Could you expand on this please?
Precisely what sort(s) of bottleneck are we talking about here? Digital bottlenecks or noise bottlenecks? ... or am I missing a further class of bottleneck?
Thanks
New Network Acoustics eno2 system
- Thread starter keithc
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Precisely what sort(s) of bottleneck are we talking about here? Digital bottlenecks or noise bottlenecks? ... or am I missing a further class of bottleneck?
Thanks
I guess the same issues the industry faced when started replacing computers for streaming, servers, NAS, network filters, LAN cables or common switches with devices specifically designed for audio purposes. I replaced a MacMini, a cheap switch, an amazon Ethernet cable along my journey, and the improvement in sound quality was easy audible. I have no technical knowledge at all but my simple deduction is that the common ISP routers deserve the same attention.
They sport LED, chips and parts I suppose pretty noisy for musical purposes, are made by cheap materials and internal wires that are not intended to provide the performance hoped by audiophiles.
Why audio industry didn’t focused yet on common routers, being them a (significant?) part of the path?
Am I wrong?
Happy to learn more about that from you Nigel, you certainly know the argument very well, unlike a hobbist like me. If my assumptions are silly, please be indulgent with me, I’m a journalist who loves audio, without any technical skill.
Thanks for your opinion.
They sport LED, chips and parts I suppose pretty noisy for musical purposes, are made by cheap materials and internal wires that are not intended to provide the performance hoped by audiophiles.
Why audio industry didn’t focused yet on common routers, being them a (significant?) part of the path?
Am I wrong?
Happy to learn more about that from you Nigel, you certainly know the argument very well, unlike a hobbist like me. If my assumptions are silly, please be indulgent with me, I’m a journalist who loves audio, without any technical skill.
Thanks for your opinion.
That's a great post, @luca.pelliccioli. And it echoes my own experiences. I guess my point is that most of the changes you and I have experienced personally as we've incrementally improved our networked audio have related to noise reduction rather than to the digital signal itself, and I'm not sure I'd call noise reduction a bottleneck.
To me "bottleneck" implies some sort of speed/capacity limitation. I know words are only words but even the highest resolution digital files we enjoy hardly stress the capacity of even a modest network.
When it comes to noise, as you know, I am happy to assert that this is an area in which it makes more sense to invest in treating the symptoms rather than the cause (contrary to most of my own professional life!). The place we can most effectively impact noise is by minimising it just before our streamer rather than at the ISP router. Yes, there's an argument that all noise is bad and therefore every measure we can take counts; but the further from the streamer we get, the more opportunity the intervening cables and devices have to pick up noise and let it reach the DAC.
If an audiophile has a budget of £x/$x/€x (other currencies are available: please check local stockist for details!) then they are more likely to get excellent value for money by spending it at the streamer/pre-streamer end than by doing so at the router/post-router end.
Have a great evening, Luca.
To me "bottleneck" implies some sort of speed/capacity limitation. I know words are only words but even the highest resolution digital files we enjoy hardly stress the capacity of even a modest network.
When it comes to noise, as you know, I am happy to assert that this is an area in which it makes more sense to invest in treating the symptoms rather than the cause (contrary to most of my own professional life!). The place we can most effectively impact noise is by minimising it just before our streamer rather than at the ISP router. Yes, there's an argument that all noise is bad and therefore every measure we can take counts; but the further from the streamer we get, the more opportunity the intervening cables and devices have to pick up noise and let it reach the DAC.
If an audiophile has a budget of £x/$x/€x (other currencies are available: please check local stockist for details!) then they are more likely to get excellent value for money by spending it at the streamer/pre-streamer end than by doing so at the router/post-router end.
Have a great evening, Luca.
It makes sense, thanks for your clarification.
It seems we need to study (as industry) more deeply the argument. Maybe as much effort as done with electrical systems (lines, conditioners, sockets, power cords) will be needed in the very next future.
Maybe my set up is different, because I have a dedicated internet line and a dedicated router 1.5 mt far from my rack, but I understand your point.
More food for thought.
It seems we need to study (as industry) more deeply the argument. Maybe as much effort as done with electrical systems (lines, conditioners, sockets, power cords) will be needed in the very next future.
Maybe my set up is different, because I have a dedicated internet line and a dedicated router 1.5 mt far from my rack, but I understand your point.
More food for thought.
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