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.

john_g

From Pangea

Any of our cables that have directional requirements have an arrow on one of the terminations pieces. That one is the side for output. If there’s no arrow, there’s no direction.

 

@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.

 

@lalitk No, thank you!

I'm not willing to spend a lot on digital at the moment after buying new speakers and amp in the last 2 months so to end up with a nice sonic upgrade for $130 is indeed a great outcome.