ND555 Impressions

Great feedback Michael, very much appreciated.

Best regards, BF

Great feedback @Michaelb I’m going through a similar journey with my Vodkas. I have 2 x 3m lengths so a significant outlay. I’m keeping mine on my system for another couple of weeks to see how they pan out. Good to know Futureshop will honour returns if needed.

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:small_blue_diamond:@Michaelb,…Interesting,.that you and @Darkebear came up with completely different conclusions.
I share Darke Bears impressions.

But this shows once again,.that at this level you have to listen in your own system.

/Peder🙂

A good write-up and I agree with the impressions, as mine also had and can have that effect.

I think it is very system-dependent and from my own experience with cables I’ve not got on with some that other people like when in my own system I didn’t like them.

I’ve found the Vodka takes a long time to gradually lose its edge at top and the bass to even-out - I’d say mine took many weeks and continues to improve.

My position is that in my system they ‘work’ enough that I’m enjoying listening to a wide range of music and always hearing new things in old recordings I know.

The ‘timing’ issue does not happen in my system at all - it is the best timing in low-bass I’ve had.
But to obtain that with the Vodka it had to hang freely between the connected boxes - one touch on anything like another cable and the bass blunted and it lost the magic. In that respect they are possibly even more sensitive than the SL interconnect to the Pre that also needs to be free for the music to pick-up and fly right.

But all the cables I’ve tried have a ‘character’ to them - one they begin with and one they end-up with after run-in which you either can live with or not.

Interesting your findings about the Designacable. As with all considered reports of experience I’m interested where you go ahead.

For me I want for now to settle with things as they are before considering other tweaks and I’m sure I’ll try something else ahead to see if things can be taken further.

As to ‘why’ it all has any effect at all - well that got me too, but it does and I can think or things it may be but they have nothing to do with integrity of the data or timing accuracy.
Sure one of these is better screening to keep-out or in possible emissions may be a big part of it - I’m more thinking it is containing the possible radiated noise in the digital cable from getting elsewhere - but in the end what works works and trying it is the only way.

DB.

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Hi all, some great reviews on here … I really appreciate the effort that has gone into describing and relating findings - I am going through a similar process using AQ cinnamon & Viablue - and it makes a quite a significant difference. I don’t think I will be changing these - I have a nice detail uplift and good bass extension and texture. The cables have mellowed a touch - and seem to be settling in. I am still quite shocked - at how these so called data packets - can be influenced by the cable … when a line test on all my cables indicate that 100% of the packets have been transmitted and received…obviously not! My next port of call is the cable between NAS and master Cisco G3750 switch…and the patch cable from this to my main network…also a linear PSU on my NAS drive is on the cards…

Hi Rich, how does the Viablue compare to Cinnamon, as the amazon price is about £100 delivered.

Hi i cannot comment individually … the cinnamon ethernet I have is 8m long … from ND555 to switch and the Viablue .5m and .75m - between nuc & switch and switch and wall plate… I made my own Viablue leads using Telegarten plugs (these seem excellent - and are used on the Vodka). The Viablue construction appears excellent - main shielding then each pair is shielded -silver plated ofc copper solid core 24 gauge wire is used. All I can tell you is - this little lot made a significant difference. I would say buy the Viablue cable - and make your own lead its quite simple using the Telgerten plugs … there is a review of Viablue here…I don’t think you would be disappointed…
http://www.audiodrom.net/en/special-edition-reviews/104-ethernet-rj-45-cables-shootout

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Thanks Rich, an interesting review

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I like this ethernet wire too…
enjoy/ken

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Nice read Richieroo, very interesting:

"The Vodka utilizes what AudioQuest calls Noise-Dissipation System (NDS): Traditional shield systems typically absorb and then drain noise/RF energy to component ground, modulating and (distorting the critical “reference” ground plane, which in turn causes a distortion of the signal.)

NDS’s alternating layers of metal and carbon-loaded synthetics “shield the shield,” absorbing and reflecting (most) of this noise/RF energy before it reaches the layer attached to ground."

Nice sitting on the sidelines absorbing information!

Thanks!

