Anyone use network switch before there volumio device?
Is it useful or snake oil
Look for Alpha Audio switch test on Google. All the info is there and is regardless of the OS used on your streamer. Personally I have chosen for complete galvanic separation by using fiber media converters and an ethernet isolator right before my streamer.
@Vennesch ,
I have check out the Alpha Audio test on YT
How is your outcome now and before?
Is it something that uplift the sq thats worth it
I suppose we are talking about what is called âhifi switchâ. If you are a bit fix with your fingers, get a nice 8 port switch for 10 euro, build a linear PCU and a clock. All this for under 20% of what you can get by the âaudiophileâ companies.
In my opinion yes it makes a difference, but not in a degree that someone wants just to sell one and pay the months rent.
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Will surely not buying a âhifiâ switch price is crazy
Was thinking getting a cheap luxul ags-1016 used from either eBay or Amazon. They cost approx 10-15âŹ
But i am still a little so and so on this tweek if it doing better or not
I cannot imagine this will make any difference. Buy a small 8 ports and give it a linear PSU, this will get you some of the way.
The luxul switch have a iec c14 power input, so the power can directly from power distribution
So what exactly are you asking? If you put a 15 ⏠switch will make a difference? Why should it?
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It will do 100% of nothing special other than getting data from A to B.
yes and no.
If you have a bad network, switch/cables/⌠there will be some collisions and packet drops. If they exceed certain amount, you theoretically get a buffer under run. This might impact the SQ experience.
But if youâre network is that bad, all connected hardware would suffer from it. Internet almost impossible, get files from a NASâŚ
Frankly, anyone with even a beginnerâs knowledge about how network switches and interfaces work knows that the concept of a âhi-fi switchâ is utter nonsense. They are based on the concept that âthereâs a sucker born every minuteâ.
IMHO the value of an âaudiophileâ network switch is in its potential to reduce electrical noise. This applies to the entire system, not simply the network connection.
No doubt the network signal is digital, and its digital component is (largely) immune to analogue disturbances, but the electrical disturbances it can carry, ripple through the rest of the system and introduces, IMHO mainly, jitter in the time domain.
However, the network connection is only one of several elements that can introduce electrical noise. For example, the power supply and connections, can receive and transmit noise between your components.
IMHO you need to galvanically isolate wherever possible, and keep your connections short. For example, use TosLink rather than Coax.
Depending on your setup, Shield and Ground everything you can. (If your component uses only a 2-prong power plug, you may be able to ground the external case.) Use quality, well shielded connectors where appropriate (speaker cables are a different issue and capacitance may affect that signal; for network cables, use at least CAT 6 and ground your switches (that should have CAT 6/metal receptacles), also use fibre optic transceivers close to your streamer in order to, galvanic isolate from as much of the network as possible).
Avoid WiFi and Bluetooth, and keep them turned off, if not in use.
Route all your connectors clear of power lines.
Make sure power to all your components is clean.
And after all that, upgrade your clocks if possible.
The whole ânetwork switch effect on audioâ argument is incredibly dumb, as anyone with even a basic understanding of networks will attest. What is being forgotten by these so-called âaudiophilesâ is the data from the network is collected, sorted and coalesced into a buffer on the network interface card, from where it is spooled out to the rest of the system. There is no such thing as jitter here, because the datastream is not fed directly into a DAC from the switch.
Toslink rather than coax? Yes, toslink can have lower noise, but it really tops out at 96kHz reliably - above that itâs a little hit or miss. Coax goes up to 192k, but USB opens up 384k, 768k and DSD up to DSD512. Why hobble yourself with lower resolutions?