anybody (possibly @grannyring ?) been a beta tester of the Muon USB cable and shed some comparison with the Eno ?
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
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
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- 214 posts total
This is what prompted me to use a Sonore oM from my NUC and an Uptone EtherRegen right before my DAC. The only two copper/fiber conversions in the entire path. The differences in adding both (I added each in at separate times) were subtle but definitely noticeable. |
I seriously question the additional conversion for runs under 6-8m. A well shielded cat8 ethernet cable is the better solution in that case, even before discussing the quality of PSUs needed for the convertera. The Etherregen in combination with a well clocked switch is a cleaner and better solution. |
This didn't hold true in my system using my ears at least... Replacing ~10 ft of ethernet from a noisy equipment closet to my audio rack with fiber made a BIG difference. I heard a darker background and more clarity/detail, with no added harshness. I terminated the fiber with each of the following: EtherREGEN, OpticalRendu, and $100 StarTech converter (+ after market power supply) and the results were all about the same minus differences between USB and SPDIF (my preference) which I assume to be related to my DAC. All of these were much better than straight Ethernet to the M5 from my perspective. Yes, my 10 ft run was not cat8 or of high quality, but the difference in sound quality vs copper was so significant I don't think buying a better 10 ft copper cable would have made up all of the differences. Baseline:
Fiber 1-SPDIF:
Fiber 1-USB:
Fiber 2-USB:
Fiber 3-SPDIF:
I'm currently running the latter as I didn't detect a drop after replacing the more expensive converters. I've been tempted to buy another EtherREGEN to drop back in to see if I would now hear a difference vs the much cheaper converter... |
@audiom3 Prior to inserting Opticalrendu I had diasy chained SOTM SMS200Neo to Uptone usb regen, I had gone back and forth any number of times leaving Uptone out or replacing, always preferred the daisy chain. I then inserted Opticalrendu forgetting that I still had Uptone in chain. Listened in daisy chain configuration for couple sessions when suddenly realizing still had Uptone (by the way powered by lps) connecting to dac. Pulled it out and shazam, so far better, even lower noise floor, and most importantly newfound sense of ease and relaxation. My digital now may match or nearly match my vinyl setup in this area, along with much higher resolving powers (need more updates on vinyl side). The Uptone was obviously putting a slight veil and masking the ease of OR. I've now removed from my chain one switch, two ethernet cables and two lps, so less complex with far better sq.
@ddafoe My ethernet solution cable was all Audioquest Vodka, my optical solutions, even with generic fmc and one ethernet conversion bested ethernet solution
I was also recently made aware of a another formerly unknown to me optical solution with the following, https://ediscreation.com/product/fiber-box/ This may be solution for me upstream of server.
For the ethernet fans here, I'm not stating with absolute certainty optical superior to ethernet, but so far my optical setups have been superior, others seem to concur with this view. I certainly hear far more deeply into recordings, and I've not heard any sound signature or flavor added with optical. Thus far my optical explorations have gone further than ethernet, the Eno may still be in my future if I wish to compare ethernet under more favorable conditions. |
- 214 posts total