Network Switches

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

@david_ten, What bridge are you using? Built into your streamer or a separate purchase? Thanks! 

@grannyring  Bill, I went with Small Green Computer's internal bridge (i.e. within their server). They had offered it on my now older build. It is offered again on their most current i9 build but not on their i5 unit.

I prefer going through the internal (simple) bridge within the server versus using the switching capability of my Netgear Orbi Satellite. The differences aren't major but definitely noticeable and preferred.

I attribute the differences I hear as more likely due to the isolation of the server and the fact that it is powered off a dedicated LPS with a much, much better power cord.

The LPS to the Orbi Satellite is the same as the one to the server, however, it has dual DC outputs... both being utilized. As mentioned above, it is powered with a basic power cord. Due to the shape of the Orbi, I am unable to isolate it with the footers, etc. that I currently have.

I'm evaluating server choice. If I stay with Small Green Computer, I'll have them customize the build (including a higher quality internal bridge, if possible). 

@jason_k2017

even the very highest quality digital audio stream is a breeze.

This isn’t (solely) about having good or great latency for your streaming purposes.

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?

Consider a switch as being an ’equal’ / component-level... as you do your DAC.

In my limited personal experience, the better the feed to the DAC the better the DAC’s performance. And, using your word, the more "faithful" the system's performance.

@david_ten 

Thanks for the reply
But this doesnt realy answer my question
I currently have a high end DAC reproducing audio exactly as it was digitised. Why would I install a switch that the manufacturers say will change that?