ETHERNET CABLES

If only that were true, life would be grand. 

I second the fiber media converter tactic.  It makes a world of difference in the sound. 

I am using Alpha Core FMC's with Linear Power Supplies.  I ditched the wall wart power supplies.  It seems to work very well for me but I have no idea how well these FMC units are built inside.  Something new for my stereo related neurosis to worry over.  My cousin, who has a more modest digital set up experienced a similar improvement in sound using FMC's with linear power supplies.

I ditched my ISP's modem and bought my own expensive modem.  Didn't make a difference in the sound.  Well, not every idea works out.  At least I did not buy a linear power supply for my modem- not yet anyway...

I agree with the shielded ethernet cables and I also found that a good USB cable makes a difference.  

I'll summarize my experience as accurately as I can.  This is over a 15 month period.  I am using an Ayon Stealth DAC and Transport.  Together they sound killer.  They create a large expansive soundstage with more detail and resolution in CDs than I ever thought possible.  I could have almost thrown out my turntable.  Well, not really but you get my point.  Then I added a ROON based music server.  I ripped all of my CDs to FLAC files.  Once I got a better USB cable I could not hear the difference between my Server/FLAC files and the CD playing on my transport.  My transport upsamples to DSD128 via I2S to my DAC.  My music server is USB to my DAC.

I started streaming with an ethernet (CAT7) cable from my router direct to my music server.  44.1/16 files streaming had some smearing, less detail/resolution than the CD and I found the highs somewhat harsh and grainy- worse in the middle of the day.  I'd say that I had to stream a 96/24 file to get the equivalent sound of my CD player or FLAC files.  Next I added a network bridge powered by a linear power supply.  Things improved some but it was clear that 44.1/16 files streaming were still lacking.  

Then I added the Fiber Media Converters just to try it out.  I have a 15 foot long optical cord.  I didn't even try the FMC's with their wall warts.  I went to linear power supplies straight on.  This is the way to go.  For me, 44.1/16 files streaming are very close to CD now.  Streaming Hi Res sounds fantastic and very close if not indistinguishable to downloaded hi res files.  

Nightime listening is still a bit better sounding than during the middle of the day but the difference is smaller now.  But that can be true for vinyl as well.

i tried to buy the sonore optical module last winter but after waiting 4 months I gave up on it.  I'm happy with my set up now and have no further plans to change things.

I put a link of fiber optic cable between my router and my music server. $70 investment. Ok, I also added a pair of $85 linear power supplies to power the FMC’s. I figured no sense adding noise back in with cheap wall warts. It made a significant improvement in the sound of streaming music. Is it a figment of my imagination? My cousin did the same thing on his system and was shocked by the improvement it made.

I would hope that people would get past the, "it’s just 1’s and 0’s" and come up with an understanding as to why it works. Then more progress can be made. But no progress will happen until we all move past the denial stage.

My internet still comes in on a cable- 500 mbs.  My cousin has fiber coming up to his house.

I got them on Amazon.  I’m using 5 VDC LPS units. My FMC’s run on 5 Volts.  I haven’t seen many 9 VDC LPS’s that aren’t more expensive.  I’m using a Keces 19 VDC LPS for my music server.  Very well built but close to a grand. 

I heard more detail and the highs became smoother more pleasant. That’s mostly what I remember.  

I didn’t hear a difference either when I put an AQ Cinnamon Ethernet cable between my router and music server.  But when I put a network switch between my router and music server the sound improved.  That prompted me to try the FMC’s and optical cable between my router and music server.  That was a large improvement in the sound.  No guess work about it. 
 

So the question is why does it make a difference?

Fredrik222 is trying to prove a negative. That is impossible to do.  At least, so far in history no one has succeeded in that.  I hear a difference.  Others hear a difference while some do not.  My wife does not hear a difference.  I accept that and she accepts that I do.  
 

Our cat will sit in front of the speakers when I play jazz but gets up and leaves if I put on Eric Clapton- every time.  What’s he trying to say?