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Questions about Ethernet Cabling

PLEASE READ: This is not a thread about the merits or demerits of audiophile-grade ethernet cables, or any cable for that matter. If you don’t believe in spending extra on expensive cables, I respect your opinion but please don’t turn this into a point of contention.

So before I ask my questions, let me describe how internet connectivity is setup in my house:

- [Home office/study] The modem (AT&T), router (Google Nest/Mesh), and switch ($25 TP-link basic switch) are located in the home office/study. I also have a second system in this room as well as other stuff connected through the switch. In other words, I can’t move the switch to another room.

- [Media room] The main audio system is located in the media room which is in the diagonally opposite side of the house (single story). This room has the ENO ethernet filter connected to the Innuous Zenith MK3 streamer, and so on.

[Long ethernet cable] A very long run of ethernet cable (CAT 6/over 100 foot) runs from the [Home office/study] router and terminates into the [Media room] ethernet jack/wall plate. This was done by the builder and it runs through the attic.

- [Media room] From the [Media room] ethernet wall plate, I then use another 6 foot ethernet cable (also CAT 6) that goes into an ENO filter and then on to the Innuos Zenith MK3 streamer.

 

So here are my questions:

1. Is it worth upgrading only the so-called last-mile ethernet cable, i.e. the one between the [Media room] ethernet wall plate and Eno filter while I continue using the long CAT 6 cable [Study >> Media room]? It is going to be difficult, if not impossible, to replace the long-run CAT 6 cable as it goes through the attic where several spots are not reachable without tearing down some sheetrock.

2. Is it worth adding a second audiophile-grade switch (e.g. uptone) in the media room while leaving the one in the study as is? Or is it better to upgrade the switch in the study first and place the cheaper switch in the media room? Or do I need to replace both switches (not prefered as it adds to the cost)?

 

128x128arafiq
arafiq's avatar
arafiq OP
1,682 posts
 

@antigrunge2 I appreciate your suggestion. It's just that my experience with another switch in the same price range as the etherregen (I bought EE Switch8) was nothing to write home about. I tried it for almost three week but I wasn't impressed at all. In fact, I felt that it reduced the dynamics and the soudstage collapsed a little. So I ended up returning it. This is not to say that the etherregen will face the same fate, but I'm definitely a bit leary at this point.

But let me ask you this, can any of the clocks you mention work in conjunction with a different switch (e.g. D-Link) and/or Eno? Or is etherregen a requirement?

 

antigrunge2
1,425 posts
 

@Arafic

From personal experience I can assure you that the Etherregen doesn’t suffer from any of the ailments you mention. I run mine after DXE and EMO filters using a highly buffered LPS and (Zerozone 2020) and Antelope 10m clock. The improvement of adding the Etherregen to the filters was nothing short of revelatory.

As far as I know neither the switches nor the filter have a 75Ohm BNC clock port, so I am afraid the answer is likely to be: no.

In any case, the impact of adding the clock was larger than adding the LPS.

curiousjim's avatar
curiousjim
4,790 posts
 

So I needed to get internet to my Hegel H390, that doesn't have wifi, hardwire only and this is what I got.  NETGEAR WiFi Range Extender EX5000 - Coverage up to 1500 Sq.Ft. and 25 Devices https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083R46CV8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_JSJHQV05WS5BVXCQHXQ7?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

It has two eithernet jacks and so far it's working great and I have not noticed any noise.

All the best.

JD

lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,562 posts
 

"The plan is as follows: Media Room In-wall socket >> CAT6 cable >> Cheap router >> ENO’s ethernet cable >> ENO filter >> ENO’s ethernet cable >> Innuos Zenith."

@arafiq

I am wondering the need for router in your media room? You’ve mentioned that long LAN cable running inside the wall is already being fed from the router in your study. If that’s the case, you do not need to add another cheap router unless you really meant to say a cheap Ethernet switch before ENO? 

ddafoe
249 posts
 

Have you considered adding fiber to your setup?   I replaced my ethernet run with fiber and was very happy with the results.   I terminated the fiber at my equipment rack with an EtherREGEN before feeding a short but high quality ethernet cable into my streamer.   I personally found the switch to fiber to darken the background and bring more details forward.    I didn't spend a lot on the network switch with the fiber port (< $100) and in the end found a cheap fiber to ethernet converter (and power supply) that replaced the EtherREGEN and its matching LPS.

Maybe if I used a more expensive switch and powersupply it would sound better yet, but I haven't tried it with the assumption the fiber connection is my 'moat' from the noisy switch and home network. This of course assumes either the converter or EtherREGEN is then not adding more noise to the short ethernet run.  In your case you will have a filter after the conversion takes place anyways.   

It would be a fun and relatively cheap experiment to try :)

 

 

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