Best audiophile switch
- Thread starter Frankie67
- Start date
Wow, $6,600.
You would think for that kind of money they could build in something better than a $15 Mean Well SMPS and a $1 clock crystal.
And here is their $16,000 version, the D-TC Supreme (same, just with one more PCB filled with their so-called "Tesla coils."
Agree but I think it's important to point out that this is an audio discussion forum. Discussion involves the exchange of ideas. That means that there will be both agreement and disagreement and we should welcome both. The way to win in the marketplace of ideas is to come up with the better counterargument. A person who offers counter-arguments is one who is participating in the exchange of ideas.
Above I disagreed with how Superdad's quoted text was summarized as "clock accuracy". I countered with that argument that phase noise and clock accuracy are two different things, measured in two different ways, and that Superdad was speaking of the former. If my statement was incorrect then I would have certainly welcomed a counterargument. How hard would it have been to either say "yeah good point" or "no, I disagree and here's why..."? Not hard at all.
Last edited:
Wow, $6,600.
You would think for that kind of money they could build in something better than a $15 Mean Well SMPS and a $1 clock crystal.
View attachment 134847
And here is their $16,000 version, the D-TC Supreme (same, just with one more PCB filled with their so-called "Tesla coils."
View attachment 134848
Feel free to put your product where your mouth is. I would be happy to test anything you make and give you my honest evaluation. PM me for my shipping address.
Well that is the problem when vendors join a discussion and argue against other brands (luckily happens rarely). I think this doesn’t convince others to buy rather than casts a poor light. When Hans and others are prefering Network Acoustics or others go towards Ansuz etc - they all have their experiences and reasons.
I agree. It is a problem and I always hesitate. But when I see outrageous prices--often for completely unexplained devices or items will very cheap parts--I feel compelled to at least call attention to the facts.
Of course users will have their own sonic preferences and are free to spend their money however they wish.
(And believe me, the thought has crossed my mind more than once to put the advanced tech of the EtherREGEN Gen2 in a fancy case and charge $3K+ for it. But that's simply not in my moral fiber to do so--and I'd rather sell thousands of units at 2x parts cost than hundreds at 8x.
)But there is a case to have built in power supply. Hate to have a spaghetti of boxes.I agree. It is a problem and I always hesitate. But when I see outrageous prices--often for completely unexplained devices or items will very cheap parts--I feel compelled to at least call attention to the facts.
Of course users will have their own sonic preferences and are free to spend their money however they wish.
(And believe me, the thought has crossed my mind more than once to put the advanced tech of the EtherREGEN Gen2 in a fancy case and charge $3K+ for it. But that's simply not in my moral fiber to do so--and I'd rather sell thousands of units at 2x parts cost than hundreds at 8x.
I agree. It is a problem and I always hesitate. But when I see outrageous prices--often for completely unexplained devices or items will very cheap parts--I feel compelled to at least call attention to the facts.
Of course users will have their own sonic preferences and are free to spend their money however they wish.
(And believe me, the thought has crossed my mind more than once to put the advanced tech of the EtherREGEN Gen2 in a fancy case and charge $3K+ for it. But that's simply not in my moral fiber to do so--and I'd rather sell thousands of units at 2x parts cost than hundreds at 8x.
I won't get into a "is something worth the price or not" debate. That is ALWAYS up to the buyers to decide that individually.
However I do wince when ANYONE gets into the argument with quoting cost of parts as their sole reason for complaining about the price.
Last edited:
Well you have your mentioned sponsored channel anyway to praise your approach.I agree. It is a problem and I always hesitate. But when I see outrageous prices--often for completely unexplained devices or items will very cheap parts--I feel compelled to at least call attention to the facts.
Of course users will have their own sonic preferences and are free to spend their money however they wish.
(And believe me, the thought has crossed my mind more than once to put the advanced tech of the EtherREGEN Gen2 in a fancy case and charge $3K+ for it. But that's simply not in my moral fiber to do so--and I'd rather sell thousands of units at 2x parts cost than hundreds at 8x.
But it’s a totally different story talking bad about other vendors and products - and even not having tried them all, so no first hand experience. Instead of judging by some pictures, which of the products have you done extensive listening/comparisons?
You might still be in a „component view“ attitude but I am sure you know that it’s the end result that counts. And a lot of R&D is put into that by some.
@Superdad , evaluating a product solely on its parts without considering the overall design, performance, and sound quality doesn’t provide the full picture. While we prioritize sound quality, the performance of a switch can’t be judged just by the cost of its components. Listening tests and user experiences are key. I’m sure you understand the importance of this approach. I understand your perspective and currently use 2 of your products, but it might be prudent to reconsider your post (and maybe apologize to the user who did succesfully try the switch? )Wow, $6,600.
