I’m not sure that I am adding much to this discussion but my experience of the ER switch is that it made little, if any, improvement in sound quality but I have have kept it in my system as it certainly hasn’t had any adverse effect either. I use the ER immediately ahead of a Naim NDX2 streamer (which has an XPS2 power supply). My digital music is stored on a Melco which is also connected to the ER, and on a Naim Uniti Core which is located in another room, plus Quobuz for streaming. Since installing the ER I have changed the ethernet cables that run between the ER and both the Melco and the NDX2 from Chord C Stream cables to Melco cables. Again, I couldn’t honestly say that I hear any difference but I’ve kept the Melco cables as the aren’t doing any harm either.
I would be interested to know whether there any consensus has yet been arrived at that a particular switch results in a consistent improvement in sound quality? I know people who have the English Electric switch and one who has the ridiculously expensive Melco switch and none of them is claiming to have heard a significant improvement in sound quality. I rather suspect that a lot of these expensive switches - including the ER - are retained simply on the basis of the owner’s inertia or, as in my case, the owner has arrived at the conclusion that even if they have not improved matters nor have they made them any worse.
Fair point. But that would also apply to the Melco as I cannot honestly say that I hear any difference in terms of sound quality between music played from it on my Naim NDX2 and music played on the NDX2 from my Naim Uniti Core. If we all adopted that “no nonsense” approach I suspect a lot of digital audio kit would get sent back as making little, if any, appreciable improvement in sound quality.
People with older (first gen) streamers such as the NDS generally appear to report the most benefit from specific switches and/or network equipment. The newer streamers such as the NDX2 seem to be shielded better and elicit less of these reports. A third group of people has also separated their streamer and DAC, this is the most shielded approach and this group may have the least noticeable benefit from specific network measures.
That’s just a general rule of thumb though. Some people have very resolving systems or trained ears, and may be able to hear small changes that would elude other listeners.
So it’s more or less circumstantial whether you need or prefer them in your system and which one would be optimal for your environment.
Interesting post. I have the Englisch Electric and the Melco Switch at home for testing. They replace a standard Netgear switch. My experience is that the EE8 brings a noticeable change in sound quality, less harsh more space better defined bass line. There is a further improvement the Melco brings but it’s not as big as the step from Netgear to EE8. And the price difference is huge. I haven’t made my decision which switch I will keep.
Thanks for setting out your thoughts on the English Electric and Melco switches. I’d be very interested to hear which one you decide to keep! Have you had an opportunity to try the EtherRegen ER switch? Also, are you using the switch to connect to a streamer with its own internal DAC, or do you have a stand alone DAC? There are just so many variables at play.
I have not tried the ER, but I believe that ER and EE are on the same level.
In my profile you can see my current setup. I run a Core which feed a ND555 with two power supplies. I keep you up to date which switch will stay.
Thanks for your reply. That is really some system you have! I would like to upgrade the power supply for my NDX2 from an XPS2 to a 555 but I balk at the price. I have a Uniti Core and am very pleased with it and find it more user friendly than the Melco.
Thanks, it took me some time and some investments to come to that system But it makes me happy when ever I’m listening
My Uniti Core is currently by Naim because I have some ripping issues. Hopefully I’ll get it back soon. The price for the 555 PS is really a huge investment. I can’t comment on the improvement you get on your NDX2. I bought my second power supply a couple of weeks before. It brings a further improvement to an already excellent ND555
FWIW I much preferred the EtherRegen to the Melco, which I found lacked in drive and low level as well as textural detail (in fact I couldn’t get on with it at all). I haven’t heard an EE.
Many places will allow a home audition on a sale or return basis.
Thanks for your thoughts on the ER and Melco switches - very interesting.
As regards power supplies, when I bought my first digital audio player - a Naim HDX - the dealer let me hear it first without an external power supply, next with an XPS2 (which I eventually purchased), and finally with the 555PS. Each step brought a very noticeable improvement. Hence the nagging desire to upgrade from my XPS2 (a pre-DR version) to the 555PS.
It is essentially what I found when I compared ER against it.
Dealer said LPS upgrade makes a big difference, but since the Melco switch already costs more than 3x the ER I settled on the ER. All that was with the ER as-bundled PS.
Then upgrade to a LPS (a 40 year old old one I had around from work days) on the ER was better again by at least as much as what the ER did over my Cisco 2960 I began with.
Given that we are all supposed to be imagining these effects I find it unusual that we imagine the same effects.
I also think these differences only may kick-in once a certain system performance level is attained, from the many comments from people finding no improvements. You have to have a certain latent system capability available before the ER or other such quality switch allows it to gain a further level of performance.
For a while I ran my system back on the Cisco 2960 after extended use with ER switch and it was ‘ok’ but such a lot was missing - the music was comparatively shrouded in murky noise with limited dynamics and reduced ‘speed’ and agility - ER back and it all returned.
…but I do acknowledge some hear this and others get nothing - in which case the demo is done and send the ER back!
Certain people decided it was so good they use two ER switches - I’m afraid I’m not in that league, but I’d still want to try it firts to see if it was worthwhile.
Enjoying where I am right now and there are always several paths to explore ahead for upgrades - it is then a matter of identifying what gets attention next and in what sequence is best to spend money.
Good to hear you have found an upgrade over ER - I’m sure it will spark interest.
Particularly if folks haven’t already committed funds to EE8/ ER plus none too cheap linear power supplies. As I read it, the Phoenix does not require an additional power supply - I may have misinterpreted this though!
But it makes me happy when ever I’m listening 
