Network Switches

@jnorris2005, I’m not sure if you read my previous post before submitting your post just above. But the risetimes, falltimes, noise characteristics, and distortion characteristics of the signal received by the audio component from the network switch or router that is immediately upstream of that component are almost exclusively a function of the network switch or router that is immediately upstream of that component. The "hundreds of regular old switches" you referred to have nothing to do with those characteristics.

Also, the explanation I stated has nothing to do with "mangled bits." For example, differences in risetimes and falltimes do not constitute "mangling," or lack thereof.  They are just differences, that may or may not have different effects on downstream circuitry.

As I said in the first paragraph of my post:

... it is very conceivable to me that a network switch can make a difference sonically. Not because it affects the accuracy with which 1s and 0s are received; not because it affects the timing with which those bits are received; and probably not because of most of the reasons that are likely to be offered in the marketing literature of makers of audiophile-oriented switches.

Regards,
-- Al

Go analyze some packets captured from Wireshark or other network sniffer and tell me there is something in there that affects sound quality. Header information, source and destination, timestamps, acknowledgements, and data. Nothing else.....

The packet either arrives there or it doesn’t or a resend is tried. A switch is not going to modify or enhance the data residing in the application layer of a packet.

I could possibly see SQ being affected on an overly chatty network. Where frames are constantly being sent out of sequence, multiple packet retransmissions are occurring, or bandwidth is insufficient. A switch is not usually the culprit of such occurances.

The packet either arrives there or it doesn’t or a resend is tried. A switch is not going to modify or enhance the data residing in the application layer of a packet.

Agreed, of course. But that has no relevance to what I have said in my previous posts. What the switch will modify are the spectral characteristics of the signal that is provided to the audio system, which may result in differing effects on ostensibly unrelated circuitry that is downstream of the system’s Ethernet interface.

I don’t know how to say that any more clearly than I already have, and I’m not sure why those who contend that a network switch cannot affect sonics keep focusing only on delivery of the data.

Regards,
-- Al

At one time I was thinking that an Ethernet connection on a DAC was the future. I even started a thread a few years ago asking what others thought about this.

However, today I hear the talk of noise on the Ethernet line and why that may not be something to hookup directly into a DAC and pollute the DAC with noise. So I see the reason why these audiophile network switches are showing up.

Yet, is there not a different approach to this Ethernet noise issue? I have being following the Sonare SystemOptique discussions and it seems to me that using Ethernet OPTICAL from the network switch to the DAC maybe ideal (such as with the Lumin X1 DAC). The OPTICAL cable cannot carry electrical noise.

The solution that would be more practical $$ wise and also with more DAC options would be the Sonare Signiture Rendu SE Optical.

https://audiophilestyle.com/ca/reviews/sonore-opticalrendu-signature-rendu-se-optical-review-part-2-...

With a Rendu it does not matter how noisy your computer is. Why spend so much time and money eliminating all that noise with custom audio servers (computers), audiophile network switches, expensive ethernet wire, etc.. when the OPTICAL wire kills all the electrical noise. The Optical Rendu uses USB for the "last mile" to the DAC.