Sound Quality and Verizon FIOS Fibre Optic Internet

The Verizon router and Fios feed to the house is full of noise in the form of RFI and who knows what else. I tested the RF levels with a RFI meter and beginning at the entry point to my house, my "RF sniffer" was off the scale. Next, moving to the coax line then the router, both indicated peak levels of RFI. Even my ethernet cable from router to streamer was full of RFI.

My solution was to plug my router into a BrickWall power conditioner with RFI/EMI protection. Now the meter indicated zero RFI at the router and my streamer. The coax leading to the router still indicated very high levels.

The result was a very audible improvement in SQ from streaming music. The noise floor had been lowered significantly. There was an improvement in both WIFI and ethernet.

It should also be noted that these routers use a SMPS wall-wart which will introduce noise from the mains and from the device they are powering. Adding a LPS to power the router will improve performance. Many members have reported their results on the forum.

My solution was to plug my router into a BrickWall power conditioner with RFI/EMI protection

Thank you. Just getting into streaming and had not thought about this. But it makes sense

OP, I don’t have answers, but I’m tagging along for the ride,

lowrider

I streamed Music Videos via my Smart TV’s YouTube for hours last night, the quality of the content made the big difference IMO.

I have this chain:

1. Verizon wall panel

2. coax from wall panel to router with wall wart transformer power

3. ethernet out of primary router direct to office pc with 120v, pc’s internal transformer

4. ethernet out of primary router to secondary router with wall wart transformer power

5. ethernet secondary router to devices with their 120v and their internal transformers.

6. ethernet out of secondary router to switch with wall wart transformer power

7. ethernet out of switch to devices with 120v power and their internal transformers.

It’s a wonder it sounds so darn good.
.............................................

sounds darn good means:

Lack of problem(s),

or, could

or WILL sound better IF???

Lowrider57, artemus_5, and elliottbnewcombjr, 

thanks all for your responses.

Lowrider, great input. I will have to research the Brickwall power conditioner. I am currently using an APC H10 power conditioner that one would not consider ‘high-end’, but i do notice a slight improvement plugging everything into it. The H10 provides INFB technology, which it is claimed, will eliminate electromagnetic and RF interference. It is beneficial to have members such as yourself, who will measure such things as RFI and EMI as it helps us all understand what we are up against. I do understand that a dedicated music server is the way to go for ultimate sound quality and that is the goal for me, but it is an expensive proposition beyond my means at present. So I am working with what I have. So then, Lowrider57, as i understand it, you are saying that the clearly better sound quality streamed from my LTE network as opposed to the Frontier / Arris router / FIOS is because of RFI / EMI? It does sound plausible.

Artemus_5 and elliottbnewcombjr, I think you are looking for answers on this as i am sure many of us are.

Elliott your system seems well designed.

Elliott, thanks for sharing. The question always is, could it sound better? 

1. Verizon wall panel
2. coax from wall panel to router with wall wart transformer power.
This is where all the noise happens. I forgot about the Verizon wall panel, so there's possibly some EMI added to the mix.

I believe you can benefit from dumping the router's wall-wart and adding an LPS. There are some good units in the $200 range. Removing SMPS power supplies really does improve SQ.