2. digital
  3. 177790-7401

Ethernet - Analog/Digital Signal Clean Up

Curiosity got the better of me recently and I tried a pretty cheap tweak where I used two Fiber Optic converters between the eero access point and my Lumin U1 Mini streamer. Converted from copper Ethernet to fiber optic then back to copper and then into streamer using my Supra Cat8. 

I was pleasantly surprised with the improvements this change had brought into my system and now I am wondering if I can do better. One other aspect of the current configuration that I don’t like is the clutter - each unit comes with it’s own power supply and add to that a fiber optic cable. I already have a spider web of wires and am not looking to add to that. 

Objective is to have as much noise, RFI and EMI removed before it reaches the streamer. 

Seeking opinions on the following units from those who had tried them in their systems:

  1. English Electric Network Switch 8 (Silent Angel is pretty much the same thing)
  2. Uptone EtherREGEN (currently out of stock)
  3. Network Acoustics Eno (box or streaming system)

 

What is your experience with these units?

Anything else to add to the above list? 

 

Thanks in advance!

128x128audphile1

Showing 2 responses by audiom3

audiom3
147 posts
 

I am definitely in the camp of 'not-so-subtle' differences noted.  I started experimenting with FMCs early last year and the differences were so great, it inspired me to completely switch out my copper LAN for fiber.  I now have tons of boxes (LPS units, video streamers, etc) and a very complex media room.  But it's still whisper quiet.  Try the fiber/media converters on your video streamer(s)/TV.  It will probably surprise you.

audiom3
147 posts
 

@audphile1 wrote:

Set up 5 and 6: The FMC in the chain reduced noise, improved imaging and soundstage but with the FMC I could hear thinner mid and lower bass (although clean and tuneful the bass was just slightly lacking), less slam. However, as I said, because of the improvements achieved here I think this a better configuration than the EERO direct into Lumin. The NA Eno between FMC and Lumin did not help with the thinned out midbass and bass. 

This is correct.  Kind of?  The bass seemed thinner because it (fiber isolation) was stripping away distortion.  And if you have big, powerful speakers (Legacy Focus SEs in my case) this is 100% welcomed.  Actually any time you remove distortion - anywhere in the audio frequency band, it is never a bad thing, IMO.  Going fiber all the way from router to FMC before streamer is even better.  Much better actually.  And of course a filter (band-aid) won't help restore lowered distortion unless it's adding it's own distortion to the signal!

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