Ethernet Cable Shoot Out – Shunyata, AudioQuest, Supra, Viablue, Ugreen

[beermaniac]

Very interesting findings. I’ve played about with a handful of Ethernet cables: Melco, AudioQuest Vodka, Supra CAT8 and Chord Shawline. Of all of them I was most pleased with the Supra CAT8: very musical, slightly warm sounding, organic and by far the best value for money. That is until I tried a LinkUp certified CAT8 Ethernet cable....
I’d read on another forum that certified CAT8 cables are the real deal. I purchased the following LinkUp cable from Amazon and it’s outstanding for the money. Compared to the Supra CAT8 it has a much fuller, more balanced sound, very organic, musical and the soundstage is much deeper and all encompassing. The Supra is quite flat in comparison. The LinkUp also has better dynamics, very good bass and more “slam”. Don’t get me wrong, the Supra CAT8 is very good. The Linkup (which is even cheaper) is in another league...
[LINKUP] Cat8 Ethernet Patch Cable S/FTP 22AWG Screened Solid Cable | 2000Mhz (2Ghz) up to 40Gbps | Future 5th-Gen Ethernet LAN Network 40G Structure Wires - 1M https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07VVFB8VX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_peglEbMVTCV67 

Linkup Cat8 cable installed. The sound is clearly superior over how it was with the Supra Cat8.

I’ve now a larger soundstage with more open natural sound with less sibilance.

Though my ears might be imagining it .. [emoji6]

Thanks for the heads up![emoji106]



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Emlin]

Linkup Cat8 cable installed. The sound is clearly superior over how it was with the Supra Cat8.

I’ve now a larger soundstage with more open natural sound with less sibilance.

Though my ears might be imagining it ..

Thanks for the heads up!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Your ears aren't imagining it, your brain is. 

 

[BakerE]

Pleased you found a similar difference. I found it was even better after a few day.

 

[Psilonaught]

Just came across this thread after reading about the German Viablue EP-7 ethernet cable.

I'm about to get my DAC modded to accept RJ45 I2S protocol from my Aqua LinQ so I think I'll invest in a Viablue ethernet cable

If USB cables can sound different then I can believe ethernet can too.

 

[DomT]

Just came across this thread after reading about the German Viablue EP-7 ethernet cable.

I'm about to get my DAC modded to accept RJ45 I2S protocol from my Aqua LinQ so I think I'll invest in a Viablue ethernet cable

If USB cables can sound different then I can believe ethernet can too.

Not sure if you are being serious? Chronicles wrote regarding the Viablue “It sounds great at first but becomes to melt your brain a little after prolonged listening”. Why would you want one that does that?

 

[Psilonaught]

Not sure if you are being serious? Chronicles wrote regarding the Viablue “It sounds great at first but becomes to melt your brain a little after prolonged listening”. Why would you want one that does that?

Oh, I admit I only scan read the review! Better re-read it lol

 

[DomT]

Oh, I admit I only scan read the review! Better re-read it lol

He did quite a decent write up of the differences. The Audioquest seemed more you.

 

[Psilonaught]

http://www.audiodrom.net/en/special-edition-reviews/104-ethernet-rj-45-cables-shootout
Um did anyone read this shoot out that the OP posted?

The conclusion appears to be that cables made a big difference for the reviewers when using the ethernet cables between source and DAC (like RJ45 I2S) but from router to streamer the differences were tiny across all of them....

"Playing the cables: an HS-Link
The HS-Link connection is the LVDS protocol via Ethernet RJ-45 cable that Accuphase uses for communication between the DP-720 SACD transport and the external DG-58 DSP processor.'

"To wrap up, the Ethernet cables used for unpacketed voltage transfer behave the same way like any other analog cable and the differences between them are clearly audible."

In this application differences were audible.

however they concluded

"Although it may not be exactly what you want to hear, for the router/streamer connection please feel free to use any RJ-45 cable that is on hand."

Their listening was also blind so they didn't know what cable they were listening to.

Did anyone else notice this rather shocking conclusion?

 

[Tony_J]

http://www.audiodrom.net/en/special-edition-reviews/104-ethernet-rj-45-cables-shootout
Um did anyone read this shoot out that the OP posted?

