EVERYTHING in the digital streaming chain is important for good SQ.

It’s well known that the digital front-end (modem-router-access point-switch-etc) carries noise along with the signal - aka 'conducting EMI'.  It’s also well known that these same components emit EMI from their housings – especially with WiFi - aka 'radiating EMI'.   Lesser known is that the digital cables themselves radiate EMI.  It contaminates the other cabling and components.  This affects the SQ.  IMHO, it’s important to have good shielding for ethernet cables, digital power cords, umbilical cords.

The combination of noise (conducting EMI and radiating EMI) distorts the audio signal.  A noisy signal has 2D imaging - with all the instruments forward on the same plane.   A cleaned-up signal has 3D imaging - with subtle layering in the width and depth of the soundstage. Blacker background.

My modem/router/WiFi access point are in a utility room - about 30 feet from my system.  These upstream components have been constantly tweaked over many years.  Quality cabling, LPS’s, power conditioning, filters, footers, etc.

When I first started streaming, a subtle change could be heard when the separate modem and the separate router were put on different shelves at different heights - and a little further away from each other.  it became apparent that radiating EMI was a concern.  More recently, I replaced an Acrolink shielded power cord with an upgraded Purist Audio power cord - with proprietary Contego shielding.   The improvement in SQ was substantial.

I’m a big fan of Sablon Audio’s 2020 Ethernet cables.  Have two.  They are designed well, shielded well & sound great!   I also love my Fidelizer AirStream WiFi.    So, I decided to pass on any optical conversion since my streaming configuration sounds really good as is. 

Keetakawee, the owner of Fidelizer Audio, recommends that the Airstream WiFi be used as an access point after the Netgear Nighthawk router.    So, my household devices are connected via WiFi to the Netgear router.  My Auralic Aries streamer is the only component connected via WiFi to my AirStream.

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Everybody has their own recipe for their streaming chain.  Here’s mine. (The transmission side.)

Wall Outlet: 

→  Active AC Balanced Power Conditioner

→ Passive AC Filtering Power Conditioner

→ Netgear Nighthawk Modem (w/LPS) → Eno AG ethernet filter → Sablon Audio 2020 ethernet cable 

→ Netgear Nighthawk Router (w/LPS) → Eno AG ethernet filter → Sablon Audio 2020 ethernet cable

→ Fidelizer AirStream WiFi (w/LPS)

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Power Cables:

2 Purist Audio Design Aqueous Aureus

1 Purist Audio Design Canorus

2 Synergistic Research Element Copper

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Here’s a link to my Virtual System: