Hmmm…maybe that’s because as long as they perform to ethernet specifications they really don’t make a difference, since digital audio lives at the application layer, and only frame data lives at the hardware layer where switches and ethernet cables are found?
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As with all threads about cables, especially ethernet cables, it will end in tears.
So, as Mrs Merton used to say, let’s start a heated debate.
I’ll go first.
I have AudioQuest posh ethernet cables, but I am seeking help.
I also have a Cisco 2960 switch and the difference is night and day, or is that ‘different league’, I can never remember.
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My Nova runs off a Netgear switch and my NDX2 an Apple Time Capsule that doubles as a back up/switch and wireless thingy. All works perfectly.
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Hmm, rather missing the point… this is nothing to do with Ethernet data, but more about the electronics that modulate the serial voltages and doing it in a way that minimises ANALOGUE conducted noise.
Several engineering white papers on this in the public domain including specialist analogue componentry to reduce conducted noise which this ‘audiophile’ product makes no mention of…
Now I agree in addressing this, just like Ethernet cables, one can throw money at the audiophile merchants, or simply get a quality suitable switch from the ‘bay for a few tens of pounds.
The area of proper Ethernet frame isolation interests me, and so far has not entered the audiophile market yet… but if you have good network routing and switching design and implementation skills you can achieve it with the right network equipment… and here we are talking routers, not L2 switches.
The alternate is to largely decouple Ethernet / digital transport from the DAC… at the system level a similar outcome can be achieved… and it’s the method I currently do.
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hello, what kind of ethernet cables have you connected the time capsule to the modem router? me with a cat.6 but I’m thinking of replacing it with a Melco cat.7 ethernet cable
I recently bought three 1m cat 6a to replace AQ Cinnamon. Very pleased with the results (and made a small profit).
G
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Did you compare to their Cat6?
They recommend Cat6 in preference and claim their Cat5e and Cat6 sound the same, which is not at all what I found, preferring their Cat6, which is fuller, more textured and dynamic and more detailed. God knows why…
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I’d definitely go for different league. Night and day would be over the top in this case 
No, but the adjectives you use apply nicely to what I’m hearing. Fit and forget now as far as I’m concerned.
G
I give up… this has been explained more often than I have had hot dinners on this forum … and people still say ‘God knows why’… perhaps it’s easier if we just say it’s magic…
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The Time Capsule is connected to my IP (Spark) router by a long run of internally wired (walls and ceiling) Cat 6 Ethernet cable. There’s no practical option to change that.
I have a ubiquiti set up including three switches, I wont be swapping them out any time soon for a perceived difference in the slight texture of a symbol or what ever.
If you want to enjoy your music more, get half cut and turn the volume up.
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I have a white 1gb model and a 100mb blue one.
I have a CG but I’m not sure why you are asking.
I guess this is a perfectly acceptable answer in certain audiophile circles 
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Couldn’t we achieve something similar with port-based traffic control, which I guess is an available feature on Catalyst 3560 ?
Thomas, perhaps you can explain what you are referring to with ‘Port based traffic control’?
Switches do port based traffic manage to of most frames.
There are however broadcast frames, ARP processing, and multicast group frames which can load the port irrespective of unicast data going to the specific host.
Creating a separate subnet from the rest of your network with the appropriate helpers and routing protocol support can reduce the above and consequential processing noise from the host (streamer) network stack and processor.
Perhaps he’s referring to port isolation. Unifi recommend this to cut down on unwanted broadcasts over wifi from ap to ap.
@Simon-in-Suffolk,…I understand you,.you have written hundreds of explanations on this.
So,.somewhere on the road you give up in the end.
But these “basic” questions will recur all the time,.this is due to the fact that there will be new members here.
• That is why I have suggested before,.that we should have a Music-system Installation-thread as “sticky”.
Then you do not have to repeat,.repeat and repeat the same thing all the time.
Because when you Simon,.and others with high competence in this field do not cope with writing anymore,well then a key knowledge source disappears for the forum members.
So Thank You Simon,.for that you still have the strength to write technical explanations about Cisco and other switches etc,etc…
/Peder🙂
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telegartner M12 switch gold.
with M12 connectors.
SPECIFICATION
- standards: IEEE 802.3, IEEE802.3u, IEEE802.3ab
- layer-2 data transfer function: data transfer method: store-and-forward
- MAC address table: 8k entries
- Packet memory buffer: 500KB
- Jumbo frame (maximum packet length): 9.6KB
- forwarding rate (unicast data transfer): TP/LAN port 1000Mbps link: 1,488,100 packets/s between ports TP/LAN port 100Mbps link: 148,810 pacekts/s between ports
- interface/ connector:
TP/LAN (Ethernet) port: 10/100/1000BASE-T (automatic recognition) x 5 ports connector: M12X-coded(male)plug IEC61076-2-109Ed.1.0 cable: 4 pair Category 6 or above S/FTP cable (MA0001C0x00) - DC power input port: 1 port
- connector: M12 T-coded (female) plug
- pin assignment: #1/#2: DC+, #3/#4: DC-
- power adapter: included in the set (medical grade), without AC power cable
- dimension and functionality of the unit:
chassis material: aluminium die-cast (alumite surface treatment)
class of the unit & connector: IP67 (including connectors)
external dimension: 70 (W) x 200 (L) x 50 (H) mm
weight: 1.5 kg - DC input specifications:
input voltage: DC 10 V – 60 V
Power consumption: 6W max
protection function: over-current protection, reverse polarity protection (automatic inversion) - ambient specifications:
operating temperature: -40 – +70 °C
operating humidity: 5 – 95 %RH (without condensation)
storage temperature: -40 – +85 °C
4k!