Spot on, @NigelB. That’s the age-old mantra in this hobby: YMMV…it’s all so system dependent, etc. I take that pretty seriously and respect everyone’s experiences. I learned that long ago. There are just too many system variables, environments and personal preferences to make any heads or tails of this. Even with well-established things. I think it’s what makes the audio world go around, warts and all. I sometimes just wish what worked for one worked for everyone, ya know?
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…how about, as humans our hearing capabilities are different, especially with the mean age group of the contributors on this forum. Is the ‘effect of switches’ truly system dependent or just the nature of humans as our listening skills, capabilities and tastes are different?
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Umm…I hadn’t really considered that aspect of variability.
Person dependant if you ask me. Some have the same setup as me and report favourably on using high end streaming cables and switches, where I have seen really no difference worth noting at all with many different switches and cables. Many of the comments given of what these switches do puzzles me as I get all that is said in spades without changing a thing. To me a stable network is worth far more and I’d rather buy switches from companies who know what they are doing in this dept. A switch is not an audio component in my opinion and should not be treated as so.
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You could be right, also some people like to agree with others, as they like to be in the same group, rather than go against others and be made to look silly, as you cant hear this.
Would be great to go into this homes and discount this kit and see how long it is until they realise the difference in sound. Now that would be funny.
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The most important part of the switch…a good lineair power supply instead of a (medical??) switched power supply…means less jitter and rubish, more clean music. I have the Bonn N8 with lineair power supply, great stuff!!!
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In an attempt to stay out of the other switch threads and encompassing debates, I am posting a few of my own comments here as both follow-up and continuing observations.
At FR’s request, I spent an entire late afternoon on into the evening comparing the ER/Hynes SR4 vs EE8/Hynes SR4 (taking the LPS-1.2 out) solely into the ND5 XS2 (no Chord Qutest). The results were an interesting change, but IMO I have concluded that in my setup that I simply cannot get on without the Qutest in the equation. I’ll expand on that briefly at some point.
Comparing the two switches sans DAC did seem to demonstrate their differences, albeit slight as they were. Once again, all of this is becoming more conclusive to me that there are more likely to be variable-to-slight changes or better worded shifts in the presentation of any music program, rather than a truly perceived improvement, which will be subjective anyway from one individual to the next. That is the fact I think we should all be acknowledging here. On the same track, one setup definitely and distinctly highlights a particular part or parts of the soundstage, or elevates an instrument/sound more to the fore that cannot be accounted for with such vividness than the other. It’s little nuances like this—among others which need not be mentioned within the context of this post—simple example that really defines what is ‘better’, I assume to each of us.
After several albums back-to-back, I concluded that the EE8 was still my preference. It simply does what I’ve tried illustrating in a more convincing way to my ears versus the ER. The EE8 just appears to have this knack for vividness, control and spaciousness that extends beyond a very typical speaker boundary. I simply wish I could describe it but I can’t. However, maybe this helps: if I could visualize sounds and instruments on a plane like they were an acoustic diffuser, contained within a finite shape (typically between or just to the outsides of the speakers), I would say the EE8 at times breaks free of that boundary or expands it, while the squares within the grid—each of their respective depths—just expose themselves dimensionally in a very convincing way. The ER does this to some degree as well, but not like this; not as consistently from recording-to-recording.
To put it another way, for those who have experience with NOS tubes, there are some preamp tubes, say, within the 12AX7/5751 family that excel at this kind of magic in comparison to others. Whether you prefer a long grey plate from a specific brand like Telefunken or Amperex versus a black plate from Sylvania or Tung-Sol is what this is likened to more or less. One pair will consistently highlight something or enhance a particular frequency band that is more to one’s liking.
After making this comparison, the EE8 just has an edge in my system over the ER. Again, and I cannot stress this enough, it is not night-and-day, but it is enough that I am quite convinced I could decipher which one offers my preference in a blind test. I just could. Nothing more to expound on, really.
