My 2019 Update Thread - My final system I think.

[CageyH]

So how do you think the T8 compares to a dedicated fan less streaming PC with all the right bits inside?
I would say I am asking for a friend, but that would by lying.

[Gazjam]

Kevin,

I used to design and build the things, (Hifi Choice 5* Award winner ya know!) and the T8 sounds better than any Server Ive ever built or owned.
It just points the stream to your Dac without adding anything?

If it was noisy I'd hear it in my system and its dead quiet.
Read reviews of it saying soundwise it gets 98% the way towards the Hifi Rose RS130, which was my first possible choice.
The UI and software experience is second to none, its actually a pleasure to use and everyting makes sense and is where it should be.
Constant firmware updates address any niggles and add new features.
Forum support from Manufacturer is excellent - always something I look for.

Its a crackin' bit of kit, I'd recommend it to anyone.
It plays well with far more expensive kit and doesn't put any bottleneck on performance.

[CageyH]

Kevin,

I used to design and build the things, (Hifi Choice 5* Award winner ya know!) and the T8 sounds better than any Server Ive ever built or owned.
It just points the stream to your Dac without adding anything?

If it was noisy I'd hear it in my system and its dead quiet.
Read reviews of it saying soundwise it gets 98% the way towards the Hifi Rose RS130, which was my first possible choice.
The UI and software experience is second to none, its actually a pleasure to use and everyting makes sense and is where it should be.
Constant firmware updates address any niggles and add new features.
Forum support from Manufacturer is excellent - always something I look for.

Its a crackin' bit of kit, I'd recommend it to anyone.
It plays well with far more expensive kit and doesn't put any bottleneck on performance.

I have read the reviews, which is why I made the suggestion earlier in the thread.
I also know about your previous activities.
Hence the question....

[Gazjam]

The second thing I looked at was something I'd never even thought about before,
potential for "noise on the line" from Ethernet cables?

The Eversolo has a SFP Fibre Ethernet input as well as the usual RJ45 Ethernet, and thats something Im doing some homework on,
but in the meantime as far as normal Ethernet cables goes, I hadnt ever strayed from trusty Bluejeans Cat6 unshielded cables.

Im looking to max out the Eversolo streaming quality, so took a punt on 3 different Ethernet cables to compare to the Bluejeans.
I did my usual rummaging around various forums for opinions and reviews, to help suss out the ones that came closest to that "diminishing returns sweet spot" I try to look for?
Tried the usual Forum suspects, Audiophile Style (ex Computer Audiophile), DCS forums, Naim, Head-Fi and a few higher end American forums too.

I wanted to avoid any Marketing led Manufacturers (Looking at you Audioquest) and stick to those who were (to me at least) based on sound engineering and design principles.
Came up with 3 cables, 2 from the same manufacturer.

1. Japanese company, Neotech UPOCC ethernet cables.
Cable website and info HERE:
https://www.neotechcable.com/Ethernet-UP-OCC-Silver-Cable.html

They do two, based around some solid engineering Some Internet Blurb on it:


Neotech is a prominent manufacturer of high-end audio cables that utilizes
Ohno Continuous Casting (OCC) technology to produce ultra-pure, single-crystal copper and silver conductors.
This casting process was developed by Professor Atsumi Ohno of the Chiba Institute of Technology in Japan.

So pretty good so far?
I picked up the 3008 Copper version and the 1008 solid silver version.



The 3008 Copper cable


Compared to the Bluejeans Cat6 I was using?



its a thick boy!

And the Silver core version



Serious plug construction on these

The third cable was from Melco/ Dela (who do Servers and the like. This is their latest cable the C100. Another forum favorite






Far more "normal" construction than the Neotechs, but it does have a party trick in that it is only grounded at one end, to drain any potential noise on the cable to ground?Another "Engineering Principle" based cable which seems to be close to that "sweet spot", one guy on one of the American forums sold his Nordost Hemdall II (very expensive) as the C100 was "noticably" better sounding.
So that caught my attention!

As always though, the proof is in the listening - but this is a very good place to start, to hear for myself in my own System.

The plan was to compare to what I have already, keep the best one and return the rest?

That was the theory anyway... as it happens Im only returning one - replacing the Bluejeans Cat6 on the AppleTV has very unexpected (and dramatic!) results.
Only hooked it up to the AppleTV to help run it in a bit while I was listening to the Neotech on the streamer, but immediuate improvement in Picture and sound from the AppleTV... Crikey!
Decided it was worth replacing the Ethernet cable on the AppleTV as well.
Tried WIFI as a sanity check, everything fell apart, so a good ethernet cable here is definitely worth it. Difference on 4K Streams from Netflix and the like, even YouTube, was really something.

Initial results:

Had about 4 days burning in of the copper Neotech and the Melco, alternated between the two on the Eversolo. Not anywhere NEAR the final sound of these cables but a good starting point.
Trusting my Guy instinct on this one, and not over thinking it. Its usually right.

PREFERRED THE NEOTECH - A Bigger more dynamic and transparent sound. More energy to it.
More a front seat presentation which is a great combination with the "mature" very realistic sound of my May KTE dac. Great synergy.

The Melco is more laid back sounding, more of a "few rows back" type presentation?
Synergy not as good in the system, sounds great, a lot better than the Bluejeans, but not as good as the Neotech copper.

