I have a DS with bridge ii and primarily use Roon via a NAS. I have my router going to a switch via a long cable going into the bridge ii via a shorter high quality ethernet cable. I’m wondering if ethernet isolators will improve the sound. I’m using a PS Audio power conditioner going into the PS audio wall outlet for all the components and it really cleaned things up noticeably when using it as compared to before. I’m wondering about ethernet isolators and further cleaning up of noise. Anyone use one with the bridge ii and noticed improvements?
I also have a DS with bridge II connected to a NAS through a router. The router is also connected to a cable modem to provide Tidal. Between the router and bridge II is a Baaske MED MI 1005 network isolator which helps to reduce the noise level somewhat. But the biggest difference in reducing noise level occurred when I followed the example of Michael Lavorgna, a reviewer for Audiostream. If you look at his set up in the article The Listening Room, https://www.audiostream.com/content/listening-room-0, and scroll towards the bottom,
you will see a diagram of how he set up the network AC power for NAS, router, etc. connected to a smaller inexpensive power conditioner plugged into one outlet, all separate from the audio equipment. All of the audio equipment AC power for the DAC, amp, etc. is plugged into a separate more expensive power conditioner and plugged into a different wall outlet. When I separated the network stuff from the audio stuff the noise level dropped significantly. Now I just don’t hear the noise at all. Nice black backgrounds. Btw, if you have your PS power conditioner connected to the internet, I would recommend disconnecting that ethernet cable when listening to music to also reduce noise. Hope this information helps you reduce the noise level in your system.
Separate / isolate computers and network stuff from the DSD never hurts
Great Advice, Thanks. Will try that out for sure. Also, that’s a relatively inexpensive isolator compared to some others I’ve seen.
High quality power supply on the last switch/network device helps a lot.
100Mbps optical media converters do a nice job too. Good PS on last one.
I find the optical converters help any streaming source even if you’re not using Ethernet to the DAC.
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This is an interesting observation, and not something I’ve experimented with, or even thought about. The I/O board in the PP is not shielded in a faraday cage-like thing of any sort, it just exists in space with the other internals within the chassis. So whatever might radiate from it might influence other things. And it is connected to the regenerator via a ribbon cable. So that opens up possibilities that might explain what you’ve reported about that.
If it is the case that disconnecting a PP from the network yields an improvement in sound would indicate a weakness in the hardware design.
Noise from Ethernet might have been underestimated.
Also, shielded Ethernet may induce more noise 
My point was particularly about the internal layout of the PP, and whether there might be room for improvement there if it turns out that they sound different whether the LAN cable is connected. As aside from using shielded or whatever other things external to the PP. The internals of a PP are modular. There is I/O board, regenerator board, relay board, transformer, etc. They all coexist inside the chassis without being RF shielded from one another.
I don’t know the answer. I’m just postulating and shooting the breeze here. But the fact that this has been reported by respected forum member has pegged my curiosity.
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I think we’re thinking the same thing. I agree completely.
Interesting, I wonder if my PWT being connected to the internet via LAN is introducing noise?
Something for you to try and report findings.
Easy to try.
I admit to have never considered whether an Internet connection to a PowerPlant, PWT/DMP, etc. could be the source of noise.
I use LAN isolators between my Xfinity X1 Gateway and my DS DAC and Oppo 105D and they seem to make a small but noticeable improvement in terms of clarity. I’ve always assumed that was because of a reduction in noise
I have SGCD/S300 with Ultrarendu as source for music. On my dedicated line for audio I only have SGCD, Sbooster power supply, and linear wall wart (powering receiving fmc) in the Dectet; S300 straight to wall.
Outside of USB for music I only have optical that goes from TV to IFI Spdif purifier -> optical out to SGCD.
Would you believe while listening to tv via optical, the Ethernet cable connecting my fmc to Ultrarendu changes the sound. Wireworld cat 8 noticeably deteriorates SQ of TV making sibilance really bad to the point where s’s are jumping out at you and vocals are very thin and edgy. Bjc cat 6 and Ghent Audio cat 6a do not change the sound plugged vs unplugged.
That’s comparing shielded vs floating shield, with the former sounding brighter. I can definitely believe that.
Which ethernet isolators work (or don’t work) in front of the BridgeII?
I tried a pair of tp-link gigabit multimode media converters, and couldn’t get the signal to the DSD.
Above is mentioned the Baaske MED MI 1005 .
Steve Nugent likes the > > EMO EN-70e isolator. Anybody know if that works in front of the BridgeII?
Other suggestions?
I use the 100mb TPLink
TP-Link Fast Ethernet Media Converter, Up to 100Mbps
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0034CSUD0/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_S0XhCb5K46PRF
Also check out this thread for useful info. Posts 14 and 29 are interesting
@Veneet - thank you. I assume you are using two of these. I was using two of the next model up (MC200CM) and it wasn’t working when I tried to play music via my computer (e.g. using JRiver or Almarra). But not that I just purchased a NAS drive, I don’t need to use my computer at all necessarily. Just us the mcontrol app. What are you using to play from your library and control streaming? Also - I wonder if I had it set up wrong. Do you have the upstream unit set as “Force” and the downstream on “Auto”?
I do use 2 of these. I followed the directions in this thread. See post 30 [EDIT] step 5 for dipswitch settings the version number of the FMC doesn’t seem to matter I have version 5 I think. Also, see post 8 regarding gigabit.
You could use an ethernet switch between your FMCs and the bridge and it would solve the mismatch of speeds if you wanted to keep your FMCs.
I use Roon to control my music, but Mcontrol works too.
I am not sure about the Force and Auto settings. I did this about a year ago or more.
If post 30 doesn’t help I can crack open the aluminum box that I mounted my FMCs in and see the settings, its a bit of a pain to reach it, but I am happy to help.