Effect of Internet Service Quality on Streaming?

@lordrootman, I’ve had this problem for a couple of years in my system, prior to my 20A dedicated lines and prior to my conditioners.  In fact, the dedicated 20A lines and conditioners was my first attempt to address the issue.  I even engaged @kingrex of King Rex Electric to help draft a specification for my dedicated lines. These upgrades really helped improve things, but the massive shift in quality depending on time was still there.  I know this issue is not unique, but I feel like the degree of the variance I get may be extreme and unusual.  Ranges from an unlistenable stuffy mess to absolutely sublime.

Just had a thought. People in this thread have mentioned that a component could be to blame. But the only gear that has not been swapped in or out while the issue has persisted, besides cabling, is my Diablo 300 integrated. Everything else has been added removed or changed while this problem has existed.

BUT…. The first time I noticed this issue ever was when I upgraded from Clarus Crimson Biwire speaker cables (fantastic speaker cables these…) to Nordost Valhalla 2 speaker cables. A couple of years ago I did ask Nordost if they’d could be picking up RF energy or something and I think they said something to the effect of yes, but the amount would be negligible and couldn’t have any effect. So I had attributed it to the increased transparency of the Nordost cables exposing the issues. But now, I’m wondering if just maybe it IS a component issue, and the component with the issue is my Valhalla 2 cables.

To be clear I think this is almost certainly not the issue. BUT, because I first noticed the issue when adding these cables to my system, maybe I should try to rule it out. Am thinking I might need to get my hands on a demo pair premium speaker cables to try, at a Valhalla 2 or better level.

Was researching whether the issue could be my Valhalla 2 speaker cables (since I first noticed the issue after upgrading to these cables) and I came across a thread on that topic on this forum, that I had started years ago. Didn’t recall it but that’s probably because there was nothing conclusive. As above maybe I just need to get a premium demo pair of speaker cables from another vendor to compare during the bad quality period, if only to rule out the outside chance the issue would be addressed with a different set of cables and to rule out the possibility that my Valhalla 2’s are not enabling the problem.

+1 @zlone 

@nyev just looked at your system pictures…couple of things you can try, if I may suggest…

1. Raise your cables off the floor. Cable elevators are not expensive. AQ makes decent ones called fog lifters. Lifting the speaker cables, interconnects and power cables off the floor in my system makes an audible difference.

2. try to position your signal cables as far away from power cables as possible or at least don’t lay them down close to one another in parallel - create a 90 degree angle and it should be ok

3. your amplifier is too close to your streaming components. The power supply can be creating an EMI there. I would move the Innuos stuff away from it about a foot at least if possible. I’ve found, in my system with all the amps I ever had that the system sounded its best with the amp on the floor or amp stand and as far away from source components as possible . This will probably minimize the noise your speaker cables may be picking up from the streamer / network components ascwell.

Again, just a thought and is cheap or even free to try.