ETHERNET CABLES

Ok, what the hell!?! I understand that everything makes a difference in the system, but I never would have thought ethernet cables for the 3ft between server pc to router and then 8ft router to streamer. There is so much more low level background detail it's not even funny. Swapped from the "superior" Cat7 from Newegg to BJC Cat6A and it is a world of difference. I was skeptical of any improvement for just an ethernet cable and that it'd been $40 wasted. On the contrary, that was $40 WELL spent. Thanks for the tip guys!

-Lloyd

@nlitworld Glad to see and hear that you noticed it too. That is what I noticed too - more detail, and who, when partaking in this hobby, doesn’t want more audio detail?! I know it took years to train my ears and brain to acknowledge perceiving this small amount of detail improvement. I’ve been living with basically the same system for years now (I’m very happy with the direction it’s gone, and its current status), and thoroughly recognize its tonal capability and sound quality. Every advancement in tweaking is/was analyzed pre and post. That might be the reason why by simply upgrading cables (and I’m not even talking about the hundred or thousand $$ kind), I can quickly recognize if a change brings an improvement or not.

I realize this discussion is about ethernet cables, but for example, for me, Kimber speaker cables never sounded right in my main basement system, to my ears. I remember giving them time to burn in, or whatever (never a big believer in letting cables "burn in"), and it just never happened for me, so they were gone (no offense meant towards anyone using them; they just didn’t work for me). Another example is the Blue Jeans Cable LC-1 (a very low capacitance single ended unbalanced cable). When I plugged it in, to my ears there was an immediate improvement in audio quality over the previous Belden 1505F (another low capacitance coaxial cable), so it was a keeper. From an engineering perspective, I’m already aware of how cable capacitance can affect high frequency performance (mainly in the analog world), so I make it a point to analyze that specification (along with cable shielding and construction) when comparing cables. I’m definitely quicker now (as compared to even 10 years ago), able to recognize a positive audio improvement when I hear it.

Getting back to ethernet cables, it’s possible some are looking for big earth shattering differences in audio improvement, when switching them out. Sorry to burst that bubble, but that is probably not to be expected in this case. But for those who can hear small minute changes in audio quality when comparing cables; if you haven’t already tried it; it’s time you did.

@tonywinga 

I also added a pair of $85 linear power supplies to power the FMC’s.

Hello, would you please share where you purchased the $85 LPSs for your FMCs? I can easily find 5v supplies that I use with other peripherals but I am having a harder time finding the 9v supplies required by the FMCs.

I got them on Amazon.  I’m using 5 VDC LPS units. My FMC’s run on 5 Volts.  I haven’t seen many 9 VDC LPS’s that aren’t more expensive.  I’m using a Keces 19 VDC LPS for my music server.  Very well built but close to a grand. 

Thanks @tonywinga - I purchased two of the same $86 5V supplies off of Amazon and they have worked well.  The same manufacturer does not list a 9V model but I was able to find 9V models that would work from either Small Green Computer or AliExpress.