Ethernet Switch and Cables Mania

Oooh, not come across that one. Islays are my go-to choice (followed by other islands and highland) - I must look out for that. Lagavulin 16 right now.

My favourite!

1 Like

Mine, too!

Not this one ?

Hahaha

2 Likes

I need to see its specification first, then do double-blind testing the Taste-Dem way.

2 Likes

Here some specs. This beer costs more than my 2 diamonds!

1ā€”HAIR OF THE DOG DAVE: 29% ABV

hair of the dog dave

First of all, we want to go on the record as saying that Hair of the Dog from Portland, Oregon is one of our favorite names for a brewery. Just, well done you guys. Hair of the Dog Dave was first produced in 1994, and was a Barley Wine that was made incredibly alcoholic (29%!) by taking 300 gallons of a Barley Wine called Adam and freezing it three times. Each time, the pure ice (extra, boring, non-alcoholic water) that formed would be removed, and eventually only 100 gallons of incredibly alcoholic beer remained. Itā€™s since been retired, but every once and a while a bottle appears. Granted, it usually involves someone spending $4,500 for two of them, but our point is still technically valid.

If you like Lagavulin than you should definitely try Port Askaig. Independent bottler which ā€œprobablyā€ buys (not finished!) whisky from Caol Ila

Hi Peder,

I completely agree about the need for burn-in and experimenting with placing them in different positions before reaching any firm conclusions, especially considering that one of the theories for two sounding better is a reduction in processing load and therefore noise. I fitted the rubber feet that Cisco supply for them, But only really had time to connect them up in a hurry and listen during a rather frantic last dayā€™s work, which is why Iā€™ve been rather circumspect about posting any conclusions. These were all really just first impressions.However, at this stage my feeling was that the difference between the PD and CT switch is greater than adding a second switch. But I could be wrong and in addition might totally change my opinion after burn-in.

Reborntech on the UK bay place is who I bought them from. They provide a very professional service and still have 8 available. Obviously, the power lead to the included power supply unit has a UK plug, But itā€™s the kettle lead type so you can easily replace it with anything you like that has an IEC plug.

2 Likes

Sounding a bit more distant/receded and less emotionally connected/visceral

Yes I will throw it away and then replace it with an even more disputed cable the Chord Music and throw it away afterwards as a normal decent stock cable is anyhow the best you can haveā€¦

I am now talking about the phase in my live where my ears get so bad that it doesnā€™t matter anymore, however so far not arrived at that stageā€¦

Can steal hear @Pederā€™s favorite band Opethā€¦, like yesterday in concert.
Let me visit them and Dream Theater and Pain of Salvationā€¦, and my hearing will be in the required stage to switch back to stock level cablesā€¦

4 Likes

:small_blue_diamond:@BertBird,ā€¦:grin::joy::grin:ā€¦:+1:.

/PederšŸ™‚

A much tastier ā€˜burn-inā€™ā€¦

5 Likes

Yes no detrimental effectsā€¦ as after all at the end of the day it is simply analogue voltages with offsetsā€¦ each pair is considered as a single power conductor, with the differential twisted pair encodings superimposed on the power conductor pair ā€¦ which with respect to power effectively cancel each other out. This is when data pairs are used. PoE can negotiate to use spare pairs which have no data encoding modulation voltages on them (Passive PoE). Two twisted pairs effectively produce the current loop.
Of course you can use a power injector to power the PoE switch as well, in which case you donā€™t need a PoE power source switch.

1 Like

Yep that matches my experience, but to be fair I used to use three Catalyst switches, now two ā€¦ as one got destroyed in a lightning strike on the broadband linkā€¦ so I havenā€™t used a single switch in over 10 years.
However the PD powered devices did noticeably make a difference, along with the use of two link ether channel of about 8 metres between the switches, though the effect here was more subtle and based on network use.

So, when I finally get back, maybe worth trying to power my second PD switch from the first rather than its off-board PSU, what do you think?

My impressions with two switches are totally opposite to sounding ā€˜remoteā€™. I find it far more engaging with obviously in my face lower noise-floor and silky-quiet backgrounds - and a lot more detail, musical threads I did not know where there before are now present whereas before it was beneath a noise-floor or resolution-threhold. I feel Iā€™ve upgraded my source component.

People may get different results or hear it different I suppose, but as an Active system user Iā€™m not chasing a remote non-engaging presentation.

All this is just with the non-specially-configured switches plugged-in on their normal 8 bank of 100/10 Ethernet Ports exclusively and not using the other two faster ones at all.

Given my second switch is a mere 2940 then maybe it is some special interaction with the 2960 - I doubt it but unknown. I tried the 2960 alone and it was tidier cleaner - but also lacking low-level information and just sounded like Iā€™d thrown-away fine spatial and temporal resolution for a crisper sound with the remaining music.

It is why - after a couple of tracks it was blindingly-obvious it was worse and I went back to using the two-switch configuration and reported on it here.

DB.

ā€¦all this in the context of this thread about what switched and cables can be used to optimize what you have already purchased for your HiFi.

I do not want this to be taken that these upgrades are more than, for example, getting an ND555 over and NDS as that is more of an upgrade.

It may be that the ND555 makes it more obvious - in fact I find the ND555 is incredibly revealing and self-abstracting - it seems to want not to add any character and just lets you hear anything else that may be polluting the reproduction.

I know that Iā€™d have liked the ND555 not to require anything special - but then I heard Melco do that for it so I thought that would nail the injected noise - but then it seems all these components just reduce the added noise and they are cumulative until you get to the threshold where you hear no further improvements.

But I thought I had reached that a while ago - then found I had not so who knows how much more to go?
Iā€™m continually amazed by how much information is erupting from my well-known CD Rips - people go looking for HD music and it is already there on the CD Rip not being resolved Iā€™m finding.

DB.

5 Likes

You canā€™t. You need to power a PD switch from a PS switch. Sorry.

DB,

Go over the the CA/AS forum and read the etherRegen listening impressions thread. Sounds like youā€™re a perfect candidate for an etherRegen. Unfortunately theyā€™re sold out past January it seems at this point.

CP

I have to pay for XMas and some non-expensive-HiFi things for a bit, so Ā£100 for the 2960 was a nice outlay upgrade. :laughing:

But Iā€™m sure temptation will get me a demo later - after January for such things suits me. :bear:

Also it is nice to learn things as I go and improve things cheaply with a little playing with stuff.
Given my existing investment into the HiFi over many decades it is really nice to hear that it is all a lot more capable than the source - lifting the source resolution is making large upgrades.

DB.