2. digital
  3. 164400-25

Streaming Sound Quality - Want the very best sound quality? Network Acoustics ENO...

Like many of you fellow Agoners I am striving to get the best sound quality out of my digital streaming front end. To that end I have invested in various high end switches, re-clockers, ethernet cables, various USB filters/re-clockers, high end servers and delved into fiber optic conversion configurations. All of these measures did improve sound quality at varying levels. I felt my system sounded as good as a decent CD transport on many streaming recordings in Qobuz. However, I still felt there was something missing. I felt my system was still being held back. You can see my system under virtual systems here.

Well, I stumbled across something that has finally enabled my digital system to be all it can be. I cannot fully express the level of sound quality improvement realized with the addition of the Network Acoustics ENO Ag filter and ENO Ag streaming ethernet cable. It has been 10 days now since I added these to my system and I can now confidently say my streaming and system are all they can be sonically.

Here is the set up that has caused me to sell off and move past many other powered filters, reclockers, fiber optic options, and other streaming tweaks and gadgets. Frankly, the ENO additions are miles ahead of these other options sonically in my system and experience. Miles. This is my personal experience and please understand this perspective.

Netgear NighHawk modem/router power by an LPS > Supra cat 8 ethernet cable > English Electric 8Switch > Network Acoustics ENO Ag streaming cable > ENO Ag ethernet filter > Innuos Zenith III > Mojo Audio Evo dac

The English Electric 8Switch is also wonderful. Will a lower cost, standard switch sound as good in this set-up? Not sure as I have not tried. I am so ecstatic with my sound system that I don’t want to touch it!

There is a certain rightness from top to bottom that’s intoxicating. The tone is so beautiful and natural with no hint of electronic glare or digital artificiality. Music flows with far greater ease and has an uncanny, unforced nature to it. The stage is far deeper with the music flowing from a plane that is layered and completely separate of the speakers. This aural sensation, at this level of nuance, is new to my system and experience. The ENO products made this possible.

Instruments are presented with a new realism that is arresting to my senses. There is a wholistic presentation that spreads out all around me and my space. Just a joy to experience. Yes, the speakers seem to float the music into my space without any attention or localization of the speaker box or physical presence.

No part of frequency spectrum is out of place or forced. I am sure this has to do with the absence of noise. My music is equally articulate and resolved at low or loud volumes. Music stays controlled and enticing no matter how complex or bombastic the recording.

The ENO filter is passive, not powered, so there is no need of any power supply or plug. This is a huge plus.

Hope you streaming audiophiles find this helpful.

Bill
128x128grannyring
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,561 posts
 

@antigrunge2

I’m well aware of your somewhat idiosyncratic system approach. My point is simple, it is very easy to get carried away in our pursuit to improve performance to nth degree. There is this breaking point where adding more ‘tweaks’ will only result in marginal or subtle improvements if your baseline is weak. It’s like putting a ‘lipstick on a pig’ :-)

Streaming is no longer in its infancy, it has matured. I see some of the posters here regularly peddling their convoluted biases like setting a good streaming system is equivalent of setting up a science lab. The way I see, it’s not very helpful to readers that are trying to venture into streaming. 

sns
3,265 posts
 

@lalitk There are two different audiences here, yes, basics important to those just venturing into streaming, for the more mature streamers this is explorative information. I see no harm in trying and reporting on every single streaming device available. This only adds to knowledge base, most mature streamers can read between the lines and determine for themselves the veracity of those reporting on these devices and the devices themselves.

Trying to limit discussion to only devices and setups that meet some subjective base line is only censorship. I for one like to hear about many setups, so keep the experiments and reviews coming.

lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,561 posts
 

@sns

Once again, you missed my point. As you pointed out in one of your earlier post, ‘I still think much to be learned’. Carry on!

sns
3,265 posts
 

@lalitk I see, you've learned all there is needed to be learned. And yes, I will carry on.

mitch2
4,009 posts
 

Been listening and comparing the sound through Roon with:

  • DejaVu server connected directly to the EVO B4B DAC using USB (DejaVu is core and player), and
  • DejaVu connected by Ethernet to the Metrum Ambre and then by AES/EBU to the EVO B4B DAC (DejaVu is core and Ambre is player)

In both cases, the ENO was connected after a Bonn N8 switch and in front of the DejaVu server.

My initial impressions remain unchanged in that both connections sound very good with the direct DejaVu>EVO connection resulting in a slightly fuller, more rounded presentation and the DejaVu>Ambre>EVO connection being slightly more incisive and dynamic.  Some may describe it as musicality vs. clarity.  The differences are slight but seem repeatable.  However, there are other variables not least of which being the USB vs. AES/EBU connection at the DAC.  If I had to select one option now, I would probably choose the direct DejaVu>EVO connection, without using the Ambre, as it seems the direct connection is slightly more musical and enjoyable on a wide range of material - but I could live with either.  

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