So yesterday I put the Chord Qutest back (powered by one of two Hynes SR4/Silver DCs), along with the EE8/Hynes SR4/Silver DC (with a couple of different PCs). I made the same type of comparison as above by switching out the Hynes/UpTone LPS-1.2 LPSUs. After a few hours of this, I simply couldn’t decide if either power supply offered up a true improvement over the other. They are both currently at the forefront of PSUs, so I’d happily live with either. However, to keep things consistent, I will be moving the UpTone combination on (but still love my JS-2), as the EE8/Hynes within the context of this conversation just does everything that much better for me, even if it is slight; and within that slightness contains a worthwhile, preferential, subjective improvement—my 1959 Sylvania triple-mica black plate 5751 over a 1957 Amperex Bugle Boy long-plate D-foil getter.
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Well detailed review and great effort. 
Thank you, @frenchrooster. Not certain it will change any hearts or minds (not that this is the thread’s intention), given the timbre of most of these discussions regarding scientific measurements versus subjective impressions flooding the streaming audio sub-forum. It’s currently the best I can do to describe what I’m hearing between these devices. I appear to be somewhat bound in the middle of said debates by my own admission, as I am hesitant to use the word ‘improvement’, subjective definitions of what that really means aside.
I honestly am gravitating to the notion that it is nothing more than a type of sound signature or the consistent whole of (a) presentation(s) that I ‘prefer’ or more aligns with my prioritizations within the music that switch X happens to be contributing (obviously, in this case, the EE8), whatever that may be. I suppose this is where the debate begins: what is it contributing? Anyway, a tweaking improvement says to me there is a clear and beneficial fix to something otherwise leaving one with the sense that something’s broken, lacking or in need of an adjustment or degree of overhaul to bring it beyond satisfactory or to a level above where it originated in the first place. My system before the ER or EE8 did not fall into that category of necessity or even a nice to have. I fiddled with them because like all audio tweaks or system changes, I read about them, weighed their perceived strengths, then proceeded to try them out to see if they could match others’ experiences, which in most cases brought about a transformational or ‘improved’ quality to systems of all ranges and price points. In essence, curiosity won the day; but until last week, such tweakery offered nothing of value to me. No amount of me stating that my experience with the EE8 suffers little from confirmation bias or my brain playing tricks on me is going to change the skeptical mind. Honestly, I’m not really setting out to attempt that, so I couldn’t care less. I, myself, as a self-ascribed skeptic in 99% of all things tweaking in audio—cables, especially—wouldn’t have believed a switch could make such an impact in my music-listening enjoyment, but thus far it has really exceeded expectations, which were pretty low to begin with. I rarely have a vested interest in a piece of audio equipment, so bias really carries no weight in my sphere. If I don’t like it or it does nothing I historically just tend to send it back or sell it off to someone who might benefit from it, as will happen with the ER/LPS-1.2. I’m out zero expense, as it’ll provide an even swap. Simple as it gets.
The EE8 is staying. Period. For me, wringing out even a 3% increase in musical joy from previous, regardless of how it is achieved is worthy of expressing to others. I’ve tried not to embellish anything here, as the EE8 just isn’t that exciting; not like when I got my Spendor D7s or first listened to my system on a dedicated line this past July. Now either of those examples is true improvements in my system. The EE8? I guess it’s just building on that in some indefinable way, just like a good tweak should, IMO.
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You were honest in your detailed experience and it’s the most important.
I believe you when you consider it as more a tweak than something crucial.
You know already that for me it was more an improvement, even important.
The sound became much more refined, calm, effortless, open. It’s like connecting a supercap to a 282 or 555 dr to an Ndx2. Not only a bit different so.
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That’s somewhat the beauty of this: an important part of one’s system versus a tweak in another’s, but one of a sizable contribution, nonetheless. If mine was forcibly taken out, my system on its own limited merit, by comparison, would still sound great to me, but I suspect at this point I’d feel something’s missing; particularly the three or four main attributes that lend to this newfound sound. I can’t say what it would do to yours, but judging by what I’ve read I feel it would make more of an impact to you. The point being, that in our respective opinions either switch is making a positive difference. By what degree is immaterial, IMO. At least to me it is if we’re to go by what others in the opposite camp of, if X system measures the same with or without Y switch, there cannot be a difference in sound or performance is concerned. To me, finding which one works better for you is what the quest is about. I’d even argue there’s value even if none of them did anything for you. I was prepared to fall into this category. I usually do. By my estimation, at least it would tell you that your network, component(s) or both must be fairly immune by comparison, which as I’ve said in the past is a good thing.
