I shall be doing some more listening later but I’m utterly drained after my lot ended the 21 game unbeaten run of Stockport yesterday and threw in a world class goal to boot so I think it’ll be later this afternoon when I settle to do some more listening.
If ethernet is screened (STP) (Cat6A & Cat7 etc) as is C-Stream & the switch has metal shrouded ports, the screen connection can (can) carry the ground to two different earth/grounds & that might have a detrimental effect. The standard for commercial ethernet installs is to have only one single ground point on a network.
So do I.
Nice little playlist to test things out further. There’s an instant level of engagement with the C-Stream. It is, as others have observed, nicely balanced and times well. It does a lot of things well I do think though that my initial observation about slightly recessed vocals stands. Showed up especially on the Richard Thompson where he’s several feet further away and less distinct than I’ve been used to over the years. It’s also a tad on the lean side as the Shelby illustrated. I think that more likely my speaker/amp impedance mismatch and I can certainly live with it a while longer.
Nevertheless, after 16 months of streaming it’s a nice step up for relatively little cost. There’s a whole list of further improvements e.g. a move from Naim amplification and/or one or both of the small Innuos boxes (PhoenixNET/reclocker).
My Innuos PhoenixNet has metal ports and I use Audioquest diamond cables with Telegartner metal connectors. The result have no detrimental effect, even the contrary.
Hi FR, please don’t misunderstand me, I did not say metal ports & plugs will cause detrimental effects. I said it “can” (meaning possibly) have a detrimental effect if the network has a full overall screen and has two earth/ground points.
Yes Mike, I wasn’t contradicting you really, just testifying that it works for me.
In my case, with metal ports and plugs, using shielded cables does have a detrimental effect.
This is common to all the shielded cables I’ve tried.
… and as it happens, I too found whole network ethernet screen connectivity not ideal.
In my case I found my problem was x2 earth connection points with a Cat7 & Netgear G105 switch, the NDX port is grounded as is the Synology NAS port, plus the Netgear switch was capacitively ground connected. I started a thread on the single ground point subject.
I now have Cat6 (UTP) & an unshrouded Cisco switch & I can’t find much within sensible money that improves it.
I also helped a friend with a Linn system who connected via Cat7 (STP) to a NAS in another building.
I ran a Cat6 (UTP) from NAS to his listening room wall socket, that was an improvement.
I left him experimenting with the wires from the wall socket Last I heard he was using BJC after some experiments with some of the usual boutique Cat7.
Do we know for sure that these cables are earthed at both ends? I remember I thread many years ago where everyone was convinced the same applied to Audioquest Vodka but a friend of mine who worked for them confirmed this was not the case.
Keith
I checked my C Stream before I sold on my EE8 and the shield is connected at both ends.
A few days further on. Well there has been further improvement. However, I have no idea whether it is cables burning in, power supply running in, or a combination of both. I know, with reference back to original comments, hear the point you were trying to convey.
Settled down to listen over the Bank Holiday having ripped a couple of new purchases and… truly awful. Sounded like we were listening through the end of toilet roll tube. Thought at first it was the rip. Certainly one of the albums is awful quality. The other is absolutely not. Someone reassure me it will get better again.
What have you changed Mike?
Literally nothing unless you count my massively happy mood after watching my team in 7 consecutive home games; making Wembley in the FA Trophy final and having a large family get together for the first time in 2.5 years.
My team also made it to Wembley but my system still sounds great, hopefully yours will too soon
That could be due to external influence such as RFI (airborne or mains borne).
Using shields on balanced cables can make a system more prone to external influence.
Thanks. If only I knew what any of that meant.
Bought a cable. It replaced a cheaper cable. I wouldn’t rave about it as others have. There are pluses and minuses. Suddenly it’s gone very minus.
Hi Geko,
Did you ever get round to trying 2 English Electric network switches in tandem? I found your post, where you were waiting for your dealer to get another switch in stock, but cannot find any follow up to this. I would be interested to hear your findings. Have you also tried running the English Electric on a external power supply i.e. Silent Angel, Teddy Pardo etc.
In a nutshell, it means that the reason it’s gone very minus may may be due to things outside your house influencing the system; and that with that influence occurring, a different type of cable may result in a better sound.