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[EDIT: The original first post of this long thread had outdated information and so is deleted.] Development of EtherREGEN is complete. The web page for it is up (UpTone Audio EtherREGEN), and a new thread for the launch has been started. Please see:

Hi Everyone, Any thoughts on using a transport vs long balanced cables? To make things more complicated, any thoughts on using an ethernet cable's twisted pairs to carry analogue balanced signals in place of dedicated XLR/TRS cables? The three setups in mind are: (A) PC - router via CAT8 - transport via CAT8 - DAC - short balanced cables - preamp (B) PC - USB cleanser - DAC - 100ft balanced XLR/TRS cables - preamp (C) PC - USB cleanser - DAC - 100ft CAT8 cable carrying two balanced analogue channels - preamp I currently have setup (C) in my house. I use an LHY UIP as USB cleanser, LyxPro box to carry analogue balanced signals over CAT8 (https://a.co/d/81QHTcs), and occasionally switch the output to other rooms with a manual RJ45 switch box (https://a.co/d/5q2RTEE). Setup (C) sounds good to me, with relatively low noise only detectable close to the speakers. However, I wonder if SQ can be boosted further by using dedicated balanced cables in setup (B), or a transport in setup (A). Your feedback would be most welcome.

View Classified Jcat NET Card XE Jcat NET XE card for sale. Excellent condition, low hours, original owner. Purchased from an authorized dealer in the US (Kitsune Hifi) along with the USB Card XE (already sold). I used both with the Jcat Optimo 3 Duo and Optimo S ATX with great results. A lot has been written about these cards, but you can check the link for more information : https://jcat.eu/product/net-card-xe-high-end-hifi-network-card/ You can check my feedback on USAM or eBay if you’d like. Username: Jazzebration Buyer to pay shipping and PP fees if not using friends and family. I get good rates with my UPS business account, so it should be fairly inexpensive being such a light package. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks! Due to spending most of my time these days listening to analog, I am slowly disassembling my short lived, yet beloved, music server. Individual (mostly) items will start popping up in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out if interested. The following items will all be listed at some point: - Revelation Audio SSD / M.2 FEMTO (320GB pSLC) - Jcat Optimo 3 Linear Power Supply (dual 5V / 3 amp out for Jcat pcie cards) - Jcat USB Card XE *SOLD - Jcat Net Card XE - Jcat Optimo S ATX Linear Power Supply I’m probably going to regret this, as I’ve never heard digital audio sound anywhere near this good, but I’m hoping they all find some good homes. Seller jazzebration Date 01/15/23 Price 650.00 USD Category Music Servers / Streamers  

View Classified FS: Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC Seller junker Date 09/18/23 Price 9,500.00 USD Category Digital to Analog Converters  

People who are into audiophile music streaming have told me that streaming Spotify through wifi is a no-no. They claim that the sound is much better when the streaming device is connected to the internet through an Ethernet cable. The reason should be that whenever a digital signal is transmitted through the air, it is divided into small pockets of information instead of the continuous stream of info traveling through a cable. I'm open to testing the difference, but I've now done a speed test of my internet connection through Ethernet cable vs. through wifi, and I'm surprised to discover that the download time is higher through the cable. But jitter and ping time is reduced a bit. Which is more important - download speed, or ping time, or jitter, or none of this? Would you use wifi or Ethernet for Spotify on my system? Do you know something that might be relevant to my situation? Results from internet speed tests: Wifi connection: Download: 260 Mbps Upload: 90 Mbps Ping: 17 ms Jitter: 3 ms Ethernet cable connection: Download: 87 Mbps Upload: 95 Mbps Ping: 12 ms Jitter: 2 ms I'm very surprised to discover that my download speed is reduced to 1/3 when using an Ethernet cable. I'm open to trying out other cables if you think it'll improve my sound. At the moment, this is my internet signal path through Ethernet: My router is a Sagemcom F@ST 3890V3 WU. My subscription at Telia in Denmark promises 1 GB/s. - > Short Ethernet cable from router to socket in the wall - > Eight meters of cable inside the wall, installed by an electrician - > Short Ethernet cable from another wall socket to Satechi 'USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet adapter' - > Microsoft Surface Book 2 The Satechi USB-C to Ethernet adaptor claims to support speeds up to 1,000 Mbps. I love the Microsoft Surface Book 2, which I use as a dedicated audio streamer. It's fast and reliable but has no built-in Ethernet socket. An adapter to USB-C is needed. Thank you for your thoughts 😊

Looking for a decent patch panel. 24 or 16 Cat 6 or 6x ports. Nothing expensive. Just something that has worked well for you. Any suggestions?

