Lumin X1 was the first one to implement optical output on the streamer. They too recommend it. However some tried and prefer still their boutique Ethernet switch with copper cables . Other preferred the optical. Optical is not the only best and definitive solution. Simon explained also above.
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Initially I also thought that fibre optic was the ideal solution for galvanic isolation between internet and hi-fi system. Turns out, FO is just as fraught with SQ issues as copper. The whole conversion from voltage to light and back again has a major impact on SQ, power supplies still play a major role and noise is far from off the table.
I follow a Taiko Extreme thread on Whatâs Best Forum and its been interesting watching Extreme users move from copper ethernet to FO then back to copper. And judging by the number of posts related to the SQ of various parts of the FO chain, from my standpoint it looked like it generated more rather than fewer questions. Another thread discussing the ideal FO set-up is well over 100 pages long. Just FYI
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Itâs up to individuals to determine their preference ultimately, I try to avoid getting into a âwhich is bestâ debate where possible, setup appropriately both options will work fine, how much more someone wants to fiddle about with it beyond that is up to them.
If you have the available interfaces thereâs no harm trying as youâve read discussed elsewhere and picking your preference accordingly.
A potential future compromise could be Single Pair Ethernet as one example 100BASE-T1, which meets the throughput requirement of Streamers, has less complex cables and is designed to work well over short distances.
This could be implimented in a switching device with multiple PHY types supported covering optical and copper options as required.
If nothing else it would make the cable cheaper and less complex to manufacturer.
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Hi M,
I agreeâŚâŚthere probably isnât a good answer to âwhich is bestââŚ.the main two questions are:
Which is the most suitable for you and your situation?
How good do you want it to be?
The most important point, at least to my way of thinking is that whichever way you chose, your network implementation will have a major impact on the SQ you achieve.
You can decide to keep it cheap, simple and well set up and youâll achieve excellent results, but the key words are âwell set upâ or you can spend some serious money to perfect the data stream in terms of its performance vs. the ideal spec. and youâll achieve results that you probably never dreamed were attainable from streamed digital files.
If youâve got your hi-fi connected to a network with noisy supplies, thatâs being vibrated and having to compete for bandwidth with unmanaged traffic, donât be surprised when you hear other systems massively outperform your own, even when built using lesser components.
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Everything is subjective, especially from the point of view of those who have ânotâ tried it in their own system.
The main point is that Linn recommend optical ethernet per their own user manual.
Here is a paragraph from the Linn DSM/3 docs:
âThe optical Ethernet connection improves audio performance by providing complete isolation from noisy network componentsâ
Whether it sounds better or not is up to you.
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I have not said differently. Some tried both, optical and copper, on their own system, using Lumin X1.
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Having listened and compared copper vs. optical ethernet for over a year, I agree with Linn. In fact, I am not sure why some people think they know more than the Linn engineers on this issue (particularly the Klimax DSM/3).
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I have tried both on my Lumin P1 also, to me optical Ethernet sounds quite a bit better.
Using a Cisco 2960 8tc with SFP modules.
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Just use whatever option works best for you. Good to have both connection methods available to try out 
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Hi, as stated above ferrite inductors on fibre cables will do nothing at all. Inductance affects electrical circuits ⌠not light.
Ferrite chokes on conductor leads are typically used to provide inductance which in turn adds impedance to common mode noise⌠which is an unintended electrical current, that the signal can be superimposed onto.
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You have compared copper with what equipment ? Audiophile switch and high quality ethernet cable or commercial cheap switch with standard copper cables ?
You say that some know better than Linn. I was talking about Lumin, not Linn. Lumin, as Linn, recommend optical. But itâs easy to understand that itâs also an advertising recommendation. They are proud to have integrated optical output in their streamers and put it in the front.
However, if you read elsewhere forums, people have tried both, copper and optical, on the Lumin ( donât know for the Linn) and not all preferred optical.
