Yes I do and I found it makes a difference.
What ethernet cables are members using?
- Thread starter Lee
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Thank you for a cogent and informed opinion. Spend the extra $ on room treatments or music.
IME, shielded cables (CAT6a, CAT7, and CAT8) beat unshielded twisted pair cables (CAT5e and CAT6). My opinion of the audiophile ethernet cables I've tried:
Blue Jeans Cable CAT6a - Musically good but bass is a bit loose, soundstage a bit constricted and transients are softened slightly. Not shield-tied, which can be an advantage, depending on the grounding situation.
Supra CAT8 - Tight bass and revealing treble but the bass range is shelved down, causing a bright and uninvolving sound.
Audio Sensibility Supra Super - Same downsides as Supra CAT8, but more dynamic transient performance.
Melco C100 - Sounds very much like Supra CAT8, but a bit messy. May outperform Supra where there is a shield-tie grounding issue, but I was disappointed in this cable, I expected more.
Furutech LAN-8 NCF - Beats all of the above cables. Good tonality and musicality, bass is a bit loose, instrument separation is not top class.
Audio Sensibility Signature - Excellent detail, bass is very tight and present, treble is clean and balanced. Overall sound is cool and fast, which may or may not suit a particular system. The AS Signature cable is 100mbps, not gigabit.
Sablon 2020 - Superb detail, instrument separation and soundstage. Rich and warm sound, which may or may not suit the system. Not shield-tied.
NAS to Silent Angel N8, N8 to opticalModule and Etheregen to Playpoint streamer
I hear major differences in ethernet cables, regardless of whether they are upstream or downstream of the fiber optic conversion.
I was using three Furutech cables, one of which was modified with Telegartner connectors, the other with Telegartners and shield ground lifted at one end. I was not happy with bass and transient snap, so I added the Audio Sensibility Signature between the ER and streamer. This was a big improvement, but I was still not completely satisfied, because it was a little bit aggressive with some music. I warmed the sound up by adding the Sablon between the NAS and N8. This change added weight and warmth, with better instrument separation and soundstage.
I would swap positions of the AS Signature and Sablon, but there a some practical concerns:
1. The Sablon cable is stiff, and needs to bend a lot in my installation, which pushes the ER off the shelf.
2. The 100mbps rating on the AS Signature limits use further back in the chain. It is fine where it is, as the ER is also 100mbps on the B-side.
3. I have four audio systems in the house, and having the juicy Sablon at the NAS benefits all.
I do not intend to pursue any ethernet cable changes for a while. I am thrilled with the sound right now, and I have other priorities. Later I may try a second Sabon in place of the Furutech. I suspect three Sablon cables could tilt my system too much to the warm side.
So, to answer your question @harsheel_dbs, I am inclined to mix and match cables, seasoning the sound to achieve the musicality, tonality and transient performance that I am seeking.
Blue Jeans Cable CAT6a - Musically good but bass is a bit loose, soundstage a bit constricted and transients are softened slightly. Not shield-tied, which can be an advantage, depending on the grounding situation.
Supra CAT8 - Tight bass and revealing treble but the bass range is shelved down, causing a bright and uninvolving sound.
Audio Sensibility Supra Super - Same downsides as Supra CAT8, but more dynamic transient performance.
Melco C100 - Sounds very much like Supra CAT8, but a bit messy. May outperform Supra where there is a shield-tie grounding issue, but I was disappointed in this cable, I expected more.
Furutech LAN-8 NCF - Beats all of the above cables. Good tonality and musicality, bass is a bit loose, instrument separation is not top class.
Audio Sensibility Signature - Excellent detail, bass is very tight and present, treble is clean and balanced. Overall sound is cool and fast, which may or may not suit a particular system. The AS Signature cable is 100mbps, not gigabit.
Sablon 2020 - Superb detail, instrument separation and soundstage. Rich and warm sound, which may or may not suit the system. Not shield-tied.
I have three ethernet cables in the chain feeding the main system;
NAS to Silent Angel N8, N8 to opticalModule and Etheregen to Playpoint streamer
I hear major differences in ethernet cables, regardless of whether they are upstream or downstream of the fiber optic conversion.
I was using three Furutech cables, one of which was modified with Telegartner connectors, the other with Telegartners and shield ground lifted at one end. I was not happy with bass and transient snap, so I added the Audio Sensibility Signature between the ER and streamer. This was a big improvement, but I was still not completely satisfied, because it was a little bit aggressive with some music. I warmed the sound up by adding the Sablon between the NAS and N8. This change added weight and warmth, with better instrument separation and soundstage.
I would swap positions of the AS Signature and Sablon, but there a some practical concerns:
1. The Sablon cable is stiff, and needs to bend a lot in my installation, which pushes the ER off the shelf.
2. The 100mbps rating on the AS Signature limits use further back in the chain. It is fine where it is, as the ER is also 100mbps on the B-side.
