Noisy ethernet cables

So, turns out it was a grounding issue. The Node2 was plugged into a Shunyata Typhon/Triton Hydra stack along with the Pass XP-25 phono stage and when I unplugged the Pass it disappeared. The Node2 is plugged in elsewhere and it sounds fine. Thanks for the replies!

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@erik_squires , You probably want to stick with shielded Ethernet, regardless of the Cat #

Why? Many devices don’t have connectors that support the shield connection. Worse, shields connected at both end are prone to creating ground loops. They are designed for high speed communication of digital data, not for ensuring the lowest analog system noise. Shielding one end can work, but still back to the issue of whether your connection supports the shield.

This is another one of those audiophile group thinks (not offence @erik_squires ). People just assume shielding must be better, therefore it must sound better. Shielded at both ends cable was designed for noisy commercial environments, not for your typical home use. The shields are to protect from external noise, in a high noise environment. It was not targeted at home environments. The shield at both ends is a recipe for ground loops where they would not have existed with unshielded cable..

Only 1 end of an Ethernet connector needs to be shielded to work, and it’s nearly impossible to cause a ground loop via Ethernet cables. Ethernet signals are inherently isolated and balanced. There’s no galvanic path from them into the devices they connect to (barring PoE). I could see a streamer maker use a grounded plug which causes a loop, but that’s really bad design.

@erik_squires , sorry that is wrong.

Many shielded ethernet cables ARE shielded on both ends, and that shield connects to case ground on both ends. Audio circuits often have capacitive couping to case ground if not a direct connection from the DC ground to case. Surprisingly many linear supplies use a grounded plug, as do most things with metal cases and integrated AC supplies.

POE, if compliant to the specification is also galvanically isolated.

If you don't know how your shielded cable is built, you are better off in most cases not using a shielded cable because to your point, the data portion of the transmission is galvanically isolated.