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I've seen lots of internet discussion about "audiophile network switches." Some are being sold for $500, others are costing thousands. A great many people say, "it can not work" network packets are packets, bits are bits and digital is solved.I found a YouTube channel (Alpha Audio) that tests these things with both sensitive testing equipment and blind listening "shootouts."
They liked many of the expensive switches. They thought they sounded better. But they also liked a $29 Netgear switch the GS108 ProSafe switch. And when they tested it, it had great objective test numbers and top notch results in subjective listening tests, too. If you don't want to spend $1000 you could just spend $30.
They said, in everything they tested adding a better power supply made really noticeable improvements.
I found a Netgear GS105 ProSafe switch for $16 (the GS105 is a 5-port switch and the GS108 is an 8-port switch but other than that same/same). So, I bought it and one of those $60 IFI power supplies to power the switch.
OK... this shouldn't work. It must be some kind of trickery - but for less than $100 total cost, my streaming has never sounded better. Go ahead, tell me it can't work. I agree.
But it does.
Edits: 11/15/23 11/15/23 11/15/23 11/15/23 11/15/23Follow Ups:
I bought the switch but cheeped out on the power supply and it works. Music is more dynamic, and background is quieter. I'm also using the Lan to fiber convertor.
Here is the power supply link.
What exactly is the switch supposed to be doing that the router is not, that improves the sound.
Seems to me adding more connections and unnecessary processing can only degrade the transmission of the bits.
As I "think" I understand it, the switch has transformers between each port to better isolate the signals.
But, I'm not a network engineer.
The difference between one switch and another is related to the common mode noise generated by each switch and each power supply. Some switches are quite noisy internally, while others do a better job of producing a clean signal. On top of that the associated power supply's noise injected into the switch can make a difference.
Frankly, I didn't really buy any of this. I just tried it because it was inexpensive and I was really surprised by the result. I didn't test a bunch of these I just went by the tests from Alpha Audio and other people's comments on various forums.
Here's a link to the Alpha Audio listening test - there are other videos where they test the noise output of the switches but I found this one the most interesting (though it's very long).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HNMMksiD_Q&t=14503s
This is the advice received from a network engineer who knows his stuff:
Running a switch between the router and your streamer should give you an improvement. The D-Link DGS105 with an ifi 5v PS is a really good solution. You can get both from Amazon. This $92 combo may be as good if not better than the likes of a number of very expensive switches. The D-link has a very well engineered board, which is why you'll find it inside some "audiophile" switches. You should ground the switch. Just attach a wire to its grounding post and attach to the ground of a phono plug and plug into an empty socket on your preamp or amp.
I then run a very short ethernet cable from the switch to a streamer. It works for me.
I'm using TP Link gigabit switches in my system, with JamesCo transformer/regulated wall warts (9V as required by the TP Link switches).
Now I gotta go out and buy two D-Link DGS-105 switches and new Transformer/regulated supplies (5V) just to be sure I'm doing it right. :-(
First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass
The more I read about Digital topographies the more it seems that everything matters and chief among those things is a well designed low noise power supply.
And, really not just digital - this applies to analog too.
I guess this is why all the more expensive gear seems to be heavier and more power transformer laden.
MOR POWER!
So I'm supposed to hook this up to my router and make an extra connection and it's supposed to be better? I already have 4 connections on my router.
It's so easy. You buy the switch for $20 or less, and connect it to your router. Then move your streamer's Ethernet cable to the switch. It's an unmanaged switch so it all works automatically and instantly. No special setup or cables needed.Make sure you use a SHIELDED Ethernet cable between the switch and your streamer. Which everyone should do anyway.
And, lastly, you need to replace the switch's very small, very lousy 12v SMPS with something better. How much you spend on this is up to you. One of the cheapest decent "audio quality" power supplies is the IFI PS. Just get the 12v model. Amazon has them for $69 but they are available cheaper elsewhere sometimes, too. They sell these in a number of voltages - make sure you get the 12v supply.
