Best audiophile switch

[Di-fi]

@Di-fi An EtherRegen with Pardo MiniTeddy supply easily beat an LHY SW-10 in my system and in a friend's much pricier system.

Unlike the posts you linked, we use the EtherRegen as it is designed to be used, connected to the network via optical fiber and to the streamer via ethernet cable. No external clocks were used.

Not implying that you’re doing it wrong, nor am I aware of any explicit statements from John S. or Alex discouraging the reverse use of the EtherRegen switch. In the comparison mentioned, the eR was his absolute best switch to date, primarily due to the moat. The only difference: Ethernet in, fiber out (but transceiver-less).

On each side of the moat, he uses one JS-2 for the eR and another JS-2 for one of the better AfterDark master clocks and excellent clock cable. Are you suggesting that reversing the eR in a setup results in noticeably worse performance?

So, to me, both your experiences of the not reversed eR sounding significantly better than the LHY SW6 are a remarkable contrast.

What I take away from this today: How come the widely advocated "last meter" for the streamer—shielded and without ground continuity—does not apply here? Also, the EtherRegen seems to perform better with either copper in and fiber out or vice versa, rather than copper to copper, and perhaps the same applies to the SW6. I’ll look into this further.

 

[kennyb123]

Please read this brief review by MartinT from the Audio Standard (quotes below).

Thanks for sharing. MartinT has a really good track record.

 

[kennyb123]

just curious -- how many years of experimenting with digital streaming noise mitigation? I don't know if folks understand that this takes a while and accumulated experience. I think it would be unusual to just drop in a switch and call it good, but perhaps this happens sometimes. Of course, it is the same with all equipment. It takes a while to hone the setup.

Excellent point about the need to put some effort into product selection. I don’t think the number of years gives us a good measure though. How well the experiments were performed matters far more, as I am pretty sure you’d agree.

 

[PYP]

Excellent point about the need to put some effort into product selection. I don’t think the number of years gives us a good measure though. How well the experiments were performed matters far more, as I am pretty sure you’d agree.

Well, yes. But it takes time to do it well. I didn't get a handle on my first switch for several months. Eventually, I added another. That took time to settle in. Then trying footers, grounding, an LPS. All independent processes to understand the effect. Then removing one switch to test. Then adding optical. Adding LPS to optical. Removing optical. Add an external clock to one of the switches. Another LPS. DC cables. Power cables. Combinations of these. All the while, my ability to listen improved and my expectations changed. Now two moving targets: the observer and the observed!

I'm sure this is familiar to those who have tried. It is just my way of saying to a newbie reading this thread and hoping to be told what is "best" and being done: Not so fast.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

Excellent point about the need to put some effort into product selection. I don’t think the number of years gives us a good measure though. How well the experiments were performed matters far more, as I am pretty sure you’d agree.

Well I was also on the gear merry go round.... Done it got the T-shirt and my kit sounds great.

 

[Di-fi]

I'm too lazy to make a list of switches, their manufacturers

Not pretending to be exhaustive regarding the audiophile switches discussed here, but this is a good start to set you up:

• Ansuz D2
• English Electric 8Switch
• EtherRegen
• Innuos PhoenixNet
• LHY Audio SW-6
• LHY Audio SW-8
• LHY Audio SW-10
• Lumin L-2
• M12 Switch Gold
• Melco S100
• Network Acoustics Tempus
• Nordost QNet
• NuPrime Switch
• Paul Pang Quad Switch OCXO
• Reiki Audio Switch
• Silent Angel Switch
• SOtM sNH-10G
• SwitchX
• Synergistic Research Ethernet Switch UEF
• Telegärtner M12 Premium

I couldn’t agree more with you about going beyond just the switch. It’s all about optimal implementation, taking the entire network and its environment into consideration.

 

[Di-fi]

Thanks for sharing. MartinT has a really good track record.

I had some interesting exchanges with him about networks. He has a good ear and a carefully assembled setup. His input could be useful here, at least to me. (I would have tagged MartinT here, but I’m not sure of his username @ wbf).

Edit:
MartinT , Mar 29, 2025 at 9:21pm

Then, the LHY SW6 has quite taken me by surprise. Resolution, separation, soundstage are all up again. More burn-in required, though.

There goes my plans for the EtherREGEN Gen 2. Nothing left in the bucket list.

