Performance sits at the heart of the QED range, above the entry-level Connect series and below Reference and Signature. Performance Ethernet is the network cable in that range, carrying data between a router or network switch and a streamer, network player or music server. It is one of the models in the Performance range QED introduced on 1 October 2026, alongside matching speaker, analogue, subwoofer, digital audio, optical and USB cables.
Built for High-Resolution Streaming
Modern music streamers handle more data than ever before, from lossless streaming services to high-resolution audio files. Performance Ethernet is built to the CAT 6 FTP specification, providing the bandwidth required for demanding streaming applications, including high-resolution audio up to DSD1024.
Conductors and Geometry
Inside the cable, stranded 99.999% oxygen-free copper conductors, 8 × 7/0.2 mm (24 AWG), use carefully controlled asymmetric twist rates alongside a full HDPE spacer. The purpose is to reduce crosstalk between conductor pairs and minimise timing differences as data travels through the cable, with a quoted delay skew of 45 ns/100 m and a capacitance imbalance below 330 pF/100 m. Loop resistance is 0.093 Ω/m and the characteristic impedance is 100 Ω.
Screening
Modern homes are full of electrical noise: routers, televisions, games consoles, smart devices and switching power supplies all share the same environment as your audio system. Performance Ethernet uses screened construction, an aluminium Mylar foil with a tinned OFC drain wire, together with shielded RJ45 connectors, to help protect data from unwanted interference.
Build and Installation
The 6.8 mm outer jacket is an ultra-flexible TPE in a stone grey finish, so the cable routes easily behind equipment. Gold-plated shielded RJ45 connectors terminate each end and are designed to provide a reliable connection for years to come.
Where It Fits
QED recommends Performance Ethernet for connecting music streamers to routers and to network switches, for network audio players and music servers, for high-resolution streaming systems, and for wired hi-fi and AV installations where a stable alternative to Wi-Fi is wanted. It is supplied as a single run and is also offered in 0.75m, 1.5m and 3m lengths.
