A short while ago I remembered I’d disconnected it to make way for my xmas tree lights. Well I’ve just reconnected and it’s a significant uplift. More seperation, wider and deeper soundstage, bass is more solid, and more of that lovely NDS texture. Presentation more forward as well, which I like.
It’s a tremendous value addition imo
Probably one of my favorite “tweeks” in my system. I remember plugging it in a said “Wow” immediately.
With farad super 3 it gets even better.
I preferred the PN but it is much more expensive.
Ee8 is wonderful
So true! PN was out of my price range at the time.
Interestingly I was testing one I picked up on eBay and put it in the network in my office in place of my Netgear 108e. OMG moving files off the NAS was super fast…. I’m tempted to get another one for the office (esp as I have an Atom HE).
Yes it is quite a bold presentation isn’t it.
I’m waiting for delivery of an MCRU LPS to compare against my FARAD.
Will find out soon which I prefer.
I use EE8 with Farad Super 3. PhoenixNet off that as final switch. I like what they do together. Just use PhonenixNet off EE8. Nothing else on EE8. Have tried just Phoenixnet but like what EE8 do with it. I guess it makes it more velvety sounding.
Then Netgear GS108 for TV/AV duties off router.
Bit of trial and error and preference.
I have already quite some years a power switch from Ansuz. A good audiophile switch is an absolute requirement when you want to have a good sound. I have never heard a direct comparison between different switches, ….would be interesting though.
Interested in how you ended up with SL interconnect, Ansuz switch and Chord Music Ethernet. Did you evaluate Ansuz and Chord against SL interconnect and Ansuz against Chord Music ethernet?
It’s quite easy….
For the interconnects at the time it was easy. Naim had interconnects available and they have been part of the initial deal. Then when Naim came up with the super-lumina I upgraded them as a logical step in increasing performance and also keeping synergy in the Naim sound. I am not sure if chord interconnects would be better, but also keep in mind I also care about synergy…, a total chord sound as the electronics I don’t like…
Then with the switch. I already had power distribution from Ansuz with great experience in my system (uplift in sound). Then Ansuz came up with the power switches, and it seemed to me as a no brained relatively overseeable investment with a big gain. At that time I remember that switches wasn’t yet that 100% common as it’s now and comparable products like now from Melco even hadn’t been introduced. And always keep in mind you are working with a dealer that means also that you are open to the portfolio of products which are offered by them. And a great comparison of multiple products is often also not available. While Ansuz switches fare very well in reviews by the way.
With regards to the Ethernet cables I did a quite extensive personal review with a friend in my own system. I had as base Audioquest cables and then tested multiple cables in comparison. I even had a short while an Audioquest Diamond cable in my system (but found the cable a bit too analytical). But eventually I found the Chord Music the best of all cables tested with a good impact on my sound. At the time either the Melco cables didn’t exist or didn’t yet have a great reputation, but I belief didn’t exist in the market.
So bottom line I first overall started with looking at synergy, but in the later years I have looked at some smaller upgrades which I checked on on one. Perhaps today I might overall have taken different decisions, while now the product pallet is different now. And overall I have to say that I have the feeling that I still made the right decisions within my context and my desired sound.
As long as we had 3.8 I was totally happy with my system, and wouldn’t have considered changes. Let’s see where the pain of the last four months takes us.
OMG………
Have been making some network upgrades this past week and OMG it’s just all suddenly come together… it’s hard to describe the effect without getting into ‘inky blackness’ and all that hyperbole. What I will say is that a very wide range of recordings now sound ‘real’ - just as if the musicians were playing in front of me. Almost disturbingly so. There’s no ‘does that bit sound quite right? Can I hear the detail? It’s just ‘there’.
Don’t every let anyone say network doesn’t matter….
My system is Linn DS3/Organik - NAC332/NPX300/NAP250NC
The network is now BT router - GS108e ~ TP 12vLPS - to streamer (SOTM cat6- EE8 - AQ Vodka) - the NAS is upstairs in the office and what has made it click tonight is this lot - another EE8 picking up from the cat 6 I put up the back of the house and linked to a new M4 Mac mini solely running Audirvāna Studio - and connected to the EE8 with the Chord cable. The red one is a Wireworld cat 8 that goes to my Atom HE.
I think I learnt from the discussions here that EVERY BIT of the stream matters…
Hi Brendan,
I am probably not allowed to link to that place. But I feel you could gather some nice insights as well at the site of Alpha Audio. That’s also available in English and has special articles on network set up. Let’s just say that you are very right with the conclusion that every part of the chain is important…
Farad released the Super 6 power supply, looks interesting (I think discounts were being offered to Super 3 users)
Yes I saw that last week. I’m waiting for @drago to try it out lol
To those thinking about EE8 with expensive power supply like Farad I would propose a used Ansuz A2 Powerswitch instead which Bertbird above use. I use D2 and these switches are amazing and much better than EE8 in my experience.
My purse sadly doesn’t meet the requirements…
Just a note, Chord Cable Company & Chord Electronics are in no way related, completely different companies just happen to have a similar name. This is also why Chord Cable Companies electronics are branded English Electric
Just tried to use Russ Andrews RF dump to get rid of HF noise from the outer shell of dc plugs (the negative collar of the adaptor plugs that connect the devices to the Sbooster plugs - note that this should not be done if the DC plug is polarity inverted, which is the case for some devices) into my router and SonicTransporter and i am shocked how this improved sound stage and depth. I measured that the EF (electric field) noise in my AQVodkas dropped from 120 to 15 V/m ! Everthing was already good and the only reason i tried this out was that i was about to throw the Russ Andrews RF dump away because i felt that it was completely useless (it did nothing to my turntable, for which i had originally bought it)
My streaming system:
Fritzbox router - AQVodka to SonicTransporter- AQVodka to Gustard switch - fibre to LHY Sw6 switch with LHY OCKII clock - Bricasti M5 streamer…
What was it that went from 120 to 15?
