I faced a similar dilemma, but went ahead with an ER powered by Uptone’s JS-2.
Upgrades are often more obvious in reverse. This afternoon I put my 2 Cisco 2960s (PD + PoE) back in the loop (without ER) and the difference was obvious, with the extra detail & subtlety from the Uptone duo suddenly MIA.
Agree, this might not be the wisest investment if a NAC X72 is imminent, but I’d still expect an ER + LPS to improve any new streamer’s SQ, if by a slimmer margin.
Thanks - that’s interesting and useful to know.
Especially relevant to me as you’re one of the few of us who use PoE Ciscos.
We have no idea whether or when the X72 will come and what it will cost, etc.
But I’m happy chilling out in the meanwhile.
More audio ‘switch’ and LPS combos will probably emerge over the coming year too.
And then if there is an X72 there’s the temptation of Roon too.
Keep in mind that a SonicOrbiter Bridge, lifetime sub to Roon and a basic NUC to run it on will most likely cost a lot less than a new X72, even with trade-in.
BTW, Sonore just announced a new opticalModule with the same case work as the eR/opticalRendu, and will auto-negotiate now to 10/100 (stupid move on their part not to do that from the get go IMO). Of course like everything, the price is now higher ($335 I believe).
If a 372 streaming preamp arrives in the kind of form I hope for, I’ll be listening to Qobuz via the Naim app from then on
If so, I would not need Roon at all, despite the fact that I would then have a Naim Roon endpoint - and could get then get Roon without a Sonore upnp Bridge.
So that rules out getting Roon now, and probably ever.
By the same logic, new switches are also ruled out for me, and servers, digital libraries, etc.
I heard so many benefit by adding linear ps to ER …but didn’t heard what benefit will be adding ps to my EE .did someone did ? Need clear answers … thanks
@Meni yes I did try the Sean Jacobs DC3 on the EE. Marginal difference. For your system I recommend the ER without any hesitation. Its a good distance apart from the EE once powered correctly.
@NigelB No worries, I use a custom specified Sean Jacobs based around a DC3 with the Innuos Statement spec custom transformer and then various upgrades from his DC4 unit. I have 3 independent rails of which I use 2 for the ER’s. I also like the full width case as it moves the output sockets to the right and the mains feed to the left clearing the Fraim leg at the back.
Recently added a Silent Angel Forester F1 power supply (yes, the 5V one, to be originally connected to the Silent Angel Bonn N8 ethernet-switch), to the (pretty similar) EE8 switch. Both switches seem to originate from the same Chinese manufacturer: Thunder Data (Zhuhai) Co. A solution which works very well, with a further upgrade of the SQ. In my situation and setup: tighter and a more complete low end, increased staging, and a bit less ‘sharpness’ on the high’s. Worthwhile investment of approx. € 400.