Hi Everyone, I would like to know in detail about the different implementations of data pathways. I currently use windows and I can hear stark difference between music players with different libraries. Most music players with same library sound similar or identical. HQplayer, Winyl and Xmplay sound identical at identical settings while musicbee is similar but slightly sounds lacking in depth. Aimp sounds very different. Foobar sounds very different and lifeless (apparently goes through windows mixers even in asio and has measurable distortion). Albumplayer sounds very different. I can pretty much narrow it down to - if any uninteded processing is happening (like in foobar), or to the way instructions are laid out. The science of getting jitter free data out of CPU is a topic in itself, and I would like to know if there is any kernel/compiler available for linux/bsd that tries to remove the effect of speculative Execution Jitter. From what I know, the current ways are to have tonnes of Lfence instructions or modify the clang so that the instructions are in such a way that spec/ooo execution or other enhancements always returns a predictable sequence (a miss). I have tried a few such programs and while I can hear differences (with the usb dac and supra cable I have), I am not sure if it is all improvements or if there is any skipping going on. I am planning to upgrade my dac. I am thinking of the dddac but haven't setted on one single dac yet. Without a doubt it will be diy and my intention is to use custom coded upsamplers/dithers that I would pre-processes and store before sending the data in 192khz or 176khz, 24 or 32 bit.. I am now confused on the available ways to transmit the information from the processor to the DAC. I will split up the question into two parts. First question I have is, What are the available protocols that communicate data to the dac? I currently use USB, I can see that the data is fetched, packeted, sent to the USB port dma controller. From here it goes to a USB slave which also has a buffer and converts this stream to timed i2s data which will be fed to the dac. Since USB transfer sequence is timed (i think at 125ms between polls) Isosynchronous mode of USB frame skips frames if 44100hz sample rate is used (8000*5 or 6 alternating missing 100 samples). Asynchronous buffers these things so no interpolation in terms of data transfer but doesn't have any error detection or correction and god knows what type of errors/issues could pop in (I hear changes in cables so I don't believe all is well in USB). I went around looking at other protocols - spdif, toslink etc. SPDIF uses manchester encoding and the slave has to decode clock from the data stream. This kind of makes it necessary to have very good engineering in both the master and the slave, and i'm unsure if they will be that much issue free even after that. And the standard looks variable, general certification is only upto 48khz 24 bit though there are implementations that go till 192khz 24 bit. Toslink does the same with optical format (but not the high quality optical standard used in internet transmission and hence apparently varies with cables). I am unsure if any of these support error detection and/or correction. Also all of these seem to have single serial data line. Is there any dual channel data alternative (Ethernet seems to support dual channel, or is it just full duplex they are meaning?). Another interface I saw was aes which is similar to spdif (or is it a subset of spdif?). Ethernet based audio transfer seems to be what is used in the network streamers, with custom protocols on top of the ethernet protocol if I'm right and it seems to be a good way to go about things before sending to the slave. And direct i2s communication over RJ45 or HDMI seems to be available as well but then again i-i communications are a blank slate meant mainly for inter-ic data pathways and I'm unsure how the protocol will hold up to sending over a large line. I would like to get more enlightenment on this topic and subjective experiences of what works best at the moment, the reliable brands of decoders, reclockers, the available chips, diy-options etc. The second question I have is, how is the data taken out from the CPU/memory. For usb, cpu communicates to the USB controller and fills up the data in its buffer before it sends. Another option I've seen common in single board computers is that i2s is available as an i/o from the board itself. As usual, since a general mass production unit may not have good timing (besides they run out of switching power supplies), there are units that take in this i2s stream, buffer, and regenerate them into i2s,spdif or usb signals (like allo kali,digione etc). I have seldom come across chips that communicate to cpu through PCIe and spit out i2s signals (except maybe pinkfaun). Why is it so. What are the other options available for taking data out from cpu with as minimal jitter as possible (provided the software makes sure the cpu is not introducing a lot of jitter). Are there any dedicated computer architectures meant to handle music streaming well enough (ignoring realtime microcontrollers running dos like operating systems). I'm sorry if it sounded too pedantic. I already have a setup I enjoy even out of usb, and I'm only planning to get a better experience. I just want to learn all the options before diving in. And as an EE student, learning these is a lot of fun, and implementing even more so. This is the reason I'm buying diy dac as well and doing my own custom upsampling, just to learn.

