English Electric 8Switch

In this case, Naim would only sell the Atom and Chord would sell their network cables

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But you agree that a better switch improves the Naim streamers, new and old.
And people with an ER all observed improvement with an lps.

I’m not even talking about the ER, and I am not yet agreeing that the EE improves streaming because though I bought one I did not A/B it for time reasons and all I have is an impression from background music so far.

If people say that an LPS improved the ER or the EE, so be it (and the usual caveats apply), I am just curious why EE would go to extra lengths to explain that it is not suitable. The sBooster that the dealer recommended is under 300 euros retail, if it makes the 8switch considerably better I am not convinced that selling it with such an LPS for 100 euros more than they do now would be prohibitive pricing.

In my particular case, I have not even looked into LPSes yet and am 100% unclear on that they are supposed to do, except maybe less mains pollution, but my switch is on a different circuit and I have neighbors in a residential building, whose choice of power supplies I cannot influence anyway. So if a mains pollution can go from one circuit to the other, it probably can go from my neighbor to me just as well, in the end we are all attached to the same fat cable coming into the building

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I can’t say if an lps will improve or not on your EE. But I feel it’s worth to try.
I have the ER and Uptone doesn’t recommend an lps. However I observed a greater impact with my MCRU ps on ER vs going from Cisco to ER.
Dark Bear, Michael B, Midnightrambler…found similar results with the ER and lps addition.

I am curious for sure and it’s worth to try. And not recommending one, as in not mentioning it, is one thing. But you agree that it is weird to go to the EE manufacturer website, read “LPS is not suitable for switches, therefore …”, find a dealer through the website and order it, and the first thing they say is “want this LPS to go with it? So much better”?

One thing that has improved replay further through the EE8 is ditching the included C-Stream and going ‘full loom’ BJ Cat 6a.

I tried this bundled cable thinking ‘why not?’. Now I know.

G

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So why the EE has a DC 5v output?

I don’t understand the question. To attach its PS and because Chord are repurposing an existing switch model?

Do you agree that it is weird? It makes either the dealer or Chord look like they have no idea what they are doing, a suspicious customer could also decide not to buy the 8switch after all if the dealer contradicts the website and says more expenses are needed

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Ah ok, my error. The SMPS is also connected to the DC output. So forget my question.
As for it’s weird or not, I have no real opinion on that. I just observe that all brands recommend the same, their standalone product doesn’t need to be improved by additional switch, cable, lps… EE is not different here from Naim, Uptone, Linn…

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No one is saying a lps is needed on either the EE or the ER. All that is being said is that some have noticed a decent uplift when putting a LPS on their ‘audio’ switch.

Switch manufacturers are unlikely to recommend the use of LPSs on their switches because it implies their products are deficient in some way (which they are not) and it makes a switch just too expensive for many.

Just like Naim will never recommend a particular switch or ethernet cable.

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I don’t know if you are addressing me, but I am not arguing against anything, certainly not that anyone was saying an LPS is needed

Like I said, I am intrigued in the technical parts but have not spent time on it (what is is supposed to do), and I am curious and consider it worth to try.

I am however not convinced by the above argument for why they do not offer it as an optional upgrade or as the standard version (as it is not so much more expensive), if it is an improvement.

But I am mostly intrigued by Chord not just ignoring the possibility, but going out of their way and explicitly writing that it is not a suitable thing. I don’t know, if I was writing that on the website I would also make sure that my dealers don’t contradict it first thing.

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Mine was a general response to this part of the thread, not specifically aimed at you, Suedkiez.

BTW, a decent LPS for the EE or ER will cost considerably more than either of these two switches.

Personally, I am still revelling in the uplift I am getting from my ER with the crappy SMPS it is bundled with.

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I see, this explains my confusion :slight_smile:
I can never distinguish an immediate reply to a certain post from a general reply in the thread, they look absolutely the same to me

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Like mentioned, the dealer where I bought the switch recommended the sBooster which is below 300 euros retail, so I suppose if Chord left out the SMPS and included something like this it might make the whole thing 100 euros more expensive. If the result is better this is hardly a problem for someone who is spending 550 for something other people by for 10 at Amazon

The switches that people on here have been praising cost considerably more than the sBooster, but that was more in relation to powering the ER rather than the EE.

It is possible that the ER might gain more from a good LPS than the EE, but I have no evidence to claim that. It would need to be tested by a proper audition.

That may well be the case but my point is that the Chord dealer who I found through the Chord (well EE) website recommended it as a great upgrade, while the website itself explicitly writes that an LPS is not suitable for switches (why do this and not just be silent on the topic?).

It’s not as if my suggestion that this is weird is particularly outlandish

You are assuming that the dealer’s claim that the sBooster does indeed give a worthwhile uplift in SQ on the EE. In your system it might, it might not.

As to the motives behind Chord saying a LPS in ‘not suitable’ for the EE, I haven’t a clue.

If you are curious, best to borrow a good LPS from a dealer if you can, that is matched to the EE’s input and try it for yourself. That is the only way to get to the bottom of it all.

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My point. It makes either Chord or the dealer seem clueless. (and a clueless Chord dealer does also reflect poorly back on Chord)

As to the motives behind Chord saying a LPS in ‘not suitable’ for the EE, I haven’t a clue.

I know, me neither, nobody does, so what’s wrong with pointing out that they do. Few people seem to be aware of it.

If you are curious, best to borrow a good LPS from a dealer if you can, that is matched to the EE’s input and try it for yourself. That is the only way to get to the bottom of it all.

I know, but will not answer all questions (not they reasons for Chord’s statement for example, which I find simply interesting. Not everything that is interesting has to have something to do with hifi). I also still don’t know what the theoretical advantages are supposed to be, for the simple reason that I had no time and it’s just been two weeks or so that I even got the new boxes from Naim

When I spoke to Chord about it, they said that in all the tests they did comparing (what I assume would have been commercially acceptable) power supplies, LPSs hampered the rhythmic drive, one of the things that I and others have found really appealing about the EE. They didn’t rule out the potential for finding a better supply at some stage.

I don’t think it’s fair to find fault with Chord because of what one of their, fully independent, dealers has told you. They each have their opinion, both are valid.

Very interesting, thanks. And I am not “finding fault”, I just think it’s weird, same as if I went to a Naim dealer after reading the Naim website saying “do A” and the dealer first thing saying “they have no idea, do B”. Because why would I buy from either of them.