Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Streaming LAN isolator anyone?

With respect Crion, that is such a leading question! I'm interested in this, because I can understand how such a device *might* lead to an improvement, but I think we need as many independent reports as possible.

I'm comparing "listening notes". In what other format do you suggest we do this?

It's no conclusion yet I might add, just these two areas which I would like to know what the other Giso GB evaluator thinks of.

For me the conclusion will come when I take out the Giso GB after the weekend now I'm just enjoying the music and taking notes.

I'm with the buy �200 worth of music and you'll get more enjoyment vote.

As has been said SpeakerLink is not Ethernet even if the same cables and connectors are used.
You don't know what is connected to what inside this device.

If it filters noise at what seems to be 5KHz according to the images, what effect is it having at higher frequencies. The answer will not be none.
Whilst SpeakerLink runs at lower frequencies than gigabit ethernet for sure, the edges of the signals are the critical part, messing with these will potentially introduce unwanted jitter and other audible timing related artefacts which despite Bob Stuarts most excellent work with PLLs in this area, you most certainly dont want to increase in the first place.

Gruffle,

Who's talking about using the GISO on SpeakerLink?

No one...

Alright, quickly took the Giso GB out even though I planned to make this switch after the weekend. But I was curious. I'll do it again further on, don't worry.

When Giso GB with it's enclosed cat6a lead was taken out from the ID41 the sound was more "busy", more akin to the "streaming sound" on spotify. More "On" and with that easier to loose focus, increased listening fatigue. I had the same volume, 65 like I had before the switch.

After I played the parts/songs I wanted to hear I switched back. The sound is more "Meridian" with the Giso GB infront. Clearer top-bottom but without the topend sibilance. Bass, seems more well-defined, more enjoyable- I was concerned if I lost any details or impact but I can't detect any such difference, just that I can listen with more focus and less distraction in the music.

Crion

On paper you have an amazing Meridian System -
I would say that it was in the top 5% spec wise in relation to most people's on this board. Compared to the developed world's hi-fi systems it's probably in the top 0.1% (or higher). How long did it take you to develop symptoms of listener fatigue?

Cheers
Tom

I'm trying to put words on what effects/tendencies I hear during critical listening. It's more subtle differences than a straight amplitude difference ofcourse.
There are more important basic things to get right first building the system. But so far it looks like the noise suppression could be improved on LAN ports. That was what I was curious about.

Crion

Thanks for the explanation. Would you say that the spotify effect was noticable before the swap out or only as a result of hearing a cleaner sound (I hope I'm not putting words in your mouth here).

Do you have a gut feel as to whether Speakerlink is better or worse than coax from an SQ point of view i.e. in a pre Sooloos M system?

Cheers
Tom

No the "spotify/streaming" soundeffect was only apparent after I had the GISO GB connected for a few days to the ID41 and suddenly switched back (removed it).

Normally I would say this system really have a very low noisefloor. I do employ linear PSU to both router and switch (Teddy Pardo 12/4). And to the MC200 I have a med. grade SMPS (Teddy Pardo 12/4.5).

What I can't control are my always on PC, NAS, WLAN Printer and Broadband modem. They run with their original wall-warts or built-in SMPS.

I do try to contain mains noise by employing mainsfiltering like 2x Shunyata Triton, and Talos. I'm just mentioning this to give you an idea of what I do use to push noisefloor/distorsion down before entering the home-theater system.

As this thread has prompted a lot of debate, I thought I�d add to Kingsrule and Crion�s findings and post some detailed thoughts on my own experience. Sorry, it�s long post �

I�ve had my GISO GB for three days now and installed it immediately before the ID41 card on my 808v5. First, it�s definitely not a one-note or even a half-hour demo. It took me a lot of time to get my head around what was different in the music and to decide whether all the changes were desirable ones. The impact of the GISO has also changed for the better since I first installed it, so it looks like it needs to burn in.

If someone had forced me to choose whether or not to keep the GSIO in the first half hour of listening, I�d have given a firm �no� and gone down the pub. To save you reading the painfully long post below, as of this evening, if someone took the GISO out of my system, I�d chase after them with a big bat.

