2. tech-talk
  3. 1421239386

my ethernet cable?

Hi all-

Another beginner question. So I am planning to set up a device (either an Auralic Aries or a Sonos with Empirical Audio's Synchro-Mesh and Dynamo power supply) to stream Tidal. When I was having a TV installed last year, I had the guy pull an ethernet cable to my stereo cabinet with this purpose in mind. I thought I was being smart to ask for him to get and install cat 6 instead of 5e, which was what he usually uses.

Later I read that cat6 can be a lot trickier to install correctly, and sometimes its safer just to go with 5e. (and I note the adapter plate on the wall actually says 5e.) And then I read this article from Blue Jeans cable about how most of the cat6 cable on the market is crap.

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/is-your-cat6-a-dog.htm

So all of this has me wondering if I should buy some cat6 from blue jeans (or even 5e given installation quirks with cat6?) and have this redone? Or is there a way to test the quality of the cable I have and know whether or not it is up to the task?

It seems a bit excessive to replace the cable, but on the other hand, that will cost a fraction of what an Aries streamer does, or a year's subscription to Tidal, so I am wondering if I shouldn't make sure my fundamentals are all solid before proceeding.

Any advice?

Thanks!

Margot
mcanaday

Showing 1 response by bgoeller

bgoeller
73 posts
 
If you are intent on listening to them both, why don't you get a run of 5e and just try it out without having it installed in the wall? If you like it better, then have it strung properly.

I have used neither for audio purposes, but did just have 15 miles of cat6 installed in our new corporate HQ with some runs well over 300 feet, and not a single cable has had to be replaced or reterminated. The majority of the drops are used for business class workstations, but we do have some server class machines with persistent DB connections where packet loss has to be minimized.

If I was being asked this question specifically for a data network build I would recommend cat6. For audio, your mileage may vary.
More to discover