Help Please -- Newbie NAS networking question: CAT-5 vs Airport/CAT-5

[blaven]

I am looking into a Bryston/Marantz/CAPS/Aurender type media server.

 

Is there a difference in sound quality having Cat-5 Ethernet directly from NAS or router to media server versus say setting airport express in the listening room and running CAT-5 out of it into the media server?

 

My problem is that we have an old house, and large distance between room where the router/modem is and the main listening room, and hardwiring everything will cost some $$$.

 

Present Setup: a Synology NAS upstairs in an office hardwired via CAT-5 to an Apple Time Capsule. The Time capsule, however, is NOT hardwired to the Router (downstairs), but runs off WiFi. My listening room is also on the main floor (with the router/modem), 125 feet from the main router (and downstairs and 100 feet from my NAS)

 

I can hire someone to hardwire CAT-5 from the NAS to the listening room or router to listening room,but not sure that is worth it as the NAS is essentially already wirelessly connected?

 

I assume, if there truly is a benefit to hardwiring it, that I would also need to run CAT-5 from the 1st Floor modem/router to the 2nd floor NAS in the upstair office, and then also to the main listening room on that 1st floor.

 

Then, how much of an audible difference would there be, to say just getting a $99 Airport, and extending the wireless network into the listening room, and hardwiring from that Airport to said media server?

 

I am hoping this makes sense, and appreciate any help.

 

Thanks

[Audio_ELF]

You may want to read the recent review of the (new) Apple AirPort Extreme Chris published recently.

 

Eloise

[blaven]

sorry...I did read, but am new to all this, and understand audio fairly well, but the article was a little over my head in the computer vocab -- and I got lost in some of the numbers.

 

I have an old time capsule, which is not 802.11ac, and a few airport expresses around the house to extend the network. My question, I guess is closest to Chris's setup #1, and it sounds like that functions similarly to a fully wired setup? (if I am understanding correctly)

 

In other words, what I gather, is don't stream to your media player (yet), but it is ok to stream to a Network extender (Airport Express) which will then be hardwired with Cat-5 to the media player?

 

If then my understanding is correct, do you think it would matter much if one used my time capsule and airport express, or do you think it is better to upgrade to the airport extreme?? (audio only streaming)

 

Again, sorry if this is overly basic, perhaps I get lost a little in the language?

 

Thanks

[Cebolla]

Regardless as to whether you are using wireless or part wireless, as opposed to using complete runs of ethernet cable, in your network, actual sound quality should not be at issue. The potential problem with using wireless or even part wireless is the risk of having transmission data rates that may be too slow for the audio file transmission, leading to dropouts. In the worst cases the wireless transmission rate can vary, leading to varying dropout incidents thoughout the day, or even having complete (hopefully temporary) breaks in transmission. These dropouts manifest themselves as interruptions in the sound being made by the music/media player at the other end, which is strictly NOT the same as a loss in sound quality.

 

The article mentioned concentrates mainly on finding out if the incidence of dropouts differs using different wireless network configurations, when playing high resolution music files, ie very much higher than CD quality 16 bit/44.1kHz. Certainly it appears that your current configuration seems to be as ideal as you can get if you are going to be using wireless, but if you are not going to be playing back such high resolution files you are less likely to suffer from dropouts, anyway. However, if you are going to be playing those files, the article does also conclude that the way your music player software is configured to cope with the potentially lower network transmission rates of wireless also helps to avoid dropouts.

 

A compromise would be to use a pair of powerline homeplugs in place of the wireless 'run'. These can potentially provide a faster & more stable network transmission rate than wireless (though still lower than using ethernet cable) and therefore a lower chance of having dropouts.

[blaven]

Thanks very very much.