I have StarTech FMC powered by an Uptone JS-2. When I first used it, I used the wall wart and I didn’t think it was worth keeping it in the path. The JS-2 made the difference.
Roon → CAT8 → Ubiquiti UniFi Switch (core) → Fiber (35’) → Ubiquiti UniFi Switch (powered by P10, this switch is in my cabinet and serves our audio/video gear) → Fiber → StarTech FMC (powered by JS-2) → Ethernet → DS.
I have two other paths to the DS:
ultraRendu → USB → DS
a second ultraRendu → USB → Kitsune KTE SU-2 → IS2
All of this is programmed in our Control4, so it’s easy to switch back and forth between solutions. In order of preference most days I prefer the I2S. The StarTech fiber and the USB are a tie. I know that Ted has said that the DS will sound better with the Bridge II removed, but I personally haven’t heard the difference, so for the foreseeable future I am playing.
JVC QL-Y7 (the TOTL complete TT that JVC released in the US), Gold Note PH-10 phono stage, Nuprime CDT-8 transport and the Aries G1. Once the two house situation turns into one and some of the spare parts are sold off I would consider upgrading the Aries G1 to a 2.1 or whatever the current top model is and the Nuprime to the current Jay’s transport model. I have tried several “modern” TT’s and decided to stick with the big Vintage Direct Drive models. The two Rega’s in particular were not my thing. I also have the Denon equivalent the DP-62L but prefer the JVC. If at some point they both die I would look at the current Technics DD’s. Parts to work on the JVC and the Denon have been non-existent for many years. Fortunately they are both working fine. The Gold Note does what I need and when it doesn’t the Modwright would be the alternative. No fancy switches or Ethernet cables needed as the Auralic’s do fine with WiFi. Also perfectly happy with the Inakustik USB and HDMI cables.
Apart from the dip switches, and the ability to change connection speed (a feature previously added to Melco S100), nothing is mentioned. Even the internals in the picture below look pretty simple. Moreover, reviewers in the UK and Germany, did not compare it to similar products. So, chances are that you are getting similar or better results for a fraction of what I paid. In my case, the impact on streaming was transformational, and would allow me to live with DS / Bridge for longer.
I may pull another fiber run and avoid the second switch entirely going straight to the FMC. I don’t think that it will make a difference, but it’s not going to be terribly difficult. It’s one of the joys of having an exposed ceiling in the basement.
I have the mostly expensive Small Green Computer Ethernet to Fiber thingamabob. I power it with an Sbooster. Somewhere I got the very last word on which SFP is the one and only correct choice. I bought a bunch of them, they are small. The EtherREGEN also does a decent job of crossing from Ethernet to Fiber.
But I gotta tell ya, for giggles I bought a $25 device from TrendMicro and it seems to be just as good. It’s in its box though, gotta use the pricey stuff. Seems prudent.
Am I right that for using an FMC, I first need a switch with an SFP port, then go Ethernet into that switch, fiber out, FMC fiber in/ethernet out to RJ45 to Bridge and buy external psu’s for all that stuff?
Did anyone compare how much better all this effort is to a simple passive galvanic isolation device? That’s what I use at the moment.
I know of a case where a user used two FMCs to connect to English Electric 8Switch. So the signal goes from RJ45 to SFP to RJ45. In my case, the pre-existence of the Melco S100 with SFP ports allowed me to use a single FMC. In a way, FMC galvanically isolates your switch / streamer from the router.
Would be interesting if maybe @tedsmith knows the theoretical difference between the active FMC vs. a passive device as I linked here before. At least the effort for the owner is quite different.
I just made sure all of the signal paths are hardwired ethernet with an abundance of band width. Tried so called “audiophile” network devices an ethernet cables. No more bueno than with my regular devices.
I still have my CD’s and vinyl that I play for quality listening. The spinning of discs and cover art’s at hand put it al in a much more enjoyable atmosphere.
For background music the streaming music sound quality is more than appropriate and provides my great joy too.
For me, with all these tweaks, streaming (local and remote) has gained a larger pied-à-terre of my listening time and space. I unplugged the Matrix and I2S to see if critical listening is possible with pure streaming.
I have come to the almost final conclusion that I like direct drive tables better than even high end belt drive tables, I am using the Technics SL1210GAE. It seems a lot of high manufactures use DD in their top models
