Anyone tried an ER at various points in the Ethernet chain? Certainly the B port goes into the streamer but what is less obvious is at which end of the cable.
I have around 30m of Cat6a cable with Telegartner plugs wired through the building between network cabinet and streamer. In the cabinet I use quality Zyxel switches (supporting IGMP) so I can either:
1: Zyxel switch > ER > 30m Cat6a > ND555
Or
2: Zyxel switch > 30m Cat6a > ER > ND555
It would be easy to just try both but the ER has not been bought yet and I will also get a MCRU linear PS. With Opt 1 I could choose a dual PS and run a second ER to my second system both off the dual PS, both hidden away out of sight. With Opt 2 I would need to consider 2 single output PS units and need to find an extra shelf on the rack(s) to house it all.
Also, I can connect both ends of the Cat6a ground wire, or just 1 end (either) or fully float with no ground connected at all. My thoughts are to connect once at the switch end only providing some shielding but avoiding a ground loop. I know sometimes a shield wire can give an aerial effect and general wisdom is to float the Ethernet ground but is this fully or half!
I have the ER / MCRU on the same rack as Nds/ Ear Yoshino pre/ 250 dr. ER connected to Melco N1z2 , on port B. Melco to Nds by Ethernet cable, 0,75 m Audioquest diamond.
Another 0,75m Diamond from ER to Melco.
1m vodka from router to ER ( router in tv rack).
So very short lengths. No grounding.
For your set up I feel @Michaelb will be able to respond. I would avoid personally a long 30m length between ER and Nd555. Not sure the grounding is really necessary, specially if you have nothing more on the ER.
I agree place the ER close to the ND555 and connect B port to your server (Melco for example if you have one) with a short lead with floating plugs and then your server to the ND555. The addition of a linear PS is also very worthwhile.
Thanks guys. I do have a Core but TBH don’t use it much, most of my streaming is from online sources. I had planned plugging the B side of the ER into the ND555 and would not worry too much about the Core (could add another ER if I felt the need later). I get the feeling from the relies you expect the ER to be on the server not the streamer and use a SPDIF cable between. That would not give me any “ER effect” on the network of the ND555, which is what I use the most.
In your case you should connect the ER port B to Nd555 and ER port A to the Core.
The Melco has two ethernet ports, one is specified to be directly connected to the streamer.