I’m not sure exactly what you’re saying here. Virtually all of those expensive audiophile network cables are uncertified, which is why they are called streaming cables and not Ethernet cables. (Some early versions were sold as Ethernet until the manufacturers had their knuckles rapped because they didn’t comply to the relevant standards.)
While I have yet to hear anything that suggests to me that there is any significant benefit in sound quality from these expensive cables, I can’t see how their failure to conform to the official Ethernet standard could affect sound quality. The standards exist to ensure that the required volumes of data are delivered completely and reliably, and the low volumes of data in a digital audio signal are small enough that they will never come close to the limit of the cable.
As I understand it, all ethernet cable manufactured by the cable cmpys is type approve tested to the relevant standard.
What’s missing in most of the stuff bought for audio & other home network use, is how the RJ45 assembled patch cords comply. A badly installed RJ45 plug can turn a Cat6 cable into a Cat3 patch cord.
The only patch cord brands that do provide certified cable tests (the Fluke test) that I know of are BJC & MeiCord.
That said I would love to see such a Fluke test of one or more of the Chord streaming cables just to see, we all know they work & subjectively sound better than ethernet, so what’s to loose?
I can’t offer it for Chord, but Ars Techica asked BJC to do a test, including AQ Vodka. Googling for “Expert electrical analysis: $340 audiophile cables test “marginal”” should find it, it is on the Ars Technica website
Yes I read that review/test when it was first published.
The Vodka is a pukka 4x twisted pair ethernet, so it just showed the claimed Cat7 did not pass muster, I suspect the metal RJ45 plugs, which are published as Cat6, had something to do with it.
Most of the Chords are not actually ethernet, hence why they’re called streaming cable, I believe some are bundled mini coax, plus the RF stub that Chord call their ‘Aray’
I have some ethernet cables from audioquest.
- audioquest Cinamon
- audioquest Vodka
- audioquest Diamond
All my gear and most of the network use Cinamon from various sizes, and price wise is the best choice. I simply like that is coherent and works well with various streamers and is affordable compared to the other two. The sound is big and musical, clear and I love this cable, it gives a lot for the price.
The audioquest vodka adds a powerful bass, more detail a lot of texture to the cinnamon, everything is more clear and well focused, the lateral image grows a bit more, it’s easier to pin point location of sounds out of the speakers and also little bit more frontal than the Cinamon, the vodka is a more realistic, revealing and with better clear soundstage than the cinnamon. It’s a very good cable but no so easy with the wrong streamer or dac. But when it fit’s the system you will not be disappointed.
The diamond is all about detail and refinement, the bass is right and powerful but less powerful than the vodka, the sound is more behind the speakers than the vodka and textures are clear like wearing high resolution glasses looking a texture of a pile of sand and see all the grains, the diamond is all about information and reveals a lot of smal nuances on the recording room reverberation, pianos sound perfect and the decays stay for longer present, is a refinement of the vodka in every way. Also this could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on the system the diamond could bring too much unnecessary information.
I find the Cinamon the best and easier to live with, plays well with all my streamers and dac’s. I use a combination of the tree audioquest cables. The vodka on the right dac or streamer can be fantastic and the diamond is a step up but the price is not easy to justify.
But cables like this should be listened before we buy them, because every one listens differently, and every room and system has variables we can not take for granted. Also my taste on music is certainly a factor when choosing or deciding the cables to buy.
I opted and purchased audioquest diamond, vodka and cinnamon because it was easier for me to have access and listen then at home during the pandemic loaned by the dealer of the brand, but there are a lot of other brands with excellent offerings on the market that could be a better option for your systems.
And in the end even a standard good quality off the shelve cable can make wonders and be all the cable we need if it’s sounds good to us.
Yes, articles are referenced on the following thread as well, for reference.
@Prolly If you liked the Shunyata Ethernet cable you might want to try some of their power cords, or their power line units.
A cable I prefer to the AQ Vodka is the WireWorld Starlight 8… you should try both!
Is that the Platinum Star 8 or one of the less expensive Star 8 cables?
Platinum is equivalent to Diamond, and S8 to Vodka. S8 is the mid-range.
Interesting. Cinnamon was awful in my system.
Good write up, thanks.
Your point about streaming cable/Streamer/DAC matching is key when assessing streaming cables. I used to use AQ Vodka and loved what it did with my Cisco 2960 switches and NDS. But when I moved to ND555 (and replaced one of my two Cisco switches with an EtherREGEN switch) the sound become a little too aggressive and harsh with the AQ Vodkas on the last legs (Server to switch to ND555). I also later discovered the AQ Cinnamon between my two switches just sounded wrong, but elsewhere the Cinnamon was fine. Replacing the AQ cables in these critical legs with the much cheaper CatSnake 6a was a revelation and most of my Ethernet cabling is now with CatSnake but I still have AQ Cinnamon in various parts of the local network.
