First, a quick summary of my pipeline from the router to the dac.
Router (1Gb fiber into house) -> cat 6 -> Ethernet surge protector -> Cisco Catalyst 250 switch -> SFP+ (more on this later) -> Cisco Catalyst 250 switch -> Ethernet -> Transparent XL Power Conditioner -> Transparent Ethernet -> dCS Vivaldi Upsampler
I have experimented with the connection between the two switches. One would think with all of these points of indirection in the system that would not affect the sound much. But, it has...below are the variants tried.
1) Ethernet cat6: Baseline
2) Cisco clone SFP+ 850nm MMF: Somewhat thin sound, better resolution and instrument separation. Sound-stage flattened.
3) Star Tech SFP+ 1310nm SMF: Better resolution. Slightly flatter sound-stage.
4) Finisar SFP+ 1310nm SMF : Much thinner sound - Lost body and density. Much higher resolution. Fatiguing.
5) Supra cat8: Very very little difference between this and baseline.
The difference between fiber and Ethernet is not surprising. But, the difference between the SFP modules is baffling to me!
Router (1Gb fiber into house) -> cat 6 -> Ethernet surge protector -> Cisco Catalyst 250 switch -> SFP+ (more on this later) -> Cisco Catalyst 250 switch -> Ethernet -> Transparent XL Power Conditioner -> Transparent Ethernet -> dCS Vivaldi Upsampler
I have experimented with the connection between the two switches. One would think with all of these points of indirection in the system that would not affect the sound much. But, it has...below are the variants tried.
1) Ethernet cat6: Baseline
2) Cisco clone SFP+ 850nm MMF: Somewhat thin sound, better resolution and instrument separation. Sound-stage flattened.
3) Star Tech SFP+ 1310nm SMF: Better resolution. Slightly flatter sound-stage.
4) Finisar SFP+ 1310nm SMF : Much thinner sound - Lost body and density. Much higher resolution. Fatiguing.
5) Supra cat8: Very very little difference between this and baseline.
The difference between fiber and Ethernet is not surprising. But, the difference between the SFP modules is baffling to me!