Since I converted my main system to optical Ethernet, my microRendu, which has a copper Ethernet connection, has been retired. Then a couple of days ago I saw Sonore, maker of the Rendu series, had come out with a revamped version of the Rendu operating system, called Sonicorbiter. The new version is the 3 series, based on Debian Linux (the 2 series was based on Fedora Linux).
So I dug out the microRendu, installed the new OS, and connected it. The input connection is via UPnP over wired Ethernet; the output is via USB to the Topping E30 II DAC in my office.
It works flawlessly, which wasn’t surprising; I’ve found that to be true for the “wired” UPnP connections I have. What was surprising is that I think (just purely subjectively, in casual listening) the sound quality has gotten better. Maybe I should have expected this, connecting the DAC to a low power mini-computer purpose-built for audio rather than a regular desktop PC. It’s rather nice.
Oh, one other thing: When directly connected, the Topping DAC produces a couple of “pop” sounds when DSD playback is initiated. That doesn’t happen when connected by UPnP.
I use wifi from my laptop running Audirvana Studio via upnp thru my LAN to a purpose built Lumin U1 mini transport on usb to my Chord Quest DAC… Which has its own galvanic isolation… PFM… Isolation from my laptop and all its noise… No pops, no glitches… Just audio nirvana…
Just a point on fibre optic use to eliminate the sources of electical “noise”, fibre itself is prone to a different “noise” source. When impacted by vibration from a sound source the microscopic compression of the cable impacts both the timing, phase and intensity of light pulses in the cable. This is why the use of fibre optic cables, both from existing and purposely laid cable, is now being used for frontier seismic data acquisition and marine mammal investigations (detection of whale migration pathways etc). How this might impact optical ethernet I have no idea, but yes, fibre optical cables are used for their “microphone” abilities in both seismic data acquisition and marine noise monitoring.
Besides being used for the purpose you mention, fiber optical Ethernet also forms the backbone of the world’s internet communications network, so I guess it’s reasonably reliable.
What I thought you were going to talk about was electrical noise from the optoelectronic converters in the transceivers that change the optical signals to electric current and vice versa. Those transceivers should be of good quality like any other electrical component in your system.
No, an agnostic on the effects of noise in the digital realm. Just though I would mention the general digital jitter that occurs in fibre optical cables as well as copper. They’re comms use case is the distance capability . Basically enjoy the topic especially after spending time in the subjectivist nirvana of the Naim forum with some rather “bold” statements on effects of cables, firmware etc etc
Yep. The technical way that’s provided for in both copper and optical Ethernet is that as speed increases and lower levels of jitter become more consequential, the connection points are required to reduce any jitter they receive to or below a specified level.
The length of exposed cable to acoustic and kinetic energy will have it sympathetically oscillating to the corollary in-phase wavelength energy and mechanically inducted inertia, just like a piano string… mass will mitigate the influence.. putting a dab of hot-melt glue at the connector interface so to stabilize the mechanical connection, should go a long way in this regard… the media translator chassis can be mechanically isolated from corollary wavelength energies by applying mass, coating it with rubberized material or encapsulation of some form that dampens vibrations… A tweak for sure:
Yes it will… a smart guy like you can determine how and where this might be applied as a damper… There are creative ways to dissipate heat from a chassis and still dampen sympathetic vibration… I can think of an array of small sandwiched heat-dissipating materials applied judiciously and strategically and/or creating strategically place vent holes if none are available… A dab of hot-met or silicone seal at the connector is absolutely benign…
Because my switches have all SFP+ ports, for RJ45 copper connections I need adapters like the one linked below. I get these because the cheaper brands are famous for failure rate due to heat, and even these get quite warm. So perhaps you’d like to tell me where I’d want to apply a dab of “benign” silicone sealant that wouldn’t raise the changes of heat induced failure?
Have you ever used an SFP+ module? Just wondering, since at least every one I’ve ever used locks firmly in place. And what would you do to prevent vibration along meters of optical fiber, hot melt glue the full length to the wall or floor?
“Firmly” is a relative concept… I admit this is a rather esoteric tweak … However, the cable is connected to the module and can wag the connector… Just an extrapolation into the concept of eliminating noise in the digital-audio signal path that you take great care to eliminate in your playback strategy.
Strategic asymmetrically placed, pliable support/interrupts to de-correlate sympathetic oscillations to the relative fundamental frequency, relative to the length of exposed of cable to acoustic energy and mechanical vibration.
Or I could just let the transceivers and SFP+ inputs/outputs operate as they are designed and tested to do by specification and not have to worry about any vibration induced jitter.
Besides being used for the purpose you mention, fiber optical Ethernet also forms the backbone of the world’s internet communications network, so I guess it’s reasonably reliable.
… However, the cable is connected to the module and can wag the connector… Just an extrapolation into the concept of eliminating noise in the digital-audio signal path that you take great care to eliminate in your playback strategy.
