It became much smoother, more connected, more 3 dimensional. It was superior to listen with it place.

 

[Kingrex]

Did he let you take it home?
Can you expand on the network? Did you look at the whole of the chain?

 

[sbnx]

Yes, he ordered one.

the router and switch are each powered by their own LPS. The switch was silent angel pro. Ground box attached to switch. Audiophile grade eithernet cables to the switch and to the router. Switch externally clocked. Damping plates etc applied to seitch. Footers. Etc. i dont think any details overlooked.

 

[Kingrex]

I'm sort of interested in buying your Aardvark. Is it even worth it, or is the CAD that much better?

 

[Kingrex]

Yes, he ordered one.

the router and switch are each powered by their own LPS. The switch was silent angel pro. Ground box attached to switch. Audiophile grade eithernet cables to the switch and to the router. Switch externally clocked. Damping plates etc applied to seitch. Footers. Etc. i dont think any details overlooked.

Nice execution.

 

[skids929]

I was going to get a cheap switch to stack too. I need one for my house. I hear the 108 works well.

The nice thing about a switch is they are say $100. Maybe $500.
The 2 filters I tried did not work. The EMO EN30 was just worse. Closed it in and added grain. The Gigafoil was not worse. Its just sounded not natural. Kind of Hifi ish. It wasn't wrong. Just presented in a way I don't like.
FWIW my server has a JCat ethernet card with a dedicated power supply to it. Even so, I still hear changes to ethernet. I don't hear changes to stored files. I have tried physically pulling the ethernet when playing stored files and it does not help.

I have also turned off my Router wifi and that did nothing either.

I did very much notice and uptick when I changed my modem/router combo unit to separates. More so than the LPS that I added to them later.

I thought hard a obout a QSA LAN Adapter. The $500 one. Never pulled the trigger as the QSA club seems to keep going to stratospheric price points in a quest for better. It made me question does the chaper unit do much. The yellow fuse or fuse that was say $150 did nothing I noticee.

I tried the ENO as well and it did nothing to in my system at the time. Doesn't surprise me much since it's passive and no power supply. But I honestly heard ZERO difference. Then tried the gigafoil, I felt that was decent. Now I use a dedicated single switch with reclock and fiber isolation (HNE Labs) seems to sound best. Could it be better? Maybe...I suppose they are all taking noise to some degree and turning it into heat..In the case of the CAD I wonder if there is some magic they've worked with the ground since I haven't heard anyone say anything bad about that one. Albeit pricey

 

[sbnx]

Sbnx
Sorry I didnt answer in propper time to your comment. I was preparing for the Munich High End Show in which I presented the ULTRA edition of my isolator.

To answer your question, the CAD ( @1250) was better than the Aardvark Classic (@499) available at the time of the review. Now, against the ULTRA (us$899) it is a totally different situation.

I think the ULTRA will probably be at least at the same level (or even better) than the CAD in performance, with the adition of 3 practical and objective diferences:

1) it only takes one place in your switch instad of many.
2) it is connected by a top quality cable that, despite not being very flexible, is flexible enough to avoid the stress that means the mechanical lever momentum of a rigid object, of a certain weight, connected to an RJ45 jack, which is usually delicate.
3) last but not least, the CAD´s price is @350 higher than the ULTRA´s

PS. I use the "@" symbol as prices in Europe, in Euros are the same as in the US in American Dollars

Hello,

I don't think I had a question in my post. But I do have a question now. You mentioned the "ULTRA". Ultra what? is this an Aardvark ultra or some other type of product?

 

[sohho]

Hello,

I don't think I had a question in my post. But I do have a question now. You mentioned the "ULTRA". Ultra what? is this an Aardvark ultra or some other type of product?

Sorry again. I am far from precise in my communication because English is not native to me. Probably "respond" would have been a better word for the matter.
Yes I was referring to the new model, the Aardvark ULTRA, that takes isolation a few levels higher then the reviwed model, the Aardvark Classic.
The ULTRA was presented a few days ago in the Munich Show, so it has barely been around yet.
Once again, my apologies for my inaccurate communication.

 

[sohho]

I'm sort of interested in buying your Aardvark. Is it even worth it, or is the CAD that much better?

Sorry I didnt answer in propper time to your comment. I was preparing for the Munich High End Show in which I presented the ULTRA edition of my isolator.

To answer your question, the CAD ( @1250) was better than the Aardvark Classic (@499) available at the time of the review. Now, against the ULTRA (us$899) it is a totally different situation and yet to be tested.

