I see Ethernet isolators to be essential in establishing a reasonably reliable, high-performance, high-resolution, digital-audio distribution network, where ground noise/voltage potentials exist from mixed power circuits from room to room (and potentially on the internet data feed) that will migrate into the cables, network component architectures and playback device architectures, where these power/ground potentials can wreak havoc on the data stream(s) signal integrity and frame/packet timing,
Yes, another option… However, the Sonore OpticalRendu has been discontinued for quite awhile and it seems the $4,800 Signature Rendu SE is the only Ethernet to USB solution they now provide…
There’s no need to spend that much for galvanic isolation.
This €15 device does the same job.
But if you use fiber Ethernet converters, that cost only €30-€50, these small devices bring very small improvement, because the optical converters have already a built-in galvanic isolation.
Optical devices isolate via opto-coupling, not galvanic isolation via transformer… However, the signal isolation in effect, is the same for both optical isolation and galvanic isolation… The quality of the optocoupling device will determine signal integrity and overall performance as is the case for a galvanic isolator…
It was explained to me once by an electronics engineer, and I think that he told me that there is a built-in galvanic isolator inside the converter of the Ethernet stream from optical to analogue.
But it’s very possible that I don’t remember well what he actually said, and that I’m messing with something else.
Anyway, I have two Delocks, like the one to which I provided a link.
One of them is for the decoder of the TV. And it improves the streamed picture.
I use the other one with an audio streamer, and on this end poind, the Padlock provides a small correction to the timber of the sound.
I tried it on another end point, and on this one, the Padlock does not improve anything in my system.
But I heard feedback from other people who say that they get a serious sound improvement with it in their system.
It’s a cheap device, so everybody should try it, and check what benefit he gets from it.
But it’s important to know how to use it:
The device looks symetric, but there’s actually a side that should be directed towards the streamer, and another towards the LAN. It’s important to know it.
The device should be grounded.
The Ethernet cable that connects the Padlock to the streamer should be as short as possible, and should not exceed 50 cm.
The Delock 62619 is the basic model. There are other Delock models who offer an enhanced isolation, and that are slightly more expensive, but they are still cheap in comparaison to the isolator of JCAT.
Whether or not a more expensive audiophile Ethernet isolator like the JCAT NET isolator will provide audibly better playback sound-quality versus a less expensive Ethernet isolator, is going to be purely subjective and anecdotal if not measured in a controlled test… I tend to lean towards the audiophile-centric side, when feasible and there is a reasonable level of doubt…
The primary goal of Ethernet isolation is to remove ground-loops and migratory noise induced in the cable-run(s) from RF and EMF… The DELOCK device is primarily designed as a fail-safe for lightening induced power surges… Also, it appears the DELOCK 62619 is only available in the UK and EU… It’s never a good idea to lift the ground/earthing of your system components!Isolating them with these devices does not involve removing the component system ground/earthing as normal.
I don’t know if the Delock could be found elsewhere than Europe, but it is established that it improves the Ethernet stream of audio and video. But the degree of improvement vary, depending on the other components of the LAN: the quality of the switch, the cables, the converters, etc…
It’s just a device for which there’s no advertising, so it is sold at a reasonable price.
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I agree… It all seems reasonable to me… as long as there is no perceptible degradation in audio performance, which leaves the comparison open to subjective analysis…
The benefits of isolation are clearly perceptible to the trained ear…
