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+--- Thread: "Audiophile Grade" Ethernet Switches - The new generation (/Thread-Audiophile-Grade-Ethernet-Switches-The-new-generation)
RE: "Audiophile Grade" Ethernet Switches - The new generation - Confused - 29-Jul-2020
Marcin_gps Wrote:If you think that a network switch can affect sound quality of streaming services and has no impact on local files then you are up for a surprise.
I am not quite sure who the "you" was aimed at above, but if it was me, I like surprises. (some surprises, not all)
Anyway, the recent posts were relating to an Aurender N10, which can be used to play files from it's own internal storage, outputting direct to a Devialet by USB or AES/EBU. I think it is clear that a network switch cannot possibly influence the sound quality in this scenario.
If your comment is general, then yes, it might be possible, for example when using a remote computer (or NAS) to play local files via Ethernet to a attached endpoint or similar.
Is that what you were referring to?
RE: "Audiophile Grade" Ethernet Switches - The new generation - sam1000 - 29-Jul-2020
I was also thinking the same thing. How can a playback be improved via a network switch to play local files? In this case the network is only used to control the device from the tablet using conductor app.
RE: "Audiophile Grade" Ethernet Switches - The new generation - David A - 29-Jul-2020
The network is only being used o control the device from the tablet if you're using wifi, USB or a coaxial, optical, or AES/EBU connection to deliver the signal to your DAC/amp. If you're using an ethernet connection to your amp then the network is also carrying the data for the music signal. A network switch isn't going to change the bits but the bits are carried by an electrical signal that can introduce noise to the analog stages of a DAC and the noise characteristics can vary from switch to switch. Less noise in the signal path makes a difference and if you're using ethernet then the switch is in your signal path.
RE: "Audiophile Grade" Ethernet Switches - The new generation - Antoine - 29-Jul-2020
There’s no question bits are unchanged but if a network connection is there, for whatever it is used (control or streaming), there’s an electrical connection and thus noise is passed, ground plane disturbances can happen, leakage currents can happen etc. These can affect, among other things, the DAC clocks and create jitter/phase noise. Of course this is the theory in a nutshell and I have no proof but it’s the only way I can make sense of it all, personally. Isolation transformers in the ethernet connector or directly behind it can only filter out part of the issues.
There’s some interesting findings written on WBF or AS by someone (I believe it was Nenon who actually bothered to test this and share his findings) about how one can actually ‘tune‘ the resulting sound, using the network devices, cables etc. in the chain. Crazy, yes today perhaps, maybe no longer tomorrow when we’ll start to understand better what happens. The best network is no network BTW according to him but initially this did not seem to be the case, only later he found the result more natural without any network connection and network adapter disabled.
RE: "Audiophile Grade" Ethernet Switches - The new generation - David A - 30-Jul-2020
We've got a lot of choices when it comes to the sources we feed to our amp. A network is one of those choices and we make those choices based on a lot of things apart from sound quality starting with price and convenience. If you want to include a network in your choices then the best network is one that works and the worst network is one that doesn't work. To some degree we're all chasing convenience, even if it's only the convenience of being able to listen to whatever we like whenever we want to. Networks and streaming offer that convenience to the greatest degree at the moment. That's a big factor for a lot of people including me.
RE: "Audiophile Grade" Ethernet Switches - The new generation - Antoine - 31-Jul-2020
Fully agree with that @David A, I’d also never give up the convenience of streaming.
Unfortunately I can no longer find the post(s) quickly but I just mentioned it because he initially thought the sound with the network (and all optimizations made there) active was actually better but later considered it more like some kind of ‘tone controls’ and the no network connection setup to be more natural. He concluded one can actually tune the resulting SQ using the network and all it’s parts. So again a ‘everything matters’ type of conclusion.
Either way I’ve not tested the ‘no network’ setup myself (it’s simply not possible in my current setup and software wise) and only know I like all the changes I made in my network (etherregen, modded Buffalo switch, better cables, JCAT Net Femto and all powered by linear power supplies). It’s sounding better after than before, not a single doubt in my mind.
RE: "Audiophile Grade" Ethernet Switches - The new generation - Confused - 08-Sep-2020
A review of the Melco S200
https://www.melco-audio-masters.com/uploads/1/0/1/5/101505220/hfn_oct_melco_s100_reprint-low.pdf
It is interesting that the lab test report actually found some measurable improvements from using the switch, or at least they did when feeding a Lumin, not so much other products.
In the subjective write up, the improvements were claimed to be “not subtle”, or words to that effect.
RE: "Audiophile Grade" Ethernet Switches - The new generation - Antoine - 09-Sep-2020
Melco/Dela has also just released a limited edition S10 switch, not sure if it’ll become available outside of their home market. Still looks to have the same internals als the cheap Buffalo BS-GS2016 switch I own but the S10 comes with an external LPSU and improved chassis compared to the S100.
https://www.dela-audio.com/product/s10/
RE: "Audiophile Grade" Ethernet Switches - The new generation - bernardl - 09-Sep-2020
As reported in another thread, after a very extensive comparison with a super optimized EtheRegen setup costing 5+ times the Melco S100... I clearly prefer the Melco.
The S10 will become available end of Nov for 660,000 yen in Japan.
Cheers,
Bernard
RE: "Audiophile Grade" Ethernet Switches - The new generation - bernardl - 12-Sep-2020
The info I provided proved inaccurate.
The S10 is already shipping... in fact I am listening to one right now although it was not really my intention.
The S100 was already better than the etheregen clocked by a cybershaft.
The S10 is more of everything. I’ll have to do more testing to figure out if the gains result from the router itself or from its dedicated LPS vs the Uptone.
This makes me question my plan of going towards Mutec+LPS+cybershaft over aes/ebu, as well as the relevance of the source. I may have found the perfect sound for my liking...
Cheers,
Bernard