Network setup

Streaming Audio
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At present, my setup is as follows

TalkTalk router > 50m Cat6 cable through loft to Silent Angel Bonn 8 switch > HDX server and ND 555.

I’m wondering if it would be worth bringing both the HDX and switch through into the living room at the front of the house, so that the Cat 6 cable would run to the streamer directly from either the switch or the router?

Or will it make absolutely no difference?

It will involve a certain amount of cable re-routing, so I’d like some thoughts from our networking-savvy folks before I try it out.

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Your current set up is much like mine, i have router> cat 6 about 30m around the outside of house to living room>etheregen> 5m AQ forest>Phoenix switch>nd555. The Core is attached to the etherregen switch.
I have moved the Core to router, made no difference. The layout in the living room requires two switches, so no way of telling if a straight run from router would be beneficial. I would be surprised if it made a huge difference…….?

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I don’t think you would hear any difference Dave. I do recommend you keep running through the switch and not direct from the router. There was an improvement in the sound through the switch. Someone with networking experience could discuss the improved security on the network working through switches vs running lines direct from the router to devices.

You just maybe trying to squeeze blood out of a stone…

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If you can find a technical document that explains why too short is a problem, I’ll be pleased to read it.

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The truth is that none of it makes any difference to SQ. You should put things where you want them and connect them up with switches (you don’t need fashionable secondhand or overpriced new audiophile switches) and any cheap cat 5e Ethernet cable.

Then just enjoy the music.

Of course there is lots of expectation bias in this game, which I expect some follow-up posts may demonstrate admirably.

Best

David

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With switches like these, none

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I think I’d stick with what you have done, it’s a similar set-up to mine too.

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Unless a quick thing, I’d stick.

I’ve got an EE8. When researching the EE8 I seem to remember the logic being to have the switch close to the streamer on a short high-end network cable to get the SQ benefit. Moving it further away may diminish the benefit of the switch by introducing meters of lesser quality cable traversing a variety of conditions.

I have 20m cable from my router running up the gutter (heated in the sun) through the loft (over power cables) to the office. My preference is for that to be behind the switch rather than in front.

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