# About MSB Fiber Connections **URL:** \ **Category:** Official - Updates\ **Created:** [September 15, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/t/about-msb-fiber-connections/926 "2025-09-15T20:30:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Henrik\_Berg](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/user_avatar/forum.msbtechnology.com/henrik_berg/32/70_2.png) [@Henrik\_Berg](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/u/Henrik_Berg)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2025, 4:42pm UTC](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/t/about-msb-fiber-connections/926/82 "2025-12-17T16:42:18Z")
Hi Buddy It have now been a few days whit my isl pro from my pf to the DAC. First thing is it is more organic and have more flow in the music. For the price maybe the best upgrade to a pf steamer there run whit a msb DAC. ---
**Author:** ![QuadDiffuser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47c2d/32.png) [@QuadDiffuser](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/u/QuadDiffuser)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2025, 3:14pm UTC](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/t/about-msb-fiber-connections/926/83 "2025-12-25T15:14:52Z")
Food for thought… this gentleman believes that more expensive, higher quality single-mode fiber systems (SFP modules x 2) will sound significantly better than “cheaper” AOC (multi-mode fiber integrated into two modules) due to lower jitter, lower noise, and lower latency. Any worries about frictional damage to the metal-to-metal contacts can be partially mitigated by a super thin application of Caig ProGold, and I believe it’s worth auditioning both the “old” and the “new” to hear whether there’s veracity to the claims. Would love to hear from everyone on their findings! > **[SOtM sNH-10G Network Switches x2 : The NEW KING of USB/Network Gadget Setup](https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/sotm-snh-10g-network-switches-x2-the-new-king-of-usb-network-gadget-setup.27758/page-39#post-1097688)** > > I am planning to buy two switches sotm 10g. As far as I understand, you disassemble them to insert new sfp modules? What sfp modules are the best today to replace the standard sotm? And what ethernet cables do you recommend for the end point on the... ---
**Author:** ![MikeB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@MikeB](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/u/MikeB)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2025, 12:55am UTC](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/t/about-msb-fiber-connections/926/84 "2025-12-27T00:55:04Z")
Couldn’t agree more - congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![Daniel\_Francis](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/user_avatar/forum.msbtechnology.com/daniel_francis/32/681_2.png) [@Daniel\_Francis](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/u/Daniel_Francis)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 11:24pm UTC](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/t/about-msb-fiber-connections/926/85 "2025-12-29T23:24:32Z")
> [@QuadDiffuser](#): > > Food for thought… this gentleman believes that more expensive, higher quality single-mode fiber systems (SFP modules x 2) will sound significantly better than “cheaper” AOC (multi-mode fiber integrated into two modules) due to lower jitter, lower noise, and lower latency. From our testing, AOC has outperformed the alternatives. The AOC system is more efficient and with the direct connection has lower power consumption. In a very low noise product like the Analog Converter, that is why we believe it performs so well. For ethernet, it is a completely different animal though. I would of course warn anyone reading his post to ignore and avoid the DAC cables. They will break the Cascade DAC. Happy hunting! ---
**Author:** ![Justin69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Justin69](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/u/Justin69)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2026, 4:28am UTC](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/t/about-msb-fiber-connections/926/86 "2026-01-01T04:28:39Z")
Just changed to AOC between RF & DD 2 days ago, it is really better. ---
