Is optical mostly a waste of time versus Ethernet?
The only value I see with a fiber optical cable is if you have a long long run.
All the noise coming into an optical fiber is preserved and comes out the other side. I guess there is a value in not creating more noise while it is traveling through the optical cable. But if it's a short run of two Feet then is it really worth it. Seems a well shielded Ethernet cable would do just as fine without all the hassle of converting to optical which is a pain in the ass.
I always thought there was value with optical but it seems they're really may not be. Maybe I'm wrong. It seems a switch likely produces a lot of noise and inserting an audio grade switch is very prudent and going optical really doesn't solve switch noise problem. The benefit of re-clocking offered by a decent switch to clean up the signal is worthwhile.
@mitch2 I'm waiting on completion of Taiko Extreme diy clone to experiment with. Initially, build will only have Jcat ethernet card, so used with streamer. Eventually, Pink Faun or Jcat usb card for rendering within server. Should be interesting.
Eno between server and renderer would be interesting vs. prior, at this point my experience is post server more important than pre. Upcoming Muon trial in pre server position will be my last attempt at pre server upgrades for time being. |
I tried that today - Ethernet from router to switch (located near router) then 45 feet from switch to GigaFOILv4 (located near the server) then short Ethernet to server and short Ethernet from server to ENO then captive Ethernet from ENO into Metrum Ambre renderer. AES/EBU XLR cable from the Ambre into the Mystique EVO B4B21 DAC. Simple without the fiber converters and accompanying power supplies. It sounds really good. I don't know why exactly but the sound was full, rich, and musical with a wide range of music from Coltrane to Chili Peppers. I want to next compare this to the same set-up into the server, but then running a USB cable from the USB output of the server directly into the USB input of the DAC, without using a separate renderer. |
@mitch2 I’m envisioning Stockhausen’s WDR Studio; https://120years.net/wordpress/wdr-electronic-music-studio-germany-1951/ |
Fundamental problem with optical is you can’t turn light pulses into music, atleast not yet. It to has at some point be converted back into an electronic/ Ethernet signal whether it be with converters outside the streamer or like lumin or other devices that accept a direct fibre, the conversion happens inside the streamer. Obviously if you leave until your inside the streamer, you have no opportunity to intervene to remove this noise. As with any powered device on the network the optical to electronic conversion is likely to create and emit high frequency noise, which left untreated will have a detrimental effect on the performance of the streamer and the onward da conversion. Powered devices like the gigafoil might well clean what’s going in but they will likely add noise in their conversion process to the signal they transmit, Passive filtering as it stands is the only effective solution as it stands. |
