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In Reply to: RE: Ars Technica dissects an AudioQuest Vodka ethernet cable posted by AbeCollins on July 24, 2015 at 08:04:56:
CAT7 is a proposed spec. It isn't "DOA" nor is it in early stages. It is an incremental improvement above Cat-6a, and adds screened-shielding over the entire cable, and calls out double shielding on each twisted pair. This was done for 2 reasons: reduce crosstalk further, and make it immune from "alien crosstalk" (meaning RFI). It also is suitable for routing near noise sensitive equipment, if you can't avoid the cable routing altogether.
Where CAT7 has a weakness, if you do not connect the shields to the shield on the GG45 connector you might drop to Cat-6 for datarate and throughput. Given the GG45 is not compatible with RJ45, and there is little gear that accepts GG45, it is no wonder that every cable maker out there has been producing a "RJ45" compatible pseudo-CAT7 cable. Thae main thing is the shielding.
So while this cables might not meet the self crosstalk spec of true CAT7, it will meet the RFI/EMI specification, which in a home networking environment is probably more important considering both Cat-6a and Cat-7 have similar bandwidths (500MHz vs 600MHz) and datarates.
So far a CAT choice ... if you are running cables near your audio gear, you would probably do better to choose a pseudo-Cat-7 cable than anything else.
But having said that, since Cat-7 isn't an official standard, it is unlikely cost conscious makers will be meeting the spirit of the spec with the only giveups being the RJ45 compatibility. If my experience with Cat-5e and Cat-6 is a guide, they probably vary all over the map.
I expect that Audioquest hasn't skimped on anything in this range -- and their whole ethernet range from the Pearls to the Diamonds will meet this standard and then go on up from there. And from $7-9/foot - $hundreds/foot you will be paying a premium over no-name, but you do know what you will be getting. And given a typical "audiophile" stereo is about $5k, adding a network connections using at least the low end Pearls for the noise reduction, will likely be money well spent all told. Or if you are handly, learn how to terminate ethernet cables and roll your own. It isn't that hard.
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Follow Ups
- A Note about CAT7/Type F - Bromo33333 10:06:07 07/27/15 (0)
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