WHAT IS THE TRUE EXPERIMENTAL TWEAK THREAD ALL ABOUT? I have always wanted a thread where any subject is possible. No experiment is too crazy to add here. No idea is too bold to reveal. Take it away! Enlight your thoughts and share your ideas how to improve SQ and how not to. Anyone can encurage and educate you but no one should let you down, deminage you or simply move you to another thread. Everyone is welcome as long as they accepts a different way of thinking! TOPIC DIGEST With a little help of @austinpop I have realised that this thread is all over the place. Even if this is one of the fundamental ideas behind this thread, it could be a good idea to sum-up the things that have proven to be beneficial to SQ in this thread. I will keep it plain & simple. Remember that these are essentially my own findings in my own setup with Tidal FLAC and Tidal MQA as source. As always YMMV! LAN 1. Cat 6a U/UTP 500Mhz ethernet cables sounds better than Cat5, Cat5E, Cat6 & Cat7+ in my setup. Ghent Audio Cat 6a ET02 with JSSG shielding and Metz plugs rules them all. 2. Network switch improve SQ with input on port 1 and output on the last port. Possible explanation is QoS and also that the ports are in different magnetic boxes inside the switch. 3. Using a AQVOX switch with better clock improves SQ compared to a D-Link DSG-105 network switch. 4. A wireless adapter/wireless bridge/router in client mode into a network switch sounds better than battery powered FMCs and hardwired LAN. 5. Router vastly improves SQ with a floating LPS and even more if the floating PSU is connected to a DC blocker trap filter. IME a router upgrade could be beneficial to SQ. 6. Galvanic isolation/DC blocker in the signal path pre the router improves SQ. 7. Wireless adapter vastly improves connected to a floating IT. 8. RJ45 socket enhancers seems to be more efficient on port 4 & 5. Don't ask me why! GND 1. Grounding a metal chassi network switch to a tourmaline grounding box greatly improves SQ. 2. Different tourmaline grounding boxes improves the sound signature in different ways. 3. Grounding the DC negative terminal of the floating SMPS works great. In my setup it sounds best connected to a grounding box instead of to the power strip safety ground receptacle. Just be aware of possible leakage loops between various network devices. A big thanks @JohnSwenson for this tip. USB 1. Covering the outer USB barrels with electrical tape improves SQ slightly with unshielded USB cables. Capasitive coupling between metal barrel and pins? 2. Uptone Audio´s USPCB improves SQ. 3. ATL Hi-Fi´s 8 conductor USB cable with dual unconnected shields (5v+GND & Data- & Data+) with JSSG loop improved SQ compared to other longer (<50cm) USB cables that I´ve tried. DC 1. Network switch sounds best with dual floating PSUs or battery power (but very important to disconnect the battery charger while listening to music). Dual floating PSU is slightly better than battery power, but battery power is slightly better than single floating PSU. 2. Powering several devices with a single floating SMPS sounds better than powering the very same devices with several battery supplies. Also, powering several devices with a single battery supply sounds better than using multiple identical battery supplies. Self-inflicted noise? 3. Canare 4S6 starquad does improve SQ where ever applied. Canare 4S6 with JSSG seems to be even more effective. Thanks to@JohnSwenson! 4. Grounding the DC negative output of a floating SMPS improves SQ. Grounding the chassi/case decrease SQ. Be aware of shared ground paths since this could potensially decrease SQ. 5. Dual LT3045 ultra-low noise voltage regulators in series with 1v drop-down close to the powered device improves SQ quite dramaticly. 6. Kemet aluminium Polymer caps A750 series (25v 560uF) vastly improves LT3045 when added at the DC output. On single LT3045 the Kemet improves on both in- and output. 7. Panasonic FC series type A aluminium electrolytic caps improves on the PSU output terminals. AC 1. A DC blocker trap filter pre a safety isolation transformer improves SQ even though it is dead silent (no hum). DC blockers trap filter pre a floating PSU into a router vastly improves SQ. DC stress reliever? 2. SQ improves when battery chargers is connected to a separate powerstrip connected directly to the AC wall outlet, bypassing the isolation transformer completely. 3. A safety isolation transformer with floating secondary improves SQ more than a Ultra Isolation transformer. A balanced isolation transformer with floating center-tap rules them all! 4. Daisy chained floating grounds (dual floating grounds) sounds better than a single floating ground. In my setup floating SMPS's improve SQ connected to a floating IT, even surpassing battery supplies. Thanks for the suggestion @lmitche! 5. AC mains starquad power cables greatly improves SQ. 6. AC mains voltage regulators improves SQ on the signal chain. Even cheaper versions are effective. Not as effective on high power devices such as active speakers and amp due to a still unknown reason.

I have today discovered that I could update my Weiss Minerva dac by having a Ethernet interface installed. That will turn it into a renderer. This has been available since 2015 and I am ashamed to admit that I have only discovered it today. The same product is also available for some of their other products. Has anyone here done the upgrade? If so any views?

The DAC501 is Weiss Engineering's new state of the art D/A Converter with an unprecedented level of sophistication and versatility. With the DAC501 Weiss is creating a new paradigm for what used to be a black box device. A typical D/A Converter is a "set and forget" device. Not so with the DAC501. It adds a number of interesting signal processing features and sports a variety of digital inputs. Balanced, unbalanced and headphone outputs are provided. Weiss Engineering has a 30 year history in D/A Converter design. In that time span they have learned a thing or two about converter design. The DAC501 is the essence of their experiences. FEATURES Inputs AES/EBU or S/PDIF via XLR, Toslink and RCA UPnP / DLNA (via Ethernet) USB Accepted formats: PCM 44.1kHz up to 384 kHz, DSD 64x / 128x Future formats can be accommodated for via software updates Outputs Line out unbalanced on RCA connector Line out balanced on XLR connector Headphone out on 1/4" Jack Analogue One of the latest 32 bit D/A Converter chips is used Discrete output stages for both line and headphone outputs Signal Processing The DSP algorithms can be different depending on which output is selected (line or headphone). Some DSP algorithms have to work differently if they are used for headphones in comparison to speakers. Creative Equalizer - A tone control with low boost/cut, high boost/cut and mid boost/cut. Very useful to correct those recordings which do not quite fit your taste. De-Essing - The automatic removal of overly bright sibilances from human voices. The sibilance effect can be more or less pronounced depending on your speakers or room acoustics. Constant Volume - Adjusts the audio volume (loudness) to a constant value across all tracks played. Useful for "party mode" when the volume control should stay untouched. Vinyl Emulation - Get that special sonic character of a record player based playback chain. Crosstalk Cancelling (XTC) - For the playback of dummy head recordings or live recordings via speakers for an incredible live sensation. (For speaker based playback only.) Out Of Head Localization algorithm - Tries to get the music "out of your head" when listening via headphones. The goal is to achieve a similar listening sensation as one gets when listening via speakers. (For headphone based playback only.) The DAC501 is operated via the rotary encoder control on the faceplate, the touch sensitive color LCD display or the IR remote control. Some additional settings can be done via a web interface from any computer. Controls The DAC501 is operated via the rotary encoder control on the faceplate, the touch sensitive color LCD display or the IR remote control. Some additional settings can be done via a web interface from any computer. Mechanics The DAC501 has a similar size as the Weiss DAC202 unit. The DAC502 version is a larger size unit, similar to their MAN301 unit. The features of the DAC502 are the same as the ones of the DAC501. We've now begun accepting pre-orders. If you have any any questions about either DAC or would like to reserve one, please visit us at ciamara.com or give us a call a call at 1.844.CIAMARA High End Audio Store NYC - Experience Ciamara1.844.CIAMARA (1.844.242.6272)

