Yes… It will isolate one from the other. You can also convert Ethernet to Optical fiber… pretty inexpensive… Always remember Google is your friend… One last question how far is your router from your audio system, and what’s it plugged into?
@anon5525519 To convert into optical I will need 2 tp-link devices, so that I can convert it back to ethernet at the end, right?
It’s about 1.5m away.
What do you mean by “plugged into”? Glass fiber?
Power; are you using any Mains Conditioning?? Routers modems any of the stuff that uses those switching power supplies can throw noise and hum. And yes or you could go straight in with optical since you have optical inputs…
Go out of the router with ethernet cable into a Ethernet Optical converter and run optical into the Atom… worth a shot…
Hi, what type of Ethernet cable are you using? Is it sheilded? If so, I wonder if a ground loop has been created through the shield. Nearly all audiophile ‘streaming cables’ are shielded, as are many Cat6 and 7. If you are using one of these, try a regular unshielded cable, probably Cat5e, or any cable that is marked UTP as opposed to STP.
Rick, the optical inputs on the Atom are SPDIF. Even if you managed to convert your ethernet signal to SPDIF, it is a 1 way protocol, ethernet is (in this application) 2 way. It wont work.
The only way to do it would be to have converters at both ends.
Cable > optical > cable.
Given that…
1 the problem disappears if the turntable is disconnected from the phono amp
2 the Ethernet connection is galvanically isolated and the turntable isn’t
…this strongly suggests that the problem isn’t with the Ethernet connection after all, but rather with the TT or its interaction with the phono amp.
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Why not use the Atoms WiFi. No ethernet cable connection and plenty fast enough for streaming.
@Xanthe If you think that the problem is only with the turntable<=>phonopreamp interaction, how do you explain the fact that the hum disappears when ethernet is disconnected? Shouldn’t the ethernet have zero influence if isolation was complete? From what I’ve learned in one of the above links, “galvanic isolation” as a specification doesn’t always imply total galvanic isolation.
I’ve been told that the lack of “star ground” in the phono preamp may cause that difference ground potential between Lehmann and Atom. I’m not 100% convinced though. I will exchange the Lehmann with a Clearaudio Smart Phono in about 2 weeks. If I’m not mistaken, the Clearaudio follows the star grounding scheme. Looking forward to see if that changes anything.
@anon5525519 No, I’m not using any kind of mains conditioning. Another option. Thanks.
@anon5525519, @raym55 Thanks for the advice. I totally forgot that the Atom has optical inputs. Just a pity that it is unidirectional. Does that mean that I will have to use 2 converters chained? Router => Cable => Converter => Optical => Converter => Cable => Atom ?
If so, I’m still dealing with Ethernet at the end, not optical. 
@ChrisSU I have tried both shielded and non-shielded.
@raym55 I thought WiFi is not regarded as best option for HiFi usage. Please correct me if I’m mistaken. But you’re right, it’s an option. I would still like to find out more about the cause of the problem. As @Xanthe mentioned, my turntable may have a problem. If so, I don’t just want to evade it by using Wifi.
Lots of sticking plaster solutions mentioned amongst the more sensible replies.
You’ve already mentioned you use unshielded Ethernet cable so there is very unlikely to be an extra ground connection here. I think it’s a red herring so messing around with switches and opto isolation is not going to help. The suggestion of moving to wireless is a good temporary solution but doesn’t fix the problem.
What cables are you using between the TT - Black Cube - Atom. Have you tried replacing them ?
Unshielded ethernet cable rarely exist.
The ethernet cable is not the cause.
Yes
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I don’t know where you got that idea from, Cat-5e & Cat-6 UTP are the most commonly used cables. In most domestic situations STP is not required, in some situations it can have negative effects.
I agree this problems is not caused by ethernet, Xanthe’s diagnosis has a pretty good chance of being on the money - TT & its phono stage is causing a ground loop,
I don’t understand this. Unshielded Ethernet cable is very widely available.
If removing the Ethernet cable causes the problem to disappear, it has to be part of the problem, even though it looks as if the solution may lie elsewhere.
@Faye
Please re-read my first post. You have all the classic signs of a ground loop problem. Systematic diagnosis will likely clear it, if it doesn’t then consider a faulty component somewhere.
I’m pretty sure there’s no need to spend ££ on ethernet converters etc etc.
Ok, here’s what I’ll do: I will try placing an additional switch between router and atom. It doesn’t hurt. Maybe it helps.
(If I can get an ethernet isolator for testing, I may try that as well, as long as I can return it if it shouldn’t work out.)
Next step: Main consent seems to be that the problem is between phono preamp and TT. As I will be changing my preamp anyway, it doesn’t make much sense to start fiddling there now. There is a chance that the star ground on the new preamp may have a positive effect. I will wait for the new preamp and report back in about 2 weeks.
Really appreciate your help so far! Thank you!!
@james_n https://www.flashbacksales.co.uk/acatalog/2-phono-rca-plugs-2-phono-rca-plugs-performance-cable-297.html
Shouldn’t be the problem, not?
@ChrisSU I agree, but it’s still worth to wait for the new phono preamp at this point.
@raym55 I should be able to locate any ground problem by testing continuity, right? I did continuity checks on the turntable. Maybe I missed to test some connections. Do you have a suggestion between which signals I should be measuring, bearing in mind that the hum only appears when ethernet is connected?
Don’t worry about a meter.
Plug ethernet in.
Pull all the ground leads you have, does the hum go away?
If ‘yes’ then replace them one at a time until hum comes back.
If ‘no’ then you have a component / cable problem.
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Have you ruled out the Atom is not faulty ?
Easy thing i find is take it to your dealer try it there.
No-one yet seems to have thought about the shorting plugs - what happens without these ? I seem to remember reading somewhere that some phono stages don’t like them. Could be another red herring…
Consider introducing an Entreq ground box, or Entreq grounded interconnect between your TT and Atom, or on the RJ45 Ethernet Atom to router connection. Google is your friend.
As the dealer who I refer to for system tuning says - once you have tried an Entreq in your system (they take 24 hours to settle) you will not want to take it out.
PS. I use TQ Black II for my speaker cable and digital interconnects (TQ B Waveform II), the Entreq RCA I use from my chord DAC to non-Naim Pre-amp. The Naim Uniti Core will be getting a Powerline this weekend (from Powerline lite)…
Connected additional switch yesterday. No change unfortunately. Will wait for the new preamp now and report back in about 2 weeks.
That sound like great stuff! I’ll certainly have a closer look. Thank you! Still, I am convinced that such a big expense can’t be the only solution at hand.
@raym55 I’m afraid that I don’t understand what you expect by disconnecting all grounding. The only thing that happens when I disconnect the turntable’s ground wire from the phono preamp, is that a tremendous hum is added.
@obsydian Unfortunately it is imported. Can’t just take it to the next local dealer.
@TallGuy Whether I plug in shorting plugs into the preamps input or nothing at all is the same.