If you try this, all in you'll have spent less than $100. So, it's a very low cost experiment. If your system is like mine you will hear an fairly substantial improvement in streaming sound quality.
Edits: 11/16/23
"Make sure you use a SHIELDED Ethernet cable between the switch and your streamer. Which everyone should do anyway."Yes, that's a great idea. Use a shielded Ethernet cable to bond the chassis ground together between you gear.
Ethernet is inherently gavonically isolated as the IEEE implementation specifies transformer coupling of a balanced pair signal. If you are so concerned about your network cables coupling noise into your DAC, a shielded CAT cable is about the worst thing you can do. The voltage levels of Ethernet as well as the balanced topology make it highly immune to noise induced errors. Especially in a residential setting. Shielded CAT cables are for specialized applications like a network in a steel mill with electric arc furnaces. They have no benefit in your home network
Edits: 11/19/23
You do know that the switch is only 5 volts and you linked the ifi 12 volt power supply.
And I realized that my Zen Stream was 9V.
That makes no sense
I was thinking of using the wall wart of my iFi Zen Stream for the Netgear switch, but they require different voltages.
I'm using this right now.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0716XT1QT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
Edits: 11/16/23
That's a good step for isolation. I haven't tried fiber yet, but I read mixed reviews. Some claim it can result in a drier sound. Have you found that?
I recently read that someone said to use a better power supply on the converters on both ends as well.
Alpha Audio's network guy said he uses the "Meraki Go" managed Switch by Cisco with a built in Fiber SPF module - but he puts a $500 linear power supply on the Cisco switch too. His combo totals nearly $800 and he says it sounds better than the Netgear switch I'm talking about but costs 8 times as much.
It was suggested by a friend with the external linear power supply. As is I didn't think it did anything to my sound, so I left it hooked up since I felt it didn't hurt the sound. I never added the suggested power supply only because I never got around to it. One day I will.
This is the suggested supply.
"They said, in everything they tested adding a better power supply made really noticeable improvements."I'd be curious to know if you tried a better power supply with your previous switch before installing the Netgear GS305 + iFi PS ?
I -suspect- some improvement might be attributed to the improved PS injecting less noise back into your AC mains. In the case of Ethernet bit ARE bits.
I've been running Netgear switches for some time. I have a couple 5-port models around the house and a 16-port version in the basement utility room where it fans out hardwired Ethernet into other rooms throughout the house.
If you want to get really fancy you can try a managed Netgear switch and run your music streaming bits on its on VLAN with customized QoS.
Edits: 11/16/23
Actually, I used to just use an 8-port wireless router with my ISP's WAN connection ( I have fiber to the home ). I read about the GS105 switch over a year ago and installed it then. So, I have used the switch with it's standard PS connected to that WiFi router to isolate the streamer from the WiFi router's ports.
At the time I added the switch, I didn't feel it did anything special on it's own but I kept it in play. And, honestly, I had totally forgotten it was a Netgear GS105 - I just remembered that I had added a switch and not much changed.
Fast forward to looking at Alpha Audio's website praising the Netgeter GS108 switch. When I looked at my switch I was surprised it was the GS105. So, it seemed all I needed to get was a better power supply.
I ordered the IFI 12v PS and when I plugged it in BAM - immediate improvement. Not subtle.
Interesting. After taking a closer look I am actually running the slightly newer GS305 (not the 105) but both are supposedly very similar. I'll have to try a different power supply just for grins as the wall wart that came with the switch is pretty cheaply made.
I use a Netgear GS105 switch and it's been working great with my NAS drive and streamer. I'd read similar reviews of switches and decided to just go with a good basic switch instead of the audiophile grade setups.
Try adding a good 12v power supply to replace that dinky little supply that came with the switch. You don't have to spend much... the IFI Audio comes in 12v, plugs right in and costs between $50-$60. You may be surprised.
I have an iFi power supply that came with a Zen Streamer I'm not using so I'll give it a try with the switch. Thanks.
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