I bought a microrendu 2 days ago and I feel I have to get a lot of accessories to make a "simple" system "complicated". The reason to choose microrendu is due to its simply design. Now I have to play with router / NAS / Music Servers / Extensions and worry about degrade of sound quality. My original plan is Sotm SMS1000Q WE (or any other optimized PC, like CAD, Mojo etc). For more details about an optimized PC : any PC with low power assumption (generate less noise), separated power supply to USB, low noise circuit design, internal power filter and linear power supply ,EMI isolation, low jitter clock etc. Any kind of optimized PC can feed signal to USB DAC with highest bit rate support via STABLE PHYSICAL connection. [PC - USB DAC + linear power supply]. How about Microrendu? I was attracted by the CA reviews and bought it. Now I realize the system is not simple at all and the system may have inferior SQ due to ethernet transport parameters, plus, the routers and photoelectric conversion modules of those systems are not audiophile grade. [Music Server / Router / Microrendu / USB DAC / Several linear power supply / Maybe Ethernet Switch / NAS]. How could I convince myself to invest further in microrendu system because I could not see any advantage now. How about SOUND QUALITY? Thanks for any suggestions.

After doing forum research, I decided it was possible to stream Roon from my Mac to the Roon-Tested 280D. Now I'm looking for you experts to confirm/deny before I install the over $1600 of gear purchased to make this happen! Set-up - my Mac, now with Roon downloaded, is quite some distance from the Moon 280D and the listening room where its housed. So it is impractical or impossible to directly connect a USB cable from it to the 280D. Plan - I purchased the ultraRendu microcomputer to work as a go-between. It will be directly connected to my router. As I understand things, it would recognize Roon and pass it thru via USB to the Roon-tested Moon. Concern - Simaudio is only pushing a direct computer connection, which is what they evaluated in order to become Roon Tested. I'm sure Simaudio has not tested the ultraRendu or all the many other similar products to determine their usability with Roon Hope - In spite of that, I'm hoping the envisioned solution is a workaround that's been tried and tested by others, whether the ultra/microRendu was used as the Roon end point or not. Thank you in advance for you help.

I've run into a new problem and didn't know if anyone had any similar experiences/solutions. Thanks in advance. I am currently using a microRendu in an area of my house that does not have (and cannot easily get) wired ethernet. I tried using it plugged into an eero base, but had some drop outs. I have been using TP-LINK AV2000 Powerline Adapter with good results. I changed up my system and with my new Wells Audio Milo I am picking up noise from the power line adapter. If I move the adapter to a different outlet than my amp is plugged in, it improves. I still have audible interference (sounds like data transmission to me) but it is better than when both are plugged into the same outlet. I have had some improvement adding a better/shielded power cable (Cardas Clear M). It's better but it is still there. If I turn off the DAC (Schiit Gugnir Multibit), the sound is still there in the background--so I think it is from the amp itself. Any suggestions? I'm looking into hardwiring the ethernet, but this will be expensive and require drywall work. I've considered the Auralic Aries, but like my microRendu. Thanks for any suggestions. Mark

