Improving streaming SQ

Lots of options here, IMO.  I got good improvements in streaming sq with these changes:

• Replaced Comcast cable router with a Motorola MG7550
• Added a DJM Gigafoil v4 ethernet filter
• Router to Gigafoil cable: Blue Jeans Cable cat6a ethernet cable
• Gigafoil to Streamer cable:  Sablon Panatela Reserva
• Sbooster LPS on both Gigafoil and Motorola router

Some cable routers with intel chipset can be extremely noisy.  Great thread here:  https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/cable-modems.30094/.   Special thanks to @david_ten for that one.

The Gigafoil internally converts ethernet-to-optical and then back to ethernet.  The premise being that converting the signal to optical will remove any build up of clock and/or power noise at that point.

In my system, the above was a significant sq improvement for streaming Deezer and Qobuz via my DCS Network Bridge.

@rareace , I didn't do a formal A/B with LPS on the router.   But I remember a slight uplift in SQ.  At the time, I was using Netgear Powerline adaptors to get ethernet to my streamer from the router. (this uses house electrical wire to send packets)   I was having intermittent dropouts.  The LPS on the router solved it.  So the change did "something".  I no longer use the Powerline stuff, and run a long cable to the streamer.

In theory, with the Gigafoil downstream it shouldn't matter.  I should A/B router LPS.  If I do, I'll report back.

Thanks for sharing your experience of using the ENO after the gigafoill. I've been considering it.  I'm going to try it out now.  I think the Gigafoil is a great, but little-known, product.  Thanks for sharing the etheregen experience, too.  Been wondering how it stacked up against the GFv4.

@calgarian5355  - I was considering adding a switch to my chain that includes the gigafoil v4.

But I bought the ENO a few months ago, and it was an uplift in SQ.  Very happy with the surprising results - knowing how the gigafoil works.

At first, I wasn't too impressed with the ENO.  By itself, it was good - about on par with the gigafoil by itself.  But together, it was a step backwards.  As a test, i switched out the ethernet cable between the gigafoil and the ENO (Sablon Panatella) with a Blue Jeans cable.  There we go!

Weird that the Sablon cable didn't play nice when used with those two devices.  Maybe it and the Blue Jeans have different grounding techniques?

I'm thinking about trying the Network Acoustics cable.  Overall, I can endorse the ENO with the Gigafoil as an improvement, in my system.