Ethernet Switch and Cables Mania

[Darkebear]

@Peder

Best I think,.it is to have two Cisco’s of the exact same model and year.

My 2960 is a new white one and my 2940 is an old blue one - but it sounds wonderful.
I had to ‘tune it up’ to get it to sing - that done it stays on-song fine.
The tuning-up - apart from carefully finding correct support for the two switches - was to choose the Ethernet cables that gave me what I wanted. It was very important and some cables gave a very poor performance.
Mine are: from router a very very long Cat5e nothing special - 2940 - 1.5m AQ Cinnamon - 2960 - 1.5m KabelDirekt Cat6 - Melco -1.5m AQ Vodka - ND555.

I’d not saying this particular combo is best, but that the permutation and combination with the various boxes greatly tunes the SQ.
For example - remove the Cat6 and replace with cat5e or Cat7 and awful oppressive sound.

You have to be prepared to have a selection of different patch-cords and sit and play and listen to what it all does.

The ‘one best cable’ idea is dead as far as I’m concerned - I went in circles chasing that and instead found my answer.

But all this could possibly be popped into a suitably expensive switch box and sound better so that may be the better solution in the end.

I’ve been listening to all my albums like they are new - incredibly quiet backgrounds now with lots more musical detail retrieved and griping timing that keeps me memorized into the track - then the next.

And this has nothing to do with special programming of switches - that may do other things but not got onto that yet as it seems to me the main benefit is in whatever this breaking of the network into smaller segments is doing - however it is doing it.

DB.

[simon.pepper]

Ok going to introduce something new to this topic.

So an Uptone EtherGEGEN switch was waiting for my at the DHL Service Delivery point, following my return from a business trip to Mozambique.

So, inserted earlier this evening - replacing a Cisco Cisco SG100D-05 5-port unmanaged switch in my ‘front-end’ network segment. The ‘backend’ with the NAS units, Wireless AP, Firewall, Fibre Modem and Roon ROCK core using Netgear Prosafe GS108 & Prosafe GS105, both managed switches - where I have QoS port priorities set on those used for the streaming based data paths.

So I am using the EtherRegen in this configuration

The SonoreUPnP Bridge runs on an UltraRendu powered by an UltraCap LPS1

The Bridge is fed by a connection from the Roon Core - both of these are connected to the A-side.

On the B-side is the connection to a Naim NDS network player with the 555DR power supply.

The B-port is connected to the NDS with Chord Sarum Streaming cable.
The UltraRendu is connected to thr B-ports with Chord Anthem streaming cable.
I also have a RPi running Asset R6.4 connected via AQ Vodka to A-ports, as backup playback path with the Naim App.

Plus AQ Vodka is used between the A-ports and the upstream connection to the ‘backend’ NAS for the music library & Roon Core which is upstairs.

The EtherRegen has brought noticable further detail to the sound, both in bass detail and transient reproduction, but also a lower noise floor of the track being played. A cleaner window to what is being played.

Just going through a selection of known tracks now.

And I understand from others is give 72-hours for burn-in and even better results.

Bring it on - this unit already represents a substantial upgrade element in a streaming system.

[Darkebear]

UK Distributor has it for £666 - out of stock!

Probably/possibly my ‘two-switch’ config is doing some kind of noise-filtering and regeneration.

I’m sure I will eventually try another solution.

DB.

[Simon-in-Suffolk]

@Peder

Have You Compared,.which of these two,by PoE or via its 48 volt DC connector,.which may have better soundquality.?

No difference, but I have a new architecture Naim streamer now where this affects are diluted compared to the old legacy streamers with inferior decoupling.

@Peder

As well,.what is the difference between a PD2960 in design/construction against a “regular” Cisco,which makes it have a 48V powersupply against a 12V.?

I am not sure where 12 volts comes from, Cisco switches uses 48 VDC for exterior power supplies. That is the standard for commercial grade network power supplies.
Consumer stuff might be limited to 12 or 9 volt.
Remember switches use current converters inside, which are DC switch mode power supplies.

[Richieroo]

What your describing is what I found with the Aqvox … the bass was the most surprising…so much texture and detail… I never expected that…

[Peder]

@simon.pepper, @Richieroo,..Given that the Cisco WS-C2960-8TC-L,.is the most purchased/used switch here the last three years.

You,.or someone else,does not have such a model to compare against.
Then we have a better known reference to compare against,.so to speak.

/Peder🙂

[simon.pepper]

Sorry just the Cisco SG100D-05 5-port unmanaged switch, which replaced a Netgear ProSafe GS105 switch, with only slight improvement, plus I needed extra ports in my backend system as the 8-port GS108 we’re all used. My ReadyNAS Pro2 and a Ultra2 used for backup, both have dual Ethernet ports, which I used as a bonded pair with load balancing.

