FutureShop is an authorised dealer for ADOT. This review was conducted using a Melco N5 streamer, with the ADOT range demonstrated by ADOT's representatives using a stepped comparison from the MC01 baseline through to the MC03 power supply upgrade and single-mode fibre.
Our Verdict
The ADOT fibre optic conversion kit produces audible improvements in streaming clarity, punch, and soundstage at every step of the upgrade path, including on a Melco N5 streamer which is already a high-quality network source. The power supply upgrade (MC02 or MC03) and the switch to single-mode fibre each add meaningfully, but the baseline MC01 entry point alone is already worthwhile on a system where cables and power are already addressed.
Quick Take
- The ADOT system converts your home network's copper Ethernet to fibre optic, which breaks the electrical connection between devices and eliminates conducted interference and ground loop noise before the signal reaches your streamer.
- Most streamers do not have SFP ports, so the most common configuration is the ADOT Dual Kit: two MC01 media converters (one sender, one receiver) with the MC Accessory Kit allowing connection to standard Ethernet ports on the streamer.
- Single-mode fibre (finer than multi-mode) prevents internal light reflections in the cable, reducing jitter further. The improvement was audible in a stepped comparison on our test track.
- The power supply upgrade from MC01 (switched) to MC02 (linear) or MC03 (NuPrime LPS-205 or Plixir Elite BDC2A) reduces powerline noise into the media converter. The team noted power supply benefits are system-dependent and more apparent on higher-end systems.
- Best placement is at the component end of the fibre run, close to the streamer, with only a short Ethernet cable from the receiver box to the streamer's input.
- The article's conclusion is honest and worth repeating: address power cords and speaker cables first. ADOT is a last-mile refinement, not a foundation upgrade.
Introduction: Revolutionising Digital Streaming with Fibre Optic
Streamed music has managed to hold its own against the return of the king – vinyl. Now, streamers are comfortably sharing hi-fi racks with turntables. ADOT has striven to enhance the medium with its fibre optic solution to send the digital bits into your hi-fi intact.
ADOT – Audiophile Digital Optical Technology – realise that even the digital 1s and 0s passed through copper Ethernet cable are still prone to electronic interference and crosstalk, compromising sound definition. The packet data pulses lose focus, resulting in jitter and timing errors. ADOT's system aims to refocus that messy data. Residential networks, based on copper CAT5 or CAT6 cable, are very effective antennae collecting interference from switch mode power supplies, phone chargers, washing machines, etc., in your home.
The Simplicity Behind the System
This system is simpler than it seems. The MC01 box (media converter) receives the Ethernet, works its magic and sends the cleaned data through a fibre optic cable that isolates any conducted electrical interference and noise that copper wire is prone to. The fibre optic cable connects to components with the supplied SFP adaptors that make the conversion between electronic and light transfer. But . . . since your audio components rarely sport SFP ports, the most common choice is an ADOT DUAL Kit. Kits involve two MC01 boxes – one sender, one receiver – the receiver simply converts back to standard copper Ethernet for the last short leg of the journey into your streamer's Ethernet port.
| Kit tier | Power supply | What's included | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| MC01 | Switched mode (standard) | MC01 media converter, two SFPs, 1.5m multi-mode fibre cable, switched power supply. Add MC Accessory Kit for non-SFP streamers. | Entry point into fibre optic network isolation. Audible improvement over copper Ethernet alone. |
| MC02 | Linear (EI transformer) | As MC01, with linear power supply replacing the switched type. Reduces powerline noise into the converter. | Mid to high-end systems where powerline noise is a limiting factor and the improvement from a linear supply is audible. |
| MC03 | NuPrime LPS-205 or Plixir Elite BDC2A | As MC02, with a high-end custom power supply. NuPrime or Plixir variants available. Three-stage noise reduction on the Plixir option. | Reference-level systems where the power supply is audibly limiting the MC01/02 performance. Diminishing returns without a revealing system. |
Exploring Upgrade Options:
There are two steps you can take to enhance your ADOT system. You can upgrade the fibre cable from multi-mode to single-mode. Single-mode is a finer cable, fine enough to inhibit the light reflections within the fibre itself, giving a more focused transfer of the digital pulses. In the real world (the world outside high-end hi-fi upgrades), single-mode fibre is used for distances like crossing oceans; multi-mode is used in buildings.
These boxes need power, and power is fed via one of three power supply upgrades: the 'MC02' involves a linear power supply instead of the noisier switched types used with the 'MC01'. The 'MC03' offers one of two high-end power supplies: the NuPrime LPS-205 or Plixir Elite BDC2A.
Optimal Setup
The best way, we found, to use a kit was at the component end. This is important when using power supply upgrades since the accessory kits provide a splitter cable to power both media converters. Only a short length of the supplied fibre optic cable is needed before the data is fed into your gear.
Performance Evaluation:
ADOT's demonstrators used a contemporary favourite for testing: Birds by Dominique Fils-Aimé. Its minimalist instrumentation and Dominique's panned layered vocals filled the stereo image. Feeding our Melco N5 streamer, we began with the MC02's linear power supply. Compared with listening with no ADOT at all, it instantly made the song punchier with more powerful lower-mids; vocal layers began pleasantly separating.
Swapping to a single-mode cable dug deeper still into the mix, splitting apart the tonal range of Dominique's overdubbed lines. As we further upgraded our ADOT setup, we discovered just how much was going on with the subtleties of the track's percussion. The delicate nuances of the percussive taps revealed how dynamic the production of this music was. As always, we removed everything and listened again to hear what we missed – flatter, sluggish-sounding audio.
Being forthright, benefits from the power supply upgrades can be justified only from the most high-end systems. But, they aim for stable output voltage to boost performance by rejecting powerline noise.
Concluding Thoughts: When Is ADOT Right for Your System?
I know what you're thinking: 'My network is the last place I need to add audio enhancements.' You're right – until you have got your power cords and speaker cables up to scratch, you're not likely to reap the rewards from £500 to over £1000 worth of fibre optic tech. But when you reach that point, you want your streamed music riding up to the next level, there is a world of tweaks to pursue. ADOT has seen the light.
If you are at the stage where network isolation makes sense for your system, our essential guide to Ethernet cables for hi-fi streaming covers the copper side of the chain, including cable category, shielding, and switch isolation. And if the test track here, Birds by Dominique Fils-Aimé, sounds familiar from another review, it is: we used the same recording to evaluate the Ferrum Audio WANDLA DAC and HYPSOS power supply, which sits at the other end of the digital chain from the ADOT.
The full ADOT MC01/02/03 kit range and the MC Accessory Kit are available now at FutureShop. For the copper side of your network, we also stock a curated range of audiophile Ethernet cables. Not sure which ADOT configuration suits your setup? Get in touch with our team for free expert advice.
