SOtM sNH-10G Network Switches x2 : The NEW KING of USB/Network Gadget Setup

[CKKeung]

This is all fascinating. But is there a real world prices switch / router that beats the standard Cisco stuff, and is build for audio? I have 200 meg optical into my house, and the entry box has ethernet ports out, so thinking I could fit an audio switch before the house wifi / ethernet router. And power it off a nice LPS, then ethernet to my music server.

Any recommendations? I am looking at 2K max for this box.

For an USD2k budget, the SOtM audiophile switch suits you :
http://www.sotm-audio.com/sotmwp/english/shop/snh-10g/

For a lower budget, the Clones Audio modded Cisco switch is not bad. Manyy frds of mine are using it :
https://www.clonesaudio.com/networking

Of course, you may wait for the coming Uptone EtherREGEN switch.

 

[Empirical Audio]

This is all fascinating. But is there a real world prices switch / router that beats the standard Cisco stuff, and is build for audio? I have 200 meg optical into my house, and the entry box has ethernet ports out, so thinking I could fit an audio switch before the house wifi / ethernet router. And power it off a nice LPS, then ethernet to my music server.

Any recommendations? I am looking at 2K max for this box.

The SOtM switch with internal clock upgrade is $1700 I believe:

https://sotm-usa.com/products/snh-10g?variant=21179555184719

This is the one I am using. Love it. Beats the AQVOX hands-down. Great for streaming movies too.

 

[caesar]

Fascinating thread! Thank you for sharing!

Vince from MSB recommends the gigafoil ethernet filter, along with an iFi power supply for it. Does anyone know how this piece fits in with the architecture discussed in the thread?

And also where does it stand sonically, compared to the switch above? Bigger or smaller impact?

 

[asiufy]

No need for the Gigafoil. Just plug the MSB's clock out into the switch, and voilà.

I haven't heard a filter, any filter, do what the switch (with clock option) does. If you have an MSB DAC and use Ethernet, you need one.

 

[MRJAZZ]

For an USD2k budget, the SOtM audiophile switch suits you :
http://www.sotm-audio.com/sotmwp/english/shop/snh-10g/

For a lower budget, the Clones Audio modded Cisco switch is not bad. Manyy frds of mine are using it :
https://www.clonesaudio.com/networking

Of course, you may wait for the coming Uptone EtherREGEN switch.

Which Clones model are your friends using, the 24 port, or 8 port? Obviously one wouldn’t need a 24 port model, unless there was a commercial need, ( business, etc.) but do both models have the same audio benefits?
Thanks.....

 

[SuperDave]

Fascinating thread! Thank you for sharing!

Vince from MSB recommends the gigafoil ethernet filter, along with an iFi power supply for it. Does anyone know how this piece fits in with the architecture discussed in the thread?

And also where does it stand sonically, compared to the switch above? Bigger or smaller impact?

I use the GigaFoil with an Uptone Audio lps and got a significant improvement for streaming content for the money. I believe some are using AQvox in conjuction with the Gigafoil. I orederd the AQvox se and now this comes out. I like the clock input on this switch.

Dave

 

[caesar]

I use the GigaFoil with an Uptone Audio lps and got a significant improvement for streaming content for the money. I believe some are using AQvox in conjuction with the Gigafoil. I orederd the AQvox se and now this comes out. I like the clock input on this switch.

Dave

Thank you. Please update us on your findings

 

[Kingsrule]

No need for the Gigafoil. Just plug the MSB's clock out into the switch, and voilà.

I haven't heard a filter, any filter, do what the switch (with clock option) does. If you have an MSB DAC and use Ethernet, you need one.

Which switch configuration?

 

[asiufy]

The sNH-10G switch with the sCLK-EK clock input. I got our unit with the $200 upgrades (internal wiring, capacitors, etc). Oh, and also a sPS-500 Power Supply.

 

[Kingsrule]

So how are u connecting switch to your network?

 

[asiufy]

What do you mean?
We have Ethernet in our main room, provided by our store's Linksys switch (with LPS). That gets picked up by the SoTM switch, and then on to the DAC and Innuos.

 

[Kingsrule]

So copper all the way
2 ethernet cables, one to V2 and one to server?
Have u tried fiber on any of the legs?

 

[asiufy]

Yes, copper.
No fiber. At some point I've played with converters, but I thought it was more trouble than it was worth.
At some point we'll run fiber from the backend to the listening room, but for now, we're all standard Ethernet cabling.

 

[CKKeung]

Which Clones model are your friends using, the 24 port, or 8 port? Obviously one wouldn’t need a 24 port model, unless there was a commercial need, ( business, etc.) but do both models have the same audio benefits?
Thanks.....

The Cisco 24-port model has much better internal circuitry than the 8-port model and so is the sonic performance when they are modded by Clones Audio.
I strongly recommend audiophiles to choose the Clones Audio 24-port model (SG112-24 MOD).
I myself am a Clones Audio SG112-24 MOD user.

BTW emplty/idling ethernet sockets can be portals for EMI so Clones Audio has shut down/disconnected the upper row of 12 ethernet ports of the SG112-24 MOD switch.

 

[Legolas]

The SOtM switch with internal clock upgrade is $1700 I believe:

https://sotm-usa.com/products/snh-10g?variant=21179555184719

This is the one I am using. Love it. Beats the AQVOX hands-down. Great for streaming movies too.

Thanks Steve. So, I have a fibre optical box in the house with ethernet out that then goes to my Movistar router with ethernet and wifi. Do you think I can plug the SOtM switch into the fibre optical box, then daisy chain to the wifi router after? I am trying to avoid noise injection.

Also, would you recommend I run all these boxes off a nice LPS (to avoid noise).

 

[jturbo]

Thanks Steve. So, I have a fibre optical box in the house with ethernet out that then goes to my Movistar router with ethernet and wifi. Do you think I can plug the SOtM switch into the fibre optical box, then daisy chain to the wifi router after? I am trying to avoid noise injection.

Also, would you recommend I run all these boxes off a nice LPS (to avoid noise).

If you plug a switch ahead of the router, any devuces plugged into that switch will most likely receive an address from the carrier and my be directly connected to the internet without a firewall (the router) protecting the devices.

Be careful.

 

[Empirical Audio]

Thanks Steve. So, I have a fibre optical box in the house with ethernet out that then goes to my Movistar router with ethernet and wifi. Do you think I can plug the SOtM switch into the fibre optical box, then daisy chain to the wifi router after? I am trying to avoid noise injection.

Also, would you recommend I run all these boxes off a nice LPS (to avoid noise).

The switch should come after the router and should feed the server directly. If you want to avoid noise, just put an EMO EN-70e between the router and server. Feed your server from the switch with a SOtM Ethernet cable with filter as well.

 

[Legolas]

The switch should come after the router and should feed the server directly. If you want to avoid noise, just put an EMO EN-70e between the router and server. Feed your server from the switch with a SOtM Ethernet cable with filter as well.

Thanks Steve, very useful advice there.

 

[Kingsrule]

FYI for me, the EMO EN-70e sucked the life out of the music.

 

[Empirical Audio]

Thanks Steve, very useful advice there.

I meant put the EMO isolator between the router and the switch. It is critical that you use a very short cable from the driver to the isolator and then a longer cable from isolator to the destination. If you do the reverse, the sound will degrade.