I have some questions about digital interface limitations and am hoping that the more knowlegeable among you might correct any misunderstanding I have. I just upgraded my DAC, making the connection from my computer the weakest link in my digital audio chain. I am looking for the best solution that maximizes the capability of the new DAC while minimizing inherent down-sides of the different interfaces. My currect set up is: iTunes library on an external USB 2.0 HD -> MacMini (early 2009, 10.11.6) -> TOSLINK output -> Gefen Digital Audio Extender sender -> Cat6 cable -> Gefen DAE receiver -> TOSLINK Cable -> Schiit Bifrost Multibit. The MacMini is limited to 24 bit/ 96 kHz over TOSLINK. The Gefen DAE has the same limitation. The goal is to restore 192 kHz sampling rate ability for the DAC. The distance between my computer and DAC is currently 6 meters, but I hope to move my computer farther away in the near future. Here are the solutions I am considering. I'm not set on the linked products; they are included just to give a better idea of the proposed solution. MacMini -> Active USB 2.0 extension -> USB cable -> DAC: lowest cost, 25 m limitation, higher jitter MacMini -> USB cable -> USB-over-Cat6 extender -> USB cable -> DAC: 50 m limitation, higher cost, higher jitter http://www.gefen.com/product/gefen-usb-20-sr-extender-over-one-cat-5-cable-EXT-USB2.0-SR MacMini -> USB cable -> USB-S/PDIF converter -> S/PDIF cable -> DAC: higher cost, more suceptable to interferance https://wyred4sound.com/products/dacs-converters/%C2%B5link MacMini -> USB cable -> USB reclocker -> USB cable -> DAC: 10 m limitation, higher cost https://wyred4sound.com/products/digital-converters/recovery Switch to Roon, ethernet -> Roon Endpoint -> S/PDIF Cable -> S/PDIF Reclocker -> DAC: lower jitter, highest cost, most effort https://www.hifiberry.com/shop/bundles/hifiberry-digi-bundle/ https://wyred4sound.com/products/digital-converters/remedy-reclocker Thank you for your help.

