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Comparing Powerline Ethernet to WiFi for streaming audio

Thought I would share my findings.
I have a ROON based music server system with Tidal and Qobuz streaming services. Using Small Green Computer’s SonicTransport i9 Optical as ROON Core, connected via optical cable to a Sonore Optical Rendu (powered by Sonore Linear Power Supply) acting as ROON endpoint. This then connects to Chord Blu Mk 2 via USB, which upsamples and connects to Chord DAVE DAC via dual BNC.
Until very recently, I was connecting my ROON Core to my cable modem/router using Google Mesh WiFi. I was and still is very happy with the sound quality. My audio system is too far from my cable modem to run an ethernet cable from cable modem/router to it. So, I relied on Google Mesh WiFi with a seperate pod situated close to the ROON Core and connected via ethernet. The Google Mesh pod itself had a linear power supply instead of the stock wall wart.
But I just tried a Powerline Ethernet adapter. This uses the home’s internal power cables to route ethernet from one room to another. I always thought that running digital data on power cables was going to be noisy. I bought a NetGear Powerline 1200 (1200Mbps speed). There are more expensive and newer powerline ethernet models available up to 2000Mbps speed. But these come with dual ethernet ports and pass through filtered power outlets. I though for dedicated audio purposes, better to keep it simple and minimize electronics.
Bottom line, I was blown away by the improvement in audio quality of the NetGear Powerline Ethernet connection over the Google Mesh WiFi connection. Mind you, I was very happy with the quality from the Google Mesh kit but the NetGear Powerline ethernet kit was clearly better.
The sound quality improvement was immediate and very evident. More space between instruments and notes. Smoother, more image depth and more air around the notes especially the trailing edges. So, no doubt, the Netgear Powerline 1200 was far superior to the Google Mesh WiFi. I then swapped the Netgear for a similar powerline ethernet product TP-Link AV600. This was recommended by Small Green Computer. The TP-Link is smaller and has 2 pin power prongs. The Netgear Powerlines has 3 pin power prongs, so it has a ground connection to the power outlet. I found the TP-Link to take a step backward in sound quality. The image depth decreased. Soundstage was flatter and there is less air and space between notes and instruments. The TP-Link Av600 was sounding a lot closer to the Google Mesh WiFi. Just my observations, FWIW.
ddriveman

Showing 6 responses by ddriveman

ddriveman OP
171 posts
 
To yyzsantabarbara,

No, I've not tried direct ethernet. Just too far away and would need too much cabling.
I had an Auralic Aries Femto streamer before. Initially with the built-in wifi and later with external wifi bridge and connect with Ethernet. Using the external wifi was better.
ddriveman OP
171 posts
 
To David_Ten,

Yes, I did factor in cabling. I've tried the following ethernet cables: Revelation Audio, Purist Audio, Audioquest Forest, Supra CAT8 and Verastarr. The best in my system is Verastarr, then Purist, Revelation Audio and Supra. I use the Verastarr from Cable modem to WiFi router and from the mesh WiFi pod/powerline adapter to my server. So I use all Verastarr ethernet for my WiFi connection. But for the powerline adapter, I had a longer chain. I had to go from WiFi router to a network switch and here I use the Purist Audio ethernet cable as I only have 2 Verastarr. And from the switch to the 1st powerline adapter, I had to use the Supra ethernet cable because it needed to be 3m and that's the only 3m I have. So the Powerline adapter route had more cables that are poorer sound quality and also an additional network switch (TrendNet Teg-S80g) in between. So you would think that sound quality would suffer and that's why I delyaed trying powerline ethernet till now. But results were surprising. But note that different powerline adapters have different sonic signature. So not all powerline ethernet adapters may yield same results.
And note that my findings is inspite of using an optical cable to my Optical Rendu (which theoretically should make any cabling noise prior to the optical cabling irrelevant). That's why my results are worth posting. Remarkable.
ddriveman OP
171 posts
 
Further to my post above, I thought it is also important to note the internet speed test between the Google Mesh WiFi, The NetGear Powerline 1200 and the TP-Link AV600.
I have COX Cable Internet in my home. I have the Gigabit package which is suppose to have 1000Mbps speed (1Gbps). But the fastest I can get is around 700Mpbs.
With the NetGear Powerline 1200, I was getting about 250Mbps.
With the TP-Link AV600 on the same power sockets as the NetGear, I was getting just under 100Mbps.
FWIW
ddriveman OP
171 posts
 
06-01-2020 1:58pmHas anyone compared a mesh range extender vs. a hard wired ethernet connection?
Goose, The basis of my post that started this discussion thread is that I compared Mesh WiFi to wired ethernet connection and I found the wired ethernet to be profoundly better. Granted that my wired ethernet method is via Powerline Ethernet adapters and not true hard wired wire point to point ethernet cables. But that can only imply that true hard-wired ethernet cabling should only be better than mesh WiFi
ddriveman OP
171 posts
 
@arafiq If it were me, I would run it via a good quality (generic) cable from the router and use a LAN isolator followed by a short run of a basic audiophile LAN cable (for example Supra CAT8) from the isolator to the Node 2.

Here is an example of one LAN isolator:

https://www.emosystems.com/product/en-70hd-ultra-compact-network-isolator/

There are less expensive options, as well.

@david_ten 

One thing I forgot to mention is that I am using LAN isolators in my system, even with the previous Mesh WiFi setup. I use the Acoustic Revive RLI-1 LAN isolators. I use them from Cable modem to Wifi Router. And from the PowerLine Adapter to my music server. I found them to make discernible improvements in audio quality for both the Mesh WiFi Setup and also the Powerline Adpater setup. FWIW.

ddriveman OP
171 posts
 
Further to my original post on the NetGear Powerline 1200 (1200Mobs). I decided to try other powerline ethernet adapters. Thanks to Amazon, I ordered the Zyxel G.hn 2400 wave 2 powerline adapter. This is the fastest powerline adapter I can find 2400 Mbps) and uses latest technology G.hn. I also ordered the TP-Link AV2000  (2000 Mps). Both the Zyxel and the TP-Link have pass through filtered power socket and 3 prong sockets.
Note that I am on COX ISP with 1000 Mbps service although the max speed I can get is around 750Mps only. So even my NetGear Powerline 1200 is theoretical already exceeding what my ISP can provide.
Findings:
1) Zyxel G.hn 2400. At first, I thought this was sounding better. It seems cleaner, quiter, more focussed. But further listening showed that it truncated the trailing edges, less air, smaller soundstage. It sounds flatter and more "hi-fi" but less organic, less natural than the NetGear 1200. When I switched back to the NetGear 1200, I heaved a sigh of relief. The music was flowing better, wider+deeper soundstage and more air with better timbre and texture. So the Zyxel is being returned.
2) TP-Link AV2000. I was not able to connect this to my music server. For some unknown reason, my music server won't sync to the TP-Link although I confirmed that internet was connected and present. The ethernet sockets on the TP-Link seemed tighter/smaller than normal. My audiophile ethernet cables have large connecters and don't have a definite click when inserting. It's probably something to do with these ethernet sockets. I was not going to try to listen to it with standard ethernet cables. So, the TP-Link is bring returned 
Finally, I have also moved my cable modem, wifi router and ethernet switch to a audiophile linear power supply from iFi iPower power supplies which yielded a small sound improvement. This was done before reviewing the powerline adapters. FWIW

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