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Post by MartinT on Oct 12, 2022 13:37:21 GMT
Effectively, yes.
However, if you are using something like an EtherREGEN (as in your photo), that takes care of the router side. If the streamer does not have an SFP cage, then you will need an optical converter at that end.
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Post by orange55 on Oct 12, 2022 15:20:24 GMT
Yes you would.
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Post by MartinT on Oct 12, 2022 16:50:09 GMT
Day #2 with the Finisar AOC, and a fresh listen has solidified my thoughts about this cable. Some more hours of overnight music have burned it in a little more and brought forward the changes.
There is more microdetail and more texture/shape to cymbals and bells, so you can hear how they are being struck. Even 16/44 treble can be surprisingly sweet and detailed, showing how well the reconstruction filter in 'Gentle' mode is working. Low level studio noise comes through clearly at the start of songs.
Dynamics remain stronger and the overall 'speed' of some music, especially with rapid percussion, seems faster. Drums can seem almost machine-gun startling in their intensity.
The bass remains more prominent, both tight and deep and again with that texture that differentiates deep organ pedal notes.
Finally, a lot more soundstage has come through, giving the feeling of space around and behind the performers and the strong impression of sitting in a large void like a hall.
Well, I can't find anything to criticise in this cable. It beats my previously recommended HP SFPs and becomes the best SFP to SFP connection for audio so far. It's also a bargain at only £72 inc. VAT for the 5m version from Mouser. If you can accommodate an AOC in your setup, I strongly recommend it.
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Post by mansie on Oct 12, 2022 17:24:48 GMT
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Post by SteveC on Oct 12, 2022 18:31:05 GMT
Probably best not to open a can of worms by putting up a link to Audioscience reviews! Those of us on this forum who own the Uptone Audio EtherRegen, are happy that it offers an improvement in audio quality, when placed in a network! |
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Post by SteveC on Oct 12, 2022 18:34:19 GMT
Martin, Do you know of any subjective difference between the cable, linked to, above (at £186 GBP) and the After Dark-recommended Finisar cable you and orange55 purchased from Mouser.co.uk (at £72 GBP)? |
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Post by MartinT on Oct 12, 2022 18:51:16 GMT
Martin, Do you know of any subjective difference between the cable, linked to, above (at £186 GBP) and the After Dark-recommended Finisar cable you and orange55 purchased from Mouser.co.uk (at £72 GBP)? Hi Steve, sorry I missed your call earlier. None at all. I have scrutinised their description and the photos and it's the same product. However, they do seem to throw in at least one optical converter. Mouser are an excellent supplier and I received mine in a week including shipping from the US! |
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Post by MartinT on Oct 12, 2022 18:56:51 GMT
I'll let this pass as you may not know what a thoroughly ridiculous and objectionable site ASR is with their so-called 'reviews' of equipment. They perform a limited set of measurements and then... nothing. They don't even listen to it. I say limited as it's obvious they are not measuring relevant criteria since they get it so wrong. The two best examples are their reviews of the Caiman SEG DAC and the aforementioned EtherREGEN. Pure drivel in both cases. A site best ignored if you have any love of music first and foremost. |
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Post by orange55 on Oct 12, 2022 18:58:04 GMT
Martin, Do you know of any subjective difference between the cable, linked to, above (at £186 GBP) and the After Dark-recommended Finisar cable you and orange55 purchased from Mouser.co.uk (at £72 GBP)? If you check the model number you will see the last two digits are different. This is because they dictate the length of the cable. Mine was also here is less than a week. Ordered Thursday arrived Monday in the U.K. |
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Post by MartinT on Oct 12, 2022 19:01:42 GMT
I am now going to order a 5m version for my system, item no. FCBG110SD1C05, so that it drapes nicely across the floor behind my left speaker.
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Post by Slinger on Oct 12, 2022 21:37:00 GMT
So, fiibre-optic cables need to be burnt in then? Does anyone know why, as it seems fairly daft to me, with my O-Level grasp of physics?  |
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Post by nicholas on Oct 12, 2022 22:40:56 GMT
So, fiibre-optic cables need to be burnt in then? Does anyone know why, as it seems fairly daft to me, with my O-Level grasp of physics? Dem 'ol photons gots to be brought to the correct tempachure I wood suspect... |
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Post by Slinger on Oct 12, 2022 23:08:10 GMT
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Post by MartinT on Oct 13, 2022 5:05:55 GMT
So, fiibre-optic cables need to be burnt in then? Does anyone know why, as it seems fairly daft to me, with my O-Level grasp of physics? Not the fibre itself, the electronics in the SFPs at both ends. |
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Post by mansie on Oct 13, 2022 11:24:36 GMT
I'll let this pass as you may not know what a thoroughly ridiculous and objectionable site ASR is with their so-called 'reviews' of equipment. ... Oeps sorry about that! I won't mention ASR "reviews" again. |
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Post by mansie on Oct 13, 2022 12:46:33 GMT
About the extra electronics needed if the streamer and router don't have SFP connectors, will two converters such as these do: TP-Link Gigabit SFP Media Converter The downside is to have an extra switch mode power supply near the audio and these tend to put spikes on the AC mains which are not entirely filtered out by the purifier. |
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Post by MartinT on Oct 13, 2022 13:56:00 GMT
Here's a better photo showing an adapter with a cage. This way, a matching SFP can be used or an AOC cable.  |
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Post by nicholas on Oct 13, 2022 15:00:55 GMT
So my initial experience with the AOC cable was a bit of a disappointment but that was before I power cycled my player, U18, ER and DAC. OMG, this cable may indeed be "The One". Stunning improvement over the excellent HP transceiver / Ipolex single mode fiber cable. Great find, Mr. Orange... |
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Post by ajski2fly on Oct 13, 2022 15:18:28 GMT
Here's a better photo showing an adapter with a cage. This way, a matching SFP can be used or an AOC cable. So should dI purchase 2 of the above and 2 www.mouser.co.uk/ProductDetail/II-VI-Finisar/FCBG110SD1C03?qs=pBN%2FbMTRZdcL3HgZpizBqQ%3D%3D&countryCode=GB¤cyCode=GBP and run the recommended optical cable from the ADSL router to my microRendu which would be a distance of about 10m? Really what I am asking is if I keep the ethernet cable as short as possible at each end will I get an improvement in SQ with the dedicated optical to the microRendu? Another option might be to move the ADSL box nearer to the HiFi, but that means a telephone cable extension, not a big deal, but I also like to try and keep Wifi gear as far away from the HiFi as possible, but I suppose it might not make much difference either? |
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Post by MartinT on Oct 13, 2022 16:32:24 GMT
Really what I am asking is if I keep the ethernet cable as short as possible at each end will I get an improvement in SQ with the dedicated optical to the microRendu? Yes - it should give you a good lift in sound quality. I can't completely vouch for the optical converters, and I'm concerned about the SMPS wall-wart power supplies. I would at least replace the one near the system with a linear PSU at some future point. |
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