I had my old Cisco 2960 lying around so, as you do, got to wondering how things would sound if I introduced it between the Virgin Superhub 3 and EE8 switch to ND555.
Dare I say ‘a touch more organic’?
G
Yes. I ran my EE8 that way. The 2960 sits in my office and the EE8 was on the rack.
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Yup, I do. Not much in it, but preferred the overall sound with this setup.
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I might try that again.
I still have my Cisco 2960 upstairs somewhere.
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Yes, router to C2960C-8PC-L Cisco Catalyst Switch 8 FE PoE then connect to English Electric 8Switch to the NDX 2. I tried it both ways when I bought the EE8 and thought the sound was better through the Cisco switch vs direct connect to the router.
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Graeme - given your front end, it may be worth borrowing an Innuos PhoenixNET to try out.
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Spotted my old Cisco 2960 in a box whilst digging out the xmas trimmings from the loft may give this a go tomorrow
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Connected the old Cisco 2960 to my setup today. Sits below the Ubiquiti Dream Machine with the ND5XS2 connected to port 1, could be placebo playing a part but there appears to be a bit more warmth to the sound.
No fancy wires 
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Looks a bit like an Orgasmatron.
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Which model?
G
The OOO OOO RRR model
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Why do you guys put networking gear right in the rack with your hifi, its a bizarre situation, you all bitchin’ about so called noise getting in the system then you go ahead and mingle it.
Either you believe this nonsense or no?
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Good point if made in an uncompromising way 
.
Most people’s houses, rooms, systems and lives are full of compromises.
I know mine certainly is - better not show you a picture of my rack with the router sat on top - I’ll get me coat….
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ive been following a 75 page argument about switches on the pink forum and many advocate putting the switch close to the streamer, but im with you, mine is with tv gear 5m away.
Have you priced a 12m length of Audioquest Vodka ethernet cable recently? 
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First of all, it’s only nonsense if you
A. don’t take SQ seriously
B. are unaware of the extreme SQ a highly refined network can deliver and
C. Aren’t aware of all the work being done by top high-end manufacturers regarding network noise.
So down to the question, is it bad for things like network switches and power supplies to occupy the same rack as the other hi-fi components?
Of course, like most compromise related hi-fi issues, the answer depends on a number of factors:
A. How much the switch benefits from the anti-vibration properties of the rack. My experience is; a lot.
B. How much EMI the switch radiates. A good quality unit with a low noise switch chip shouldn’t radiate much EMI with sufficient power to penetrate 2 casings and affect downstream components. Components using wi-fi should where possible be well separated, by at least a few feet. Very close contact between purely hi-fi and network transport cables should be avoided or crossed at 90 degrees and not run in close parallel.
C. How sensitive your other gear is to radiated EMI
D. How much a longer (and often by necessity) lower quality ethernet cable causes SQ deterioration.
E. How much EMI the longer connecting cable picks up vs the shorter and probably better quality cable.
In my experience, the downsides of poorer vibration control and longer, poorer quality cables causes greater SQ deterioration than having non-wi-fi switches in close proximity to other gear.
Like anything in hi-fi its a balancing act between benefits and detriments. If benefits win out by a big enough margin, certain compromises are worth living with in order to get the significant benefits they bestow.
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I suspect it’s more about men staring at their shiny equipment that they spent way to much on so want to display with their hifi, but by all means write an essay.
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My PhoenixNet sits in the garden, under an umbrella, then 80 m of cat 6 running on the house walls then through the chimney. I followed the advice given by a dealer. The wind then the chimney smoke should kill all the RFI and EMI.
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Nothing wrong with being proud of the equipment you buy, especially when it puts a huge smile on your face. I know! Bah, humbug
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