How susceptible is the CAT5 cable connection to picking up noise?
The CAT5 cable connection is far superior to a conventional analog connection. It is hard to quantify the difference, because there are so many factors involved. To give a qualitative feel for the difference, consider the following points: • The CAT5 connection has a differential (balanced) voltage swing of around 2 Volts peak to peak. In pro audio terms, this could be compared to a balanced line level signal running at a continuous amplitude of +8 dBu (+6 dBV). • The CAT5 connection is terminated at 100 Ohms. Analog pro audio signals are normally terminated at impedances an order of magnitude higher, making them intrinsically more susceptible to induced noise in comparison. • The CAT5 cable is constructed according to higher standards. TIA/EIA568 forces quality and consistency standards to which manufacturers must comply, and they compete against each other to exceed these standards, which must allow signals to propagate at Ethernet speeds. There is significant testing by manufacturer
