Antoine's system

[Antoine]

Interesting that you mention the AQVox switch.  I had been doing a bit of googling looking for info on the Paul Pang switch, and stumbled across the AQVox item myself last week.  I'm guessing it's quite new?  I cannot find much information on the thing!  Anyway, I have posted a query regarding the AQVox switch over at CA, if those guys don't know anything about it nobody will!  To be honest, if it was a touch cheaper I'd probably buy one just as a punt, at 398 Euro, I would like a little bit more information before jumping in.  Any ideas how it might compare to the Paul Pang offering?  (Which is half the price, but has been out a while)

The rate of development at SOtM is impressive I have to say.  I'm sure it's shaking Sonore up a bit, with the mR seaming knocked off it's top spot within months of being released.

It is indeed relatively new. I believe I first read about it sometime in the last months of last year on a German forum. I bookmarked the page but to be honest I chuckled a bit about it, not knowing then that my 'believe system' (surrounding networking matters) would be challenged once again some months later by the findings of Romaz! Today I think I can see the value/worth of such a device when it addresses not only noise and isolation (to not pollute devices connected to it or minimize that "pollution") but also improvements in its power supply and clock(s) to guarantee the best possible signal integrity. In a way it's no different than a USB regenerator like the Uptone Regen where we once believed it all didn't matter either.

The AQVox switch in its basis is a D-Link DGS-108. Yesterday I said it's a 20 euro switch but I was wrong, it's around 30 euro's. Knowing that makes it a bit expensive to me at 400 but of course it's a bit of strange reasoning for someone like me who also buys expensive cables (like the €750 or so AQ Diamond ethernet cable of 0.75m ). Nonetheless I would need some more convincing before I get off the fence and would actually prefer a product built up from the ground (like I think Uptone is going to do).

No idea how it would compare to the Paul Pang one. I believe all Paul Pang did was mount a better clock and output transformer in his off the shelf switch. It -seems- AQVox does a bit more but as you said, very little information is available. Found two reviews and the HiFiStatement one shows a picture of the innards but then says most of the changes can be found on the other side of the PCB but doesn't show them!

http://www.audiophil-online.com/test/net...-by-aqvox/
http://www.hifistatement.net/tests/item/...q-switch-8


Found your post at CA, thanks for posting there, will be following the thread. I see one member (one I trust too) has ordered one yesterday.

I agree with you on your views on SOtM! And to be honest I was getting a bit annoyed by Sonore lately, the removal of the suggestions thread for Sonore on CA (though it is back now, though locked) made me give up on them completely. You can't hide from the competition or your customers wishes. If you do your company will of course fail in the end.


I'm still thinking about building a new music server for in the living room which I can power using 12V from the SR7, buy a Chinese ready built one (like one of the many here: https://eglobal.aliexpress.com/store/all...0.0.xNPQvS) or "re-instate" my previous music server (now HTPC)  and connect one ethernet interface directly to the SMS-200 using my AQ Diamond and the other to the FMC which connects it to the rest of the network. An 'ethernet Regen' like device or a switch like the AQVox could of course be used in between the music server and the SMS-200 so this might be one of the next steps for me.

Great shout re the AQVox switch. Going to order one today. 

Guillaume

Haha, cool!! Like Confused I'm curious to learn what you think of it!