HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

The very observant might have noticed that my signature has changed to include this.






Although the website of the UK distributor Audiostore said it was out of stock this was not the case. Delivery was prompt, but the optical connection lead was missing. This arrived the next day after a phone call to Audiostore. Setting up was simple, directly to the Cisco 2940 via its optical output, streaming with the BubbleUp app as previously. Some adjutments were required, the Eno ethernet filter now feeding into the Cisco 2940 instead of from it and the quality 1m length of DH Labs ethernet cable now connecting the router to the Cisco 2960 instead of the Eno to the streamer.

Running in has taken some time as I have been making the most of the good weather at the tail end of summer. An improvement over the MicroRendu was immediately apparent and after a week was significant. I think the often used term musicality is most appropriate and there is a greater sense of emotion to the music. This is very pronounced on vocals and acoustic instruments, notably the plucking of strings on acoustic guitar. This is appears to be the result of a greater sense of space with guitar solos seemingly leaping out at you. I also detect a greater dynamic range. The extent of the improvement varies according to the quality of the recordings, irrespective of Bit and sample rates. I am delighted with the step up in SQ. A comparison with the ethernet connected silly priced and all in one streaming solutions in bigger boxes with bells and whistles would be very interesting.

The MicroRendu has slotted into the second system powered by the MCRU PS which had been gathering dust. Previously the Topping E30 was directly connected to an old Tesco tablet. A length of Cat 8 ethernet cable removed from the main system connects to the Sky wifi extender, free with Sky Q. As expected the system sounds a lot better. This is partly due to using the DAC setting instead of pre amp as I can control volume from a tablet instead of the remote.

That's a much more attractive table cloth.

What?

slinger wrote: ↑Tue Sep 14, 2021 2:52 pm That's a much more attractive table cloth.

What?

Seem to recall my wife buying it at the market in Marrakesh. Think she had to haggle.

You will have to clarify a couple of things for me CN.

What else is going through Cisco 2960 apart from your hifi stream?

What else is going through your Cisco 2940 apart from your hifi stream?

These two switches are connected? - 2960 to Sonore Optical using ethernet cable, then optical cable to the Cisco 2940?

I may have more questions later

It is a bit complicated. Gone are the days when it was just a TT/CDP, amp and speakers.

The sky router is connected to the Cisco 2960 by a short length of ethernet cable. The router is directly connected to the Sky Q box by an ethernet cable. This is because, for some reason, a connection to the Sky Q box from the switch caused problems with the connection to the streamer.

The Cisco 2960 connects to the hifi and desk top PC by long lengths of ethernet cable. The hifi connection is to the Network Acoustics ethernet filter which connects by a short length of cable to one of the ethernet ports on the Cisco 2940.



The Cisco 240 has a seperate port with a removable device fitted in which accepts optical. This connects via an optical cable to a similar removable device which came with the optical rendu (you can see in one of the picturess) completing the connection.

Confused and there is more between the streamer and pre amp.

I forgot, the NAS is also directly connected to thevCisco 2960 via a short length of ethernet cable. I found tha I could still play my ripped CDs during an internet outage a few months ago.

CN211276 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 15, 2021 7:56 am It is a bit complicated. Gone are the days when it was just a TT/CDP, amp and speakers.

The sky router is connected to the Cisco 2960 by a short length of ethernet cable. The router is directly connected to the Sky Q box by an ethernet cable. This is because, for some reason, a connection to the Sky Q box from the switch caused problems with the connection to the streamer.

The Cisco 2960 connects to the hifi and desk top PC by long lengths of ethernet cable. The hifi connection is to the Network Acoustics ethernet filter which connects by a short length of cable to one of the ethernet ports on the Cisco 2940.



The Cisco 240 has a seperate port with a removable device fitted in which accepts optical. This connects via an optical cable to a similar removable device which came with the optical rendu (you can see in one of the picturess) completing the connection.

Confused and there is more between the streamer and pre amp.

Thank you for the explanation, the 2940 I can understand splits the signal between hifi and home pc, what I cannot understand is why don't you go direct from the 2940 to to your streamer with ethernet cable , negating the use of the 2960 and your new device?

Just giving a little more thought, the 2940 and 2960 can both split the signal?, if that is the case and you wanted to change from ethernet to optical, why not just use the 2960 and your new purchase, removing the 2940 from the system?

Not sure if I follow you. I bought the 2960 a year before the 2940. I had read reports of two switches being better than one and found out that this was the case. The addition of the second switch brough about a bigger leap in SQ than the introduction of the first. The OpticalRendu can only be connected to an optical cable connected to a similar port on a switch or the Sonore module. The module is expensive and requires a power supply. The switch performs the same function and cost me £24.