Ethernet Cables, do they make a difference?

For those interested in real world results, read "Ethernet Cables - Yes I’m going there… I was a skeptic and I was wrong" on the PS Audio Forum.

https://forum.psaudio.com/t/ethernet-cables-yes-im-going-there-i-was-a-skeptic-and-i-was-wrong/4393/10

There are similar theads on the PS Audio Formum with the same result.

OMG, Ted Smith, the designer of the PS Audio DirectStream, agrees that ethernet cables do make a difference.  I will bet Steve Nugent will agree.  Both great product BTW.

kosst_amojan has not tested his theory.  He has not designed a streaming DAC, apparently does not own one, and has never tested his theory, although he has "dug around inside of them."  Often wrong, but never uncertain.

@david_ten

I own and am comparing the Wireword Starlight Cat8 and the Cardas Ethernet cables.  I also compared them against the Cat6 in the wall.  (The installer cut and terminated two one meter cables from the reel.)

@markalarsen   Looking forward to the outcome of your comparison.

I will be comparing the Wireworld (as well) in the near future.

Thanks.

For reference, I am using Supra CAT 8 for all LAN connections except for the final leg which is:

Switch > SoTM dCBL-CAT7 > SoTM iSO-CAT 6 Filter > SoTM Black Network Cable > Sonore Signature Rendu SE 

kosst_amojan

This is John Stronzer's answer based on real science:

Mark my research into the impact of the Ethernet cable for the last run into the audio system focused on radiated energy. Given that the Ethernet signal is packetized with packet rates on the order of 100-150kHz this relatively low frequency can result in considerable radiated energy into power, speaker and interconnect cables. I measured a very large 130kHz radiated energy spike on a typical stock Ethernet cable and on a good quality audio grade cable this spike was non-existent. The kind of improvement I hear from the ethernet cable is similar to that from good power conditioning and power cables. It seems to effect the noise floor of a high resolution system.

I do NOT think that anything to do with bit errors or jitter is at play here.

We use completely asynchronous resampling of the digital date from the ethernet interface-using our internal ultra-low phase noise master clocks. (there are actually several stages of resampling in the EX DAC)

Bit errors, if they occur, cause noticeable dropouts and interruption of the music. Not subtle degradation as would result from radiated noise.

If those smarter than me do not want to at least accept the theory of this kind of effect then Too Bad…

I approach these issues as an engineer, I certainly did not WANT to hear an improvement from an expensive audio grade ethernet cable, but I did and do and did some research into the why of this.

Best regards,

John Stronczer

Founder

Bel Canto Design