Show us your Streaming Network Set-up

[garyi]

its not advisable to put MAC addresses online. Just sayin’

[pjw241142]

Does anyone use a mesh network? I have a router that feeds a first Plume Superpod. That first superpod then works over Wifi into my 2nd Plume Superpod located elsewhere in my house. That 2nd Plume superpod is hard wired with an ethernet cable into my Atom HE. I can’t locate my Atom HE near my router.

So couple of questions:

1. Is it better to wire the 2nd Superpod into my Atom HE. Is it better than streaming: and
2. Assuming it is, if I were to purchase an EE 8Switch, would it be better to put it between the Router and 1st Superpod. Or
3. Would it be better to put it between the 2nd Superpod and Atom HE
4. Or would it make no difference…

Thanks,

PJW

[Blackmorec]

On the one hand you are going to put the switch’s output into a Superpod then on to your streamer
In the second, you’re going to connect the switch directly to the streamer. So the question is, which device gives the best output to the streamer, Superpod or `Switch?
Given that the Switch provides some noise filtering, and a good degree of isolation from parasitic currents to the Superpod’s output, its logically likely that it will sound better than the Superpod direct but that really depends on the Switch and Superpods’ architecture and clocking. Of course power supplies play an enormously important role and a really good DC supply and cable can transform the sound of a system.
In Digital in my experience, the better the quality of the digital feed, that is, the digitally encoded voltage stream, the better the quality of the DAC’s output and resulting music., so the best way to check the theory is to connect the switch both ways. The difference (improvement) should be clear to hear. Its the one that is most involving and emotional.

[pjw241142]

Thanks for the input guys. Time to see demo an EE 8Switch…

[Roog]

My network set up is an RPi running Picoreplayer connected by Cat 6 directly to internet service provider router, nice and simple.

Been following the Melco ripper thread, but I struggle to get that excited about ripping CDs at all these days.

[Innocent_Bystander]

I look at this thread from time to time out of curiosity - but I can’t show you mine because I don’t stream over a network, just music store incorporating renderer direct to DAC.

[JazzMan]

I embarked on the computer audio route fourteen years ago. Having already purchased a Naim Audio nDAC and Naim Audio XPS power supply for it, fund were running low and the desired Naim Audio HDX was no longer viable. I started with two laptop PCs, which were replaced three years ago by a pair of Intel NUC10 mini PCs and appropriate software.

Full system details are as follows:
Intel NUC 10 Performance Mini PC (Control PC & Audio PC) / Windows Server 2019 / Audiophile Optimizer 3.00 / Process Lasso Server Pro / HungryBear’s TrustedClean 2.0 (RAM Disk) / ExerciseStabilizer (ExtremeStabilizer) 54 / ExerciseStabilizer (ExtremeStabilizer) 54Nop(RAM Disk) (Control PC & Audio PC) / JPlay Femto, JPLAY Femto Streamer / Singxer SU-1 S/PDIF Converter / Paul Pang Switch, ifi iPower Supply / Uptone Audio USB Regen, ifi iPower Supply / Samsung Galaxy Tab E / Bubble UPnP / Naim Audio nDAC with DSD Firmware Update / Naim Audio XPS

The entire setup, excluding nDAC and XPS, cost less than £1k and being a computer audio setup, upgrades are inexpensive as and when new software becomes available. My preferred player is JPLAY Femto, which sounds really good. If anyone tells you that bit perfect is bit perfect, don’t believe them. As a baseline, this rig sounds significantly better than my CDS2.

Happy listening!

[GraemeH]

Wow, impressive. I suppose I did ask, but if there was an emoji symbolising ‘right over my head’…

Enjoy

G

[JazzMan]

LOL! It took me fourteen years to begin to understand it. The main advantage of this setup is that it is much cheaper than going for a factory made streamer. I don’t have the cash that I used to have to spend on system upgrades. If you are interested, this link might help you to gain further insight:

Computer Audio

There is much fun to be hade from tinkering with the setup, although I endeavour to use it to listen to music rather than tinker with computers. One thing that it does demonstrate is just how easy it is to make a system sound different. Not necessarily better, but different. I wonder how my streaming journey would have turned out if I had been able to afford that HDX all those years ago.

[Monkey_Jim]

Melco N10/S10, ADOT fibre with Plixir power supply, all in a cupboard away from the main system

[Argyle_Mikey]

I use wifi, so one of these (ZTE 5G Modem/Router) is the only “thing”
between my streaming device and my local mast.

[Farthings-cat]

@Monkey_Jim

Melco N10/S10, ADOT fibre with Plixir power supply, all in a cupboard away from the main system

Does the Plixir power supply bring much to the table on the Adot?
Regards
Gary
Neat set up btw!

[Monkey_Jim]

Hi @Farthings-cat. Unfortunately I can’t comment on the benefit of the various power supply options because I haven’t tried them, but as an overall solution it brought a lot to the table, mainly in terms of added clarity and detail. The Plixir took some time to warm up. Initially things sounded a little pinched and cold, but it quickly sounded much better. Sorting things out in the cupboard is not that easy, so rather than fiddle with alternatives, I went for supposedly the best option on the basis I wouldn’t’ be tempted to change it if I liked what it brought.

[Farthings-cat]

Thanks monkey Jim, appreciate your response.
Regards
Gary