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Network Acoustics Muon ethernet filtering system - Improving streaming sound quality

Network Acoustics recently rolled out a new top tier ethernet filtering system named Muon. It betters their already highly effective ENO offering which I purchased some 18 months ago.  I posted about the ENO filtering system back then and you can read it at the link located at the bottom of this member review.  
 

Everything I said about the ENO filtering system also applies to the new Muon system.  However, the Muon system offers even better sound quality by removing a greater amount of electronic and RFI/EMI noise.  The Muon filter is a passive device so their is no need for a power supply or power cord. That’s great! 
 

Like many of my fellow Agoners, I have come to depend on Qobuz and Tidal streaming for my music playback. I have not used any physical media in over 5 years, but also realize today’s servers/streamers can all benefit from digital noise blocking systems such as the Muon.  From high end audio switches to high quality ethernet cables I have learned they can all improve the sound quality of our streaming front ends.  I have tried going the fiber optic route and used other products such as the EtherRegen and while they do improve sound quality I find  the MUON system more musically engaging and compelling.  Here is my current digital front end:

(Netgear NighHawk modem/router powered by an LPS > Network Acoustics ENO ethernet cable> English Electric 8Switch powered by an LPS > Network Acoustics MUON ethernet cable > MUON ethernet filter > Innuos Zenith III >  Tchernov Ultimate USB cable -Mojo Audio Evo dac)

The MUON system is made up of the MUON filter and Muon ethernet cable.  You can buy these separately, but you’ll receive a nice discount by buying both as a system package. Here is a link to the Network Acoustics Website:

https://www.networkacoustics.com

I purchased the MUON system and have been enjoying it for several months now.  I feel it betters the ENO range in several important sonic ways. The noise floor is further reduced revealing more inner detail of instrument and voice.  This increased inner detail reveals subtleties previously lost.  In the end my music sounds more real and less reproduced. For me, improving realism is everything! 
 

With streaming it seems more difficult to obtain a nice 3D presentation as compared to a high end CD spinner.   Sometimes streaming can sound relatively flat compared to CD playback.  I found the Muon filter system delivered a more immersive experience due in large part to improving the 3D performance.   
 

For me the Muon filter is well worth the asking price as it made my listening sessions even more enjoyable. The rest of my system includes a Circle Labs A200 integrated amp, Fyne F704 speakers with upgraded crossovers and internal wire, and both Hijiri & Tchernov cabling.  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

128x128grannyring
mitch2
3,697 posts
 

Thanks for sharing @thyname - I am glad the muon Pro is sounding good in your system.

Am I correct in understanding that your positive comments are based on the muon Pro being your first Network Acoustics product, and not an upgrade from the muon (non-Pro) or eno?  Network Acoustics initially implied the muon Pro was intended for the professional ’studio’ market and streamers that require Gigabit (i.e., 1,000 Mbps) Ethernet.  They designed their eno and muon (non-pro) for 100 Mb Ethernet as I found out when I had to purchase 100 Mb fiber converters to use with my eno since it would not work with the 1,000 Mbps converters that I had at the time.  A switch took care of that but the network cable feeding the eno and later the muon in my system is clearly operating at the lower 100 Mbps speed based on the amber and not green light on my switch.

I am curious why folks are reporting such an improvement from the muon to the muon Pro when NA and others here indicate 100 Mbps should be plenty fast for our audio streaming.  Anyone have an idea about that?  I am considering purchasing the muon Pro based on the many positive reviews here but I am getting a little worn out buying small boxes.  Any of you here upgrade from muon to the muon Pro and, if so, can you share your oservations on the upgrade?

thyname's avatar
thyname
3,107 posts
 

@mitch2 :

Am I correct in understanding that your positive comments are based on the muon Pro being your first Network Acoustics product, and not an upgrade from the muon (non-Pro) or eno?

That’s correct. I had never owned or tried any Network Acoustics products before. The Muon PRO System is my very first NA product. I had inquired and researched the previous versions (I.e ENO), but had not pulled the trigger.

And yes, I had confirmed and proved to myself everything in my chain is gigabit compatible and capable, prior to purchase of PRO, although I personally do not believe going from 100 MBPS to Gigabit makes much difference for audio at all. I could be wrong in my beliefs of course…

 

 

 

 

lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,084 posts
 

“I personally do not believe going from 100 MBPS to Gigabit makes much difference for audio at all.”

@thyname

My experience tells me otherwise. Did you ever try to stream a DXD/DSD files over your network with 100Mbps speed?

@mitch2

If your streamer is not spec’d for Gigabit speed then I doubt you could benefit from Muon Pro version. I gave up on ENO because my new DAC/streamer required Gigabit Ethernet. I’ve had few conversations with Rich couple of years ago about the need for passive filter with Gigabit support. Gigabit supports faster speeds and much larger files (DXD, DSD) hence the possible reason for Gigabit Ethernet adoption by many high end streamers. My streaming experience is definitely enhanced and been glitch-free ever since I have switched to Gigabit Ethernet. For most folks, Gigabit Ethernet may not make sense since we are only streaming upto 24bit/192kHz files. Prior to switching to Gigabit ethernet, I had frequent buffering and hiccups issues while streaming DSD/DXD files over ethernet. And for clarification, I do not use USB or AES/SPDIF cables to connect my streamer to the DAC. My Aurender streams DSD/DXD files over ethernet to my Merging DAC.

mitch2
3,697 posts
 

I should probably reach out to Rich Truss.  I don’t have the slightest idea whether my Mojo Audio DevaVu server/streamer is “spec’ed for Gigabit speed.”  I do know it sounds good in my system for the typically 16/44.1 flac files I play and Tidal/Qobuz through Roon so I cannot imagine that changing from the muon system to the muon Pro filter would result in anything approaching a “game-changing” improvement.  The DejaVu replaced an Antipodes DX and was an improvement.  Here is a review.

thyname's avatar
thyname
3,107 posts
 

@mitch2 : nothing in your two links indicates the existence (or lack thereof) of gigabit Ethernet inputs in your Mojo server. You will have to ask the company. Needless to say, everything in your chain (internet speed, router, switches, cables) must also be gigabit rated. If just one is not compatible with Gigabit speeds, the entire chain will not

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