Over the past few months, we’ve been investigating network switches. What is it that makes us hear (or think we hear?) differences? Data? Power supply differences? Noise? We bought some additional measurement equipment and special software into our lab to investigate this. The result is a ridiculous amount of data to sift through and then pair it with a blind test of these switches! This promises to be an interesting test…. at least another one of the biggest – if not the biggest – we’ve done. For now… 🙂
The new way of working at Alpha Audio is that your author makes the measurements and does the technical research and then the audio test team performs the test blind. The results are then combined and that makes for interesting insight.
With the speaker cables, a – sort of – link could be made between measuring and listening. With the amplifiers it was trickier, although the amplifiers with more feedback, more control and less distortion came out a bit better. How this will play out with the switches…? That’s what we’re going to see. On December 18 at 10:30.
Contenders
- Cisco 110D-05
- Cisco Meraki MS220P (YETI Audio edition)
- Dlink DGS-1210-10P
- Dlink DGS-108
- Edimax ES5500G-V3
- LHY Audiophile switch
- Netgear GS108E
- TPLink SF1008D
- TXE064
- Delock Fiber converter
- Pura Audio switch
I was at Staples buying envelops and I came across Martijn favourite TPLink on a 5 port configuration for €10 or so. I wasn’t sure I heard a difference at first until I heard the first minute of Menahan Street Band – Midnight Mourning. Oh boy, stuff gets so much better layered and organized… it’s not a negligible difference at all!
Thanks for the feedback!
By the way Jaap, what’s your opinion on 2 switches vs just 1? I mean, 1 after the router and another before the streamer? When I was looking into this switch thing I came across several people advocating that after listening tests. I guess this is a cheap enough thing to try myself but was wondering if you yourself looked into it?
Depends on the switches, rest of the network… Streamer… Power supplies, etc
Thanks!!
Just in case someone in the future wonders about my question, I just tried it and didn’t like it. The sound became softer and what I mentioned as a gain from a switch was pretty much lost. On the mentioned track there’s a sharp, sort of pulsating sound (no idea what instrument it is) and the comings and goings are pretty easy to follow with one switch, just gets drowned with two.
Probably the added noise that drowns the details.
I have the Netgear GS105 ProSafe switch. It appears that the Netgear you recommend is the GS108 ProSafe switch. Looking online it seems the only difference between the GS105 and the GS108 is the number of ports included.
If this is true, is the 5-port switch equal in sound quality to the Netgear model you recommend OR is some other difference there as well?
Thanks
They are pretty much the same.
Thanks for the replies, I will look into LHY some more. How does it compare with the Sbooster?
You have not tested the Allo Shanti?
Allo have an office in France and can be bought in Europe easily.
One issue in the UK is we have higher voltage than the EU, despite what the EU says, our average is 240 volts, can be 253 volts, I know a few people have voltage around 250 volts. This can cause hum on transformers designed for 220-230 volts.
If you want to know if we have reviewed an item, you can use the search function above. There’s 15 years of reviews available 🙂
OK, thanks. I will probably try the Netgear 108 then. See if it an improvement on my Zyxel GS108B. That was an improvement on the Cisco one I tried.
Not sure how I would get on with a managed one.
The 108E is plug and play. No worries. Biggest difference is a decent power supply. Remember that.
Thanks. But power supplies are rather more expensive. Unless you can recommend some cheap ones. I’m using an Allo Shanti on my streamer.
LHY LPS25VA Power Supply. Good and affordable.
Yes… very nice PSU
These seem to be around $150? Switch is around £20.
Some people have had good results from cheap chinese LPSUs, around £30-60, but the one I tried was rubbish.
There is Polish company that does Bluesound Node power supplies and LPSUs, you are probably aware of them. I use their psu board on my Node2. My Allo Shanti will run 2 items, I’m currently using that for my Node and switch. Can’t hear any difference from using the wallplug on the switch.
Hi Ray. I use a LHY on a DLink switch of roughly the same price point as the Netgear. Power is more important than the switch itself, if the switch conforms to a decent level of engineering as this test shows. The LHY has quite an audible difference with, for instance, an iFi Power supply. Not night and day, but audible. See our review: https://alpha-audio.net/review/review-lhy-sw-8-switch-en-lhy-lps50va-lineair-power-supply-2/
I’m struggling to find the piano music, please will you advise which album it is on?
Thanks, Ray
Shazam or Google music search helps (just some advice). It’s Yevgeny Sudbin, Scarlatti, 18 Sonatas.
OK, many thanks.
Jaap, thanks, I know that.
What I’m asking is are there any differences (sound and measurements), between the Netgear 108 and 108E, do you know?
Ah… no… not really to be honest.
Hi, Do you know what are the differences between the Netgear 108 and 108E?
I use a Zyxel unmanned switch at the moment.
The E is managed.