Switch
Contents
A router often has only four Ethernet ports. That’s almost always too few. That is why we always recommend to place a switch behind the router. Preferably take a model with more ports than you need now, so you can always expand.
Separation
The advantage of a switch is twofold. First of all, you can easily make a short(er) link between the network and the streamer. High End network cables don’t come cheap. So a shorter piece can save a lot of money.
A second advantage is that the data stream is buffered for a moment before it goes to the streamer. After all, the switch also has a queue. This can improve the flow of data to your streamer. However, a bigger advantage is that you can combine it with a nice, clean lineair power supply. And here we come to the core of the influence of a audio switch: noise.
As we wrote earlier in this article: a decent network will not lose any data if you just use decent stuff. A normal router, normal switch and normal cables are enough for error-free transfer of bits and bytes. And whether it’s web pages, torrent downloads or music… it doesn’t matter at all.
What does make a difference is that our equipment makes music. And that we work with equipment that has pale noise levels of -120 dB or even lower. And that our amplifiers are super-accurate… and then the ‘switching noise’ (mostly common mode noise) from switching power supplies and switches becomes audible. How? Disturbance, less detail, a more blurry stereo image… It lacks the refinement we’ve been looking for.
Optical
After years of research we have a solution to this problem – yes, we have been working on this for so long; sometimes you don’t know where to look :-). The optical ethernet link;Â How simple can it be?
Some switches already have a so-called SFP option, but if your switch does not have that, it is also possible to work with converters. We’ve tried a few models of dlock and it works like a charm. There was clearly an improvement in stability, calmness, imaging and detail. With the sbooster power supplies, an improvement was again made. By the way, especially on the streamer side, this works very well. On the ‘other side’, not so much. That is pretty logical: the electrical noise cannot find its way to the streamer via the optical cable.
https://www.netgear.com/nl/home/wifi/mesh/mk73s/
My compliments for the clear explanation. But do I need to purchase an additional switch, placed between the provider’s modem and the router, the satellites are connected via WiFi. You recommended using an sBooster on the RME ADI-2 FS DAC and I couldn’t believe it. That the power supply of a professional device is so poor. It’s not cheap but the results are amazing. If I understand correctly, I don’t need linear power supply for the modem or router. The satellite in the room is connected with CAT7 to the switch and connect (CAT7) to the streamer. But should I change the power supply of both (satellite and switch) to a linear power supply for better sound quality?