ifi LAN Silencer

Polkitup2

I purchased an iFi LAN Silencer and have been running it for a few days with an Aurender N200 music server to a T+A DAC 200. I have read some very favorable reviews about the LAN Silencer and decided to give it a try.

I am quite impressed with the favorable results. More low level detail, better texture in bass notes, a bit more airy sound, and it provided more of whatever that goodness is that draws you into the music. It also removed a slight hardness in treble that I would experience when streaming. It is definitely a keeper that seems to peel another layer off that audio onion and improve overall sound quality.

For $89 it is one of the best audio tweaks I have purchased. It not only helps improve sound when I play streaming Qobuz files, but also when playing local files on my Aurender music server. According to Aurender, the network connection can introduce noise into a digital setup whether you are streaming or playing local files so I suspect this also applies to a set up using a PC or MAC with a network connection.

Your results may very so I recommend buying from somewhere that you can easily return it such as Amazon where I bought mine.

erniejade

Isn't it amazing how the little tweaks can make a difference when you clean up the LAN signal?

Polkitup2

Yep, I was amazed. Very similar to performance gains I received after adding an Intona USB isolator to my DAC set up. I guess anything that can lower the noise floor helps. What amazes me is that when you think your system already sounds really good good, and then you upgrade speakers, cables, LAN etc. and you find more detail to the track you have been listening to for the past 30 years. Sometimes I wonder if I am crossing the line regarding what the musician/sound engineer intended me to hear versus what I can hear.

VR3

Not sure how this could be so, it's just 1s and 0s

I jest! Glad this worked for you. i run network acoustics filter and was amazed at what it accomplished as well.

Streaming can and does sound awesome

tophatjohnny

Another simple game changer!

Milito

I ordered one, will see if it makes a difference.

Milito

Tried mine today. It seemed to smooth out my streaming experience some, so it was a good investment.

I attached it to the Cat 6 outlet coming out of the wall going to my 8 port switch. I will be curious if the TV sounds and looks better when we watch TV tonight.

msg

I'd be curious to hear if it makes more of a difference used at the device input. Possibly still getting some noise from the switch.

msg

Milito wrote: »

Tried mine today. It seemed to smooth out my streaming experience some, so it was a good investment.

I attached it to the Cat 6 outlet coming out of the wall going to my 8 port switch. I will be curious if the TV sounds and looks better when we watch TV tonight.

Also curious - if you connect it inline at your driving sim rig whether it makes you a better driver.

Milito

It would make me smoother, lol.

Milito

msg wrote: »

I'd be curious to hear if it makes more of a difference used at the device input. Possibly still getting some noise from the switch.

I don't know as I haven't tried different connections yet. I also wondered the same.

tophatjohnny

Milito wrote: »

Tried mine today. It seemed to smooth out my streaming experience some, so it was a good investment.

I attached it to the Cat 6 outlet coming out of the wall going to my 8 port switch. I will be curious if the TV sounds and looks better when we watch TV tonight.

I believe the best results are happening for the users who go directly into the unit with the silencer but also trying out different methods can’t hurt! I went directly on both of my main players and very smooth. !

motorstereo

I'm going to have to look into this as streaming has completely taken over in my main rig and I haven't spun a record or cd since the streamer arrived. I have added an Audioquest ethernet cable and to be honest I did not notice a change. I don't have a problem but always looking for an improvement.

treitz3

The one thing with streaming is that different configurations will still achieve the dame goal. Every last bit of noise gone offers a purer signal, which translates in layman's terms to better sound.

It is also situation dependant. Electrical noise and internet/wi-fi noise, as well as jitter differs from house to house, rig to rig.

This is definitely a case where everything matters. I have found that conventional wisdom with KISS isn't the right way to go about things with streaming.

Anything that can clean up the signal is a worthwhile addition. Sometimes it's dramatic, sometimes it's just an incremental improvement but they all add up.

Tom

msg

I'm thinking you guys probably really need to be buying enough iFi LAN Silencers to daisy-chain for a direct connection from your router to destination. Anything less and you're cheating yourselves. Not to mention, makes you an underachiever.