**Author:** ![QuadDiffuser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47c2d/32.png) [@QuadDiffuser](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/u/QuadDiffuser)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 3:04pm UTC](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/t/about-msb-fiber-connections/926/87 "2026-01-08T15:04:54Z")
Here’s the link on FS’s website explaining the differences between Single mode vs Multimode fiber cable. > **[Fiber Optic Cable Types: Single Mode vs Multimode Fiber Cable](https://www.fs.com/blog/fiber-optic-cable-types-single-mode-vs-multimode-fiber-cable-1310.html)** > > The differences between single mode vs multimode fiber lie in the core diameter, wavelength, bandwidth, color sheath, distance, and cost. Read the complete comparison guide to get more details. Takeaways: 1. attenuation is lower in Single mode whose optical fiber core diameters are 9 um (OS2), vs multimode it’s 50um (OM2/OM3/OM4) 2. laser is used in Single mode, whereas low-cost light sources like LEDs and VCSELs are used in Multimode which leads to higher latency (and, important for audiophiles - potentially higher jitter and noise?) 3. bandwidth is higher in Single mode 4. color sheath of the optical fiber in Single mode (OS1/OS2) = yellow; Multimode (OM3) = aqua ---
**Author:** ![QuadDiffuser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47c2d/32.png) [@QuadDiffuser](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/u/QuadDiffuser)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 3:24pm UTC](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/t/about-msb-fiber-connections/926/88 "2026-01-08T15:24:31Z")
The AOC which has been popularized on this thread must have been by now purchased in the hundreds, if not in the thousands (at very affordable prices of less than US$200). > **[Cisco SFP-10G-AOC3M Compatible 10G SFP+ to SFP+ Active Optical Cable (AOC) -...](https://www.fs.com/products/30889.html?now_cid=2869)** > > FS for Cisco compatible SFP-10G-AOC3M 10G SFP+ to SFP+ AOC cable operates over multimode fiber with a maximum reach of 3m, which is a cost-effective solution for high bandwidth and high-speed interconnection. But please be mindful that AOCs were designed for “higher” bandwidth at a LOWER COST, utilizing LEDs/VCSELs (instead of lasers), and thicker optical glass fiber cores. IMO, this introduces risks of lower waveform fidelity, higher photon dispersion, leading to higher jitter and hence more noise as the hardware engages error-correction computation more often. ![FS AOC specs](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/uploads/msbtechnology/original/1X/1d58ebbf75f41f48012cdea997614485fbc04f09.png) How these specifications translate into the most important criteria of all, the SOUND of MSB’s digital directors and analog converters, is still debatable. In my Cascade DAC based system the AOC module seems to have deleterious effects when used between two SOtM sNH-10G switches. Most notable was the reduction in both bass quality/quantity and imaging specificity. > **[SOtM sNH-10G Network Switches x2 : The NEW KING of USB/Network Gadget Setup](https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/sotm-snh-10g-network-switches-x2-the-new-king-of-usb-network-gadget-setup.27758/page-40#post-1101439)** > > ...certainly there are caveats which may vary in particular set-ups. Cheers. I’m overseas right now, so I’m unable to report on my listening notes post-restoration of the Cascade DAC’s modules from the “upgraded” Multimode SFP+ aqua AOC back to the “original/stock” Single mode SFP. But in February, I’ll be able to do so. Please stay tuned! ---
**Author:** ![QuadDiffuser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47c2d/32.png) [@QuadDiffuser](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/u/QuadDiffuser)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 2:08pm UTC](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/t/about-msb-fiber-connections/926/89 "2026-01-09T14:08:38Z")
Apparently, the AOC does not have the technical weaknesses which I had guessed. The founder of Uptone Audio wrote the following on WBF, which I’ll quote. “ You seem to imply that multi-mode fiber transceivers (as used captively on AOC or in an SFP module) do not use lasers. That would be incorrect as VCSELs are indeed lasers and LEDs are never used except in ancient 100Mbps transceivers. Also, the BER (bit error rate) specifications for single-mode and multi-mode SFP/SFP+ transceivers are all the same (at 10 to the minus 12 power). Lastly, there is no active error correction with these links. Some switches doing 40G, 100G, 200G and above do implement FEC (forward error correction), but such is never done with the PHYs/MACs of 1G/10G ports. And the BER specs for such present no challenge or need for extra correction beyond what Ethernet 8B/10B (1G) and 64B/66B (10G) coding takes care of. All that said, there are other reasons why single-mode fiber and transceivers can be preferred and reveal audible differences. But I won’t delve into those here in this thread.” I’m even more curious - why does Single-mode and Multi-mode fiber/transceivers sound different, and why might Single-mode sound better? ---
