@audphile1 good to hear your assessment. I have gone a great deal in this and everything matters, including a separate 20 amp line, wall socket, power cables, ethernet wire, ethernet switch, SFP module. Some are small improvements and some are big ones. Depends on system and your preference in tonality. I like to have black background with low noise. Have never stopped trying different components in chain and still find the optical fiber to be the best bang for buck.
Cheapest way to enhance SQ with digital streaming
I could not stop but post my observations on remarkable SQ improvement with just a small change. I have been using digital streaming predominantly and have tried many things (cables, conditioner, room treatment). Everything does matter and they all did improve the quality without doubt and are definite investment. But after going through some reviews of fiber optic for Ethernet and their noise reducing properties compared to copper cables, I thought of giving a try. I connected Ethernet cable from router/Ethernet switch to media converter and fiber optic from this media converter (need SFP module) to second media converter (with another SFP module). Then regular Ethernet cable went from this second media converter to server/streamer. Basically the idea is to add fiber optic cable between the router and streamer, which will reduce the noise. But, wow, the difference was huge and amazing. Not sure how to explain the improvement, but the SQ was more fluid, melodious, fast, clean and separation of instruments were clear. The total cost for this was less than 150 (on Amazon). Apparently, as the fiber optic cable conductors are made of glass, they carry less noise compared to copper and also cost very cheap. Compared to money spent on other component in my system (have spent quite a lot), this is the most cost efficient and gave more improvement in the SQ. I am still amazed by this and very happy with what I heard. I feel negligent not to share with my fellow audiophiles, who are trying to get the best out and improve their system, sometime spending quite a bit for small difference. I guess, since the cost of trying this is so cheap (please don’t make me feel guilty for telling 150$ is cheap), try yourself and see the difference. On a different note, have been reading that use of Ethernet switch also does some “saucery” (I am no technical guy, but do read quite a bit of articles on audio) to reduce this noise to improve SQ and combination of fiber optic and the Ethernet switch takes SQ to different level. Will try some audiophile Ethernet switch sometime (may be uptone ethergen or Sotm snh-10g) to try out as I am very intrigued.
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While I hate to say this, as generic FMC can be very nice upgrade, one can still further optimize optical. Generic FMC use pretty lousy clocks and noisy regulators, last FMC in chain injects it's own noise into network, and this, most likely close to dac which is worst place to inject noise. So, we replace last FMC with Sonore Optical Module, much better Femto clock and four low noise linear regulators, less noise, better timing for less jitter. I have one coming supposedly in July (chip issues), I expect good things.
Just goes to show for every upgrade in streaming, there is yet another upgrade. Streaming and network optimization has yet to reach a static optimal solution. |
@romney80 Thank you for the FMC advice, greatly appreciated. But you have just sent me down a rabbit hole 😉 |
Continuing experimentation with optical continues causing me to reassess its value in all instances. I've been using generic FMC, with lps and quality power cables prior to server for past month or so, thought I had pretty good handle on sound quality. So went back to router with lps, nice power cord straight into server (optical remains post server), much better sound quality sans FMC. This back to original configuration, always like to do A>B>A comparisons to check for confirmation bias.
IME, the two FMC, while having slightly lower noise floor, in the sense I could hear lowest level info slightly easier. it was at expense of more analytical presentation. More hifi than sense of realism I get without FMC. Transparency really took a hit with the FMC, more closed in, veiled sound quality, Decreased sound stage size, less image dimensionality, less air around performers, all contributed to less sense of performers in room.
My take is generic FMC may take more than give. Less than optimal implementation of optical for reasons given in my last post, added complexity with streaming chain may also be liability. |
This sounds worth trying, as I've never been all that happy with the sound that I get from streaming. Admittedly, I'm not that technically savvy. I have a standard modem on the second floor and from there, I run an ethernet cable to my Bryston Pi in the attic and then from the Pi, I run a USB cable to my Ayre DAC. Would I just connect the first of those boxes at the end of the ethernet, close to the Pi or would the first box be closer to the modem? |
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