VR3

The number you need is equivalent to how many subs you need... I believe current recommended number is 16

motorstereo

When I ran internet cable to my building a couple months ago I ran it underground and through some thick galvanized pipes for the last 50-60'. I can't help but wonder if those steel pipes shielding the wire has anything to do with the great sound I'm getting out of my new streamer? Stranger things have happened no doubt. My thinking on the piping originally was to keep a rogue ground mole from chewing through a wire and causing a big headache. In the process though I may have inadvertently stumbled upon a nice tweak.
FWIW I'm also a believer in every little bit helps because all those little bits do add up to great sound when it's all said and done.

August_West

I THINK THIS SPEAKS FOR ITSELF: Issue Details
Noise and jitter are routine to measure, yet I see NO data demonstrating the effectiveness of the LAN iSilencer. Instead, I see marketing nonsense calling it "Gigatastic." That leads me to be extremely skeptical - where's the proof that this product does ANYTHING? Your failure to provide substantiating evidence supporting this product's claims will be taken *and widely publicized* as your tacit admission that your product is nothing but Snake Oil. Please don't insult your customers with inane marketing gibberish.

--
Dec. 6, 2023
Hi Paul,
Thank you for getting in touch with your feedback on the LAN iSilencer, I’m sorry that you do not believe that it helps with the noise and jitter. We of course disagree and so do many of our customers, I urge you to try it and see for yourself.
Once I have more information from our technical leads, I will pass this along to you. Perhaps it is an oversight to not include test data but the true test is whether people keep using the product and people keep using the product because it works.
Best regards,
Liam

treitz3

Way to slander a company without even listening to it. You are entering lawsuit territory.

Tom

mantis

motorstereo wrote: »

When I ran internet cable to my building a couple months ago I ran it underground and through some thick galvanized pipes for the last 50-60'. I can't help but wonder if those steel pipes shielding the wire has anything to do with the great sound I'm getting out of my new streamer? Stranger things have happened no doubt. My thinking on the piping originally was to keep a rogue ground mole from chewing through a wire and causing a big headache. In the process though I may have inadvertently stumbled upon a nice tweak.
FWIW I'm also a believer in every little bit helps because all those little bits do add up to great sound when it's all said and done.

Why did you select steel piping? We always use Conduit and direct burial Cat 6 cabling not for shielding out EMI or RF but to weather proof the run.

I do very high end networks every day and I would like to see this product on some kind of meter. When you properly do a network, I'm not seeing much noise able to get into the system. Especially when you use Surge X surge protectors and battery back up units, Probably the best in the business dollar for dollar, high quality Cat 6 cabling built to proper spec and terminated correctly. All wiring ran properly and away from power sources like possible leaky power cords or transformers.

I look at this product and think it's pretty cool and if you have problems in your network and this thing actually does what it says it does, I'm way in. But I'm also wondering if it's going to be effective in a properly spec'd high end network?

I thought of picking one up myself as I do most of my music listening now over streaming. But I also have a very high end network and high quality cat 6 cabling ran in my house ( Audioquest).

So with all that in mind, I would like to give you guys some tips on networking.
Use your own router, do not use the cheap crappy one from you ISP. Buy a quality router and modem or if you have Verizon, I strongly suggest ditching cable service and wire directly to the ONT.

Use a high quality bater backup on your network. Also locate your head end of your network so your MAIN switch can be plugged into the same Battery backup.

For your WIFI, use high quality AP's , unless you have a small house which in case you can get away with a all in one unit, but I prefer not to use such units as this is a possible cause of noise with shared power supplies. I run a Router that has no built in wifi, I use external wireless access points in my home, I only need 2 as my house isn't that big.

Your switch should be managed and also have POE power so you can power your Wireless access points.

If you have to have more switches around your house, it's not a bad idea to use POE switches off the main switch, now your all protected off the battery back up unit and limiting the ability to pick up a possible grounding issue from other circuits in your home. Your Family Room outlets could have a slight difference in grounding vs your dedicated outlet for your network.

