I’ve tried researching this here but came up with nothing of substance, so apologies if this has been discussed and I am simply derelict in my efforts.
Is there anyone who simply connects their Naim streamer to a wall plate/port? Example: I have a Google Nest and several of its satellites all around my home (on each level); the Nest router is in the basement. Our home has Cat6 cable wired throughout from 5+ wall (keystone) jacks, with each coming to a point in the basement by the router and each is terminated. Those are then connected to a Cisco switch.
Currently, I use wifi (and have read LOTS of peoples’ perspectives regarding wired vs wireless), but am curious if anyone’s noticed (a) difference(s) by simply connecting their streamer straight to the wall.
It’ll be fine, just plug it in and use it.
Fair enough.
If you have ethernet connections unless wi-fi sounds better to you I think you’ll have a far more stable connection.
I see that your network cabling goes into a Cisco Catalyst switch, which is thought by many to have certain sound quality benefits, and I doubt passing the connection through a wall plate would affect that. I guess you could, if you’re curious, connect the streamer cable directly to the router to see if it makes any difference.
I have a Cisco 24 port basic switch currently feeding 16 jacks around the house. I plug my Nova and Muso Qb into any of he jacks as I move them around the house and they just pick up and go every time.
I use a switch dedicated for connection to the wallplate that feeds the audio streamer.
Network to television and PC connect direct from the router. I don’t know if there is any acual benfit gained by attempting to keep the audio signals isolated, but, it can’t do any harm.
Thank you all for the responses so far. I’ll admit that I likely do not have quite the skilled/able ear to notice subtle benefits between Cisco connected or wifi, or even between Ethernet cables. I am thinking of just going direct to wall, since even with mesh I experience drops during listening sessions once in a while and it does become maddening. A stable experience/connection, honestly, trumps a slight/noticeable/whatever lift in SQ. I feel my NDX/XPS DR combo, aside from the streamer’s comparatively antiquated wifi module, is SQ enough for me.
Indeed, with a first generation Naim streamer I would definitely use a wired connection. I’d be very surprised if it sounded worse, or wasn’t more reliable.
If you have connection issues with WiFi, try the cable for sure.
You can start with a simple Cat5x patch cable to the wall; hopefully it should be rock-stable then.
(I got this, works fine. No issues with network; thoug WiFi worked most of the time as well in the rather small flat here.)
If you ever feel experimental or think you lack/lost something in sound: still time to play with cables, connectors, and switches.
Thank you.
I have a couple of AudioQuest Cinnamon cables lying around (Blue Jean as well); will likely try it tonight.
Connection via a certified and properly terminated wall plate and cable run from your switch should be fine. However given the strength of opinion in this place I am sure others will have a different opinion.
Following on from the direction another networking type thread has taken it would be interesting to know how manufactures such as Naim operate and test their equipment back at the factory, I would expect them to use a structured cabling system terminated at wall plates simply for practicality.
Interesting, Roog. I never thought of that (Naim testing, that is).
I tried connecting an AQ Cinnamon Ethernet cable from NDX to wall-plate last night and listened for probably 3 hours or so.
I then went from NDX—>Cisco Catalyst 2960—>wall-plate today while I worked and it sounds quite good. I’ll have to spend more time with the switch; this is all pretty new to me since moving into a dedicated listening room.
BTW, does anyone know what LED indicator colors are supposed to be on the left/right side of the streamer’s Ethernet port? More curiosity than anything.
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