The conclusion appears to be that cables made a big difference for the reviewers when using the ethernet cables between source and DAC (like RJ45 I2S) but from router to streamer the differences were tiny across all of them....

"Playing the cables: an HS-Link
The HS-Link connection is the LVDS protocol via Ethernet RJ-45 cable that Accuphase uses for communication between the DP-720 SACD transport and the external DG-58 DSP processor.'

"To wrap up, the Ethernet cables used for unpacketed voltage transfer behave the same way like any other analog cable and the differences between them are clearly audible."

In this application differences were audible.

however they concluded

"Although it may not be exactly what you want to hear, for the router/streamer connection please feel free to use any RJ-45 cable that is on hand."

Their listening was also blind so they didn't know what cable they were listening to.

Did anyone else notice this rather shocking conclusion?

Gosh. How unexpected

 

[Psilonaught]

"If you want to feel unique then invest a bit more into a product like Viablue, or dress a standard patch cable in a colourful jacket or shrinkwrap of your choice."

That's bloody brilliant

 

[Ceko]

Normally I don’t opt for the whole ‘blind testing’ thing as I don’t need to

That’s where I stopped reading, sorry!

 

[Album56]

Read this thread with great interest & also some initial cynisism but by the end I have been looking at the Ifi power blocks & cat 8 ethernet cables!!
You guys have led me down a road of chasing that elusive ANALOG sound from my streaming set-up.....
Anyway as a start I've fitted a ferite slug on my router power cablle to choke any hf noise & overnight my broadband download speed has increased from 60 mbps to 65 mbps.
Now I've convinced myself that streamed music has more space & air.

What have you done to me?

 

[Psilonaught]

Trust me when I say changing ethernet cables isn't going to suddenly make a "digital" sounding front end sound "analogue".

What DAC and streamer have you got and what don't you like about their sound, currently?

 

[Album56]

Trust me when I say changing ethernet cables isn't going to suddenly make a "digital" sounding front end sound "analogue".

What DAC and streamer have you got and what don't you like about their sound, currently?

I generally stream using Tidal connect on a Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 & Martin Logan EM ESLs & REL subwoofer.
It has taken a bit of tinkering with speaker position, sub integration & a Room Perfect run , now I am very happy with the music reproduction I hear.
Large & enveloping stereo image, very transparent without being over bright, & balanced frequency response in Room thanks to Room Perfect.
Just occasionally especially with orchestral music violins can sound a bit glassy or hard but I think sometimes that may be the recording.
I have recently changed speaker cable to 2metres of QED Silver Anniversary XT to each speaker, maybe some Genesis Silver Spiral would tame things a bit.
I am using a bog standard ethernet cable router to streamer & normal switched mode power plug with the router maybe upgrading these would be good.

 

[Psilonaught]

I generally stream using Tidal connect on a Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 & Martin Logan EM ESLs & REL subwoofer.
It has taken a bit of tinkering with speaker position, sub integration & a Room Perfect run , now I am very happy with the music reproduction I hear.
Large & enveloping stereo image, very transparent without being over bright, & balanced frequency response in Room thanks to Room Perfect.
Just occasionally especially with orchestral music violins can sound a bit glassy or hard but I think sometimes that may be the recording.
I have recently changed speaker cable to 2metres of QED Silver Anniversary XT to each speaker, maybe some Genesis Silver Spiral would tame things a bit.
I am using a bog standard ethernet cable router to streamer & normal switched mode power plug with the router maybe upgrading these would be good.

Thanks.

The glassy "sheen" is down to the Lyngdorf IMO, cables won't completely get rid of it.

Ideally you want to buy a DAC that applies parametric EQ and then use a more "natural" sounding analogue amp.

 

[Lurch]

I generally stream using Tidal connect on a Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 & Martin Logan EM ESLs & REL subwoofer.
It has taken a bit of tinkering with speaker position, sub integration & a Room Perfect run , now I am very happy with the music reproduction I hear.
Large & enveloping stereo image, very transparent without being over bright, & balanced frequency response in Room thanks to Room Perfect.
Just occasionally especially with orchestral music violins can sound a bit glassy or hard but I think sometimes that may be the recording.
I have recently changed speaker cable to 2metres of QED Silver Anniversary XT to each speaker, maybe some Genesis Silver Spiral would tame things a bit.
I am using a bog standard ethernet cable router to streamer & normal switched mode power plug with the router maybe upgrading these would be good.