MartinT: A New Beginning |    The Audio Standard

It's not secured yet, but it looks like we're finally going to get our hands on a converted barn with annex. The annex, currently an office and wine store, will become my new listening room

theaudiostandard.net

 

[kennyb123]

Well, yes. But it takes time to do it well. I didn't get a handle on my first switch for several months. Eventually, I added another. That took time to settle in. Then trying footers, grounding, an LPS. All independent processes to understand the effect. Then removing one switch to test. Then adding optical. Adding LPS to optical. Removing optical. Add an external clock to one of the switches. Another LPS. DC cables. Power cables. Combinations of these. All the while, my ability to listen improved and my expectations changed. Now two moving targets: the observer and the observed!

I'm sure this is familiar to those who have tried. It is just my way of saying to a newbie reading this thread and hoping to be told what is "best" and being done: Not so fast.

So very well said. I spent about a year and a half on this, but dedicated a good number of hours to it. It was fun though when the fun started to diminish I said “good enough” though I was certain cognizant of the fact that much more could be gained.

Less was known back when I did all that. I don’t think the same investment of effort is needed presently given the accumulation of excellent insights in this thread and many others.

 

[kennyb123]

He has a good ear and a carefully assembled setup.

Agree. He and I had the same DAC at one time so I interacted with him a number of times on the Gustard x26pro thread on HeadFi. I followed his advice on the purchase of the Quartz Acoustic grounding device. Connecting one to my DAC in the way he suggested brought exactly the gains he said it would bring.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

Not pretending to be exhaustive regarding the audiophile switches discussed here, but this is a good start to set you up:

• Ansuz D2
• English Electric 8Switch
• EtherRegen
• Innuos PhoenixNet
• LHY Audio SW-6
• LHY Audio SW-8
• LHY Audio SW-10
• Lumin L-2
• M12 Switch Gold
• Melco S100
• Network Acoustics Tempus
• Nordost QNet
• NuPrime Switch
• Paul Pang Quad Switch OCXO
• Reiki Audio Switch
• Silent Angel Switch
• SOtM sNH-10G
• SwitchX
• Synergistic Research Ethernet Switch UEF
• Telegärtner M12 Premium

I couldn’t agree more with you about going beyond just the switch. It’s all about optimal implementation, taking the entire network and its environment into consideration.

Sonore Optical Module Deluxe

 

[agisthos]

I have never worried about fibre as I want a reduced box count and figured I would rather put the $$$ (fibre box + LPS + power cable) into yet a better switch.
But I guess I am missing out?

 

[Republicoftexas69]

I have never worried about fibre as I want a reduced box count and figured I would rather put the $$$ (fibre box + LPS + power cable) into yet a better switch.
But I guess I am missing out?

Yes you are. And you need to buy quality optical components.

 

[PYP]

Not pretending to be exhaustive regarding the audiophile switches discussed here, but this is a good start to set you up:

• Ansuz D2
• English Electric 8Switch
• EtherRegen
• Innuos PhoenixNet
• LHY Audio SW-6
• LHY Audio SW-8
• LHY Audio SW-10
• Lumin L-2
• M12 Switch Gold
• Melco S100
• Network Acoustics Tempus
• Nordost QNet
• NuPrime Switch
• Paul Pang Quad Switch OCXO
• Reiki Audio Switch
• Silent Angel Switch
• SOtM sNH-10G
• SwitchX
• Synergistic Research Ethernet Switch UEF
• Telegärtner M12 Premium

I couldn’t agree more with you about going beyond just the switch. It’s all about optimal implementation, taking the entire network and its environment into consideration.

APLhifi ANS-MR network switch $2,500
Taiko Audio Extreme Switch $5,200
Xact Audio (maybe that one is in beta) $6,000?

 

[PYP]

So very well said. I spent about a year and a half on this, but dedicated a good number of hours to it. It was fun though when the fun started to diminish I said “good enough” though I was certain cognizant of the fact that much more could be gained.

Less was known back when I did all that. I don’t think the same investment of effort is needed presently given the accumulation of excellent insights in this thread and many others.

indeed. more options and knowledge now.

And streamer technology has advanced too. When I tried all that stuff with the Grimm MU1 streamer, I didn't need it. Now with the MU2 streamer/DAC, I have tried again starting with a passive filter and then adding the Synergistic Research UEF switch (now with footers and grounded). That is about as far as I want to go.

