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Post by MikeMusic on Mar 20, 2024 13:37:34 GMT
Makes you wonder how much impact these Ethernet cables have on Audio. All I can say is that I heard small differences between various Amazon level ethernet cables and a larger difference with Supra Cat8. I haven't gone any further than that. Once I've firmed up the best length for me that's what I'll get |
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Post by mattspl on Mar 20, 2024 18:34:38 GMT
Makes you wonder how much impact these Ethernet cables have on Audio. All I can say is that I heard small differences between various Amazon level ethernet cables and a larger difference with Supra Cat8. I haven't gone any further than that. I found a Sablon Audio 2020 Ethernet cable used. They seem to get rave reviews, so thought it was worth a try. I’ll let you know how I get on. |
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Post by brettj on Mar 20, 2024 18:46:04 GMT
All I can say is that I heard small differences between various Amazon level ethernet cables and a larger difference with Supra Cat8. I haven't gone any further than that. I found a Sablon Audio 2020 Ethernet cable used. They seem to get rave reviews, so thought it was worth a try. I’ll let you know how I get on. I almost bought the Sablon 2020. Well reviewed. Had the characteristics and sound I was looking for. Only downside for me was it was a stiff cable. If you don't like it, I'll take it off your hands...  |
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Post by mattspl on Mar 20, 2024 18:51:59 GMT
I found a Sablon Audio 2020 Ethernet cable used. They seem to get rave reviews, so thought it was worth a try. I’ll let you know how I get on. I almost bought the Sablon 2020. Well reviewed. Had the characteristics and sound I was looking for. Only downside for me was it was a stiff cable. If you don't like it, I'll take it off your hands... I’m hoping I can manipulate a gentle sweep in the 1 meter Sablon 2020 and that it doesn’t want to push my router off the shelf. I’ll keep you posted. |
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Post by MartinT on Mar 20, 2024 20:30:33 GMT
I do still have a MeiCord Opal, which is good, but it's too long for my ethernet run now.
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Post by brettj on Mar 21, 2024 5:57:04 GMT
How long is your Meicord Opal Martin?
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Post by MartinT on Mar 21, 2024 7:04:15 GMT
I think it's 3m, Brett. Let me look tonight and verify.
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alp
Rank: Trio
Posts: 167
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Post by alp on Mar 27, 2024 21:44:46 GMT
Inspired by some earlier posts I bought a couple of very short (25cm) cables from Amazon (HiiPeak) to go between my router and NAS and between the router and Ethernet-Optical media converter, which has a 5m run of Cisco, to a media converter and then a 0.5m Melco Cat7 Ethernet cable to my Pi2AES-based streamer. Although I was replacing two 1m lengths of Vandesail Cat8 cables, the difference on the SQ was enormous across the board, but the HiiPeak needed a couple of days burn-in to reveal their talents (or simply they are very short). In both cable types I used ferrite clamps, but not on the Melco (seem to make little or no difference).
Buoyed by this success and the recommendations in this thread for the Supra Cat8 cable, I thought I would give that a try to replace the Melco cable. Immediately, I was disappointed. It sucked the life out of the music, with both top and bottom end vanishing, but the midrange and soundstage did sound promising so I persevered. A couple of days burn-in helped the top-end somewhat, but the bass remained muddy and lacking in dynamics. Just in case, I reversed the direction to follow the wording on the sleeve. Slight improvement, maybe. Put the Melco back-in and SQ was back where I was enjoying it. Just goes to show, that its worth experimenting as what works well in one person's system may not in another. I might yet try a HiiPeak cable to my streamer...
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 27, 2024 23:05:55 GMT
I've had a good scan of all the cheap CAT8 Amazon cables and the ones I have seen have near identical construction - 26AWG shielded twisted pairs, foil shield, drain wire + jacket. Very unlikely to be discernable difference between them.
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Post by MartinT on Mar 28, 2024 5:33:52 GMT
Buoyed by this success and the recommendations in this thread for the Supra Cat8 cable, I thought I would give that a try to replace the Melco cable. Immediately, I was disappointed. It sucked the life out of the music, with both top and bottom end vanishing, but the midrange and soundstage did sound promising so I persevered. A couple of days burn-in helped the top-end somewhat, but the bass remained muddy and lacking in dynamics. Interesting, and so very different from my experience. One thing to note is that I use DXE isolation filters both ends of the Supra. The other thing is that my TP-Link router has plastic ethernet ports with no metal to contact the Cat8 shield. As you say, what works for one system doesn't necessarily work for another. |
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Post by orange55 on Mar 29, 2024 7:47:46 GMT
Inspired by some earlier posts I bought a couple of very short (25cm) cables from Amazon (HiiPeak) to go between my router and NAS and between the router and Ethernet-Optical media converter, which has a 5m run of Cisco, to a media converter and then a 0.5m Melco Cat7 Ethernet cable to my Pi2AES-based streamer. Although I was replacing two 1m lengths of Vandesail Cat8 cables, the difference on the SQ was enormous across the board, but the HiiPeak needed a couple of days burn-in to reveal their talents (or simply they are very short). In both cable types I used ferrite clamps, but not on the Melco (seem to make little or no difference). Buoyed by this success and the recommendations in this thread for the Supra Cat8 cable, I thought I would give that a try to replace the Melco cable. Immediately, I was disappointed. It sucked the life out of the music, with both top and bottom end vanishing, but the midrange and soundstage did sound promising so I persevered. A couple of days burn-in helped the top-end somewhat, but the bass remained muddy and lacking in dynamics. Just in case, I reversed the direction to follow the wording on the sleeve. Slight improvement, maybe. Put the Melco back-in and SQ was back where I was enjoying it. Just goes to show, that its worth experimenting as what works well in one person's system may not in another. I might yet try a HiiPeak cable to my streamer... I am not overly surprised by your findings. While each system is different my experience is that while the Ethernet cable between the router and first fibre converter make a difference, there is a limit to the amount of impact. I tested this by adding one of my hi-end cables there, which I know having it as the final 1m into the streamer makes a massive difference. Swapping out my entry level £30 Chord stream for a Chris Sarum, made pretty much no difference. However, power changes to the router, such as IEC fuse changes, mains conditioners, grounding boxes, supports and weights. All make audible differences way more than swapping out the Ethernet. I should add I could clearly hear a difference from a standard Ethernet to the Chord Stream, so the entry chord did make a difference. But, the final 1m into the streamer, there changes to cables are very noticeable and make a big change. |
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Post by MartinT on Mar 29, 2024 10:05:01 GMT
Since my final length (5m) into the streamer is optical, that is where the differences can be heard, and indeed different optical cables do sound remarkably different.
