If you stream music from the internet, I can't recommend this more highly


I had been using a Roon Nucleus to stream Qobuz, with my Chord Qutest directly connected to the Nucleus. I thought I was getting pretty decent sound quality. And then I got a marketing email from Small Green Computer touting some of their optical gear. The basic idea is that normal cables and connections used to stream from the internet pick up noise of one kind or another (radio frequencies and electromagnetic something or other). But fiber optic cables and their connections/interfaces do not. I don’t know anything about anything, but it made theoretical sense to me, it wasn’t a huge amount of money ($1,400), and with a 30 day return policy I figured I could always return it if I didn’t hear any improvement. Well, I didn’t just hear a slight improvement; it was like turning on the lights in a dark room. Much greater clarity and detail, much better micro and macro dynamics, better timbre to acoustic instruments -- overall just more lifelike. Two quick examples: I’ve listened to some of Steely Dan’s top songs 100s of times over the course of my life, and this is the first time I’d ever noticed a particular and very subtle sound characteristic of Fagen’s keyboard in Babylon Sister. It’s hard to describe, but it’s like there’s a slight sound of air being exhaled by it. The other example: the specific timbre of whatever percussive instrument is used at the beginning of Copeland’s "Fanfare for the Common Man" (a recording by the Minnesota Orchestra). There’s more of a metallic sound than a drum skin sound to it that I didn’t know was there before. The metallic sound starts in the center and then projects out and to the sides, like a wave washing over you. Anyway, I’m just thrilled about having stumbled upon the whole "optical" thing and felt obligated to let others know about it. If you stream music over the internet, I highly recommend giving it a try. (The product I got was the opticalRendu, with the linear power supply option, and the Fiber Ethernet Converter Bundle option.)
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Showing 2 responses by rikkipuu

I have optical between an ER and SOtM switch.  Then Ethernet between the SOtM and EE8 Switch which feeds an Innuos Server and also from the SOtM to an Antipodes Core running Roon Core.  I use SOtM cables with filters and they have a very pleasing effect.  I also use a Network Acoustics ENO filter between the EE8 and Innuos Server and it definitely has a positive noise reducing effect. 
Lots and lots of parts but net effect is very worthwhile.
I am working on clocking the SOtM and ER in the near future with a Mutec Ref10.
I have single mode fiber between an ER and sNH G10.  I recently added a master clock to the ER.  The noise level dropped a ton and the details and reverberation are amazing.  However I now recognize a bit of edginess in the upper frequencies that I suspect were unmasked.
My SFP's are Startech and are rated for 80 KM.  I wonder if the powerful SFP's are making noise.  I ordered some attenuators to try and also ordered some short range multimode SFP's and fiber from Sonore.

I'm not sure if adding a Master clock is reclocking but it can have a profound effect.