Ethernet connection for best sound quality

Joes444,

I read every post in this,,, discussion, and when I finally got to the end was about to just close the tab/page, when I read your last post! What a time waster I thought. All this BS when you're listening to music saved from streaming from YOUTUBE!!! You can't be serious maaan?!?!! Through TWO routers no less!!! Then you come out with the rediculous statement that the ONLY complaint you have is about the dynamics, presumably NONE?! What a surprise - NOT!

My take on this - I started streaming with my home built super duper super fast PC, and was gobsmacked at the SQ improvement when I got it out of the music chain completely.

Don't use a switch, don't use ethernet cablles, or LPS's, as you don't need them, at all. Just buy a streamer with a USB input and copy your music files to it - a saving of $$$k and get better SQ without going through that other non essential stuff. No LPS's required either. Out of your streamer (mine is a Cambridge Audio 851N) to either a DAC 1st or straight into your amp or pre-amp. Done. The CA phone interface is superb too.

A coaxial connection between a streamer and the Oppo is possible. Just make sure you use the coaxial input jack on the rear panel. I suggest using the USB input, however. It supports higher sampling rates and DSD (if you're interested in that format) as well.

Music from YouTube is compressed using a lossy algorithm called Advanced Audio Coding (AAC). This means that some of the information in the original file is thrown away so the file size is minimized. Most likely it won't sound quite as good as listening to the same track from a CD or streaming from Tidal.

If you're looking at a somewhat long run of Ethernet, I also suggest looking at Blue Jeans Ethernet cables (link). Each one is tested to ensure that it meets or exceeds the spec it's rated for and you're given a test report with the cable.

Thanx for the info.

If USB has a better SQ then I will.

WOW...  A LOT of information thrown out here.  I know that along my digital journey, I started out with a good laptop used as a music server using JRiver as the software to manage the music sent to a good USB DAC.  While the sound was really good and bettered my CD player at the time, it still was not a good match for sound quality as my analog set-up.  That all began to really change when I went from my laptop-based music server to an Innuos ZENith MKIII.  The music finally started sounding (well for lack of better words) "less digital".  And, music that I had loaded on the music server sounded better than streamed music through the same music server using QoBuz.  Researching further, I decided to try and improve the digital signal transmission first by purchasing the Innuos Phoenix USB Re-Clocker, which made a noticeable improvement in the micro-detail of the music.  I was able to finally use digital as my main source of pleasure listening.  Thinking further and more up-stream, my research led me to improving the Ethernet signal.  I purchased an Uptone-Audio EtherREGEN device and $-for-$, it was the most noticeable improvement in the sound than any other digital device I had added into the digital side of the system.  Background got quieter and micro-detail improved.  In essence, a more realistic portrayal of the music.  In my opinion, noise, poor clocking and jitter are the worst enemies of good digital playback and minimizing them with devices and cabling that can help minimize the effects of those is the path to take for improved digital sound.  Of course a really good DAC. CD transport or CD player, or streamer really help in that digital chain, however without really good clean jitter-free signals, those great components won't be able to perform to their utmost.  I wish you the best on your digital journey !  

Does the quality of the streamer really matter? Here's what I've found: I mostly listen to Qobuz these days. I started with an Auralic Aries ($1599), which sounded great. I eventually upgraded to an Innuos Zen MkIII ($3149) which sounded noticeably greater. If that upgrade made such a difference, I was curious what a further upgrade would sound like. So I recently received the new Innuos Pulsar ($6899), which is akin to a streamlined version of the top-of-the-line Statement. Whoa! Wide, holographic, enveloping, unambiguous soundstage with distinct individual voice and instrumental location and non-fatiguing sound (on good recordings) with remarkably well-controlled and extended bass. No placebo effect there!