Network Switches

Bridging and switching were brought up in a previous post.

I have (at this point in time) eliminated the network switch for my audio system and utilize a "simple bridge" within my server. 

Here are straightforward definitions and explanations of the differences between the two...

https://techdifferences.com/difference-between-bridge-and-switch.html

http://nhprice.com/tutorial-of-differences-between-hub-bridge-switch-and-router.html

https://www.globalknowledge.com/us-en/resources/resource-library/articles/what-s-the-difference-between-hubs-switches-bridges/

And a heavier, more detailed read:

https://book.systemsapproach.org/internetworking/switching.html

I think that the quality of digital transmission is hard to improve upon. DAC receivers have also in the last few years become excellent at jitter and ground loop isolation.

However, the noise emitted by the switch mode power adapters, as well as the Ethernet cables themselves can make its way easily into linear components.

So, I suggest using shielded power cables for all components. A linear power supply for digital and inexpensive power strips that have great noise reduction features to keep the network components in their own dirty sandbox.

My thoughts and recommendations here:

https://inatinear.blogspot.com/2019/04/power-management-for-frugal-audiophiles.html

oh, and try to route your ethernet cables away from all audio cables, especially power supply and interconnect cables.

@atdavid   


Agreed on the ethernet cable but clearly routers and switches aren't always galvanically isolated.

Ethernet is always galvanically isolated. The connection is through a transformer.

Hiya everybody

I am a music lover (not an audiophile) who has spent a reasonable amount of money to listen to music as close as possible as to having sat in the front row of where the music was recorded              

A large part of my budget was spent on a high end DAC to give me 'as close to the original as possible' audio out. According to the manufacturer (I am no expert) a digital source along with a high end DAC will give two massive benefits. It will isolate the audio output from anything that would have been considered 'interference' and 'degradation' in the old analog world, and faithfully reproduces the audio from the digital stream. It does so and it sounds wonderful.

My wired and wireless network, configured and installed by an A/V consultant, is more than capable of handling everything thrown at it including several concurrent digital high definition video streams, so even the very highest quality digital audio stream is a breeze.

I was researching switches when I found your thread which has confused me.

Why would I install something which will change the audio that the studio took so much care to create, and my DAC has taken so much care to faithfully reproduce? It just doesn't make any sense to me. Have I misunderstood what the switch manufacturers, and some of the posters on here, have stated a switch will do to my digital audio? I though a switch was a device that simply connected point a to point b.

I have copied this post to the manufacturer of my DAC and to my A/V consultant to see if they can shed some light on this.


Thanks for reading

Jason