Bricasti M1 > M5 > M12: Network Player - Member REVIEW w/OEM Response from Brian Zolner President/Owner Bricasti below s Hey Guys - I have been going back and forth between what to go with for a Ethernet Network Media Player - either Innuos, SOtM, Sonore, Uptone, Bricasti M1 Network Player or M5, etc. I have a thread dedicated to working toward this decision and got some fantastic help from many CA members. I learned so much and in such a short time. This forum is Fantastic - so many people are so helpful and I appreciate it very much. I am including the link below to anyone interested in that very educational journey. Great stuff if you are interested in Innuos, SOtM, Sonore, Uptone, Bricasti Network Player or M5 I purchased a bunch of these product to try and learn for myself to be sure. I did not want to question my decision with any what if's and wanted the best sounding option for me and my system. I ended up going with the Network Player Option installed in my Bricasti M1SE DAC and I wrote this feedback to one of the best people in all of Hi-End Audio, Brian Zolner President/Owner/Designer Bricasti Design. His digital and analogue products sound absolutely fantastic and the build quality is second to none and the support is as good as it is anywhere. All made by hand right here in good old Massachusetts, USA. I asked Brian if it would be OK if I share my thoughts with the super helpful crew - the CA members that were so important in helping me get to this decision. He said no problem I also asked if he wanted to respond and comment and he provided some great insight below my feedback on his thoughts on the M1, M12, M5 network players and USB audio. I am glad to be able to share this with you guys. I will send Brian this link and I am sure if any of you have any questions or feedback or thought that would be fantastic. We will get you all the info you need. This is some seriously good sounding gear and its a lot less money than the Aurender and Lumin and it blows their doors off! Also, I would love some idea's and feedback and any idea's really now that I am all in with Ethernet audio what is my next step? One member told me to buy The Linear Solution OCXO Audiophile Switch. (link at bottom of the page). This is supposed to provide a great bump in SQ and it is $679 and comes with a dedicated purpose built Linear Power Supply. Please share you thoughts on this or any other upgrade that can help me get the most out of my Bricasti M1SE Ethernet Network Media Player. Subject: Re: Feedback Send to Brian Zolner and Joe at Bricasti Hey Brian and Joe, I wanted to reach out and thank you both for the very kind and outstanding service installing the Bricasti M1SE Ethernet Network Player option in my M1SE DAC. Guys, it is absolutely fantastic! It needed about 40 to 60 hours of burn-in to get to where it was going and honestly the upgrade over that time was substantial. I get that some people don't believe in burn-in and others like me clearly hear it but I am just telling you guys this Bricasti M1SE Ethernet Network Player option is absolutely fantastic. At first I was strongly considering the M5 just because I already own all of the premium - supporting USB Gear and thought it might be great and I am sure it is but honestly guys in all fairness I didn't think the Bricasti M1SE Ethernet Network Player option would end up being this good? Man is it good! I thought it would be good and/or even great but it surpassed even those expectations and that's not an easy thing to do. I am looking for an awful lot out of my gar and I had some premium gear it needed to stand up against. I can speak from first hand experience about this Network Player option and how it compared to all the similar other gear listed below. All my thoughts are in comparison to the gear listed below. I was able to do a/b verse some really good Ethernet / USB options that are some of the hottest, best selling products going and I assumed from an a/b it would be close and/or maybe I couldn't even tell the difference but this is where my non-audiophile wifey serves as a sort of blind test. Yes her ear has evolved but she is not an audiophile. What the Bricasti Network Player option does that is so much better than everything else is actually something you never even knew was missing until you hear it and then remove it. It jumps off the page during A/B's. Sometimes A/B's can be tough but here it stands out as clear as day it was simple. To test myself I asked my wifey for her help and what she thinks. I set up the Sonore/Uptone Combo and then the SOtM/Uptone power supply combo and the Bricasti Network Player and mixed them up and she picked it out each time. She actually picked out the SOtM over Sonore also so maybe her ear is getting better than I think but she heard it and picked it out clearly and simply so that reinforced what I already knew but wanted to check it. Bricasti Network Player is so much more direct and decisive. It's immediacy and directness just can't be missed. I was like "yes, yes, oh man yes"! "Thats what I am talking about" and you know what - those are far and few between these days so when it happens you REALLY appreciate it. Thank you It not like it is a little warmer and a little clearer or it widens or deepens the stage or something like that which by the way it does all these things but that's not my point. It is immediate, decisive and startlingly quick. Its got jump and you are just much closer to the event. It was a combo of heightened transparency with just layers removed and more information magnified and exposed in all its greatness. Also, I want to make sure to note that I am not talking about being more upfront either because it offered a deeper stage and the voices are actually pushed further back which normally I don't prefer. I actually like that dynamic and sort of upfront sound as a rule but that is not what this is. This does it totally different! It does it the only fashioned way. It earns it. This is no designers voicing choice, this is simply a much more robust and substantial component. It performs at a much higher level and it is shows on so many levels. Vastly better separation and delineation in that more direct package. The stage opens and the walls expand and out comes a richer and more layered and more natural presentation. Man that separation is just fantastic! I just can't get over that open space it puts around everything and the air and the extension go on and on. It's just that every item is so sharp and precise and magnified in 3D space. Everything is tighter and wider and deeper and it all just holds together so well and is so confident and that heightened image precision is such an enjoyable effect. I don't want to touch anything - this the best sound I've ever had and I'm ecstatic! Better than analogue IMO. I am sure there are some uber turntables that will out do it but pound for pound I doubt it IMO. I was impressed at this much closer to the event effect. It's kind of hard to articulate but I think this might shed a little more light. Sort of that same effect you get when you have a great DAC or CD player and then you remove the preamp. The only thing with removing a great preamp is you gain that great immediate directness but then lose all that greatness that a great preamps provides but that increased directness is such a desirable effect so many people do it. I did it but then you get a great preamp and you say man I love the directness but I am giving up so much to get it. Some big time trade off's and many go back and forth. I know I did for a while. So this new Network Player upgrade was like keeping your amazing preamp and all the great benefits the pre provides while still getting that great directness a preless set up gives you. Best of both worlds! How often do you get to have your cake and eat it too? Well that is what happened here IMO with this so I think you can see why I am so happy about it and hope this does a little better job of explaining the main effect of this Ethernet Network Player option I added to my system. This preless type directness while keeping all the greatness of a preamp is worth the price of admission all by itself but there is more. All that directness has a great effect on the bass which is tighter, cleaner and more nuanced with much better separation. There isn't any more slam or power. It is not rounder or warmer which some may prefer but it is different. It is more nimble and lighter on its toes with more precision and definition. I don't think its any less powerful but it's different sort of like my Magico speakers are. People think or feel with Magico's sealed Aluminum cabinets there is less bass when in actuality there isn't any less but it is faster and more defined but some interrupt this as less bass but I don't agree but also each to their own. I find it to be a nice improvement and upgrade but I can see someone that likes to listen to a lot pop or rap music they may refer a thicker or rounder sound but everyone else will love this IMO. I will take quality and precision over quantity every time but that's just me and everyone is different. I want take a moment to thank you and your company again for your approach to supporting the folks that purchase your gear. Premium Hi-End Audiophile gear is quite expensive and so many of the top Hi-Fi companies come out with a new model every few years and that kills us. We need to sell our old one to get the new one and that makes expensive gear insanely expensive to own. Many people like me want the most recent and best gear they can afford. You guys make this possible and care more about your customers than any of the other OEM's and we appreciate it very much! You guys are totally different from the Vast Majority of high ends OEM's. Also, this feedback was not made in a vacuum. Here are the items I had in my system that I did an A/B with that allowed me great insight into how your Ethernet Network Player option worked verse the others. Some of these I only owned a for a short while because I knew there was no contest. Most have either been sold or are in process of being sold on Audiogon because your Network Player made them obsolete. I am keeping the JS-2 and P10 for my new system set up. Tellurium Q Black Diamond USB Cable Curious Regenlink USB Cables (2) Uptone Audio USPCB Connectors Uptown Audio ISO Regen USB Uptown Audio LPS-1 UltraCap Power Supply Uptown Audio LPS-1 UltraCap Power Supply Breeze Audio 12v Linear Power Supplies Breeze Audio 12v Linear Power Supplies Uptown Audio Amber Regen USB Uptown Audio JS-2 Linear Power Supply Sonore mircoRendu 2.5 Ethernet / USB Player Ghent customer DC power Cables PS Audio P10 Regenerator SOtM tX-USBultra w/50 ohm connector SOtM sms-200 Ultra w/50 ohm connector I honestly thought in my heart of hearts USB might be the way to go just because it has come so far in not that long of a time. Sonore, SOtM and Uptone Audio in my opinion changed the world in regards to the USB landscape and in a huge way. There are a few others as well. They brought, real world price upgrades to USB that made semi-inexpensive gear better than super expensive legacy products from just a few years back (CD and SACD Players) and this changed the game. Now it appears you have changed the game on the Ethernet side. I call tell anyone out there that doesn't own a Bricasti M1 is to buy the M5. I am not sure how the M5 sounds because I have not heard it but if it sounds anything like the M1 Ethernet Network Player then there is nothing that can touch it. Great job and thank you guys. With your permission I would like to share this personal email on my forum post and if you are ok with it any of your responses as well. People are waiting to hear my thoughts so I thought I could email you and inform them at the same time. Thanks Frank Fsmithjack Subject: Re: Response / Feedback from Brian Zolner Bricasti President/Owner/Designer to Frank Smith / Fsmithjack Frank, Thanks for all that commentary, and well guess only thing I can say or add is once we got the LAN working in the M12, and then the M1 ( it’s the same streamer used in all products) I never went back to USB, clearly better even just connecting with 50’ cat5 from my server to the M1. We do all shows with the LAN and try to convince users this is the way. I feel that regardless of the cables and power supplies and clockers etc for USB that seem to make some differences, one might say they create differences and subjective to if its better or not, but I feel USB is fundamentally flawed and when the player or renderer is installed directly in the M1 it eliminates all the issues of USB, it removes it from the computer, and places it in the M1. We made our own player, running on a linux core on an ARM processor, runs off the linear supply in the M1 too. so no extra processors running as with a PC where the computer is doing all kinds of other co processing, switch mode power regulation on the PC mother board etc. But in the end of all that stuff, this approach eliminates it. For the sound of USB, People are fooled by things and as you point out someone might like the effect of the USB, but I think what we get with the streamer is true sound reproduction with no jitter and noise added to make the sound dance a bit, I hear it clearly on my Tidals, and our M28s, no loss of bass at all for me, but tight clear and excellent extension, no bloating. The M5 was made so that a user could run off the network or PC without using USB, I feel the AES is the best as removes these issues. But installed in the M1 or M12 is the best, direct I2S to the DSP and then to the DAC. The M5 with AES is darn close to what you have, I have done a lot of listening and that was the idea of that product to offer great playback and no USB for anyone and any DAC. Enjoy it, I know it changed my life, my server PC is in another part of the house and I run it all from Jremote, there is just no other way to play, besides the sound there is the convenience factor and I play tracks from my phone or stream from it to the M1, or the server, or the NAS or any PC in my home, all the computer stuff goes in another room away from the listening room. It’s a network and that is what starts becoming interesting and you don’t get that with USB or any other point to point interface. Go ahead and share the story, its what we hope others will find out too. Brian Subject: Re: Response / Feedback from Joe at Bricasti to Frank Smith / Fsmithjack Hi Frank, thank you for great write-up! Enjoy your M1, if you ever need anything just let me know. Thank you again, joe http://www.bricasti.com/en/consumer/m1se.php http://thelinearsolution.com/ocxo_switch.html

