If they ask a question on a public forum, they will get answers and they won’t all be the same. Surely that’s the whole point of asking.
3 Likes
The poor unsuspecting OP, having originally asked an innocuous question about where he could source a RJ11 cable, has been sucked into the never-ending ‘bits are bits’ argument.
I think the level of sarcasm towards the OP, bordering on ridicule, is uncalled for. The chap has paid £6.95 for a more robust RJ11 cable and he gets lectured as to why this is a complete waste of money!
Jeez…let the OP experiment and move on.
6 Likes
Is “don’t waste your money on this, it won’t make a difference” not a valid response? Seems helpful, at least as much as other responses urging him to waste money.
And he was told not to do it, did it anyway, and the result is that it changed nothing. And now those who said so all along are to blame? That’s a bit odd. One could argue that there wouldn’t be a lengthy useless debate if the same fairytales wouldn’t be repeated every time. The thread could have been over after 5 posts.
Edit: And he spent 6.95 because he kept his senses, well done. Had he followed some advice he would now own an audiophile RJ11 cable and 3 switches to “reenergize the data stream” or whatever, and be 3K in the hole.
3 Likes
1 Like
What?
I agree, the Forum is a source of good information.
What’s not so good, is when a new member asks an innocent question, gets a number of replies from shall we say, “Believers” and “Non -believers”, as someone has already used these descriptors. Then the “Non-believers’ start rubbishing the comments from the ‘“Believers “and telling them why they are wrong.
Make your point, by all means, with facts / science / whatever to back it up but don’t then follow it up with all manner of opinions why the other party is wrong.
The OP can then review all the comments, along with other sources of information on the Web, including positive reviews from Hi-Fi magazines and, then make up their own mind how they want to spend their own money.
It does bring a smile to my face that a number of Hi-Fi magazines review cables, switches and other equipment, give good, positive reviews. But this is not considered by the “Non-believers”, as you don’t see them rubbishing them.
The Forum should be a safe place to get good information on any Hi-Fi subject with members telling other members they are wrong.
3 Likes
The “believers” don’t own this forum. I am trying restraint on this topic, but I don’t see any on the believer side, to the contrary there are are endless posts full of misinformation from some, and then there are demands that the non-believers are silent. That’s rich. If you read this or the recent Ethernet directionality thread, the believers are just as much to blame for the arguments.
What system do you have, it’s not on your profile ?
Have you ever tried once what an audiophile switch can do or not in your own system ?
Personally I don’t need to have technical knowledge or be well informed. I have ears and trust them. We are hundreds and hundreds people here, not mentioning all the other forums, to enjoy audiophile switches, linear ps and Ethernet boutique cables, and many of them are probably even more informed than you on that matter.
1 Like
You seem very passionate on this topic. I get your point. Thanks. However I had decided I wanted a new cable and all I asked was where I could get a decent one. What is interesting on forums is that people have different views and sometimes it is very difficult to decide who is right or wrong. That’s life I guess. Again thanks for your view on this.
1 Like
ND5 XS2 through a Nait XS1 and B&W standmounts. Not esoteric at all and in a room that according to one website (found elsewhere in these forums) is a nightmare acoustically. The system to my ears is well above mass market systems and good enough for now. At my level of current investment I doubt I could justify the potential cost benefits of digital chain improvements even if I could get past my bias to wanting objective proof of effectiveness.
2 Likes
I am a bit, but others are as well, on both (!) sides. What I am more passionate about is if members of one side decide that their side is the only one allowed to speak about a topic.
I think you asked two things. In the first post you indeed asked where to buy one. In the second post, you were asked why. In the third post you wrote that you hoped to improve audio performance. Personally, I don’t think it’s surprising that some answers then say that it won’t, and off it went…
I do understand that it’s difficult to pick out who is right after this. However, this is the case for most Hifi topics, for better or worse.
Importantly, you found your answer and can go back to enjoying music
Yes I’m currently listening to Dire Straits ‘Money for Nothing’ on Qobuz high Res, streamed on wifi via that £6.95 cable. Sounds great - excellent album👍
As it would have anyway. Enjoy
EBay or Amazon are typically fine. I bought mine off eBay. Certainly worthwhile having proper twisted pair … especially with longer distances more than 1m if surrounded with other wiring.
On superfast VDSL if you are around 700 m to 800 m (ie max gradient of distance/throughput) from the cab, using good quality cable here can be worthwhile. That was the case for me.
If very close or far away from the cab, you might find using twisted pair here makes no real difference unless you have noisy power supplies near by. Remember your extension, fixed line wiring will be (or should be) twisted pair. It’s the same principles as Ethernet cable… in fact current Ethernet cable was based on phone extension wiring standards.
BTW such cables won’t affect reconstructed analogue audio performance… but I suspect you know this.
One way to avoid this debate is to go ‘fibre to the door’ The first copper cable in my household data chain is an RJ45 terminated ethernet cable, that can’t be contentious surely? :0)
Avoiding which debate, twisted pair cable for Ethernet or fixed line wiring is hardly contentious …
If you have fibre to the the premise (FTTP) you still often need twisted pair 6 or 8 wire from the ONT to the router… same principles for using twisted pair.
As far as quality of data stream… at the level we are talking at fibre and VDSL are pretty similar … and ultimately the effect of the quality is throughput.
The actual quality of the link has no bearing on the ‘quality’ of the payload data where TCP is used (which most web based protocols as used in streaming use) … unless the link is so poor as to not to support the required throughput.
You can try a Cisco catalyst 2960 switch. Many of refurbished ones for 50 euros. It would be at least a minimum to do to ascertain your strong beliefs.
1 Like
Then both sides should just adopt a less combative stance to their replies.
Makes it a lot less intimidating for posters who are new to the Hi-Fi scene with lots of questions about what to do.
Maybe, but it’s the internet. Each side is convinced that they are being helpful, and someone asking a question in a hifi forum should maybe not be too surprised to receive conflicting answers.
In my view, Naim does not sell fancy switches and Ethernet cables, and I would be fine if the topic was banned. But it’s not for me to tell other members what they are allowed and not allowed to say.
Blimey, I was joking, pathetic I know, hence the smiley :0)
I raised the point of why no one seems bothered about the RJ11 cable ages ago and no one nibbled 
As far as I am concerned if the cable meets the requirement of the ratified standard I’m good.
As you were!