"Audiophile Grade" Ethernet Switches - The new generation

[Superdad]

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.

Hi Bernard:
I guess I am a bit confused (would not be the first time... ). Just last week you wrote this on the other forum:

"As of today, I feel that the EteRegen set up is now a bit superior to the Melco, but it's probably close and my current feeling is that, in my environment, it's probably simpler and cheaper to just deploy a Melco with Uptone LPS instead of an expensive clock to drive the EtheRegen in a super optimized environment."

And you reported your setup as this:
---
"I finally got my clock cable and was able to deploy a few days ago the following configuration:
- SonoreOptical module -> fiber -> EtheRegen -> Devialet 1000 Expert Pro CI
Additional considerations:
- I use as external clock a Cybershaft OP21A-D with external linear power supply connected to a Shunyata Everest power conditioner with a Shunyata Venom V14 Digital cable
- The clock cable connecting the EtheRegen to the Cybershaft is a Shunyata Sigma 75 Ohm
- The Cybersharft is configured in chassis grounding mode and is grounded to the Shunyata Everest which is my common grounding reference for the whole system (this is point is in fact pretty important soundwise)
- The EtheRegen is fed by a LPS-1.2, itself connected with a Shunyata Venom V14 Digital to the Shunyata Everest
- The EtherRegen is also grounded to the Shunyata Everest
- I have designed and had 3D printed in aluminium a special heatsink cradle enhanced with copper plates to help with heat dissipation of the EtheRegen and LPS."
----

Now that is a lot of complicated stuff--and perhaps you overdid it for our humble yet innovative $640 switch.
Yet still, you say 5+ times the cost of a Melco S100?  The Melco is $2,100 in the USA. So are you saying you added $10,000 of clocks, cables, and power supplies to the EtherREGEN? That seems a bit much... 

Perhaps UpTone should offer a multi-thousand switch to compete. But if we do, it will certainly have more interesting engineering than the case and PS upgraded Buffalo-based Melcos. I am sure you have seem the reports of people buying the Buffalo that the S100 is based on and taking it much further with mods. Maybe that will be your next steps? 

Cheers,
--Alex C.
UpTone Audio LLC