I think the ULTRA will probably be at least at the same level (maybe not as good or maybe even better) than the CAD in performance, with the adition of 3 practical and objective diferences:

1) it only takes one place in your switch instad of many.
2) it is connected by a top quality cable that, despite not being very flexible, is flexible enough to avoid the stress that means the mechanical lever momentum of a rigid object, of a certain weight, connected to an RJ45 jack, which is usually delicate.
3) last but not least, the CAD´s price is @350 higher than the ULTRA´s

PS. I use the "@" symbol as prices in Europe, in Euros are the same as in the US in American Dollars

 

[tony22]

This ULTRA sounds very interesting. Is its operating principle something along the same lines as the Muon Pro?

 

[jasond]

Well Ethernet noise filtering has already come quite a long way. It has been amazing to see since the ENO by Network Acoustics had such an impact an that in the meantime others joined too. I have been following this with excitement over the years and was interesting to see that iFi Audio, English Electric etc. have come up with products too. Having tested quite a bunch of products over that time I ended up with a Muon Pro streaming system and a Tempus switch. My experiences with various HiFi setups and also filters&switch combos very much also goes inline with the recommendation here https://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/re...views-digital-cable/network-acoustics-tempus/ (filter first as it provides a great price/performance ratio and switch next depending on your setup)

I guess for everyone who is intending to try an Ethernet filter the soon upcoming ENO2 will be very interesting. 1GB/s and the latest tweak updates.

 

[sohho]

This ULTRA sounds very interesting. Is its operating principle something along the same lines as the Muon Pro?

I wouldn’t know about the Muon Pro, as I cannot know what is inside the box.

What I can tell you are the obvious differences between Muon Pro and the ULTRA.

The ULTRA means doing the job at hand setting the shortest possible path between the components to be connected, it implements a high quality transformer, in a copper and mu-metal extremely heavy shielded cable and enclosure combo, hard-wired, silver alloy hand soldered, every wire, one by one.

The reason.

Noise is the basic enemy, and there are two different noise sources addressed in this case.

One. The connected devices, as ALL of them have their amount of noise, bigger or smaller, because digital needs clocks to work, and every oscillator is intrinsically noisy.

As noise travels through the ground plane, and all devices have their amount of noise, it is important then to confine that noise where it is and not allow it to pollute the ground plane.

Hence a high-quality transformer. No electrical continuity.

Two. Then, there is the external EMI.

Hence the heavy copper and mu-metal shielding. Outside noise stays outside.

Finally, there is one more issue to consider, the direct connectivity, the signal path itself.

My devices address all three issues in the simplest and most effective way

The process.

Many manufacturers, industrial and semi-industrial, even the best, implement high-grade field assembly RJ45 plugs that are excellent for fast repairing on the field. That means fast termination, but “fast” doesn’t mean “best”. In this case fast means wires hooked to a small board, board that in time is hooked into the plug. In other words, friction connections in every conductor. That is the procedure even with the best of plugs manufacturers, even the most famous ones.

On top of that no extra shielding to EMI but the provided by the plug manufacturer itself.

In the ULTRA, RJ45 plugs are heavily shielded in the inside, and then hard-wired and silver alloy hand soldered, every wire, one by one.

Same procedure in the transformer extreme of the wire.

No intermediate connectors, no boards or friction connections.

It takes hours to manufacture just one of them. There is no way to do this in an industrial level of any kind.

 

[Audiocrack]

May I refer the WBF members who are interested in the Aardvark Ultra Rev.1 isolator to my comments in the thread dedicated to (my) Tidal La Assoluta loudspeakers? It is a great device blocking digital noise very effectively. The positive sonic effects in my LA set up (with the Wadax reference dac, reference server, reference PSU for the server, Akasa interlink and two Akasa dc cables) were profound.

 

[tony22]

In the ULTRA, RJ45 plugs are heavily shielded in the inside, and then hard-wired and silver alloy hand soldered, every wire, one by one.

Same procedure in the transformer extreme of the wire.

No intermediate connectors, no boards or friction connections.

It takes hours to manufacture just one of them. There is no way to do this in an industrial level of any kind.

Fascinating! But then, how do you check to insure there are no impedance irregularities from one end of the transmission line to the other (including the connectors)? As I suspect you know, that can be a cause of signal reflections that in their own way will affect the quality of the transmission.

 

[sohho]

Fascinating! But then, how do you check to insure there are no impedance irregularities from one end of the transmission line to the other (including the connectors)? As I suspect you know, that can be a cause of signal reflections that in their own way will affect the quality of the transmission.

your suspicion is correct, I know about those issues (even though actually reflection being more likely to occur in the all mighty fiber optics connections) and non of them are present in the ULTRA...