Relationship between Ethernet Switch and SQ

@lalitk It is an anclient Linksys EA 4200, but I have an ifi iPower supply on it and another one on the modem.  LMK is you think there are measurable gains to make in that department.  I had considered a new more powerful router for sake of non-audio network performance in the house, but I vaguely recall reading that doing so may be a net negative on audio noise.

On the CAT 8, a clear limitation I have is that I am using ancient CAT5 that runs under the floor and in the wall - probably not changeable without major impact.  But I can choose to just run nice new cable across the floor for listening - at least when my wife is not around (I do not have a dedicated audio room).  In fact, that is reason enough to add the switch! (Premium cable on the floor for serious listening, hidden cable if I want the room to look tidy for guests or whatever).

@ghdprentice  Would appreciate more guidance on the streamer.  I have always used Bryston BDPs (currenly a 2) because that is what I am familiar with from way back when.  Blunt, low feature devices, but with Bryston's reputation on build quality and the singular purpose of making and passing on a quiet digital audio signal, I have always suspected that they probably hold up pretty well from a SQ standpoint.  I'm talking AES/EBU - USB is another rabbit hole I do not want to mess with again anytime soon, and I suspect newer tech would be better.  But I have never tested another streamer.

You will likely get almost as many different opinions as responses.

Mine is, you could do a bunch of stuff and buy a bunch of stuff but, unless you have a noticeable noise issue, you will be hard-pressed to hear a difference from the changes being discussed here, particularly since you are already using the ENO in front of your streamer.    No harm trying your LHY switch just after the router and listening for whether you can hear a difference.

After reading the responses, I am curious about the difference between CAT 5 cable and “audiophile” CAT 5 cable. If I were to guess, the biggest difference would be the price.

@lalitk I should have had a little more confidence in my ability to listen critically.  The LHY, I am reasonably confident, is a net negative.  The music sounds just a tiny bit more thin and shrill.  So, nice new cable run across the floor straight into the Eno seems to be next, and curious what additional feedback I get on streamer and router.  As @ghdprentice says, I would suspect that streamer is the most important part, though I am not clear on how to best figure out how to get lift over the Bryston.  I don't care about a lot of features, just SQ.  

@mathiasmingus

Thanks for providing more info on your router. By eliminating cheap stock wall warts, you have already improved performance of your router and modem. For now, just hold off to upgrading the router and streamer and work with what you’ve got on hand. I like the idea of choosing a CAT 8 cable for serious listening. Link Up Cat 8 cable is a very nice high quality cable with an option to return if you don’t hear an improvement. I’m currently using an 22AWG version which is bit stiff ahead of a $5K switch from my modem. The 26AWG version (blue) is lot more flexible.

Try it with LHY, let it settle down in your system before forming any opinion. If you feel there is no net gain then trying a better streamer from Aurender or Innuous would be the next step. They have many offerings, pick one up based on your budget.

OP,

I have lots of experience with non-dedicated streaming and dedicated. For dedicated: Auralic Aries G2, Aurender (N100, N10, W20SE), Grimm, Linn at several levels… and, more casually, others. My rule of thumb is to match investments in all your electronic components. So if your preamp and amp are about $5K… then start your research for a streamer at $5K. In general, I have found them to pretty much sound better in proportional to their cost (but I am picking highly reviewed and the cream of the crop at that price range).

Unquestioningly I recommend Aurrender. I have two… an N100 and a W20SE. Kind of the top and bottom of their line up. There is no way you will go wrong buying one. They have a very highly regarded controller app for your iPad… they even have it for the iPhone… but a phone is small.

The Aurrender is built from the ground up assuming you have a terrible network and isolate you from it, they require very little band width and work well if WiFi extenders. No network fiddling required… but, LUMIX, Aurlic, Grimm make good streamers as well. Just do your research and don’t go cheap on the streamer and you don’t have to become a IT guru to get world class audiophile sound from streaming.

I was an IT guy since the early 1980’s… I do not want to be any more.