Ethernet cable for music streaming

@soix

@ghdprentice

+2 …..

A upgrade to a linear power supply is a meaningful and important performance upgrade compared to a switch power supply in any case,….and significantly over the OEM throw-in crap POS wall wart supplied with the unit

The insertion of a Wi-Fi extender is a cheap no-brainer.

I was initially a hard skeptic of the audiophile network switch option too. Fortunately , I watched the following YouTube review ( first of several by Hans) , that encouraged me to finally set aside my bias, and give a SILENT ANGEL network switch a try.

In brief , yes, a further audio improvement was here with

- a blacker background,

- It introduced added lifting of an ethereal “veil” from streaming “ jitter” and “noise” ,

- along with further incremental eliminations of streaming digital “edge” / “brightness’ .

it is beyond my pay grade to explain the engineering tech reasons why ,

NOTE: As Hans points out in his reviews, the audio streaming benefits from audiophile grade network switches are very system dependent:

- they are clear and unambiguous in his “A” reference system, and progressively somewhat less as he steps down into his “B” and “C” systems.

He has several YouTube reviews of the different network switch contenders, = choose wisely

Post Script

Adding another quality build external linear power supply to the audiophile switch above to replace the cheap OEM supplied wall wort,, had a second similar streaming performance upgrade as adding a LPS to the streamer/ DAC itself.

Forgot to mention another thing to try would be to get a Wi-Fi extender or Mesh system....

I need to try this. I have read this a few times over the past while. 

About a year ago I removed the router from my hi fi room to eliminate unnecessary wifi waves near the components (ethernet cable connection to the streamers, not wifi), and replaced it to the upper floor of the house. But then thought I am using an iphone as a remote controller in the room anyway, and of course there are hundreds of frequencies of electromagnetic interference travelling through our rooms, components and brains continuously all the time, so unless one wanted to build a hifi room inside a faraday cage, and not use wifi controllers, I think the point is mute. 

Therefore, there should be no difference having an auxillary wifi extender, (or a sub-router essentially?) somewhat near the hifi > sotm ethernet > streamer, instead of the 50' long piece from the upstairs router into the etherregen > sotm > streamer, and comparing that. Then comparing inserting the etherregen, or Cisco switch, between extender and streamer. Hmmm. 

Any suggestions for extender models/brands? 

For extender I use a tp link AX3000, it’s 99 from Amazon. Works great, it’s in my upstairs loft and the router is in my basement. Great strong reception it has one out for Ethernet cable. Simple set up. 

Thanks to all for the very helpful responses. Of course, now I'll have to figure out which remedy to try first, and I'm leaning in the direction of upgraded LPS and wi-fi extender. I see that Small Green Computer offers a 12v power supply at a reasonable price that will almost certainly be better than the Chinese one that came with the Innuos streamer. I'm trying to keep this budget in line with the value of the component(s) in question, so spending kilobucks (I think I just made that word up) on any of this doesn't make sense to me. 

I'll post my results--or lack of results--as thing progress.