Audiophile fibre kits - worth it?
My question is: are audiophile fibre media converters any better than entry-level equivalents (assuming power supplies are the same)?
By audiophile, I'm referring to the Sonore Optical Module or the ADOT MC01, and by entry-level, the TP-LINK MC200L. There's quite a significant price gap between the former and latter, and I do wonder if the audiophile fibre kits offer no more than a convenient path around the maze which is fibre networking.
I managed to pick up a matching pair of used TP-LINK MC200CM plus cable on eBay for not much, and added a iFi iPower X to the one before my Innuos Zenith. Putting them between my Netgear Orbi router and Zenith had previously forced my system into a forward, brittle sound signature. However, adding a Phoenix USB after the Zenith has removed that digital glare and allowed me to reappraise the fibre route. At the moment, in terms of resolution, grip and clarity the system has not been better, and the previous forwardness has been tamed by the warmth of the Phoenix. I might have hit the sweet spot, though a touch more warmth would be ideal.
Sure, all dealers generally offer a generous returns policy. But I'd prefer not to waste their and my time.
OpticalModule I ordered over 2 months ago shipped today, should have some idea how compares to generic FMC this weekend. Will be powered by lps.
I prefer my FMC and OpticalRendu vs several ethernet solutions POST server. I did NOT like FMC PRIOR to server, while I wouldn't call it brittle or hard, it did have more analytical sound quality, less involving than going direct ethernet out of lps powered router. So far my network experiments in front of server find simpler is better.
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@sns I look forward to hearing your impressions of the Sonore, once bedded-in. |
