FutureShop has been an authorised dealer for DELA, the Japanese network audio brand formerly known as Melco, since 2017. This review was conducted in our demo room on our reference system: Ayre V-5 power amplifier, Ayre K-5 pre-amplifier and B&W 803 speakers, fed by a WiiM Ultra streamer and a Chord M-Scaler/Hugo TT combination, with the C100 running between our Matrix SI-1 network isolator and the WiiM Ultra.
Our Verdict
The DELA C100 impressed us all round for its price, with a low noise floor and a fuller, deeper presentation than the brighter Chord C-Stream, and it has earned a permanent place on our streaming front end.
Quick Take
- A low noise floor and a full, rounded presentation that held busy arrangements such as The Temptations' Just My Imagination smoothly together.
- Deeper than the Chord C-Stream, which sounded lighter and brighter, with more sparkle on guitar and slide work.
- Bettered by the far costlier Shunyata Research Delta, which was richer and more textured, with more precise transients.
- Directional by design: the shield is grounded only at the end marked DELA, which should go to the component with the best chassis earth.
- Specified as Cat6A, with S/FTP construction: each twisted pair individually shielded, plus an overall shield.
DELA C100 Audio Ethernet Cable: first look
‘Try this out.’ insisted Alan Ainslie, our contact for DELA (the company formerly known as Melco), referring to the unglamorously marketed C100 Ethernet cable. It’s easy to overlook and disregard as something that comes free with your broadband package; we guessed that’s why our old friend Alan brought it to our attention.
Though streaming is becoming today’s format of choice, the benefits of upgrading Ethernet cables is still an afterthought for many of us. We were keen to acknowledge that we now live in a digital age (for better or worse); but also whether or not Ethernet cable is worthy of your attention.
A closer look at its packaging highlights distinguishing features:
- Each pair is individually foil screened, and all four pairs have an overall screening.
- Precision Connectors. They’re not Telegärtner style? No, they’re precisely machined.
- They use an asymmetric drain wire.
- Highly flexible. Yes, it bends. Actually its bend radius is rather tight for a screened, braided cable.
Nonetheless, clarification always helps and a phone call with Mr. Ainslie was anticipated.
Meanwhile, in our demo room we ran the DELA C100 between our Matrix SI-1 Isolator and WiiM Ultra streamer (this goes into a Chord M-Scaler/Hugo TT combination), so a pretty tidy front end.
We do have a few go-to Ethernet cables we highly rate so we pitted the DELA against two of those: the Chord C-Stream and a Shunyata Research Delta – cables from each end of the price spectrum.
Here is how the three cables compared in our listening, alongside each manufacturer's published specifications.
| DELA C100 | Chord C-Stream | Shunyata Research Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price position | Mid-price | Entry-level, our best seller | High-end |
| Cable category | Cat6A, with the wire rated to 600 MHz | Cat7 | Cat6A |
| Connectors | Precision-machined, gold-plated RJ45 | Gold-plated contacts, over-moulded plug body | Telegärtner RJ45 |
| Shield grounding | One end only (DELA logo end), so directional | Not specified | Not specified |
| Sound character | Quiet and clean, full and rounded, never analytical | Lighter and brighter, more upbeat but leaner | Richer and more textured, yet delicate and well defined |
| Vocals | Intimate, with depth in Salvant's lower register | Plenty of harmonic richness, less depth lower down | Silky and well separated, with more weight |
| Best suited to | Streaming systems wanting a quieter, fuller sound without high-end prices | First Ethernet upgrades, and listeners who like a brighter balance | High-end systems where budget is less of a constraint |
Shunyata Research has since retired the Delta Ethernet. Its replacement in the Shunyata range is the Shunyata Research Theta Ethernet cable.
Putting the DELA C100 to the test
To help us judge Ethernet performance, we streamed good, old-fashioned music. Maybe it was pushback against the digital proliferation these cables represent (or maybe our tastes just need a cultural update). But classic soul from the Temptations and a Cécile McLorin Salvant interpretation of Depression-era jazz kept one foot on planet analogue.
DELA C100
Excited, the DELA C100 was connected first. And it didn't take long to enjoy the music. Eddie Kendricks’ falsetto on the Temptations’ Just My Imagination was intimate, as if sharing his yearning just with us; the rest of the Temps’ harmonies backed him in layers (harmonies on a good system is a nice thing, indeed). With plenty happening in the arrangement, the C100 held the song smoothly together.
On Cécile’s smoky take on Sophisticated Lady, the DELA cable delivered an impressively low noise floor and a lovely full, rounded presentation. Her final sustained high note was beautifully clear and seemed to float on forever.
Chord C-Stream
The Chord C-Stream takes a different route. It sounded lighter and brighter, bringing a little extra sparkle to the guitar and slide work. Vocals had plenty of harmonic richness, while the piano on Sophisticated Lady had more of that glassy, upper-register energy. Salvant's drop into her lower contralto line sounded less deep than through the C100, making the Chord the more upbeat albeit leaner of the three.
Shunyata Research Delta
Then came the Shunyata Research Delta – yes, it is an unfair contender in this contest. The Temps’ opening guitar riff was superbly defined, while the vocals were silky, intimate and beautifully separated with more weight. Transients were wonderfully precise – hearing the string section stuttering in the song’s bridge you can understand what this level gives you. On Sophisticated Lady, the Delta sounded, well, sophisticated. It was richer and more textured than the C100 while somehow remaining delicate and exceptionally well defined. It also seemed particularly responsive to the emotional shifts in Salvant's performance, with that final high note still hanging beautifully in the air.