Brand recommendations : sorry, but I donât trust them at 100%. Naim recommend cheap Ethernet switch, however a lot observed real improvements with audiophile switches, for the new streamers.
Rega recommends that the stylus is enough to grab the dirt of lps.
Uptone doesnât recommend linear ps for their Etheregen, but a lot observed the contrary.
Chord doesnât recommend linear ps for their EE8 switch, but many have added linear ps to it and enjoy.
And so onâŚ.
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The problem with this statement is that its far from being a universal truth. For sure FO does provide 100% electrical isolation, which is why it generally sounds better than a straightforward ethernet connection, which can carry various types of electrical noise, depending on things like whether screens are present and how theyâre connected.
But FO isnât plane sailing. There are 2 different types of cable; single mode and multi-mode. FO may use either light emitting diodes or lasers, and operates at 1 of 3 different wavelengths, 850nm, 1300 and 1550 nano-meters. The signal strength from the emitter side must match the sensitivity of the receiving sideâŚâŚtypically FO suffers losses over distance so often the signal is set to compensate the loss and a short cable will cause the receiver to overload, requiring an attenuator at the transmission side. Then users will need 2 media convertors to transpose voltage to light and back again, plus 2 small form-factor pluggable (SFP) transceivers, where users report major SQ differences and try to hunt down specific brands. These conversions from 1 medium to another generate their own noise. Then of course thereâs the power supplies for the convertorsâŚâŚ
Wireless is an excellent alternative to fibre optic in that it provides 100% isolation and has the advantage that is avoids the use of a physical cable, which is often quite difficult to lay, but its set up is no less critical to the final SQ where consideration must be given to the potential introduction of RFI and of course the noise and timing issues with wi-fiâs own conversions from voltage to radio waves.
Bottom line; audiophiles in pursuit of the finest sound quality are destined to become networking experts as they discover the profound impact that the network has on what they actually hear.
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Nothing like a network switch+cable+psu or wifi controversy to light up a forum! We have seen a few thousand posts about it, especially from some posts in this thread from an armchair network theorist, so I do not intend to go down this rabbit hole.
Just simply listen to what you are most happy with or for whatever reason that you think you can hear, you already have a thousand+ alternatives.
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I have just bought a Lumin P1 and it has an optical network input.
Currently, i have a 2m CAT6 patch lead from my moden to a wall socket, then a 20m run of CAT5 to another wall socket and then another 2m CAT6 patch cable to the P1.
Iâm still burning the P1 in at the moment, but intiall impressions are it sounds very good so far, much better than my previous NAD C658 running Full Dirac.
My dealer will sell me an audiophile Fibre Optic Converter Kit with LPSU for AUD 850 RRP and says it will isolate electrical noise on my network for better sound quality and I checked directly with Lumin and they told me the same thing, noting that I would have to install the Converter adjacent to the P1 at the end of the 24m run with a 1.5m fibre cable from converter to the P1.
I dont have much of a network as only one cable run/device on cable with everything else on WiFi so not sure if I will benefit much for the cost of the Fibre Converter Kit
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I would suggest that you check with Lumin (Peter Lie the firmware lead is very helpful and responsive) if they are OK with this FO converter, as most of the so-called audiophile network switchesâ mission is to get your money. Wifi can depend on the design and implementation of the wifi network interface on your streamer, for example the Linn Klimax DSM/3 wifi just sound (very) terrible (to my ears).
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The Lumin P1 does not work with Wifi, it has to be hard wired. Wifi obviously is used with your IPad/phone to access the Lumin/Tidal/Roon App.
Here is what I use with my P1 and Cisco 2960
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Thanks @NO-QUARTER, I did not know that.
Iâve heard somewhere that Lumin is a Linnâs copy cat, so they tend to have whatever Linn have, although they have a very good brand name.
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Thatâs good, I think you have the multimode FO. FYI, I tested both single and multimode FO, and I think single mode is better, more musical.
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Well I ordered single mode.
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