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Great mini review. Thanks for taking the time and effort. I can see an EE8 in my future 
Also loving your test albums - new to me, but added to my faves 
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Thanks for a very interesting mini review, I have an EE8 switch and I was wondering what benefits using a Haynes SR4 would bring over the ‘medical’ SMS?
According to the EE website: none, and LPSes are not suitable for the EE.
According to the Chord dealer where I bought the EE: an LPS is at least a worthwhile and possibly essential upgrade.
According to user reports: either one or the other or anything in between.
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Thank you @SEH. Very kind.
@Suedkiez pretty much nails it, insofar as what everyone at one time has said (the designers are in the first camp). Some say adding one is massive. Others, like me, say it is noticeable (if judging solely by a difference heard) and in many ways a perceived improvement over the SMPS. There are debates over this fora-wide about what an LPSU like the Hynes brings or doesn’t bring to the table. Some even say these aftermarket linear power supplies could potentially degrade the sound. I will just say it’s a ‘suck it and see’ proposition like everything else; and now especially when it comes to an ‘audio switch’. Chord’s DAC designer says much of the same song; it even goes so far as to void the warranty. Alan Shaw, famous speaker designer of one of my favorite speakers also says don’t bother with fancy cables or an amp for that matter. Honestly, if I was half as smart or talented at what these gentlemen have done and accomplished, I’d likely state such things for several reasons. But I’m not, so I won’t. Instead, horses for courses, I say.
I cannot speak for others, so I won’t even attempt it. For me, however, I think it brings a worthy overall improvement over the supplied SMPS. Just think what I wrote and add x2 in the areas of dynamics and dimensionality, especially. There’s also an ease or coherence to the performance, which I think translates to it sounding less hi-fi. I only tried the one supplied with the EE8 straight out of the box while it bedded-in with Internet radio. I’d sit and listen every so often and still thought it sounded very good.
The UpTone UltraCap LPS-1.2 was on-par with the Hynes in my set up, and it uses an SMPS in the first stage, though supposedly mains immune. Buying used, this wonderful LPSU is almost half of what a Hynes or maybe a Farad3 would cost. Personally, I wouldn’t bother with an aftermarket PC on it, as I switched between three very respectable ones and perceived no real improvement between them, so you potentially save there, too.
Anyway, I hope this somewhat helps. If you already have the EE8 and enjoy it, then out of sight, out of mind. However, if you were looking into an LPSU anyway, I’d highly recommend one for it. I can’t promise it’ll improve things in your system, but I can say without a doubt that you’ll notice a difference. There just is. It is exactly the kind of appreciable add-on the Hynes SR4 brought to my Chord Qutest over its own SMPS. Very additive in terms of enjoyment, IMO.
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One additional thing: The location of the switch’s PS might make a difference. In my case, it is in a different circuit from the hifi. Others may have it in the hifi’s power strip or an adjacent socket. Can only try out to be sure.
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This is a good consideration. Mine is on a different circuit, on a different floor entirely. However, in the case of my UpTone JS-2 (powering my bass management unit and turntable) and Hynes SR4 (powering the Qutest), they are on the same rack, in the same room, plugged into a PS Audio Stellar P3 AC Regenerator, which is plugged into a dedicated 20a circuit. So who knows if it’s all for naught in the end?
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I thought I’d also point out this thread in case you missed it:
Keeping the switch (EtherRegen in my case) and NAS/Roon core on a separate circuit from the Hi-Fi definitely helps in my system.
And, FWIW, adding a LPS (variant of the Sean Jacobs/ Custom hi-Fi Cables DC3 in my case) made a very worthwhile difference to the performance of the switch itself. Still have to experiment with adding an XCXO clock…
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It is interesting to note that the none of the ER designers are graduates of any prestigious university, I think none of them have any kind of formal graduate or post graduate education.