3. I have four audio systems in the house, and having the juicy Sablon at the NAS benefits all.
I do not intend to pursue any ethernet cable changes for a while. I am thrilled with the sound right now, and I have other priorities. Later I may try a second Sabon in place of the Furutech. I suspect three Sablon cables could tilt my system too much to the warm side.
So, to answer your question @harsheel_dbs, I am inclined to mix and match cables, seasoning the sound to achieve the musicality, tonality and transient performance that I am seeking.
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I have moved from Supra Cat8 to Sablon 2020 cables. Having mixing cables pre and post fiber did not sound right in my setup. I have just put the second Sablon cable in and have not had time to listen properly but things sound very pleasant and promising.
IME, using Supra CAT8 anywhere in the chain lowers sound quality. Even compared to my favourite generics.
For me, the Supra cable has been a solid performer but might switch out the upstream cable from router to switch to the Furutech cable and see how that goes. I want to like it but there has been a clash previously, I will revisit now that the Supras are out.
Republicoftexas69
Well-Known Member
Supra have worked great in my setup pre and post fiber.
Marked improvement over BJC Cat6a.
agreed, that was my upgrade path as well: whatever was in the router/switch box -> BJC Cat6 -> Supra Cat8.
At this point the weakest link is probably whatever contractor grade cable is in the walls. I don't know how difficult it is to replace that with decent cable or fiber.
Republicoftexas69
Well-Known Member
Exactly. I have pulled all the contractor grade out on the first floor of our home and pulled Supra Bulk Cat 8 that was for 2 rooms, office and listening room. 2nd floor will wait...
Republicoftexas69
Well-Known Member
I ran a 20m Supra Bulk CAT8 during building works simply because it was going to be in use and exposed for several months and I didn't trust the builders not to damage a normal CAT6a. It is robust, fire retardant and I assumed the Telgartner would offer better protection from building dust.
Otherwise, I don't see the point of CAT7 or CAT8. Most domestic modems operate at 1 gbps, some at 2.5 gbps and very few higher. CAT6a is designed for 10 gbps, so far exceeds the data speeds possible in a home. CAT8 is theoretically much higher, quoted 40 gbps, and is only of any value in high speed data centres. You have to be in a really high-noise location with bunched cables for shielding (CAT7 or 8) to be needed, such as a power station.
Belden/BJC are tested to meet the internationally agreed standards. Belden advise that about 80% of ethernet cables fail, generic from Amazon and expensive audiophile stuff, but it isn't going to make a performance because the speed/bandwith required for audio is so much lower.
For many years I had internal contractor grade CAT5e running externally over the roof for AV and audio, with no problems. A good reason for using it is that it is certified or 100m. CAT 6 is 50m and CAT 8 30m (I think). The biggest issue for contractors is likely to be length of run, not speed, hence CAT 5e is still a good choice in some circumstances.
Audio: 1m of BJC CAT6a either end of 20m of fibre
Otherwise, generic Amazon cables to 5 Ubiquiti access points which support up to 100 wireless devices, including HD audio (24/192) to 30 devices in 8 zones.
Data speeds are limited only by the incoming fibre speed, which Speedtest from around 250 to 550 mbps.
I was beta testing most of these wireless audio devices and with poor signal strength I got drop-outs. Thankfully software upgrades now result in excellent signals. The same thing happened trying to stream wired HD audio 15 years ago.
Otherwise, generic Amazon cables to 5 Ubiquiti access points which support up to 100 wireless devices, including HD audio (24/192) to 30 devices in 8 zones.
Data speeds are limited only by the incoming fibre speed, which Speedtest from around 250 to 550 mbps.
I was beta testing most of these wireless audio devices and with poor signal strength I got drop-outs. Thankfully software upgrades now result in excellent signals. The same thing happened trying to stream wired HD audio 15 years ago.
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Republicoftexas69
Well-Known Member
I've just ordered an upgraded switch with better clocks, insulation, components and power. Probably a lot more important than the cable.
Anything built to a technical specification (digital cables, fuses etc.) I'd far rather buy mass produced by machines, I think all my analog cables are hand assembled. In the UK there are minimum conductor diameters for current specifications of power cables, but that's probably about it (besides power cables requiring legally compliant plugs and fuses).
Anything built to a technical specification (digital cables, fuses etc.) I'd far rather buy mass produced by machines, I think all my analog cables are hand assembled. In the UK there are minimum conductor diameters for current specifications of power cables, but that's probably about it (besides power cables requiring legally compliant plugs and fuses).
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Republicoftexas69
Well-Known Member
Already did that and would agree. Also I switched to fiber optic , huge improvement over standard Ethernet switches.
I have fibre installed under thew floors and behind walls.
I never managed to find a low noise switch with an SFP socket. I have a couple of bigger switches, an ancient Cisco and a Netgear, but they have PoE and internal transformers as they run off mains voltage. Also run quite warm. The guy who builds the above switches said I'm better off with a short cable from my main 12v unmanaged switch to the media converter I already have.
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