Deleted, please remove.
Hi Blackmorec and thanks for the Thread / suggestions above.
I have a Homepass Plume super-pod based mesh network that is at 70mb and about to be upgraded to 900mb on 5th Jan.
I like the idea of using one of the multiple WiFi channels for audio with first priority using 5ghz. I’ll read up on this.
I have placed a super pod near my Naim Atom HE which I will configure for 5G. Are you then saying I should wire this from the pod via a switch to the HE & this will give the best SQ. Or should I just let the pod connect to the HE via Wi-Fi using 5G & this will give the best SQ (and cheapest connection😄).
Thanks,
Hi there,
Thanks for the reply. What you want is the very best (least noise, least jitter) stream reaching your HE.
Im not familiar with your particular pod, but I would base my decision on the following
Going from wi-fi to ethernet is a fairly noisy transition so I would avoid doing that on the HE. So first recommendation would be to go from super pod to HE via ethernet and do the conversion in the super pod (if the Superpod has an ethernet port.
Then there’s the point of whether to go from Superpod to switch to HE. That depends on how good the Superpod output is. If a switch’s output is of a lot higher quality than the Superpod then going via the switch will be beneficial. Hope you follow my logic
Cheers!
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Did you move BT hub to modem only mode or can a Unifi replace the BT hub completely like (say) a TPLink can?
We used to have a TDW9980.
Following on from a previous thread discussion I added a Linear power supply to my Asus DSL AC88U modem/router (Broadcom chipset). This made a sizable difference.
I now have only two wires out of this, one to a TPlink Mesh system for all wifi (The Asus radios are disabled) and the other cable direct to my Melco then onto the NDS. Nothing else is wired, everything is else is via wireless ie TV, PC, phones. This works very well for me.
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As someone with wide technical experience of computers and networks I find this thread hilarious. All digital data sent across a network is buffered and the timing of output has absolutely nothing to do with network devices and everything to do with digital to analogue conversion after the signal is received.
If data was lost or changed during transmission computers would suffer massive corruption and business would grind to a halt. Reproducing output in exact real time across a network would be completely pointless even if it was achievable.
Wi-fi networks might suffer signal drop out if they are near the limit of range or they suffer from interference with domestic equipment such as microwave ovens, and in this case data is lost and this is usually obvious to the listener. By comparison wired networks are completely reliable but don’t have to cost a fortune.
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With respect, the best advice available related to local and remote audio streaming comes from people with wide technical experience of computers, networks AND hi-fi systems. Some of these folks are found at the head of or working for commercial hi-fi companies, others are regular contributors to DIY hi-fi sites, with years of experience building SoTA servers and other hi-fi related equipment.
The main issue to beware of is when computer related IT values are applied to the reproduction of music. Folks with a deep understanding of both IT and hi-fi technologies are aware of and have experience with eradicating many of the problems that can afflict even bit-perfect data transmissions when said streams are converted to an analog signal and used to drive loudspeakers and headphones with the express goal of producing very high sound quality
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Every ethernet frame starts with a preamble, which among other things provide both transmitter and receiver with the clocking reference needed to exchange data. Without this timing reference the exchange of data, or network traffic as it is better known, would not even be possible. What I find rather “hilarious” is that “someone with wide technical experience of computers and networks” can say that the “timing of output has absolutely nothing to do with network devices”.
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You are omitting part of the sentence roadster wrote
“ the timing of output has absolutely nothing to do with network devices and everything to do with digital to analogue conversion after the signal is received.”
Ethernet, nor Wi-fi, has no impact on the timing of the signal going to the DAC.
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After two decades in the wifi and networking business… let me put it this way - only use wifi if there REALLY is no other option (and, 99.9% of the time there IS an option!). Just look at the posts from people with networking issues; they’re nearly all to do with wifi!
Thanks Slither. That is exactly the point. The method of ethernet data transmission, provided that it works, has nothing to do with the conversion from digital to analogue. The protocol and timing of ethernet frames is a red herring, as is much of the pseudo technical jargon aired in this thread.