**Author:** ![Dan](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/user_avatar/forum.msbtechnology.com/dan/32/39_2.png) [@Dan](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/u/Dan)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 4:21pm UTC](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/t/about-msb-fiber-connections/926/90 "2026-01-09T16:21:51Z")
Hi QuadDiffuser The physical, outside diameter of single and multimode cables are the same. However the actual fiber that transmits the light in single mode cables is about 1/5th the diameter of the fiber in multimode cables. My guess is this leads to less jitter in single mode cables because the jitter effects of light “bouncing” off the walls of the fiber will be less in single mode than in multimode. Another factor to consider is that AOC cables are tested in a complete form, with the SFPs already attached to each end. However, fibers and the SFPs they are plugged into are tested as individual components and do not take into account slight variations in actual installations and the components themselves. Just a guess though. Dan ---
**Author:** ![crwilli](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/user_avatar/forum.msbtechnology.com/crwilli/32/824_2.png) [@crwilli](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/u/crwilli)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 9:15pm UTC](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/t/about-msb-fiber-connections/926/91 "2026-01-09T21:15:25Z")
Simply a fantastic example of product support. Makes me even more excited to be joining the MSB family. ---
**Author:** ![QuadDiffuser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47c2d/32.png) [@QuadDiffuser](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/u/QuadDiffuser)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 4:16am UTC](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/t/about-msb-fiber-connections/926/92 "2026-01-16T04:16:46Z")
Here’s a useful link for those who want to dive deeper into SFPs. > **[Finisar SFP+ Modules for Audio Grade Network Switch (Group Buy for...](https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/62352-finisar-sfp-modules-for-audio-grade-network-switch-group-buy-for-audiophilestylecom/)** > > AfterDark. Project Constellation Fiber Collection Today we want to introduce some of the very best SFP+ cable for Audiophile. They are selected to meet the highest requirement when we connect them via SFP port of the Audio Grade Network Switch, such... These two Finistar SFPs are mentioned as being outstanding: [https://www.mouser.sg/ProductDetail/Coherent/FTLF1318P3BTL?qs=D%252B6gCNt%2Fg2C91cko4IuSEQ%3D%3D](https://www.mouser.sg/ProductDetail/Coherent/FTLF1318P3BTL?qs=D%252B6gCNt%2Fg2C91cko4IuSEQ%3D%3D) [https://www.mouser.sg/ProductDetail/Coherent/FTLX1475D3BTL?qs=Mv7BduZupUimdVCmqshw1g%3D%3D](https://www.mouser.sg/ProductDetail/Coherent/FTLX1475D3BTL?qs=Mv7BduZupUimdVCmqshw1g%3D%3D) ---
**Author:** ![QuadDiffuser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47c2d/32.png) [@QuadDiffuser](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/u/QuadDiffuser)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2026, 2:31pm UTC](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/t/about-msb-fiber-connections/926/93 "2026-03-04T14:31:24Z")
I’ve removed all of the (50um multi mode fiber) AOCs from my system because I found their performance to be disappointing, sounding relatively harsh and bass-shy; I’ve replaced them all with (9um single mode fiber) SFPs from Finistar and I’ve been much happier! Details are in the link below: > **[SOtM sNH-10G Network Switches x2 : The NEW KING of USB/Network Gadget Setup](https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/sotm-snh-10g-network-switches-x2-the-new-king-of-usb-network-gadget-setup.27758/page-40#post-1115128)** > > ...certainly there are caveats which may vary in particular set-ups. Cheers. [Previous page](https://forum.msbtechnology.com/t/about-msb-fiber-connections/926.md?page=4)