My situation is unique because I felt the SOtM Cat. 7 Isolator not only reduces noise, but it also tunes the SQ towards analog sounding when I first added it into the system. The Inak. Ref. Cat 7 is used between the Orbi node and the isolator, and a SOtM Cat. 7 is used from isolator to the streamer. So, I do have two different ethernet cables in the chain. Supra Cat. 8 was a great cable for my setup because it sounds a bit bright compared to Inak. but works well in my setup.
The Inakustik Ref. is not bad sounding at all but replacing Supra into the chain made the system sound warmer and less clean at first. I just listened to the system now and the sound is more neutral than yesterday. It needs more time to reach its peak, I think.
I have to say an ethernet cable can throw a deep soundstage like Inakustik does is incredible and puzzling. It is the biggest improvement from my streaming chain with it added.
I considered the SoTM boxes then went the Inakustik route with botth Ruter swich to streamer and router to Sonore UltraoRendu. Because I would only have two ethernet cables versa the three
It really brings out different voices in a choir and adds the since of depth based on which row they reside. I guess one might interpret that as warmth with the added spatial cues. I went back to a 2inch tuning ring on the Dragon HC for less echo and more mid bass. Maybe I need to cut a17/8” ring?
After three days the Inakustik Ref. Cat 7 is sounding better. It is sounding more natural with a great soundstage. it is better than my previous Supra Cat. 8. I really like the cable.
I almost always prefer MQA when I compare (particularly if the recording is 44.1), using BridgeII to DS or with my Node2i. So I hope MQA is supported by AirLens.
I’ll plan to keep both Qobuz and Tidal since they each have gaps or different quality for albums I like.
“Qobuz Sublime has a discount on buying content, which can pay for the price uplift from Qobuz Studio pretty easily if you are a file buyer. I do most of my buying on Bandcamp though.”
I tend to eschew down loads in favor of physical media. I prefer to own a “physical” copy (CD or SACD) that I can rip and play or play directly on a disc transport.
Octave Record’s releases are great for this reason. I wish all SACD pressings came with data disc as well.
I’ll download the odd file or two on occasion, but usually it’s a sample or novelty of some sort.
I started collecting Electra CDs in 1984, when there were only two disc factories in the world. Traded my original Yamaha player for a Nakamichi OMS5 in 1986. I had original Doors CD releases like LA Woman. Also all the Roxy Music, King Crimson and David Bowie CD releases. Pat Metheny and various early ECM releases. Deutsche Grammophon Karajan’s and Böhm’s. Funded everything by mowing lawns. The discs developed disc rot over time though and I sold them to a collector in Germany who has them on his wall as display items. So it goes.
Looks like there is a Wiki called “Disc Rot” on the subject. I had not actually noticed problems myself as the ripped copies I play from are from my having moved on from CD to SACD, DVDA and Bluray.
SWMBO chewed me out after noticing just how many copies of LA Woman I had on the shelf. This precipitated the aforementioned sales as well as my crating up all discs and moving them to the basement.
I just dug out the reports the collector gave me from back then on the old CDs. He used EAC (Exact Audio Copy) as well as a trained eye. Here are a couple examples.
“The King Crimson Red is unfortunately defective, has timing problems, which means there is a cracking sound. It’s an old UK Nimbus pressing, and they’re starting to show the ravages of time. It can happen. But the other two Nimbus pressings (Larks Tongues & Three of a Perfect Pair) are perfectly OK.”
“The Roxy Music Avalon will still run despite the stains. It is a Polygram pressing. The spots are small places where the seal has given away. If you hold it up to the light, it shines through the spots.”
Down below is probably a more stable environment than where the discs were before. And it is not a dank basement. There are plenty of windows and doors out one side. It would be noticed though if I added more crates. At least I mainly buy downloads now. Though the physical UHD collection is starting to grow a bit.
