Indeed. I am actually going to swap the Cinnamon I have between my UnitiServe and my 2960 with the other Catsnake first. If no improvement then I’ll swap the Vodka between my two 2960s for this other Catsnake.
A couple of years ago I had a Cinnamon between my two 2960s and swapped it for a Vodka…a great improvement, so I tend to agree that the Cinnamon is not a great cable.
I tend to leave quite a bit of time between changes as I tend to get terribly confused about which arrangements are optimal.
I use a Chord Music ethernet between my ND555 and Cisco 2960 switch. The Music cable is a high resolution cable without any hint of tension or edge. The music just flows in a wonderful and involving way. I also use the Music interconnects and they have the same quality. It’s an astonishing cable which helps my ND555 reach its full potential.
Previously had AQ Vodka into ND5XS from 2960, and now uses AIM NA1 into Sotm lan isolator then AIM NA 7 into the streamer. Deeper bass, better in mid range and harshness is gone.
I’ve not heard the Music Ethernet cable, but I did listen with the DIN Music between ND555 and 552 during my home demo of the former and, personally, didn’t like it: smooth, liquid and low noise floor certainly, but not lifelike on the instrumental tones and textures of classical instruments which is my big bugbear. In fact, I’ve not heard a Chord cable I like for one reason or another (either this or soundstaging). Which isn’t to rubbish Chris’s preference but rather simply reiterate how personal some of this can be and why it helps for us to state what we are looking for as well as what we prefer.
FWIW I had similar criticisms of the Superlumina DIN…
Something I’ve found with all the Chord cables I’ve listened to is that they create artificial separation which can sound impressive sometimes, but can also “explode” instruments across the soundstage so that they lose their integrity. I remember listening to Forcione with Indigos, which splattered his guitar strings across the room… Piano is another casualty. I’ve come to consider what Chord are looking for as more to do with audiophile special effects than high fidelity, at least where classical and “acoustic” instruments are concerned.
Tested 4-5 Chord cables months ago, one was a white one from Chord (sarum?) for over 2000€. I ended up by purchasing this TQ, imho better than Chord and cheaper!
I use a Ghent Audio Belkin Catsnake 6a with special floating screen JSSG treatment (essentially a faraday cage type screen) for my final leg, and it’s not going anywhere. It’s close to the BJC Cat 6a but just that much better imo. All the rest of my system(s) is BJC Cat 6a or 6. I’ve tried AQ Cinnamon (nice clarity but thin and weak), Melco Opal (bloated bass), Teragrand and various other Amazon cables and all are somewhat veiled and uninspiring. Haven’t tried anything higher end - I see no point in paying more for an ethernet cable than what my amplifier cost (all of $500)!
It’s a very good cable, like the DesignaCable Belden CatSnake Cat6a and floating but with a wire connecting either end of the screening to the other along the length of the cable (a John Swenson idea), only it has the long Telgartner connectors which I really don’t like it…
Metz connectors actually, and yes, they are unwieldy to say the least, esp into the credit card sized microRendu I have hanging off the back of the DAC V1 (I go via the hard Uptone USPCB connection). The JSSG shielding makes the cable thick - it’s a true anaconda!
Ah, I stand corrected. At least the Metz are shorter. But the plastic release tang doesn’t work properly in some RJ45 sockets including those on the 1st generation Roon Nucleus at least.
OK, in addition to replacing Vodka with CatSnake 6a between second 2960 and ND555, I have now replaced Cinnamon with CatSnake 6a between UnitiServe and first 2960, and have left playing or 24 hours.
Blimey! Just more of the same improvement heard when installing the first length of CatSnake 6a. More natural rendition of instruments and voices, more PRaT, more air, more sense to what the artist is trying to convey. Less listening fatigue, less edge and grit, less ‘seat of the pants’ portrayal heard with the AQ Vodka and Cinnamon.
In some ways the CatSnake is less exciting, but I have learnt the excitement that first attracted me to the AQ cables is somewhat superficial and obscured the real tone and timbre of instruments, made vocals less natural and left a whiff of sterility to the presentation - a bit artificial if you like.
I suspect that these AQ cables are introducing some noise, or interacting with other devices, in ways that initially sounds exciting and provides an attraction. But that can become fatiguing, and ultimately, short-lived. The CatSnake however delivers a far more natural and balanced rendition, and is hence far more rewarding and enduring.
