Audiophile Ethernet Switch

[DF96]

Too late, there is already a bunch of posts explaining that you and the OP are delusional because 'digital is digital', oh well.

It would help if you read and comment on what we actually said, rather than giving a wholly inaccurate summary of what someone else might have said had they been in this thread.

 

[Indiglo]

On top of everything else the ethernet physical interface is balanced and isolated, if you have simple networking needs then buy a cheap switch, if you have more sophisticated requirements like vlans and diagnostics then buy a switch that can be managed.

 

[Max Headroom]

I did read and comment on what was said.
Post #3 I believe -

Every single packet is received by the buffer in the streaming device BIT PERFECT!
How can you possible improve a perfect copy?
Use $50.000 on cables and at least half that on other tweaks. Just don't waste money on things like that. You are making us all look incredible stupid.

and this -

.....Hence a change in packet switch can only affect audio systems which are misusing Ethernet.

Stuff got posted before I finished composing my response which was about improving AC power longitudinal leakage and I suggest that as sound technical explanation for the noted 'impossible' subjective improvements even if I did not explicitly state that, I assumed that the reasons for the earth bonding and Double Insulated references would be understood by those skilled in the art, evidently not.
I offered advice/confirmation to the OP and you get all offended ???.
Also BTW please define just what is 'misusing Ethernet' ?.


Dan.

 

[analog_sa]

decent ethernet wire'....Office Works no good ?.

I cannot for the life of me remember what it is. Some German made, preterminated CAT-6. Seemed cheaper than to buy a new crimping tool. Nothing even remotely audiophile, yet it made a big improvement over what was there previously.

 

[Max Headroom]

I cannot for the life of me remember what it is. Some German made, preterminated CAT-6. Seemed cheaper than to buy a new crimping tool. Nothing even remotely audiophile, yet it made a big improvement over what was there previously.

Yeah, that's what I had in mind, decent standard pre-made cable from anywhere should be perfectly fine.

Any ideas about what was wrong with the first cable ?.


Dan.

 

[analog_sa]

No, but the improvement was so noticeable i can easily extrapolate it upward towards the stuff sold to audiophiles.

 

[Max Headroom]

No, but the improvement was so noticeable i can easily extrapolate it upward towards the stuff sold to audiophiles.

I'm waiting for next round of theoretical reasons why this cannot be so..... .


Dan.

 

[rfbrw]

If the proponents the tweaked hub are to be believed then I can expect an improvement, if I were to run my flac files through it, relative to an untweaked hub. Can they tell me what improvement I can expect with my pdf files?

 

[29285]

improving AC power longitudinal leakage
Dan.

may point to the right direction. Generally these 2-prong AC-Adapters delivers much common mode noise perceived as "100Hz hum" (120Hz respectively). Connecting the secondary circuit of the switch with PE should help by redirecting these currents to mother earth. Or buy a better one with a 3-prong AC-Adapter. These effects may be quite real and do not relate to any mysterious "digital distortion".

 

[jan.didden]

If the proponents the tweaked hub are to be believed then I can expect an improvement, if I were to run my flac files through it, relative to an untweaked hub. Can they tell me what improvement I can expect with my pdf files?

I've seen some PDFs changing the font from Verdana to Times Roman with a high-end Ethernet cable. Let me tell you, the improvement was not subtle!

Jan

 

[Michael Bean]

I've seen some PDFs changing the font from Verdana to Times Roman with a high-end Ethernet cable. Let me tell you, the improvement was not subtle!

Jan

If you switch it the other way around will it change Times Roman to Verdana? I heard that cables are directional, um somewhere.

Mike

 

[jan.didden]

 

[dowser]

If switches affect the sound, replace one with a crossover cable for best SQ?

 

[sq225917]

No, but the improvement was so noticeable i can easily extrapolate it upward towards the stuff sold to audiophiles.

Let's assume you've fixed a broken cable with a working one. Would you expect another working cable to be any better?

 

[analog_sa]

The "broken" cable tested perfectly for data. Other smart assumptions?

 

[Michael Bean]

The "broken" cable tested perfectly for data. Other smart assumptions?

So the replacement cable transmitted data More Perfectly?

Mike

 

[Faboz]

Just try some different Ethernet cables between your streamer and the switch. Listen cat5, 6 and 7 ( try a flat cables from Amazon). Then come back and give your
(honest) feedback.

 

[scottjoplin]

This tweak improved the background noise

Did you take any measurements?

 

[Dimdim]

It may appear to fly in the face of logic, but different ethernet cables do make audible changes in SQ.

The reason is the same reason that causes different power supplies or audio distributions to change the sound of network streamers: Noise signature.

Ethernet cables do transmit data but in order to do that they also transmit EMI/RFI noise. This noise eventually finds its way into our dacs.

Different cables make for different filtering of this noise. It is that simple.

The same applies for active networking devices (switches, routers, etc). The more quiet their power supplies and circuits, the less noise they emit.

 

[Faboz]

Did you take any measurements?

We were 6 pairs of ears and we all heard the same thing on 2 systems. This is enough to be conclusive. I'm more interested in music than measurements. So NO, no measurement.