You would think for that kind of money they could build in something better than a $15 Mean Well SMPS and a $1 clock crystal.
And here is their $16,000 version, the D-TC Supreme (same, just with one more PCB filled with their so-called "Tesla coils."
Last edited:
Of course buyers determine "value" and "performance" for themselves.
It just bothers me when I see extremely high priced products the are 100% untethered from build cost. I mean the Ethernet switch board in the $16K Ansuz box is lifted straight from a $20 switch you can buy on eBay.
I truly do respect real R&D!
And perhaps Ansuz--whose product line which started with power conditioning devices is base almost entirely on their unexplained "Tesla coils"--is onto something. But what they clearly seem to be doing is pairing their power conditioning in a box with an off-the-shelf switch. So no real R&D into Ethernet itself.
I sincerely meant no disrespect or offense to the fellow who bought and enjoys his Ansuz switch (or anyone else who buys anything that pleases them). I was simply expressing surprise at the eye-watering prices which seem to be common with companies who are jumping into this space.
For my own sanity I tend to avoid looking at the prices for some of the cable brands. (Having been in the business since 1980--and having worked directly with wire looming houses in Los Angeles for production of Hovland cables--I do have a very clear idea of per-foot production costs.)
I guess I should close my eyes with regards to digital and Ethernet offerings as well.
Maybe it is best if I simply bow out of the conversations here and stick to my own business.
Wishing you all good health and great music,
--Alex C.
If you are referring to Hans Beekhuyzen, I've never seen him prefer a cheaper piece of gear over a more expensive one. You may as well just skip his reviews entirely and go for the more expensive gear. His reviews are a complete waste of time, in my opinion.
It's not uninteresting to look under the hood and see what these products include. There have indeed been numerous examples of vendors simply rebranding generic switches with minimal alterations and selling them for a high price. That's what I call a scam.
Superdad's comments are factual.
Last edited:
I believe there might be a misunderstanding here. I'm concerned about the recent actions taken by UpTone Audio in publicly criticizing another manufacturer's product in this discussion forum.Maybe it is best if I simply bow out of the conversations here and stick to my own business.
Sharing internal pictures and labeling components as "cheap" without considering the product's overall performance seems to cross a line. In the past, Uptone has even encouraged competitors to engage in such practices, positioning itself as one of the rare companies willing to do so. It's important to recognize that every manufacturer should have the freedom to choose their own approach. Fair and respectful competition should avoid such actions, as they can be perceived as misleading and potentially damaging to the manufacturer's reputation.
Last edited:
I have not watched all of his videos, but Uptone was one of the first to make these.
Sorry to slide off-topic, but maybe you should. His approach to reviewing devices is unique. He evaluates each device across three different setups: budget, mid-range, and high-end. The high-end setup is defined by his own budget. He considers performance relative to price. "Cheap" is relative and depends on your budget of course but a budget-friendly device might perform well even in his higher-end setup. He only discusses devices he finds noteworthy and skips those he doesn't like.
However, the presentation style may not appeal to everyone, and in the context of the discussion on these pages, his approach to networking differs.
Last edited:
But they are using cheap mass market boards, with minor improvements, expensive cases and upgraded power supplies. You think airing this a problem. IMO, it's a public service. which should encourage audiophiles to be careful when buying gear and compare whenever possible. Of course material value has never been a thing with audiophiles, as evidenced by multi-kilobuck cables. Buy what you want, but I like to know there's good science, not just art and marketing behind the design.
Most of what I've learned about network audio I've learned from Alex Crespi and John Swenson, and confirmed with personal explorations. The audio press are mostly clueless about this new music delivery system, and can't be trusted. If you succeed in shutting down UpTone comments, What's Best Forum will be poorer for it. Fortunately that will never happen at Audiophile Style, which is by far the most knowledgeable site on the internet for network audio.
Republicoftexas69
Well-Known Member
I agree @audiobomber I have learned from Alex and John as well as you sir.
Well what might be „a minor“ change for you is either having a major impact on the overall sound quality (what is the single most important element) or might also be a distinct decision as they decided that specific part doesn’t noticeable contribute to the overall performance - rather than other areas.
Again, promoting someone’s own stuff on the own sponsored Audiophile Style thread is absolutely fine (which provides transparency to readers) and contributing views and experiences in WBF too. But what isn’t is to argue against competitors in public forums harming their image and blaming customers who decided to go for their products.
It’s actually sad that this thread now somehow got hijacked by this.
Similar threads