Yeah … I have seen that its kinda like screen damping…hmm. There again they do other strange things like putting high voltage on the dialetric - bias … check out Audioholics … they are not very kind to Audioquest … I have an open mind…but I am slightly suspicious …

Sorry about the mention of Audioholics … they are more than a little biased re Audioquest … I don’t particularly believe AQ’s scientific explanations … but there are sonic differences so you listen and make up your own mind … the whole thing about ethernet cables effecting sound is weird - I don’t think anybody really knows why - but its real and not subtle.

Thanks all. Especially DB and MichaelB
I have been avidly reading the ethernet cable findings over the past few weeks, as it is a dilemma to get the most from the whole streaming set up we all have,
After going through months of experimenting on middle and higher end options (although not audioquest yet), I followed db (before he tried the audioquest) to basic cat 5 and gone for the belkin cat 5 and found the life back in the music but with a loss of the depth in the bass.
Thanks to michaelb, I have now ordered the belden 1305a in the hope this will give me both ends I am looking for.
To complicate things further I have recently purchased 2 of the paul pang double switches (which are a revelation) and the interconnecting ethernet leads all seem to make a difference, so whatever I try I need 4 cables at a time.
Cheers, great to hear all the opinions.
Rich

sound is so complicated always about compromise, you can never get everything.

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If anyone is using melco - have you tried the Melco cat7 option?

I ask because I originally discarded mine after connecting it new because of unpalatably bright flare/glare. I realised that in going back to cat 5e that I was giving up a lot of fine detail for a warmer overall sound, so decided to persevere with burning in the melco cat 7.

Having run it now for 40 hrs or so, it has completely changed and is now beautifully balanced across the range and constantly improving. I haven’t had the opportunity to compare it directly to any of those discussed previously, but it excellent to hear if anyone else has.

I use the Melco from Core to switch and switch to ND555. Its a sensible price, sounds very good with a nice balance.

I will have to give it a go. Sounds promising.

I originally tried a commercial CAT-7 cable with mine and really hated it. Perhaps if it had run-in it would be better but it showed so little promise I decided to try other cables.
Generally with all cables I have to initially hear at least some promise that there is something being done well there even if there is extra harshness or dullness that might go after burn-in. With normal commercial CAT-7 and CAT-6 I heard nothing in their presentation that made me want to persist with a run-in.
My CAT-5e was duller and warmer but ‘worked’ musically, so I was looking for a cable which could render the detail while not sacrificing fine detail.

The AQ Forest then Cinnamon cables I tried immediately showed that they had no inherent big nasty effects so I settled-on and enjoyed using Cinnamon for a few months as it was IMO everywhere better than the Cat-5e I had used in that it did not lose low-level detail to attain ‘clarity’.
The next AQ cable I tried was the Vodka which I’m currently using. It showed a lot more is possible, but did have a run-in journey of (for me) weeks, but I persisted because I heard immediately what it did good underneath the coarser overlay of problems that went while running-in.

I may eventually move on to try another cable but the same test will be, for me, do I at least hear some promise of something done that was not being done with the previous cable - if yes then I will have a go at running it in for eventual use.
The Vodka immediately showed where it was better in my system, even with the initial coarse-edges it initially had, now gone.
If I try another cable and I hear immediately it doing something I’m not presently getting then I will persist in running it in, but I have to at least hear that. IMO it is the job of the Dealer to loan you a run-in cable to hear what it does so you can see where it will bottom-out.

DB.

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If experimenting with Cat5e Cat6, 6a and 7 etc. don’t just buy budget cables: many of them are not compliant even to Cat5e so the comparisons could be entirely meaningless. Blue Jeans Cable test and certify their Cat5e, Cat 6 and Cat6a cables so you know you are at least getting what you pay for.

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You previously mentioned Designacable - they seem to offer Cat5e Ethercon to RJ45 but don’t see mention of RJ45 to RJ45 - which one did you use? I’m always ready to try another cable if well-recommended and not highly-expensive to try.

I did get on well in core music terms with the Cat-5e I had but it was nothing very special. I tried what were touted and fully standards-compliant Cat6 and Cat7 cables and was very disappointed by the relatively anemic and oppressive respectively presentation each gave so decided to re-try the ‘HiFi’ cables again with a bit better luck.

It is odd that it matters that much - when someone told me they used a £4k 1m Ethernet cable a few months ago I did not really credit it could be that important, but I’m using a £330 1.5m one now so I did find it mattered, even though I ‘knew’ it didn’t.

DB.