A recent video posted by WireWorlds David Salz blatantly shows they don't know what they are talking about:

Guys, I'm about to have new flooring put in and would appreciate guidance on cabling to future proof the family's media/music consumption as much as possible. Needs -We want to remove any WiFi use. -Listening room is currently the TV Room (including modem) which will continue -Want to listen to music in front room (may relocate Turntable there) -Kids will want to listen to music in their bedrooms soon -Would also like to have wired Security cameras around house. Current set-up in TV/Listening room -Gigabit Internet with Comcast, Netgear CM1000 (Docsis 3.1), Synology Router RT2600ac, Synology NAS, Ultrarendu>W4S Dac-2>Mcintosh C46 Preamp>Job 225 amp>Salk Song Tower Speakers Specific Questions: -Any recommendations on Ethernet cable to future proof? -Would XLR cabling from the Mcintosh degrade if it was around 36ft -Any other equipment recommendations/tips based on your experience? Thanks in advance.

Hi; this is my first post (after the loosin' Bio data from... that time...) (Sorry for my English and... thanks to all of you) Well, after many digital sys over PC, I -finally- found the sound I like, with no differences (and if there are, they are better listenings than... CDs) from any other digital front end, I mean my transport/DAC Simaudio Moon 750D. My goal was to put away PC from the audio chain, so... NAS (QNAP TS251 fanless)... router (Fritzbox)... renderer (MiND 180 by Moon, Simaudio) and through AES/EBU_XLR 110-Ohm cable (Apogee Wide Eye) to DAC. All cabled with Ethernet CAT 6a shielded. Because "the game" to improve the sound but without spend (so much) money on other gears, even changing "the tonal balance", I was surprised when I add the "linear power supply" to router/NAS/renderer. Very good for my ears! But... "more": I want "more"! Waiting for MQA (Moon website writes... 1st quarter '18), I wrote to "iFi audio" to know if there are in their big catalogue some "good stuff", some "iSilencers" and so on: they gently said to me that over Ethernet there is nothig so significant at the moment because Ethernet is a very good place to stream direct to DAC! I also read this very interesting article about, on SoS: https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/ethernet-audio So, my "QUESTION", without talking about PC's and USB's, is: what do you say about? Is there only a chance to change devices to improve the sound over Ethernet? And... What about the UPnP AV music server??? I use the "MinimServer" and it flows very good, but I heard about Roon Sever just few days ago: is this a better choice? The only way? Any advices for me? (Are you informed for something like Roon Server competitor? Free?) Thanks and sorry for the long post: I will read you. Bye, Luca from old EU

