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ghentaudio Ethernet cable review-wow-90 bucks

I had been reviewing ethernet cables threads on AG and noticed a couple of members recommending ghentaudio as a reasonable and valuable upgrade. I am not a flat earther so I was open to spending up to $1000 for a cable in a cable shootout from the cable company. I had been using the ethernet cable that was shipped with my dCS Bartok. I decided to order the Belden CAT6 with Metz ends from ghentaudio. I'm listening to it right now and it is significantly better than my standard cable. I will not be looking for another ethernet cable for a while for sure. The biggest gain is in the depth of image, good improvement!  Its sonically slightly more detailed, and musical. These improvements are not huge, but they are audible to me. I would also mention that  its very well made and the steel ends are impressive, however I don't really care how it looks, its how it sounds. Thanks to whoever clued me in to this cable. To the bit non-believers, it's 90 bucks, give it try, I think you will be glad you did. This was 90 bucks well spent. BTW it took 25 days to get to me, so you might want the upgraded shipping. 
wokeuptobose

Showing 9 responses by wokeuptobose

wokeuptobose's avatar
wokeuptobose OP
136 posts
 
Game on, I just ordered one out of Triton in Seattle. Fun! Thanks for the tip.
wokeuptobose's avatar
wokeuptobose OP
136 posts
 
This is great! I will post what I hear when the Viablue comes in, and am very interested in what you find out with those 4 cables you have. I am still amazed by all the members that insist there is no difference in CAT cables. I also installed an Etheregen switch several months back and it made a big difference. I also fed the Etheregen a fiber feed from my source and compared it to the standard CAT wire feed from the same source(I disconnected each when listening to the other) and could hear NO difference, which I think means the Etheregen moat concept works. The fiberoptic feed test was a pretty expensive test, but at least I don't question that link.
wokeuptobose's avatar
wokeuptobose OP
136 posts
 
I just got the ViaBlue a couple hours ago and I have about 4 hours on it. Didn't like it at all for the first hour, then I agree with most of what you hear. The midrange stands out a very musical compared to the Belden. Bass is much bigger with the Via and its not boomy bass either its good. It does make the Belden sound bass light. That bass support seems to make the rest of the spectrum more musical. I also think the Belden was more analytical or immediate as you say, and I get sucked into that, its a weakness (did the whole silver cable thing for years, and suffered ringing). So the Belden is better than a stock cable, the ViaBlue is better than the Belden in my system, now what is the Sablon? Where did you buy it and is it reasonable? These $100 cable swaps are pretty fun. I'll give the 2nd and third place cables to my flat earth friends. Thanks for hooking me up to the ViaBlue and hopefully the Sablon!
wokeuptobose's avatar
wokeuptobose OP
136 posts
 
I had about 40 hours on the Belden when the ViaBlue came and I haven't been able to take the ViaBlue out. It's really very engaging. I ordered the Sablon today (not a 100 cable test!!!) and due to sending him a bit more money than needed he is sending it so I get it Wednesday. I did a lot of reading on Sablon after you brought them up,  especially on the What's Best site. I'm very excited about trying it. Seems like a find.
I'll be excited to hear what you think of the Etheregen, but I'll be shocked if you don't love it! I will be back on after I get the Sablon cable. Do you have any of his PCs? Entry PC 2K, that's a wow, but I'm interested. I'm really down on the big name cable companies. I really like Sablons simple product line. Do we really need 8 different interconnect cables from one vendor?
wokeuptobose's avatar
wokeuptobose OP
136 posts
 

I got the Sablon today and only have 3 hours on it. It's got that tizzy new cable thing going, but the imaging is deep and wide, bass is solid, decay very good. I didn't give the Belden a fair burn in as I really liked the musically engaging sound of the ViaBlue as soon as I tried it. The Belden was very detailed as you say and that is very worth pursuing the burn in it needs. I'm not to proud to say I am probably suffering from expectation bias. I didn't expect anything much from the first cable the Belden and was really impressed, then expected the ViaBlue to be better, and then the $400 Sablon, thinking it would be better yet. I am going to slow down and stop buying ethernet cables. I did put a deposit on a dCS Vivaldi stack so in a few weeks I'll have a more resolving digital system to re-evaluate these cables. I think this happens to crows when they see a shiny thing on the ground! I'm going to shut up and listen for a bit! Thanks to everyone for the help!

wokeuptobose's avatar
wokeuptobose OP
136 posts
 
You flipped on me! Were you testing me????
Absolutely! The Etheregen was a massive positive for my streamer. In reducing sibilance, was way more musical(took away the digital flatness), and enhanced imaging. Way more than the difference between these digital cables. That said I read a lot about the other switches available but didn't try any of them. The others seemed to be the same old technology with better parts and chassis. The Etheregen had a different approach. As I mentioned before the fact that I tried feeding it with fiber and then copper CAT 6 and heard no difference proved to me that the MOAT concept worked. The unit is made well, and is very well priced, but is so small and light the ethernet cables push it all over. I would pay at least 300 more for it to be in a high quality big heavy case to make it stable. It's literally hanging in the air in back of my rack. (maybe it sounds better like that!) Buy the Etheregen, especially if you have not upgraded your switch yet. So back at you. You like the ViaBlue better than the broken in Sablon 2020, as I'm liking the Sablon a lot already. 
wokeuptobose's avatar
wokeuptobose OP
136 posts
 
Wow, this is really good info. I looked at their site and now have some questions for you. Since I have the EtherRegen and the Sablon2020 as well, I was wondering what order you would demo the ENO products. Cable first, then the filter? Is the Filter additive to the EtherRegen or is it one or the other? Thanks
wokeuptobose's avatar
wokeuptobose OP
136 posts
 
Exlibris, I'm going to wait to hear from you when you have both the ER and the ENO in house. Look forward to hearing what you say. I've been buying my own education and its getting expensive! What started out as a 90  buck cable is getting out of control! Grannyring seems to have grabbed the golden ring. 
wokeuptobose's avatar
wokeuptobose OP
136 posts
 
My upsampler is in for repair so I'm down for a week. You want to borrow a couple of my ethernet cables to see what happens, then ship them back?
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