I spent a fair bit of time listening to music with and without the GISO today (afternoon off). I�ve never had to think so hard about the impact of one piece of kit in my system, and nor have I ever gone from being ambivalent and slightly negative to liking the impact so comprehensively. The bottom line is that this is a slow-burn effect and one that needs serious listening in a given system before deciding either way.

For anyone who is interested and not easily bored, my detailed thoughts below:

1. Detail:
There�s significantly more detail, especially on good recordings, where you hear much more reverb and sense of the acoustic. But on initial listening, it�s tempting to think the opposite. Superficially, the sound without GISO feels more detailed, but when you switch the unit in and out, it becomes clear that the GISO sound is smoother and more organic (fits Crion and Kingsrule�s findings). Listening closely, you soon notice that there is actually significantly more detail with the GISO, but it�s very sweet and un-forced detail. By comparison, the non-GISO sound is a little �spitty and gritty� at the top end.

2. Soundstage & focus:
The soundstage is significantly wider with the GISO, but this took a good day or so to come out clearly and initially felt narrower and slightly blurred. The soundstage is also noticeably more coherent and this has more impact on the music than sheer width. Switching the GISO in and out, it�s as if the GISO removes a lot of clutter: everything becomes better defined in the soundstage, but not artificially so. You can hear right into the soundstage and there is a stronger sense of front-to-back space within it.

3. Rhythm and dynamics:
This aspect puzzled me for a while and practically turned my brain inside out. I initially felt that the GISO slowed the sound down quite significantly, taking some of the punch out and upsetting the overall feeling of rhythm. After listening for longer, this feeling went away. In fact, doing A-B comparisons, the GISO sound is certainly more energetic and snappy across the whole range. This could be down to burn-in or my ears getting used to the new sound (or both), but there is certainly a real improvement in dynamics across the range now. Crion, this fits what you heard as well.

4. Bass:
Strange to write about bass in particular, but the changes in bass also really confused me for a while. In fact, it turned out to be closely connected with my experience on rhythm and dynamics. I played a lot of music with deep, punchy bass and initially felt that the speed of bass notes was reduced � i.e. softer edges. But, again, switching back and forth, it became clear that something very different was happening. First, the GISO sound goes deeper than the non-GISO sound and bass notes are more tuneful. I think it�s the extra depth that confused me, in that I initially thought there was a slight softening. But when I stopped listening to bass in isolation and went back to listening to the music overall, there was clearly more punch, snap and energy to the sound � it felt right.

5. More relaxing sound:
This feels like a contradiction, but while there is more energy, detail and punch in the sound, it�s more relaxed, coherent and un-fatiguing to listen to. One thing I noticed consistently is that I end up listening at higher levels with the GISO in. So, where I�d previously listen at level 60 on the 7200s, I now find myself cranking it up to 65 or higher. It�s just so much more relaxed and natural � as if a lot of the grit and grain that you never noticed before has been taken away. This is really noticeable on voices, which sound fuller, richer and more textured (in line with Kingsrule�s thoughts). I wonder if this more relaxed, open sound is what initially fooled me into thinking the sound had slowed down.

So in summary, the impact of the GISO takes a bit of getting used to. For me and my system, after two days, I�ve gone from �not sure� to loving the overall impact. If I listen for a couple of hours and then take the GISO out, I immediately feel bereaved. There�ll be others like me on this forum, with a background in electrical engineering, who know there are scientifically sound arguments as to why such a device might make a positive difference. So my mind was open, but I�ve been very surprised by the extent of the improvement and that, as yet, there appears to be no downside.

So these are my impressions based on my experience. I hope they�re helpful to others who are interested in the GISO or other isolation devices.

PS. Thanks Cujo for sticking your neck out and raising this topic � you�ve done a big favour for me in giving me great value upgrade that I would otherwise never have contemplated. Likewise, Kingsrule and Crion for sharing your hands-on experience.

Caveat
My system is running on a dedicated mains supply, which reduces noise significantly, while improving detail and dynamics. I have a friend on this forum a few miles away who has similar kit to mine, but without dedicated mains. So I�ll lend the GISO to him to get a feel for how it performs in that situation.

Dave

Great post. Thanks very much.

Thank you for your considered opinions, these are valuable.
However, I have a question reference other "isolation devices".
Is it possible to achieve galvanic isolation in an ethernet switch to provide the AQ benefits you have reported?
Hector