In examining the benefits or disadvantages of replacing USB wiring with Ethernet wiring for transmission of audio data, there's a question on the type of NIC used for the Ethernet interface. Uncovering the typical transformer design, the class TI NIC chips use a combo of centre tapped transformers. If these are a transformer in the classic sense, there's still capacitance across the windings, so wouldn't any high impedance leakage currents be transferred through the wire? There are transformerless NICs that use caps instead, the TI notes limit the transmissions to 100Mbps which would be OK for audio, but looking at the Newegg site for Intel Nics, there are photos which don't show larger inductors, or components starting with L or H for example. There are NICs which work at the 1GB speed, but just wonder what sort of waveform that ends up to be. The transformerless designs use a set of capacitors, which effectively block DC and have a high immunity to spike voltage. Apart from cost would the transformer provide a more difficult opposition to high frequency impedance leakage currents than the caps design?

I posted about this in another thread but it goes lost in the SOtM Trifecta chat :-) https://www.audiostream.com/content/barn-gigafoilv4-–-inline Their "FOIL" trademark stands for fiber optic isolation link so I assume it really is fiber optic. This is a brochure for their older model: https://www.djmelectronics.com/GigaFOILv3 Brochure.pdf Has anyone had any experience with any of their products? I guess it appears to function like a pair of FMC's inside the one box, with one 5Vdc power input. For background I do use a pair of TP-Link FMC's and I've been looking for a one box solution. The price is very high though to replace a pair of cheap FMC's with one box, unless it has some other features like nice internal power supply etc. I'm hoping we get to see pics of the inside board/s to see what they're really doing in there We'll learn more over time I guess

Hi, I'm currently using iPad to transfer music data to a Musical Fidelity v90 DAC via "lightning to USB camera kit" & "Atlas Element USB AB cable". Now I'm planning to put all my music data to NAS, may I ask will it the same to transfer data to the DAC via Ethernet cable? Or it's actually different? Thanks all : )

Is anyone using a solution whereby the music source output ( computer, NAS, renderer, etc.) is going into a DAC via an ethernet connection? Cheers

My digitial audio server (iMac) resides in one of the bedrooms (office) in my house and of course, the audio system is elsewhere (living room). I having been trying to graduate from using Airport Express for this connection to benefit (or at least determine if there is a benefit) from higher def music files. My first attempt has been with an AudioEngine D2 wireless system to connect with BitPerfect on the source end. Although I've followed their guidelines on placement of the transmitter (away from other 802.11 wireless devices, setting the 802.11 network to channel 1 or 11, etc.), I still get sporadic cut-outs. Sometimes it makes the music unlistenable and other times I may get a single cut-out during hours of listening. There is also some weird noise that I can't really quite hear, but seems to come and go, that is never present when playing material directly on the audio system, such as from a CD or LP. This may simply be a lower impact result of a bad connection that doesn't occur as a cut-out. While the folks at AudioEngine have attempted to help, I'm not confident that wireless is the way to go. I found another product made by Vanco that converts digital audio (coax or TOSLINK) to something that is are transmitted over ethernet and then converts back to usable digital audio at the other end. It's very inexpensive (~$100), but I'm thinking I may end up with a different set of problems than I've already got, but more subtle and difficult to resolve. Does anyone have experience with such a device? On paper, it seems like a really good idea as it supports up to 96kHz bit rate. I'm just a little suspicious that something this inexpensive has some downside I haven't thought of. Thanks Jim If you want to see my audio system, it's posted here.

Apologies in advance for a naive question, probably answered somewhere on the site, tho I can't find it. I am using Mac Mini running J River Media Centre in one room then wifi to an Airport Express in another, connecting to my amp via a 3.5mm jack and cable. There is a solid concrete floor between, so the wifi connection is not great - annoying dropouts. Connecting the two parts of the system by wire would be difficult - the concrete floor again. I am looking at Ethernet over Powerline. Can someone please outline the connections? I realize the signal over the powerline is digital, so I need a DAC between the powerline adapter and the amp. Is it as simple as Mac Mini to router, router to powerline adapter1 by ethernet, adapter2 to DAC, DAC to amp? Any other suggestions?

I have an innuos SE which I've had since new (about two and a half years) and I was just wondering what forum members would recommend as the minimum requirement for Ethernet use and treatment for streaming. I've predominantly used it as a server playing music directly from the SSD up until now. My current set up is literally a plain common or garden mains powered Technicolour TG589 V2 Ethernet switch plugged into a mains powered TP Link Powerline then in a separate room I have another mains powered TP Link Powerline and then an Ethernet cable that goes from that straight into my Innuos Zenith SE. So about as wrong and as basic as you could get I suppose. Any and all recommendations, suggestions and help are welcome.