Listening to music, not cables
However, what impressed us about the DELA was just how much of the musical picture it managed to portray without being analytical. It has a quiet, clean presentation, plenty of texture and intimate character that made both tracks most enjoyable.
That's perhaps the biggest compliment we can give all three cables. After a while, we stopped listening to Ethernet cables and started listening to The Temptations and Cécile McLorin Salvant. Which is just what we're supposed to be doing.
Getting emotionally involved in our music is where we like being. After hearing so much of Cécile and the Temptations, it almost seemed the Sophisticated Lady was the girl in Eddie Kendricks’ imagination.
The DELA C100 verdict
So, we were impressed. We were also relieved we had something enthusiastic to feed back to Alan while grilling him on why this cable performs so effectively.
It’s still intriguing, even to us who spend our lives plugging in cables and listening, that a data cable contributes to hi-fi performance as much as the C100 and its peers. It’s significant that DELA label this an ‘Audio Ethernet Cable’; you won’t be investing in one to connect your printer, though it has few visual clues for the uninformed to identify it as purpose-built for audio performance; but it clearly is.
We discussed its finer points with Alan Ainslie ...
DELA C100: questions answered
What makes the C100 an 'Audio Ethernet Cable'?
The DELA C100 is designed for network audio systems. Reducing electrical noise is just as important as reliable data transmission. While Ethernet protocols ensure data arrives intact, unwanted high-frequency noise can still travel between components. The C100 minimises this through careful shielding, connector design and proprietary materials, while maintaining full Cat6A specification.
How does the construction differ from a standard Ethernet cable?
The C100 uses a high-spec, shielded Ethernet construction, with each of its four twisted pairs individually shielded as well as an additional overall shield. While this approach isn't unique to the C100, DELA has developed the cable's materials, shielding and RJ45 connector design to minimise unwanted interference and maintain signal integrity.
Is it actually a Cat8 cable in disguise?
No. The C100 is officially specified as Cat6A. The C100 uses a high-spec S/FTP construction, with each twisted pair individually shielded and an additional overall shield. This is a recognised construction used in high-performance Ethernet cables, including Cat8.
Why use Cat6A?
Cat6A provides a balance of bandwidth, flexibility and shielding. It also allows DELA to implement its own asymmetrical shielding strategy, unlike many Cat7 installations where the shield is connected at both ends. Certain gear like Linn’s Exakt systems require Cat6 cable because the connection is not running as Ethernet despite using RJ45 connectors.
How do the connectors contribute?
The C100 uses precision-fit RJ45 connectors designed for consistent contact pressure, stable electrical connections and controlled impedance. DELA also states that proprietary materials are used within the connector, although details have not been disclosed.
Is the gold plating important?
Gold plating primarily improves corrosion resistance and ensures a stable, low-resistance electrical contact over time. Most of the shielding performance comes from the connector construction and grounding arrangement rather than the gold plating itself.
Does cable length matter?
DELA does not specify an optimum length. Any compliant Cat6A cable, within specifications, will transmit data correctly. While some audiophiles report sonic differences between cable lengths, DELA makes no such claims.
How does the drain wire work?
The drain wire connects the cable's shield to ground at the end marked ‘DELA’. The opposite end leaves the shield floating. This allows electrical noise collected by the shield to flow to ground.
Why is the cable directional?
Because the shield is grounded at one end, the C100 is directional. DELA recommends connecting the logo end to the component with the best chassis earth. For example, our Matrix SI-1 has a 3-pin power connection and the WiiM has a 2-pin ‘figure 8’ connection; ‘DELA’ connects to Matrix SI-1. If both components are properly grounded, either orientation works.
Why is only one end grounded?
Unlike many screened Ethernet cables that connect the shield at both ends, the C100 grounds one end. According to DELA, this reduces the possibility of ground loops while still allowing the shield to intercept external RF noise – an approach more common in high-end audio cable than in IT networking.
The final word on the DELA C100
Against our best-selling entry-level Chord, and a high-end Shunyata Research, the C100 was impressive all round for its price.
We like keeping our system real, with more accessible cabling rather than overindulging too much from the top-end (yes, we do have our favourite exceptions); this gives us a clearer idea of how customers can get the best out of any budget. The DELA C100 is now a mainstay on our streaming front end.
If you stream music over a wired network and want a quieter, fuller presentation without paying high-end prices, the C100 is the cable we would point you to first. If you prefer a brighter, more upbeat balance, the Chord C-Stream remains a strong entry-level choice.
If you are weighing up Ethernet cables more broadly, our guide to Ethernet cables for hi-fi streaming explains where Cat6A and Cat7 designs fit and which cables suit each system level. For a different approach to network noise, our ADOT fibre optic network kit review looks at breaking the electrical connection between router and streamer altogether, the same idea behind the Matrix SI-1 in our test chain.
Both the DELA C100 and the Chord C-Stream are available now at FutureShop, backed by our 60-day money-back guarantee on cables. Not sure which is right for your system? Get in touch with our team. As an authorised DELA dealer since 2017, we are happy to help.