I'm running ML Summits and TBH I've never really been enamoured with QED cables, all that I've heard have been quite toppy, I'd suggest something like TQ Black II or Atlas Hyper.
As to your ethernet feed to your streamer, following an experiment with an audiophile switch (English Electric 8 switch) which proved what a pointless waste of ££s it is. I however had good results with a used Cisco 5 port small office switch (its 12v) so grabbed an old fashioned (pre smps) heavy transformer wallwart off fleabay. Insert this switch between your router and streamer and then use a 0.5m - 0.75m patch cable to the streamer. Before putting the Cisco inplace I opened it up temporarily removed the pcb and smothered both case halves in copper tape (used by gardeners on plant pots to deter slugs) I also covered ports 2,3 & 4, this acts like a faraday cage to help stop any emi/emf ingress.

 

[rabski]

http://www.audiodrom.net/en/special-edition-reviews/104-ethernet-rj-45-cables-shootout
Um did anyone read this shoot out that the OP posted?

The conclusion appears to be that cables made a big difference for the reviewers when using the ethernet cables between source and DAC (like RJ45 I2S) but from router to streamer the differences were tiny across all of them....

"Playing the cables: an HS-Link
The HS-Link connection is the LVDS protocol via Ethernet RJ-45 cable that Accuphase uses for communication between the DP-720 SACD transport and the external DG-58 DSP processor.'

"To wrap up, the Ethernet cables used for unpacketed voltage transfer behave the same way like any other analog cable and the differences between them are clearly audible."

In this application differences were audible.

however they concluded

"Although it may not be exactly what you want to hear, for the router/streamer connection please feel free to use any RJ-45 cable that is on hand."

Their listening was also blind so they didn't know what cable they were listening to.

Did anyone else notice this rather shocking conclusion?

Unless I've misread it, I'm not in the least surprised. As I've noted before, there is no 'correct' cable or characteristic impedance for an I2S connection, because it's not designed for cable transmission. Even if you use it that way, I'd have thought an ethernet cable was way from ideal, so I can definitely see how it could have an effect. And not a beneficial one either.

 

[Psilonaught]

Unless I've misread it, I'm not in the least surprised. As I've noted before, there is no 'correct' cable or characteristic impedance for an I2S connection, because it's not designed for cable transmission. Even if you use it that way, I'd have thought an ethernet cable was way from ideal, so I can definitely see how it could have an effect. And not a beneficial one either.

I'm taking my DAC down to David tomorrow to rewire it with Mundorf gold and silver wire and also to add an I2S ethernet input into the Soekris board. I will be able to compare coaxial to ethernet I2S shortly and see what's what.

My Aqua LinQ doesn't believe in USB digital output and prefer I2S.

In my application I'll definitely need a quality cable since it isn't a "packet connection".

 

[garn63]

Read this thread with great interest & also some initial cynisism but by the end I have been looking at the Ifi power blocks & cat 8 ethernet cables!!
You guys have led me down a road of chasing that elusive ANALOG sound from my streaming set-up.....
Anyway as a start I've fitted a ferite slug on my router power cablle to choke any hf noise & overnight my broadband download speed has increased from 60 mbps to 65 mbps.
Now I've convinced myself that streamed music has more space & air.

What have you done to me?

Start with your dac choice, then take it from there perhaps ?
You can over egg the pudding tho. If things sound a bit too "thick" add some slimfast ? Jobs a goodun

 

[Roby79]

Gods know, I trust good cables
But it should be te last item to take care of
An than in that order I believe: speaker cables, interconnects rca & xlr , power cable, digital cable coax an usb maybe
But Ethernet …… sorry … as a network engineer, as long it is not an cable from the Action at 5€ For 5m an a decent shielded cat6
Comoon ….
But than everybody is free to do what makes him happy
Even I bought a 500€ coax because I liked it an yes it sound good but don’t think it’s bette than the other one’s I bought for 50€ from Oelhbach & 100€ Audioquest cinemon