Bluesound Node 2 vs. Auralic Aries Mini

Hi yoby,

I’m not wgutz (wish also to hear from him/her), but I found that article/review an excellent resource for comparing Ethernet cables and accruements. It lines right up with my perceptions of the sound of WW Platinum and the SR Ethernet Active SE cable (excepting mine has the UEF tuning bullets which I find to be a significant improvement over the Enigma bullets used in the audiobacon comparison). Will be hearing the SOtM Cat7 cable this weekend, so I can comment on that afterwards.

dogmcd,

My recent comparisons of the sound of three top USB cables between my Aurender and various DACs produced convincing audible differences that run counter to your statement, whether related to data transmission variables or something you are not accounting for I cannot say.

My experience is that the sound character of various USB cables varies widely as well as their individual compatibility with different DACs. Actually trying these things rather than cognitively disqualifying such possibilities is the way to go IME.

Dave

@dogmcd I am in the same situation. Using SBT strictly as a streamer. Also found a used Aries Mini with Sbooster PS. I use it via Coax only. What are your thoughts on the sound quality between the SBT and Mini? Thanks.

P.S. I currently use LMS server from Rpi3. With the Mini, will I be able to run everything from it? I only do Tidal-Hifi. 

Celo,

I've found that the Aries Mini does seem to sound better, more detailed and more extended. My guess is that it's due to advances in network chips and clocking causing fewer errors and better data throughput. The SBT was a cool product that Logitech decided to abandon, so it never was updated any further. Still perfectly viable, but I think newer technology like the Aries Mini is better. The only constant in the digital world is change, and that change happens much faster than we usually like or expect!

dlcockrum,

Let's be clear, I am not discounting the fact that different cables can sound different, what I'm trying to discern is why that would be the case. Keep in mind that the operative word is "IF".... IF the data structure is exact at both ends of a cable, IF the cable allows said data to clock in at the proper time, IF the cable ensures that data voltage levels are consistent and correct, then no other cable can improve on the audible results. If the data is correct, it's correct. Differences can be had past the receiver/transmitter chip in whatever device you use, like in a digital filter, DAC, oversampling system, etc., but a digital cable can't change the sonics UNLESS it's changing the content of the data in some way. That said, it's very possible that is happening, but it's interesting that there are so many different manufacturers with different USB cables at different price points; how are they manipulating that data stream to get different results? That's my question. And, how do we know when a cable does get the data right versus when it doesn't? Are we really hearing "improvement" or just something "different?

By the way, this question should be the same with any digital transmission standard, be it USB, CAT5, CAT6, S/PDIF, whatever. A digital signal being transmitted must ultimately be converted back to an analog output at some point when we're talking about audio. Each of those has an industry accepted standard that must be adhered to. Now, are the standards themselves not able to hold muster with the data they are transmitting, or are we playing with bit streams within cables to "filter" for a particular sound profile? In practice, no digital transmission is without error, that's why there's error correction all over it. But, in the end, how do we ensure that have the best way of ensuring that a digital data stream is as bit perfect as it can bee at the input of a DAC? That's what matters.

Dogmcd,

Glad you found something you like! You are correct, the equipment on offer today is much better than the SBT. I had one too and would find it hard to go back since so much has changed. I was the first one to be surprised at the resurgence of vinyl. With how far digital technology has come I would have thought that record albums would not last.... boy was I wrong! But in the end what is the problem with all the different flavors of audio coexisting? From the Bose Wave radio to MBL audio systems, I say there is room for it all. I mean to say, in the end, we all luv music therefore we might better serve ourselves by listening more to the music....  and getting enjoyment out of what we are using today.

We cannot be sure that we will get bit perfect digital data streams, but we may get enough to enjoy the music.

I try to avoid calling out products just because they didn't sound good in my system. I do think my system is incredibility accurate and telling, but that doesn't matter as it isn't the same tuning as your own. 

But I do have a tidbit regarding Ethernet cables: In discussions with my personal cable builder (that my associates help support), it was found that CAT 7 & 8 use a shield on each of the separate wires running through the cable. We believe that this causes more inductance and combined noise. And my personal testing of CAT 7 and the one CAT 8 make me believe this is true. CAT 6 uses only one shield for the whole cable bundle.

So we build our own CAT 6 with a late version of the product that has naturally good "sonic" attributes. It is cyro treated  with our own specifications as it takes a lot more knowledge to accomplish than just getting the material adequately cold. The connectors are special too, costing about $40 wholesale (each end), minimum order of 10 for each end at the same time/order.

I don't sell cables myself and our little "club" of local Denver audio nuts is a bit different. But based upon what I know, I wouldn't spend real money on CAT 7 or 8.  I do think it is interesting that a cable can carry video data at double the rate of the highest resolution TV, but is effectively awful for digital music, at least in my system. Bill