Ethernet Switch and Cables Mania

Please, keep cool and stay gents please…

I find the thread very interesting but I couldn’t find a response to my question.

I need your help :

In few weeks I will receive a second 2960 Cisco Switch for tests. What cable to use to bridge them? Cat 5, 6, 6a,7…? I don’t know… A real important thing that cable or not?

Thanks for your experimented answers. :+1:

:small_blue_diamond:Hi @Naimophile35,.Here I think @Darkebear can give the best advice.

He has experimented a lot with different cables between cascade Cisco’s.
I myself currently have an Audioquest Diamond 1.5m between my cascade Cisco’s,.but that’s probably not where you should start.

We’ll see if Darkebear can break his self-isolation,.and drop by here :grin:.

Stay safe…
/Peder🙂

What cables are you using now?

:small_blue_diamond:Michaelb,…I didn’t mention you because you have EnterRegen.
My mistake…Sorry.

/Peder🙂

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Well - I was really really enjoying my self-isolation (just me here) - but OK:

I found - and also confirmed by another well-known Forum person (who probably does not want to let-on), that between my two Cisco switches it made a huge difference to use a good quality cable - more than going from or to either switch to HiFi or from Router.

I experimented and ended-up buying a 0.75m AQ Vodka for that in the end - although an AQ Cinnamon 1.5m I had been using was also excellent.

I tried other normal Cat5e, Cat6 and Cat7 and they all sounded ‘different’ but only when I put the AQ cable into circuit between the two switches did it really reveal lots of easy detail and settle-down from occasional rough or harshness that were happening at times.

Another friend, as mentioned, chose to buy an AQ Diamond cable between them, as he already uses that to his ND555 - and he seems utterly besotted with the improvement - his wife commenting on 'where did all the good quality Bass suddenly come from’ - and generally better get-up and go and PRaT.

I’m presently using an ER switch as my ‘second’ switch feeding into the HiFi after my first switch - still using the bundled supply that came with that (I’m going at some soon point to experiment with another) - but I found cables here also matter; the ER does not totally isolate from the effects - they just seem a little different in character.

…back into isolation…

DB.

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Hello funky man,
I will try to send it on Monday. If there is no 3 hours wait before the post office.
( white Cisco)

You will have very different answers for which Ethernet cables.
Some preferred cat 5a, other common cat 6 or 7, and a majority Blue Jeans cat 6a.
And some more expensive cables, like me or other…

I think you missed the last post by @Richard.Dane in this topic. Please look it up a few posts before this one. Thanks.

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These things can be system dependent. I found the bridging cable choice to have nearly the same effect as the final cable (to the ND555 in my case), whereas the others though in some cases audible were less impactful. I use the same cables throughout, though, the DesignaCable Belden CatSnake Cat6a which works very well in my system (and at least 3 others) and better than the Audioquests, BlueJeans, Wireworld, Supra and Sablon that I tried. But that sad truth is that you are probably going to have to experiment.

You are a second Administrator?

No, but this topic is going nowhere with these endless and senseless discussions. No fun to read. So maybe you can just get over it and get back on topic? Thanks.

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I prefer to read you in that way.

It was irony, not arrogance.

:small_blue_diamond:Here we have it again,.with an emoji,this misunderstanding had been avoided.

But this picture below doesn’t need an emoji… Or…?

This considering everyone who has hoarded toilet paper :wink:.

:black_small_square:Ps: I put my joke-pictures in my threads from now on.
There are too many conservative members in the “Best jokes”-thread,.who devote themselves to flagging other people’s jokes…

Stay safe…
/Peder🙂

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I really appreciate your compassionate sentiment, Charles. However, stats show that the majority of the elderly audiophiles are the most gullible people on earth !!!

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How true, you are absolutely right! I could not disagree more.

frenchrooster

1m

I didn’t want to give up the Farad without trying a last thing:
I swapped the power cords from Melco to the Farad or Uptone ps.
So I connected the Kharma matrix cable to the Farad ( 500 euros cable) and the Uptone with Furutech plug to the Melco.
Before the Kharma matrix was on the Melco.

To my surprise, it gave the best results so far. The ER/ Farad sounds detailed, clear, dynamic as before, but with nicer and softer tones, more organic too.
I will compare tomorrow once more to be sure, but it appeared clearly to me today.

If no change tomorrow, my rating will be:

Nds to commercial router: 4/20
Adding Netgear gs 105: 7/20
Acoustic lan isolator: 8,5/20
Tp link mc optical converters: 11/20
Cisco 2960 instead of netgear, and tp link optical: 14/20
Cascade Ciscos with Audioquest vodka between both: 15!5 / 20
Etheregen/ stock ps: 17/20
Etheregen/ Farad/ entry level power cord or Etheregen/ Uptone lps 1.2/. 18,5 / 20
Etheregen/ Farad/ Kharma power cord/ 20/20

Maybe Cascade Etheregen and better linear ps could give 24/20. But didn’t tested.

The Farad super 3 lps seems very responsive to the power cables.
The lps 1.2 absolutely not. Or couldn’t hear it.

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Hi Frenchrooster, that’s a really helpful comparison. I think I remember you trying a cascaded configuration between the Cisco and ER, what would you have scored this? Thanks.

I use cisco 3750g to Aqvox switch… with very good results…cat6 between 2…this is in wall so cant change…its shielded and about 15m long.

@Peder
@Darkebear
@Michaelb
@frenchrooster

Thank you for your insightful responses.
If I understand correctly, there is not one but cables that can be a source of improvement for network streaming.

However, some cables mark the difference compared to other “exotic” cables like Audioquest Diamond, Blue Jeans Cable, Meicord … Everything will depend on the environment in which they are used…
I may need to test a few to find the One that works best in my network configuration.

To put things back, I embarked on dematerialization almost two years ago, and without too great convictions. I am not a “techno” geek and I wanted a simple thing to get started and which integrated Qobuz in native in the streamer. Thing that Naim couldn’t do at that time… And now available. Bluesound had good user feedback, but also in SQ when the streamer was used with an external Dac.
I don’t regret when i use it with Ndac/XPS. It’s excellent for the price/quality/friendly app. I use Qobuz at the 16/44 quality and at that level it’s already nice. :smiley:

I did not worry too much about the cables because until then it was good. No need to change anything but…

I thought I could not go further SQ level. Error !
When I bought my 1st CISCO after reading the thread here, the restitution made a good step in terms of clarity, noise sharping, details, space… I heard it even with an entry-level streamer compared to yours like NDS, ND555, Melco, Linn etc… So there is something to do there I think…

A problem arises in my case: is it reasonable or consistent to make network optimizations worth once or twice the price of my streamer? If so, I’m almost technically ready to host an NDS :wink:.

When I’ll have the second Cisco switch, where I should connect my Nas? On the first one or second one?

Edit & precisions:

My network :desktop_computer:

Box–>2960 Cisco–>Bluesound Vault streamer
NAS Qnap 251+ connected to the box.

Audioquest pearl cat7 (5m) between Cisco and streamer.
No name cat 6 between box and Cisco.

@frenchrooster
Yes it’s ME! Funkyloulou or man, what you want :slightly_smiling_face:… Don’t worry with the send, no need to wait few hours just for me. I can wait until the April’s 11. It’s not a first necessity and stay safe :mask:

I’m still thinking of buying another Cisco switch but in a PD version, just to try. But now, I’m not fixed yet…

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I would say not. Keep it in perspective. They do make a difference, but they don’t make the party… :wink:

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