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Help me understand better solutions for ethernet

I've been reading quite a bit lately here and elsewhere about ethernet cables picking up noise and how to mitigate that. The three main options I've come across seem to be:

1. An audio-grade switch box like Uptone's etherREGEN that uses their "moat" technology to clean/block noise.
Pros: fairly straightforward
Cons: extra gear in the chain

2. Converting the ethernet to optical to block the noise such as the direction Small Green Computer takes.
Pros: optical blocks the hash carried by ethernet
Cons: There's only one streamer/dac that I know of (Lumin X1) that allows for Optical in so again even more gear in the chain to convert to optical then convert back to feed ethernet to the steamer/dac.

3. Wifi - just go wireless and remove the ethernet cable completely (well mostly). 
Pros: Certainly the cheapest, easiest and tidy route
Cons:???

Very curious to hear from others your ACTUAL experiences (not your theories based off god know what...) 
mcslipp
mcslipp's avatar
mcslipp OP
125 posts
 
Jond - You'd think the rural setting would be a huge plus, but living 3 miles from a top secret underground military facility who knows what's floating around out there. Stranger Things playing out in my backyard. LOL.

mcslipp's avatar
mcslipp OP
125 posts
 
Thank you all for thanking the time to reply.

I think the best route is to order up versions of all three solutions and test/listen. Most come with 30 day trials so can't lose. 

Latitk - I will certainly add Eno to the list as I do like the passive route.

Arch2 - I have just received a TP Link access point that Upscale audio recommends but it's giving me fits trying to setup in client mode. I agree for $25 if it sucks I can use it elsewhere around the house. 
rikkipuu's avatar
rikkipuu
291 posts
 
ENO works.

So does the Etherregen

I run fiber but never really listened for benefit-it helps me sleep at night not worrying,
 but I think I have the wrong SFP modules, so waiting for modules and cable from Sonore.  will test for benefit soon

Added a clock to the Etherregen and LPS- both helped, the clock more
also have SOtM cDBL CAT7w/filter-definitely better than standard ethernet cable

it's a very deep rabbit hole but worth exploring
mcslipp's avatar
mcslipp OP
125 posts
 
Well it took a 1.5 hour visit from my internet provider/IT tech guy (he arrived on 20 mins notice at 8:30 pm on a Saturday night while snowing = amazing customer service!) to setup my TP Link access point. What should have been an easy 5 min install by me turned into anything but.
Tomorrow when I have some time off I'll A/B simple wired CAT 7 vs. wireless. I'm not sure there will be much difference only because my internet comes to me wireless via an ATT tower here on the mountain. Currently no one out here has a hard fiber line except the govt, who has five separate independent lines but their not sharing...  From there will continue deeper down the rabbit hole as you say.
antigrunge2
1,479 posts
 
I have been experimenting on how to get the best sound quality for streamed music to my Innuos Zenith Mk3: in my setup inserting an EMO EN70-HD galvanic isolator into my ethernet cable and connecting from there with a 10in Meicord cable to the streamer yielded the best result. I also use a short Meicord cable to connect the router to the ethernet. Solutions over Wifi (Apple Airport Extreme in bridge mode) have sounded equally good at times but are inconsistent depending on network load.
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