Ethernet cables

@lugsytl47 I call 🐂 💩

unless you conducted controlled blind testing, I don’t believe you. I suggest sending your fridge to Amir at ASR to see if his measurements confirm your confirmation bias induced findings.

First, it’s important to point out that the OP asked for opinions, and that the ethernet cable believers do not have monopoly here. Many post in a civil manner and keep things respectful, but there are a a few that do not -- you know who you are -- and just so you know you don’t come off as credible by insulting other people or chasing them out.

Now, on to the topic at hand: I’ve had many, many different ethernet cables. Probably hundreds, albeit none purchased with the idea of changing the sound in mind. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t notice a change if it occurred.

I agree that really cheap cables should be avoided, because the ends are crappy and their ability to hold a good connection degrades terribly over time and the physical ends degrade.

You may also want to stay away from Cat7 if you are concerned about any form of EMF (highly theoretical) traveling down because the shielded ends can defeat the otherwise inherent galvanic isolation of ethernet.

So, buy well constructed cables within spec. Some "audiophile cables" are deliberately out of spec so beware.

If you review the myriads of discussions out there on the point of ethernet cables for audio (not just here - Roon’s forum, AudiophileStyle, plenty others) you will notice that those with science, engineering, and networking credentials come vastly down on the side that there is no way that the composition of the ethernet cable will impact sound quality except by being faulty and causing dropouts. No deeper soundstage, no crisper highs.

Ethernet is packet based with robust error correction that moves well faster than necessary to keep the streamer buffers full. There is no meaningful possibility of data errors affecting sound quality.

Noise on the line is a separate issue, but the material composition of the cables won’t change that. Isolation does. Ethernet already provides that if you don’t deliberately defeat it. But if you’re really double concerned, you can eliminate that issue with fiber optic network cabling (requires an adapter at each end) which is quite a bit cheaper than many of the more exotic ethernet cables...plus with fiber you know you’ve nailed it first time and there’s no swapping out cables to see where the soundstage is better. That said I believe fiber to be completely unnecessary but in science and engineering it is at least an undeniably supported solution to this theoretical concern.

Not here to argue. We do not need to start a debate. I just believe it is important to have balance in these discussions. Ethernet cable believers are eager to chime in and recruit...I just want people to think logically for themselves and understand the tech before they spend their $$$.

Ethernet is, in fact, zeros and ones.  What's important are that the end connections are tight.  I don't know that the cable itself is super important as long as it's capable of not breaking down through twists and turns.  When we talk about digital, think about a typed message.  It doesn't matter much what kind of paper it's on, or what screen you  read it on. As long as it's clear and legible, the message is the same.  If, however, the connections are not secure, the components can retransmit the packets until the other end gets a good read. That retransmission takes time and can degrade performance, just like if the typed message is smudged or misspelled. Then you have to read it several times before you understand it.  Ethernet is the same.  Shielding can help reduce RMI interference.  The wires themselves are twisted pairs to reduce interference.  By the way, we don't talk much about the quality of the air when we talk about wireless or bluetooth.  That's because, wi-fi and bluetooth are digital.  Digital means that no matter how you get the message, it says the same thing.

@garrettc

Shielding can help reduce RMI interference. The wires themselves are twisted pairs to reduce interference.

True for “copper” Ethernet cables, false for fiber optic. There are streamers made today that accept this type of connection and with it you completely eliminate noise.

By the way, we don’t talk much about the quality of the air when we talk about wireless or bluetooth. That’s because, wi-fi and bluetooth are digital. Digital means that no matter how you get the message, it says the same thing.

Nice view of earth from space!
However, in audio and video applications Bluetooth is a lossy transmission due to the method’s inherent compression. WiFi is definitely better. But you’re missing a huge part of the equation here, which is the receiver that is now required to be part of the streamer’s design in order for your streamer to be wifi or Bluetooth. These devices, because they’re bidirectional when it comes to commission with the host, send and receive data. By doing that inside the streamer there’s quite a bit of noise that will be generated inside the unit. In addition this may potentially negatively impact other components in close vicinity to such device. Not to mention the receivers need to be powered and will consume some of the streamer’s power supply capacity. The noise must be dealt with to mitigate impacts to audio quality. It is extremely difficult if not impossible to completely eliminate this problem.
So the quality of air, to your point, is immaterial. You got bigger fish to fry there.