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I have been following this thread as I know absolutely fa about the subject. There seems to be so much contradiction between people who obviously know a great deal about this.
I really have no idea whether investing in upgrading my network with fancy switches etc would make any difference to sq.
I know the answer is have a listen and let your ears decide- however it wound be great if there could be some sort of consensus statement agreed for the likes of me!
Thank you…!!!
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No chance Endon!
Like everything… down to opinion and interpretation.
Could just listen to some music and forget it?
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Is the best advice- thank you!
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I think we are all guilty of wanting to maximise sound quality by trying things based on nothing but hope and internet reviews, and nothing wrong with that. If we look at this subject with a little bit of thought and logic though, there appears to be various areas that may or may not affect sq. if we merely compare wifi vs hard wired then we can discount what the receiving streamer does or needs to do to correct compromised data.
The transmission medium then is either capable of transmitting data or it is not. Data arrives at the streamer intact or it does not. The technical people tell us that. We get sound or we do not, we do not get changed or distorted sound. If the right conditions are met for both wifi and hardwired, successful transmission of data will occur. So the first thing is to ask whether you can implement wifi to the same reliability of hard wired. I argue that you can with the right equipment.
The second thing to consider then is the effect of added noise to the transmission media. Hard wired is said to be able to add rf noise. Is this to the data stream, or is it picked up by the cable and then somehow transferred to the streamer independently of the data stream?
Wifi is said to be less able to pick up and add noise to the data stream. Is this true? Does the streamer then pick up wifi transmitted noise outside of the data stream?
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There’s a popcorn element to the whole discussion which will play out as it usually does i.e. no definitive answer other than in the heads of those who wish to argue ad infinitum but it strikes me as odd to assert both that there will almost always be an alternative to wi-fi and that most problems are with wi-fi.
There are many threads on here and elsewhere showing that most wi-fi issues relate to people in buildings where wired is absolutely not an option. The idea is that this would be 0.01% is demonstrably inaccurate. The only other wi-fi issues I see regularly appear to be people whose solution to not being able to use or wanting to use wired are mesh systems which create a nice sub set of issues to address. Noticeably what we rarely see, and which has been barely acknowledged here, is that there are few people posting “actually my biggest single issue is that I can’t improve my sound quality to a tolerable level unless I go wired”.
Those who wish to indulge in a technical ******* contest will doubtless continue to do so for a few pages yet because it matters so much to them to be right. Unfortunately it’s a dead argument in the sense that the rest of the world has moved on. If your wi-fi is fast enough and you have no obvious network related issues such as tracks glitching or stopping then, for the most part, you simply get on with listening to music and improve things incrementally as and when you feel like it. Wi-fi is absolutely more than good enough for the overwhelming majority of people and any absolute superiority of a wired connection ceases to be relevant if what you have works and you’re enjoying your music. Whilst there’s a certain sort of person for whom the installation of ethernet is an absolute priority that fails to recognise that they’re in the overwhelming minority. Discussions on timing or other issues are ultimately moot when the majority want and will accept wi-fi.
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Like many threads , its mainly people obsessed with scratching an itch that they dont have.
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Well I was saying 1 in a thousand but I get your sentiment. 
All I’m saying is that poor wifi is a common problem (okay… not always, for most people wifi works fine) but quite often a wired or at least part wired setup IS possible with a little lateral thinking. If wifi works for you then fine… there’s no need to consider running some lan cables. However, if it’s not working, even between adjacent rooms, then running some cables, perhaps just to the room next door and then to wifi, might be considered. Tricks like running lan cables externally (BTDT around the outside of the house) or through lofts or more extreme answers like behind skirting or even behind beading on skirting are possible methods and can sometimes help resolve some issues. I’m not intentionally being condescending but sometimes a little lateral thought can help.
Aside from a few flat earthers I don’t think anyone is saying that’s not the case. We’re well past the bits are bits and data is data argument here.
From someone having no hifi system since the 90’s, I wonder how can you be so assured on that subject? 
PS: your profile is still the same today?
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