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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
mitch2
4,095 posts
 

Ok, so I bit the bullet and the Network Acoustics ENO Ag ethernet filter and  streaming cable are now in the house.  Thanks to whoever (lalitk?) posted that the ENO filter and cable were available on USAM since I was able to purchase those.  The post from 1/22 seems to have been removed.  I am still skeptical that this will provide an improvement but I will hook it up this weekend and give it a solid try for a while.   The chain will be as follows:

  • Orbi mesh router (main router unit directly connected to Xfinity cable in, and not one of the mesh satellites)
  • short CAT8 cable
  • Netgear switch with ifi PS
  • short CAT8 cable
  • optical converter
  • 45 feet of fiber
  • optical converter with HD Plex LPS
  • short CAT8 cable
  • Silent Angel Bonn N8 - TCXO Ethernet Switch with HD Plex LPS
  • Network Acoustics Ag Ethernet cable 
  • Network Acoustics Ag ENO filter
  • Attached Network Acoustics ENO filter cable to Mojo Audio Deja Vu server
  • USB to Mojo Audio EVO B4B 21 DAC
  • Balanced cables out to preamp/amp etc.
  • Optionally, I can run 45 feet of CAT8 directly between the two switches and not use the optical.  Since I have both the optical cable and CAT8 already wired directly from the area of the router to where my system is located, I will probably try the Ethernet cable in lieu of the optical cable and converters later during my evaluation of the ENO.  Thus far, I have not heard a noticeable difference between using the CAT8 cable between the switches, and the Ethernet cable with the two converters.
sns
3,409 posts
 

@mitch2 I see you're using FMC in front of Bonn switch and server, the most advantageous placement would be after, just before dac. Servers create noise, usb coming out of motherboard is not optimal. Have you ever tried this positioning of FMC? I've always found network upgrades most effective at tail end of network.

 

You should also compare Eno and FMC both between server and dac

 

I'd like to see direct comparison of Eno vs FMC with Sonore Opticalrendu. I was seriously considering Eno filter, went with Opticalrendu based on it being only means of one hundred percent isolation. The rendu was substantial improvement on TPLink FMC powered by lps.

grannyring's avatar
grannyring OP
6,534 posts
 

The new NA Muon ethernet filter and Ethernet cables are coming out the end of February. They are a nice step above the ENO line.  Both are wonderful. They will be offering both tiers the end of February. Just an FYI.  Great streaming upgrade options are coming out all the time.  This is a very good thing! 

docknow
316 posts
 

@sns which is the tail end of the network?  Where it enters the house or the system end?

mitch2
4,095 posts
 

@sns 

I see you're using FMC in front of Bonn switch and server, the most advantageous placement would be after, just before dac. Servers create noise, usb coming out of motherboard is not optimal. Have you ever tried this positioning of FMC? I've always found network upgrades most effective at tail end of network.

You have mentioned this before but I guess I don't understand.  My input choices between my server and DAC (both Mojo Audio) are USB, BNC, or AES/EBU, so I do not understand how I would use either FMC or Ethernet for that connection without some sort of converter.  The USB output from the server and USB input into the DAC are both well-regarded, optimized for audio, JCAT boards so USB is the connection recommended by Mojo Audio - the server/DAC manufacturer. 

I do have the option to put another type of Roon endpoint (Metrum Ambre) that I own between the server and DAC.  The connection would be from my server's Ethernet output into the Ambre.  I used the Ambre between my Antipodes DX server and Metrum Pavane/Adagio DACs so the DX would not be required to function as both the Roon core and Roon endpoint, and also because the Ambre outputs I2S, which was compatible with the Metrum DACs.  Is this the type of connection that you are talking about?  If I insert the Ambre between my server and DAC, then I will need to use coax or AES/EBU to connect from the Ambre to the Mojo Deja Vu DAC (since the Deja Vu does not support an I2S input).

For now, the FMC I use is for the 45-foot run from my router to the server. Although I haven't heard a significant difference between CAT8 and FMC for that 45 feet, the trade-offs are that FMC will not pick up RFI/EMI while using the CAT8 allows me to do away with two converters and their associated power supplies.  I do not have a clear favorite but I will first get the ENO set up and then try that comparison between FMC and CAT8 again to try and hear a difference.

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