What USB cable to get?

@treynolds155

Thanks for your comments. You are right we have very much the same outlook.

I guess some indirect evidence for my theory on networking vs streamer is that Red Book CDs, the same resolution files either on local storage or NAS, and streaming sound exactly the same on my system… and my system makes it easy to make direct comparisons.

I’ll look forward to hearing the results of your experiments.

@treynolds155

Yes, my system is WiFi router —> by WiFi —> wall wart extender —> Ethernet cable —> EtherRegen —> via Ethernet cable —> Aurender (W20SE). This is embarrassing.

I asked my audio guy to let me try one… he brought it over when he was delivering some really expensive piece of audio gear… I just said… yeah, throw in the EtherReg… I mean it cost nothing in comparison with the tax on a component. I had done a lot of research on the EtherRegen and some much more sophisticated devices, in all cases they produced a benefit.

So, what did I hear? Well, maybe a small improvement… maybe nothing. But I had just swapped out amps… a BIG difference.

My take is this: The quality of the streamer largely determines the quality of the sound. It makes up for all sorts of deficiencies in networking. So if you have a low end streamer, then an EtherRegen can make a big difference… if you have a high end streamer it will make a really small difference. The streamer does the job for you. This is a theory… unsubstantiated by detailed data that I collected (I was a scientist for 10 years). I have been enjoying my system so much for the last year and a half that I have been too lazy to go unplug it… try my streamer without it… then plug it back in. Maybe this will motivate me to try it. Maybe not.

I guess I should. There are lots of folks on the forum that have taken one of two ways of achieving great quality of streaming: 1) screw around with the network… high end routers… clockers… etc. and 2) get a high end streamer. As an aside I have been in IT for the last 35 years mostly a Director of IT in global high tech companies… so I am not ignorant on networking. On the other hand… I am retired, I do not want to waste my time playing with networking. My feeling is that get a high end streamer… maybe a EtherRegen… and don’t play around with the network… unless that makes you happy. Personally after 70 - 80 hours of technical stuff for 45 years, I like just plugging something in and hearing incredibly beautiful music.

@treynolds155

Congratulations. Yes, makes liitle sense, but it can make a big difference. My first huge cable difference between transport and DAC some 35 years ago. I was convinced it could not possibly make a difference. It was as if someone took the components out and replaced them with ones twice as good. My jaw dropped. Usually changes are more subtle… but huge differences can occur.

Probably also helpful you knew the sound of your system really well… instead of a new component. That is why it is best to upgrade and break in your components and learn what they sound like before embarking on interconnects and cables.

I would not worry about it, Belkin is good. Cables and interconnects become more important as the sensitivity of your system gets very high. For the foreseeable future I would concentrate on components. Speaker wire would be the first connection to work on when your speakers are over $1 - 2K. Then once your average component cost is over $1-2K start working on interconnects.

In the beginning component performance is key… as well as system setup, and room acoustics. Then, as the sensitivity of your system increases interconnects start to make a difference, and then power cords.