LISTENING EXPERIENCE for linear ps and switches

I paid 1,5 k euros for my switch and linear ps. 2k for the Ethernet cables.
3,5 k . Yes, it’s a lot. However the uplift vs standard Ethernet cables I had , and not so bad ( Meicord) into the Netgear switch, is bigger than between xps 2 on Nds vs 555 dr on xps.( 6 k euros difference).

I am a bit doubtful now vs the Audiophile style magazine. The reviewer recommended the Farad with the ER, which is not a perfect match in fact. Then he found the Melco switch better than ER with a 4 k external clock…
I will not trust that site as before.

Oh dear. Looks like you are beginning to follow my procedures. You are beginning to develop a list of trusted v non-trusted sources.

I use my lists with caution.

Might there be some reason that particular magazine reported different results to your own ?

In Rajiv’s defence, he found the Paul Hynes SR7 DR greatly surpassed the Farad powering the ER, just as you found a big difference with your top-of-the-line MCRU. Also, despite what he wrote about the Melco, he did not recommend that I buy one to replace the ER when I asked him that question.

Anyway the Melco has been running all night with the SJ DC3+. I’ll let you know how it’s sounding today.

There’s no doubt he has a different system and very possibly different preferences to my own.

What ethernet cables are using now at the place of Meicord ?
Just curious.

Audioquest diamond X 2 and Vodka from router to switch.

I think that there are a lot of people that would stop you at, £2000…for a HiFi, are you mad? I certainly have started to worry about my own, quite modest, ‘pile-O-boxes’ :0)

Its all relative, many here are clearly ‘much better heeled’ than I and fair enough, they can drop a wad on something and they barely notice, i can’t, or won’t, but that’s life.

I quite enjoy reading about what those who can, get up to, but I guess I prefer to hear about those who do their best out of less.

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Thx for your reply.
What is your opinion on Meicord cables in general ?

Dark Bear had the same impressions as you concerning the Melco. However he didn’t run in completely. So maybe it will still open for you, but I doubt because it’s already 100 hours in your system.
You are right, as Don, some components sound differently in other systems and we have different tastes.
However the audiophile style site is the most important site for streaming audio reviews. A lot of people are following the advices from this site.
I just said that I will be more cautious now, because I am not sure it’s an objective site. I feel a lot of products are advertised. But I may be wrong.

Very good for the price. Highly recommended. But as all, better test personally in your system. You can easily return them too.

Thx again.
I have full loom of Meicord and use them for years.
Also have a NDS+555DR + a dedicated mini network consists of router+switch+NAS+mentioned cables. Router,switch and NAS are LPS-ed.
Nowadays I am thinking about how to definitely uplift SQ without changing black boxes.
Hence my questions.

I think there’s always some pressure to say something nice if you can, and unless a product really is absolutely dreadful, there will be something or other you can pick out. That said, I can’t see the Melco bettering a bare EtherRegen without external reference clock, never mind with one.

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Hi FR,

Trouble is these things are SO system dependent,

M

I would recommend first the Etheregen with MCRU ps. A must. Or the Chord electric switch with a good linear ps.
If you stream locally, a Melco n1z2 was a big upgrade too.
As for Ethernet cables, it can vary from system, mains…and you can’t return the Diamond from Audioquest. But you can return the Vodka , so you could try it on the last leg).

Why a Chord Electric switch with a good linear power supply? Didn’t Chord determine that it sounded better with a decent SMPS?

I don’t believe it can sound better with the stock SMPS vs a good linear ps.

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At about 14 mins in this video, Hans B. says that while the Ether-regen makes a big SQ difference to various network bridges and streamers (including the expensive Auralic), the ER switch only made a very small uplift when used with the Sonore opticalRendu network bridge and streamer.

This suggests that the boxes cut noise in similar ways.

Has anyone tried the Sonore opticalRendu network bridge and streamer?

@charlesphoto does that chime with your experience?

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I have one Jim but haven’t tried it with an EtherRegen yet.

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If Hans’ result is a general one (and not just a quirk of his system) then it probably wouldn’t make much difference in your system either.

I have neither an etherRegen or an opticalRendu, though I do have two Cisco switches (second one powered via poE) and then a pair of opticalModules, first one powered via an iFi and the second nearest the microRendu (1.4 board model) with an Uptone LPS 1.2. The pair of oM’s made a big difference in the system - at some point I might consider ditching one of them and going with an opticalRendu. I would assume that since much of the design between Uptone and Sonore is shared that an etherRegen wouldn’t be that much of an increase if already using oR or oM’s.