Verizon Fios modem —> Supra8 cat8 —> Verizon Fios Router —> Supra8 cat8 —> TP Link MC220L —> Generic Monoprice MM OM3 fiber —> TP Link MC220L —> Supra8 cat8 —> DirectStream Bridge II
My modem/router etc are mounted about 20ft away in my hall closet. My audio equipment (amp, DAC, and second media converter) are all plugged into a Stellar P3 power plant.
A. Where would I install a linear power supply? Does it even make sense to use a LPS plugged into the P3? What about the Verizon router and first media converter in my closet? I’ve read in some of these threads that it only matters when plugged into the stereo side.
B. What about audiophile switches. I hear two opinions on them. Some say they make no difference. But I’m not sure if it would help me. Wouldn’t that just introduce another component? I’d still have to go from my modem to my router…. And instead of feeding the audio from the router alone would have the audiophile switch between the router and audio equipment.
I can tell you that the Supra 8 Ethernet cables and the media converters made a big improvement in SQ.
Any opinions on where I can better this setup would be greatly appreciated.
Your ears will tell you where the LPS sounds best. I have three LPS units, one of them sounds best plugged into P15, the other sound better plugged to the wall receptacle. Router is shared between audio and other gear. It definitely benefitted from LPS vs the stock SMPS.
Some opt for so called audiophile switches (I did and can conform benefits in my system) but many don’t. Some Cisco switches were highly praised by community members. Worth investigation. However it seems LAN / optical / LAN conversion works better, and you don’t have to spend a fortune to get it.
Based on my experience, I would consider adding a quieter power supply to the second TPLink MC. Why not ensure the MC does not add any significant noise back into the signal chain after you made the effort to isolate everything upstream from the optical cable from your DAC?
I am guessing @vkennedy61 would like to know if your computer is “hardwired” to your digital stream and/or whether it shares the same power circuitry as your various stereo kit.
Depending on the overall set up and signal chain, some noise reduction tweaks are likely to be more important than others – at least that’s my working theory.
Computer is hardwired to router. Same as DAC / Bridge II (via media converters). Computer is located in separate room (home office). Stereo is in my living room.
I have my P3 connected to three low draw components: a Direct Stream DAC, a Nucleus Rev. B and the LPS that is powering my Matrix SPDIF 2. I’m very pleased with the results.
I can’t guarantee it will make a big difference (b/c my computer has always been “connected” in this manner), but you might try disconnecting the ethernet connection between the computer housing the Roon core software and the router serving your H-Fi digital chain.
Roon core sits on my iMac in a different room on a different floor in my home. It is connected to my router via Wi-Fi. Like you, I have a series of “Ethernet” and optical cables strung, along with media converters, between the router and the PSA Bridge II/DS DAC combination.
In theory, keeping the computer isolated from the router may provide an added benefit – or at least maybe the other bits and bobs down stream of the router (MCs, optical cable, power supplies, etc.) won’t have to work as hard to keep out or eliminate any noise the computer might have otherwise been contributing).
I think I would try a LPS on the second media converter.
That might help twofold. First, you will get a noisy wall wart off of your PP. Second, if the media converter is at all noisy, you’ll be certain that you’re done as much as you can on the last leg before your DS.
I’ll buy a Jameco just to try it out and see how much of an improvement I get. Then maybe look at something like an uptone afterwards. I’ll report back on my findings.
Definite improvement using the Jameco LPS on the media converter at my DAC. Much better focus. I haven’t played with changing the first media converter to see if that has any improvement or not I also need to see what my router voltage requirements are to try that as well.