So the Vodka worked well with my NDS but not with my ND555. Maybe the Vodkas were helping out with the NDS’s less sophisticated noise rejection technology but simply didn’t work well with the NS555’s superior noise management, who knows?
I have learned that streaming cable performance is very system (and local network) dependent. A particular mix of streaming cables, DAC, streamer transport, switches, servers all interact in a way that is peculiar to that particular mix of kit. I also suspect that the more sophisticated DACs and streamers are happy with basic good quality streaming cables, but of course have the potential to respond well with particular high end streaming cables.
You have in my view very well described the different AQ cables. I upgraded for sometime from the Vodka to the Diamond and indeed appreciated what it did in my sustenance, while there was also a bit to be desired. I had the feeling I lost some of the musicality of the system and got a very analytical sound back. When I then upgraded to the Chord Music I was back in heaven. I am still having Vodkas to connect the two Melco to my Ansuz Powerswitch. Not sure if I ever will consider changing that part as well, as I am pretty happy and assume the last step will not bring so much additional….
For my wife a 2 euro cable on the streamer sounds the same as the most expensive I have, also all gear and speakers on the house for her are similar sounding, she only likes the music that play out of them.
Trying to justify her an expensive cable makes no sense, “its a simple cable”, she says “why buy that one when the streamer gives you one free”, for that price I could buy this and this, etc, etc, etc.
Arguing about any cable is complex, some people understand and speak about the small incremental changes they give, for others is a non sense argument and is pure snake oil.
Never forget that the ones who recommend a cable they do it based on the system they own, not the one you have at your home, so any opinion and recommendation has to be taken with a grain of salt. The same with reviews.
I had started not believing that ethernet can make a difference as i just cant convince myself how it can.
To cut the story short, after started trying, i ended up w AQ Diamond for my Core and ND555…
Where can I get those CatSnake 6a, is there any store in Europe that sells them?
Thanks,
Gosh… the collective experience and knowledge on this forum is just mind blowing. Having entered the world of streaming recently by adding an ND5 XS2 to my system, I’ve waded though this and many other topics. And my head spins a bit so this is a shout for some help/advise. 
The ND5 is playing on wifi for about 2 weeks now. Just slipped it into my Fraim and got it up & running to get the burn in over & done with asap. It has been flawless from the first power-up. But reading through the forum I want to try it wired too. My network is quite simple:
-
The ISP provided cable modem/router is a Technicolor 7200, located in the proverbial closet at the switchboard/fuse boxes from the house under the stairs. The wifi is switched off, don’t need it downstairs.
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An in-wall cable runs from the router to the first floor (living room & kitchen) connecting to an Apple Time Capsule. I think this is a Cat5e cable but I’m not sure. I got it installed during the rebuilding of the house some 6 years ago when streaming wasn’t even on my horizon. Replacing this cable would not be impossible but far from easy either.
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That’s it… The ND5 is connected to the 5GHz wifi from the Time Capsule that is only 4 meters away in the same room. Internet and wifi is fast (300 Mbit/s) and super-stable.
The streamer is for Tidal and internet radio only. I have definitely no plans to add a NAS or other stuff. So I think/hope(?) I don’t need as switch either. The only upgrade I’ve done is placing the stock 3 euro 12V power supply from the modem/router for a ifi Power X unit. This was a bit of a jawdropper. A very clear improvement throughout. 100 euros well spend and the importance of a power supply proved once more.
To connect the ND5 to the Time Capsule requires an 8 meter cable. As this is try-out mode, I’ve narrowed it down to:
1: BJC Cat6 or 6a (they suggested the 6 btw)
2: Belden Catsnake 6a (from Designacable I guess)
3: AudioQuest Carbon CAT700 (DIY installation cable that is supposed to sit between the Cinnamon and Vodka)
Sorry for this lengthy post. 
Any help would be apprecated!
Richard
That I test different cables, I do not need a lab certificate to make the cable, I usually need a pair of clean ears …
Catsnake 6a are made from Premium Belden 1303E cable and are assembled and sold by designacable on line in the UK. Just put ‘designacable’ in your search engine.
I recommend the floating screen option on the Catsnake 6a (there is a dropdown menu to select floating screen).
I would order a single shorter length first to try out in your system to see if it brings any benefits.
Agreed good ears are the one & only requirement. But please don’t misunderstand where I’m coming from on this; some of these boutique cables are very expensive compared to the commercial grade cables, it would be nice if these high profits were used to produce some actual data that shows us they are in truth what they claim to be.