HI End Ethernet Cables

[MJB]

I have the AQ Diamond and recently purchased the Shunyata Sigma. Both very good with my preference being with the Shunyata (faster with better control of the lower frequency and more finesse in the top end).

Yes, Ethernet cables do make a difference.

 

[Bluedog]

I have a running battle going between the SOtM dCBL- CAT7 Audiophile Ethernet Cable and the Shunyata Sigma ethernet cable. For those who think ethernet cables sound the same, I dare you to give this a demo.

 

[shapo]

I have a running battle going between the SOtM dCBL- CAT7 Audiophile Ethernet Cable and the Shunyata Sigma ethernet cable. For those who think ethernet cables sound the same, I dare you to give this a demo.

How does the Sigma compare to Sotm?

 

[ketcham]

I also would like to chime in here and emphasize that a demo is necessary. There exist too many variables and when the relationship that develops between components creates a synergy, we take notice. For others that benefit may be reproduced in spades or have no benefit at all. What I gain on this forum and part of why I enjoy reading all aspects is gaining insight and direction for my own evolution; to try new designs and products that I otherwise was unaware of. This level of information was not there 30 years ago, much less 10.

Paul Hovenga (Paul79) presented me with an industrial-grade CAT6e unshielded cable with a quality termination and it best everything I have trialed before, including the current top-end Wireworld and Audioquest. The WW cable was dark, moody and emotional in the midrange with a loss of the higher frequencies. This cable presented an extension in the high frequencies, open airiness, especially in the decay, noted in the percussion and string instruments. Overall improved transparency, timbre, and delicacy.

I ended up selling all of my expensive audiophile ethernet cables for these. Again, this is not a negative to any other cable design or their manufacturer. Please audition, and you may be unexpectedly and pleasantly surprised.

 

[Kingrex]

I had cat 6 I wired myself when I built my house behind my walls. At my modem, router, switch location I had store bought jumpers. I noticed one was cat 5. I replacednit with a cat 6 and immediately heard a nice improvement. That gave me the confidence t get a loom of Blue Jeans cat 6. I don't know I heard much of a difference between cat 6 inexpensive and Blue Jeans. Knowing the Blue Jeans is terminated and tested I left it in place.

I would advocate Blue Jeans simply because its pretty inexpensive and it comes with a test sheet on each cable validating the terminations were done right.

I have never tied an expensive ethernet cable. Friends who have them seem to find the bang for the buck is right after a Gigafoil into the server. That is only a .75 meter shot so its not as crushing a purchase as 30, 60, 90 feet from a data room router to your audio rack.

 

[twitch]

Just as I thought, you haven't heard any of the Audioquest Ethernet cables, but somehow you feel the need to post a comment.

I don't want any cable that I can 'hear' and if $50 a meter is in fact true I sure as hell wouldn't admit that I got duped into buying it ...........

 

[Esotar]

I love DALBY~!

 

[shakti]

I am happy with the Wireworld Platinum Starlight 8 LAN cable

 

[shapo]

There's a new flagship Shunyata Omega Ethernet cable
https://shunyata.com/products/digital-cables/omega-series-digital-cables/omega-ethernet/

 

[Zappadaddy]

There's a new flagship Shunyata Omega Ethernet cable
https://shunyata.com/products/digital-cables/omega-series-digital-cables/omega-ethernet/

Today we tested Omega and it made such a huge impact on sound, I was overwhelmd with the sound that I immidietly order the cable. I never thought that ethernet cable will make such a difference

 

[jasond]

Has anyone compared the Network Acoustics Muon Pro and Audioquest Diamond, Nordost etc?

 

[rsrzr]

Of course cable naysayers never listen to the cable in question. Their narrative is how can a cable sound different than another.
Almost every cable I bring home myself and some of my audiophile friends can tell there is a difference, good or bad.
You do need a nice system to have a cable make a difference. A Best Buy Sony system will not justify a better cable.
Is a good sounding cable expensive? My $1000 i2s cable is less than 1% of the cost of my system, so I would say it’s a relatively cheap cable

 

[jasond]

Sure there are other areas to address in general when starting to improve a hifi setup. But of course every component has an impact. And as most today use network / streaming this is also becoming more important. The thread topic is about that, so hopefully more will contribute with their experiences.

 

[audiopro92]

Buy from a brand such as linkup that provides a printout of the measured performance of the cable.
This is important because even among the same standard of ethernet cabels, such as CAT 6 or even CAT 8, real-world performance is all over the place, inconsistent. You can prove this when working in a real-life lab or IT server room; when deploying a network topology from CIsco Packet Tracer or GNS3.

What this boils down to is the quality of the internal twisted wire, insulation, shielding, and overall jacket quality/material.

Contrary to popular belief, twisted pair cables are not automatically 100% immune to picking up noise - such as those from the bygone era we know as CAT 5e. The more resolving the system (most importantly your speakers / headphones + amplifier) the easier it will be to discern differences in sound quality.

 

[rsrzr]

Buy from a brand such as linkup that provides a printout of the measured performance of the cable.
This is important because even among the same standard of ethernet cabels, such as CAT 6 or even CAT 8, real-world performance is all over the place, inconsistent. You can prove this when working in a real-life lab or IT server room; when deploying a network topology from CIsco Packet Tracer or GNS3.

What this boils down to is the quality of the internal twisted wire, insulation, shielding, and overall jacket quality/material.

Contrary to popular belief, twisted pair cables are not automatically 100% immune to picking up noise - such as those from the bygone era we know as CAT 5e. The more resolving the system (most importantly your speakers / headphones + amplifier) the easier it will be to discern differences in sound quality.

I was the guy in the 90’s who created and diagnosed token ring and Ethernet networks with my network general sniffer pc. Even back then, you wouldn’t use the sniffer to check cable signatures (quality of the cable and connection), you would use a fluke or Klein meter, and you can buy these devices for home use on the cheap.
We built our own cables back then and we would signature each cable with the fluke meter before installing it. I do the same thing in my house. I have purchased high budget cables and they checked out on the fluke meter.
I did hear a poster say get a blue jeans cable. I heard this from some posters years ago about the blue jeans IC’s. So instead of my $1000 IC’s, I bought a blue jeans ic cable and it was a terrible cable compared to my standard cable. I ended up selling it and never think twice about any future cables from my current vendor.