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Post by mattspl on Mar 30, 2024 20:07:33 GMT
I’ve been testing the Sablon Audio 2020 LAN cable. I found a used 1m length in Hungary at a decent price, so thought I’d try it.
I’ve only recently got my Cantata Dac working as a renderer with BubbleUPNP and I’m now fully sold on streaming. The CD’s will be getting packed up and moved out of the room to (slightly) de-clutter.
I initially tried a cat6 cable that came with the router to feed the Cantata, but it was quite lifeless and noisy and I much preferred the SKY Q box playing YouTube over optical.
I then got a cheap Cat8 cable from Amazon and that was enough of an improvement to make me look for an even better Ethernet cable to try. I did loads of reading and came across the Sablon Audio cables that seemed to perform as well as some much more expensive cables.
The Sablon Ethernet cable has lifted the system’s performance nicely and I feel it was worth the cost. Now I can see myself going down the switches and clocks rabbit hole.
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Post by orange55 on Mar 31, 2024 9:05:34 GMT
I have never heard one, but there is lots of praise online for the Sablon Audio 2020 LAN cable.
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Post by mattspl on Mar 31, 2024 9:11:56 GMT
I have never heard one, but there is lots of praise online for the Sablon Audio 2020 LAN cable. They use 5 different layers of shielding as far as I know. Only downside is it’s about as thick and inflexible as some power cables. |
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Post by SteveC on Mar 31, 2024 10:01:43 GMT
I've used Sablon Audio cables since 2020 (Ethernet, USB and BNC Clock) and they are excellent, albeit, in the case of the Ethernet cable, a bit thick and not that easy to dress!  image1 by , on Flickr |
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Post by SteveC on Mar 31, 2024 10:06:31 GMT
I use Sablon's latest Ethernet cable (Cat 8 Telegartner plugs - screen unconnected) from TP-Link AC2800 router to Sonore Optical Module Deluxe and from Uptone Audio EtheREGEN switch to Aurender N20 server/streamer.  image0 by , on Flickr |
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Post by SteveC on Mar 31, 2024 10:19:36 GMT
I originally bought the 2020 USB cable and later upgraded to the Sablon EVO USB. The Sablon EVO deals with any source material transferred from Aurender N20 to dCS Vivaldi Upsampler/Apex DAC, which is greater than 192KHz (DXD, DSD). For the majority of my streaming (Qobuz Studio and locally stored files) I prefer the AES/EBU route, using Coherent 6D Gen II cable from Aurender N20 to dCS. The signal is also re-clocked, using a dCS/Aurender dongle, attached to the RS232 port at the rear of my dCS Vivaldi Master Word Clock (which in turn, is re-clocked by a Mutec Ref 10 SE-120), a Sablon 75 Ohm BNC Clock cable from dCS Master Word Clock to Aurender N20 and for switching control, the Sablon 2020 USB cable is connected between the dongle and second USB port on the rear of the Aurender N20. The whole arrangement works really well, with the system switching between signal routes, when the higher resolution source material calls for it.  image2 by /url], on Flickr |
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Post by mattspl on Mar 31, 2024 14:00:08 GMT
I use Sablon's latest Ethernet cable (Cat 8 Telegartner plugs - screen unconnected) from TP-Link AC2800 router to Sonore Optical Module Deluxe and from Uptone Audio EtheREGEN switch to Aurender N20 server/streamer. image0 by , on Flickr You certainly must like the Sablon cables. The Ethernet I have is the one with the Cat8 Telegartner plugs too. Have you tried any of their power cables? They use huge and quite unique plugs on the ends. |
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Post by SteveC on Mar 31, 2024 19:33:13 GMT
Matt
I haven't tried Sablon power cables.
I don't think Bocchino,the company who Mark sources his power cable plugs from, do a UK 13amp plug, only Schuko and US fittings, so unsuitable for my set-up!
The Bocchino IEC plugs are incredibly bulky and there may be a conflict, when space is tight on the rear of components.
As with Mark's other cables, they enjoy a stellar reputation, online.
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