So the EtherRegen was a swap-in of a 5-port switch. Nice form factor being in the same case as the UltraCap and UltraRendu units.

I was considering a Cisco Catalyst unit, but then Uptone announced the development of this unit and I have been following the design/development on the Uptone forum.
This is a purpose build switch for an audio application, hence the B-port is only a 100BaseT, due to lower noise, matching Naim’s decision to only use 100BaseT NIC in the NDS, the BridgeCo streamer implementation and I believe the latest streamer card in the ND555 etc is also 100BaseT - that just gets better WiFi support, which no ND555 user should ever use, AirPlay2 support, which no ND555 user should ever use etc.
The design of the EtherRegen also uses Femto clocks, separate for the A and B sides of the isolating moat separating the B-port (easily seen in the layout of the PCB), along with lots of separate power regulation for both sides and superior RJ45 components with more galvanic isolation transformers that regular ‘off-the-shelf” switches.

[Peder]

@anon35279323

To all of you,
Take a look at the photo and see how clear the sky is. No pollution.
How many of us have an air so clean and clear?

@anon35279323,..Thanks,.so this is only for you .

• This is close to Blaik-mountain,Borga-mountain.

This above is photographed three days ago by a friend.
He had to stop the car,.and go out and take this picture.
Look at the blue colors,.amazing.!!

• This is from last spring,.2019.

A bit outside my hometown.
A picture that creates dreams and emotions.

•For those of you who do not know,.or have tried.
The tracks in the snow are from a snow-scooter,.a very popular recreational vehicle up here in the winter,to get out into nature.

/Peder🙂

[Richieroo]

Holy ‘bleep’ that looks really cold…skys nearly as clear as sunny Manchester!!!

I have just realised I actually work in building in the right hand side…

[anon77199223]

Moving from the sublime to the ridiculous, here’s a video (that you are unlikely to want to watch) called ‘Streaming Tidal vs Streaming local storage’ by OCD HiFi Guy:

This is what lies at the confluence of all cable threads…

[Nick.Lees]

Well the Chord Music I ended up buys (1.5 metres) has been in the system for a couple of weeks now, and the system sounds the best it’s ever been. So, poorer but happier. And no, I don’t care that it doesn’t meet Ethernet standards - for all I care the packets can be wrapped in pink teddy bear paper and carried individually by blue pixies.

Oh, and no doubt to someone’s joy it comes with a test certificate. I note they used the same test instruments as me - their ears

And here’s some Swedish downtempo…

Jellyfishes

[james_n]

An interesting write up Simon. I’ve been following the (extended) development of this unit elsewhere so it’s good to see some sensible feedback. I had one of the original IsoRegen USB devices which proved beneficial at the time between a Mac and Dac, so i’d expect this unit to be similarly well thought out. The ubiquitous Cisco 2960 made a noticeable improvement over a Netgear GS108 in the two systems it feeds here so it’ll be interesting to see whether the Uptone unit brings any benefits to existing 2960 users.

[ElMarko]

I use BJC cat 6 in the loom and BJC cat 6a on the streamer and QNAP.

It makes no sense for me to add a switch when one is not needed, my modem and router are in the same area. Yes, I’m in the US on 110v.

[frenchrooster]

I was thinking the same until I finally tried one. It made easily a 30% improvement vs direct connection to my router.

[MidnightRambler]

Another week and another set of internet cables to try and I have got to say I think the system is the best so far. I am trying the bjc cat6a full loom. I am wondering if DB tried these as our systems are similar, full SL etc.
I have to say my way of trying things is to put them in the system and leave them for a week or two if they last without being unbearable, then switch back to last set up and very quickly I find which I prefer. Many times years ago and if it sounded different I thought it was giving more I may prefer it but in a few weeks couldn’t listen at all, I even tried some other amps other than naim but when I put them back on thought what was I thinking.

[ElMarko]

I know, I’m using a Cisco catalyst. I’m referring to adding an additional switch.

[Innocent_Bystander]

@frenchrooster

It made easily a 30% improvement vs direct connection to my router.

Out of interest, how did you quantify the difference?

[frenchrooster]

With a very accurate and precise tool: my intuition.
If you want something more accurate, I would say that the improvement was more than putting 2 powerlines on a system ( vs stock power cords).

[Innocent_Bystander]

@frenchrooster

With a very accurate and precise tool: my intuition.

So how does that equate to a quantitative numerical percentage improvement. What is 100%.

[ElMarko]

Has anyone found SQ differences using different ports to connect the router to the Cisco?