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Ethernet cable for music streaming

I know there have been threads on this topic, including my own from last year, but I'd like to pursue this issue further, perhaps from a slightly different angle. Here's my conundrum: I'm not getting the sound quality from my Innuos PulseMini streamer that I think it's capable of and I've never been able to put my finger on what the weak link in my system is. I'm streaming Qobuz through the Innuos SenseApp on my Samsung tablet. While some parts of the frequency range sound really good (bass, mid-bass, lower mids, e.g.), when we get to the range where vocals live and above, the sound loses fidelity and definition. Things sound fuzzy and muddled, especially if the music is complex or dense. Loud orchestral passages can be really unpleasant to listen to.

The streamer is connected via USB to a Sonnet Morpheus DAC, and is fed via ethernet cable from my AT&T router. It's about a 35 ft. run of CAT5 that goes under the house and up through the floor of my listening (living) room. It doesn't run near any other electric lines. There's an ethernet switch that divides the signal between the TV, the Roku box, and the streamer. I do have the option of running a dedicated line from the router to the streamer, but I need some advice on whether this will improve things any. I tried plugging the existing ethernet cable into the streamer directly, bypassing the switch, but this yielded no improvement. 

Would it help to use CAT6 or CAT6a cable for this run? And should it be shielded or unshielded? I've read some posts that indicate shielded cables introduce their own distortions into the signal, so I'm really not sure which way to go here. 

I'd be grateful for advice from the many of you who are more expert on this subject than I am. Thanks.

cooper52
cooper52 OP
187 posts
 

OP here--let’s clear a few things up. To begin with, I am very happy with my amplification and speakers. Other digital media (CDs, DVDs, and TV streaming--I use the same system for everything) sound very good indeed.

Here’s my system:

Modwright KWI 200 integrated

Ryan R610 bookshelf speakers/REL S/2 sub

Cambridge Audio CXU (their long discontinued universal disc player)

Sonnet Morpheus DAC

Topping A90 D headphone amp/LSA HP2 Ultra headphones

Furman Elite power conditioner/Core Power Technology Deep Core 1800

Cables by Audience (AU25SE for speakers and RCA interconnect), Morrow, and Cerious Technologies.

Prior to owning the PulseMini I had a Sonnet Hermes streamer which exhibited exactly the same issues, which is why I thought the Innuos streamer might be a step up the ladder.

drewportland: thanks for sharing your experience with this combination. I do have the I2S module for the Morpheus DAC and used it with the Hermes, but now I'm  using the USB module because the PulseMini doesn’t have an ethernet ouptut and in any case, doesn’t support the I2S protocol.

Mahler123: your observation about hearing is indeed pertinent.I flatter myself that even at my advanced age (let’s just say over 65) my hearing is still pretty good, though not without some small reduction of high-frequency acuity.

I’ll consider taking another (expensive) step up the ladder only after I think I’ve exhausted all the available alternatives.

 

cooper52 OP
187 posts
 

Oops--small error in the above post: meant to say Audience AU24SE (not 25 'cause there is no such thing) cables. Can't edit anything older than 30 minutes, apparently. 

mikhailark
341 posts
 

Ethernet cables won't make any difference. I'd be looking at the DAC. Or change the streamer, maybe borrow some other model. See if it makes a difference. Perhaps CPU overheats or something.

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