Value of a premium Ethernet cable
In my current setup, digital music from a Roon ROCK NUC server travels through an Uptone Audio EtherRegen and a short link of fiber, thence to a long stretch of ordinary contractor-grade Cat 5a cable, and finally to a dCS Bartók streaming DAC.
At substantial effort and expense, I could rearrange things so the final length of Ethernet would be replaced by a single run of something like an Audioquest Vodka Ethernet cable. I'm wondering if anyone has experience of whether this is worth the trouble and expense. Well mostly the expense; the "trouble" is the hobby part of it.
Congratulations are in order but you also have my condolences as you go deeper down the rabbit hole. Actually it can save you money in the long run Streaming sounds so good now I don’t need to always buy the record or CD- or download I always hope to be able to send back some new cable or component. It doesn’t happen often. Cables just work. The cable makers know something but they hold their cards pretty close to their vest. They don’t give away much about how their cables work. |
@macg19 interesting how cables perform differently in different systems. I compared Amazon cat 8 generic, BJ, Pangea SE and AQ Cin and could hear no discernible difference. Returned them all kept Amazon. I have a Bricasti M5 network streamer with an optical set up that might be the reason. I did hear a difference between Wifi and cabled on my prior set up. To each his own… |
@tksteingraber I’ve got a good DAC and entry level streamer and I am going straight from a Cox Panoramic modem. An optical switch or other audio-grade switch/filter and/or a very good streamer might render the Ethernet cable less important.
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