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Why do I need a switch?

I just watched a few videos about audiophile switches and I don’t understand the need. Cable comes into my home and goes to a modem and then a NetGear Nighthawk router. I can run a CAT6 to my system or use the wireless. If you don’t need more ports, why add something else in the signal path?  On one  of the videos the guy was even talking about stacking several switches with jumpers and it made the sound even better. He supposedly bought bunch’s of switches at all ranges and really liked a NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Plus Switch (GS108Ev3) That costs $37 on Amaz.

Thanks in advance.

128x128curiousjim
tonywinga's avatar
tonywinga
844 posts
 

So you added optical fiber in the Ethernet chain from your router to your music server?  Anything else between the router and your music server?

And you hear no difference?  Well, I’d say that you should have heard a difference immediately if you were going to hear anything.  It’s likely that it will not change over time.

ghdprentice
7,051 posts
 

OP,

 

Thanks for documenting your experimentation.

mitch2
4,007 posts
 

@curiousjim 

I really don’t hear any difference.

I am not surprised, and I agree with @tonywinga that you should either hear a change, or not - your perception is not likely to change over time. 

I have gone back and forth with fiber or Ethernet multiple times and as I said earlier, subtle changes at most, to the point where I doubt I could reliably discern the change, if there is any - they both sound good.

I never asked, were you trying to fix a problem or simply exploring possibilities to optimize your digital source?

curiousjim's avatar
curiousjim OP
4,767 posts
 

@mitch2 

All of this started because I read a couple of articles and saw a few videos about cheap switches making a positive impovment in hifi systems.  So in answer to your question, I’m exploring possibilities.  I had a couple Netgear switch's, but for the life of me I can’t find them, so for $67, I tried another Avenue and bought the Ethernet to fiber boxes. 
In the same vein, I have read a few articles and watched a few videos about reclocking. It seems to me that it’s basically the only thing a switch does that could possibly change/improve the signal/sound. So, I was thinking about getting a Denafrips Iris DDC to do the reclocking job, but haven’t made any firm decisions yet.

curiousjim's avatar
curiousjim OP
4,767 posts
 

@tonywinga 

So from the router I’m running a Netgear Powerline. One end is plugged into a UPS and the other is plugged into the same outlet my integrated is plugged in. It’s because of the Powerline device that I went with the Ethernet to fiber setup.  Maybe it could be adding noise. 
FYI, I can’t hear the difference between WiFi from the Nighthawk router and using the Powerline.

NETGEAR Powerline adapter Kit, 2000 Mbps Wall-plug, 2 Gigabit Ethernet Ports with Passthrough + Extra Outlet (PLP2000-100PAS) https://a.co/d/cKOpK93

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