The Ethernet Cable Shootout

[David A]

I use Starlight Cat 8 and like them. In my system it replaced AudioQuest Vodka which I had been using for over a year and was quite happy with. I moved my switch to a different location with a rearrangement of some things and needed a longer cable to connect the switch to the wall point linking back to my router in another room and I could not find a 3 metre Vodka, the Australian distributor was out of stock and I couldn't find an Australian on-line store with a 3 metre cable in stock. My usual audio dealer doesn't stock AudioQuest but did stock WireWorld and I decided to give their 3 metre length a try. I found I preferred it to the Vodka and replaced the 2 shorter Vodka lengths in my system as well. I definitely haven't noticed any smearing of instruments.

Since then, however, I have replaced my Cisco switch with an EtherREGEN and also replaced the 3 metre WireWorld Starlight Cat 8 cable with a fibre optic cable. I'm still using the 2 shorter Starlight Cat 8 cables.