So the question was Neotech Copper vs Silver for the Eversolo.

Online chatter about the Silver Neotech:
A couple of guys on the Naim Forum found it very bright and sharp in their systems and returned it, instead going for the likes of the Shunyata Sigma cable (at just under 3 Grand!)
Others with higher end systems (a Swedish high end Hifi group) preferred the Neotech over anything else!

SO need to hear it for myself in my own system.

Would it be too bright, being silver?
I suspected not, with the May Dac having the sound that it does? (think the Opposite of whatever "digital glare" is)
But needed to hear for myself so plumbed it in tonight for the first time.


Fresh out the box Its better than the copper, a lot better.
More transparent, the mid and top end has a clarity and snap that just draws you in.
And its not harsh or bright at all.

A lot more to come from this cable, solid silver cable in a ballache to burn in, so preparing for a bit of a rollercoaster.
But the Neotech Silver is the one Im using to get the most out of the Eversolo T8.

[Gazjam]

*EDIT*

Tried the unused Neotech Copper in the AppleTV to compare with the Melco cable for Movie watching and stuff?
Neotech is noticably better with the AppleTV as well, much more Pop to the picture, better contrast and subtle details in the picture brought out better, even in the quieter scenes.
So not just more flash bang whallop, but subtle details that draw you in as well.

The Neotech is a better cable than the Melco, whether Copper or Silver.
So in the battle of the different Engineering Principles:
OCC casting beats out grounding on one side only.

The old "grounded cable as an antenna" discussion doesn't apply here, maybe in part due to the Eversolo’s emphasis on internal electrical isolation?
Oh,
The Neotech is directional too, not interested in flipping it around to try as its its so unweildy and you could tow a car with it - it stays where it is!

More to come as the Silver Neotech cable burns in, and when I hook up the Router be be powered with linear PSU directly from balanced Mains - so happy to stick a fork in this one and call it Done.

MAY tried optical fibre Ethernet with the T8’s SFP Ethernet port, mostly good reports but some claims of a Clinical sound from it?

Only one way to find out, but that’s for another day… maybe.

[Gazjam]

I have read the reviews, which is why I made the suggestion earlier in the thread.
I also know about your previous activities.
Hence the question....

Yeah... !

Id suggest to your Friend Kevin to go for a T8 over a PC based solution
Streamer Tech has caught up with Hairshirt PC Build nowadays I’d say.

Innovative Technology integration to the “Norm” has always been the driver for cheaper stuff sounding better, so I’d say we are in a good place right now.

Sure there’s a formula out there, but what we have nowadays would have cost you a LOT more as recently as 10 years ago?

Its a sliding scale, but that’s how it should be.

[Jimbo]

Brilliant cable evaluation and hopefully the implementation brings about uplift.

I have limited experience in Ethernet cable technology but I do know routers, network switches, network filters etc can all make a difference and I was surprised at how effective an English electric EE1 was in the chain.


Ultimately I would have thought the fibre conversion route may bring about a significant difference.


I have a feeling I will be exploring this whole area soon myself If I find a T8 or a Zen NG does a better job than my current set up!

[Gazjam]

Thanks James.

The fibre Ethernet is an interesting one,
know when my new Broadband was fitted (full fibre to the Property) sound quality
streaming Roon improved.

Not too spendy to try Fibre Ethernet to the streamer, which is good.
Heard mostly good reports on it, a fair few though telling of slightly clinical sound quality it can bring?

I reckon those are from folks who’s gear is maybe revealed not in a good way when the noise from Ethernet is removed with fibre?
As always, it’s all about how nicely it plays with the rest of the Kit?
Who knows right, until you try it in your own System?

I had reservations based purely upon what I’d read about silver cables, so went into it with a bit of trepidation?

For my setup everything being fully balanced and balanced mains powered I reckon I’ve got noise down pretty well, more so when I lash up the mains cable/linear PSU for the Router too.

Zero harshness or “brightly lit” listening fatigue here from the silver Ethernet cable, and that’s with it just plugged in.
Just improved audio.
From experience some time on it will improve it?

Sounds terrific right now, So bollocks to “online wisdom” I say.
Hear it for yourself, 100%

Will have a play with fibre Ethernet at some point, but really enjoying what I’m hearing with the new streaming setup.

Speaking of which,
Eversolo’s brought out a new Firmware update for the T8, the 3rd since I’ve got mine.
Can download and install directly from the App, great stuff.

Great support from the Manufacturer.

[Ali Tait]

I bought a Stack Audio Smoothlan Regenerator which made an improvement to my ears. Might be worth a try mate.

[Gazjam]

I bought a Stack Audio Smoothlan Regenerator which made an improvement to my ears. Might be worth a try mate.

Cheers Ali,
I'll look into it mate.

Interesting bit of kit, Paul Rigby likes it which is normally a good sign for me.

"Sometimes accessories and ancillaries help improve the overall sound of a HiFi chain and do so by degrees which is useful, sure. The Regenerator goes much further than that. It improves sound as if you’ve just bought a new streamer, server or some such. That is the leap in sonic improvement here and you hear those improvements right across the frequency spectrum."


https://theaudiophileman.com/smoothl...m-stack-audio/