Also lets talk about running your Network cables around your house. When you fish a cable, any low voltage cable, you need to stay away from power wires. If you have to run parallel , stay at least 6 inches away. This is about the size of the EMI field that gets generated around power cables. But if you have to cross a power cable at a 90 degree angle, your fine, even if your wire has to touch the power cable, you will not pick up EMI. But in my OCD way's I try to avoid it anyway IF possible. Most Retro runs you run into these pathways.

At your gear location, keep all your power cables separate from low voltage wiring. What I do is run all power wires together and all low voltage together on different sides of the equipment rack. If your using shelves or something of that nature, try your best to separate your wires and you will have clearer sound, and all the jazz this devices is claiming to do.

So these are just some tips to help you guys with networking things that also can improve your overall network experience. I can go way deeper into setup, tuning , location of WIFI etc to further improve your experience. Network honestly sucks, I hate it as it's so damn hard to get it right most of the time. But when you do, you get blazing fast speeds, very reliable coverage and use. When you have noise or interference if you will, this is where poor performance will happen not with just audio but your overall networking experience.

billbillw

How do you use this with a wifi connection?

Seriously though, I'd be worried about breaking my ethernet port with that thing sticking off the back. Seems like it would create a lot of stress.

treitz3

You could always use a 6" E cable.

Tom

motorstereo

mantis wrote: »

motorstereo wrote: »

When I ran internet cable to my building a couple months ago I ran it underground and through some thick galvanized pipes for the last 50-60'. I can't help but wonder if those steel pipes shielding the wire has anything to do with the great sound I'm getting out of my new streamer? Stranger things have happened no doubt. My thinking on the piping originally was to keep a rogue ground mole from chewing through a wire and causing a big headache. In the process though I may have inadvertently stumbled upon a nice tweak.
FWIW I'm also a believer in every little bit helps because all those little bits do add up to great sound when it's all said and done.

Why did you select steel piping? We always use Conduit and direct burial Cat 6 cabling not for shielding out EMI or RF but to weather proof the run.

I didn't select it I just used it because I had several long sections waiting for a use like this. It was the top interconnect piping from a chainlink fence that was removed. If I had to buy it no doubt I would've gone with the cheaper conduit as well.

billbillw

treitz3 wrote: »

You could always use a 6" E cable.

Tom

It would be lacking the female port, unless I'm missing something.

Seems like they should offer a design has a little 3" wired pigtail Ethernet male end. That would also help for issues with clearance issues to the rear of a device.

treitz3

Tom

billbillw

treitz3 wrote: »

Tom

I have never actually seen anything like that in person. Link?
EDIT: NM, I found some 1 footers on the Zon.

treitz3

I am gonna have to get something like that for hooking up the SSD to the Lumin. Trying to access that back panel with close to 2" overhang is a royal PIA.

Tom

billbillw

treitz3 wrote: »

I am gonna have to get something like that for hooking up the SSD to the Lumin. Trying to access that back panel with close to 2" overhang is a royal PIA.

Tom

SSD? Are we talking about for playing local rips like we mentioned in your server thread? That would be a short USB extender cable then, correct? Just don't use a hub.

treitz3

Yup. I am eying a REL USB cable that has seperate signal and power, in which case, I would have to have a hub.

I am still exploring options.

Tom

Clipdat

Just use a basic **** USB cable for this test, Tom. FFS. Not every cable has to be megabuck esoteric bs.

treitz3

I know, I know.....(I do) but I figure that if I am going to test something, I might as well make it a somewhat fair test. I can't really judge something if there is a bunch of noise picked up or introduced.

I'd like to make the test as quiet as possible.....and if it passes with flying colors? I won't need to really buy anything else. I'll already be done.....with the gear, that is. Lots more work would have to be done to get all that music into the SSD.

I finally found my USB flash drive. Hopefully I can find some time this weekend to load up a couple of test songs on that and see what it sounds like.

Tom