 

[Lee]

Update on my new SR Ethernet Switch UEF MkII:
Sound is still fabulous. I do not detect any change in sound really since installing it. I played a few songs the other day that I hadn't played in a year or more. I was stunned. Maybe we cannot remember aurally lots of details but hearing these songs on my current system rocked me. I could tell a difference in my system from when I last played those songs. That is a good feeling to know I have definitely made progress.

Now, the other day I put some footers under the Ethernet Switch. I am out of cones but I had these weird footers on a shelf, so I decided to try them. I did this a few days ago and listened two times with the feet in place. So last night I'm listening and I notice the voices are too intense, too forward, I think it is. I didn't like it. I'm wondering for a moment what changed? Then I remembered these feet under the network switch so I stopped the music, removed those feet putting the switch directly back on the wood isolated platform. Went back to the music and all was right again.

I heard it for myself but it is still hard for me to believe how much the sound was affected by footers on the network switch. It was not a subtle difference. Deeper into the rabbit hole I go...

The feet on this network switch seem to be the optimum solution. These feet are not afterthoughts. They are not just cheap add ons. I took a closer look and I see that the feet on this network switch are made of carbon fiber. Looks like every detail of the construction of this network switch was carefully considered.

I agree. It’s a pretty extraordinary switch.

 

[Di-fi]

indeed. more options and knowledge now.

And streamer technology has advanced too. When I tried all that stuff with the Grimm MU1 streamer, I didn't need it. Now with the MU2 streamer/DAC, I have tried again starting with a passive filter and then adding the Synergistic Research UEF switch (now with footers and grounded). That is about as far as I want to go.

Since you have the Grimm Audio MU2—and from what I understand, Eelco Grimm designed it to be virtually immune to ethernet noise—any upstream changes might be harder to hear in your setup. You could say you just don’t have the “right” system for hearing those kinds of tweaks

Hans Beekhuyzen tested the MU2 with the Muon Pro system filter without hearing a significant difference. In the same review he paired the Matrix SS-1 switch with a Ferrum Hypsos PSU and connected it via SFP to the Grimm—again, not much improvement.

But interestingly, in that same review, also tested with a standard CAT6 cable, a Network Acoustics ENO II and the Muon Pro system filter, along with an ENO II ethernet cable and also using either fiber or ethernet when the Matrix SS-1 switch was used in two other systems—either swapped for the Muon Pro filter—it led to huge improvements. So it seems the design of the streamer can play a bigger role than we often think when it comes to perceiving upgrades in network performance and sound quality.

@PYP , do your experiences align with that maybe?


© Hans Beekhuyzen

 

[Di-fi]

Mentioned in above HB review and new to ’the list’ Matrix SS-1 switch, internal smps or 12V ext. Matrix also offers a PRO version (image below) with lps integrated and external clock input.

RJ45
2x dedicated for audio @ 100Mbps/10Mbps
6x (or 8x) @ 2.5Gbps/1Gbps/100Mbps/10Mbps

SFP/SFP+
2x @ 10Gbps

Sandu Vitalie - SoundNews review


© Matrix-digi.com

 

[Elliot G.]

I am using the Reiki Super Switch and separate power supply in my system and I have been connecting it to my Wadax server with their ethernet cable. I received something new today called JundoStream and its a new cable that is very different looking from their other cable I was using. Its flat, wide and has multiple cables in it. I just plugged it in a few minutes ago. I want to give it some time before I seriously listen but my initial reaction was Hmmmmm

 

[PYP]

Since you have the Grimm Audio MU2—and from what I understand, Eelco Grimm designed it to be virtually immune to ethernet noise—any upstream changes might be harder to hear in your setup. You could say you just don’t have the “right” system for hearing those kinds of tweaks

Hans Beekhuyzen tested the MU2 with the Muon Pro system filter without hearing a significant difference. In the same review he paired the Matrix SS-1 switch with a Ferrum Hypsos PSU and connected it via SFP to the Grimm—again, not much improvement.

But interestingly, in that same review, also tested with a standard CAT6 cable, a Network Acoustics ENO II and the Muon Pro system filter, along with an ENO II ethernet cable and also using either fiber or ethernet when the Matrix SS-1 switch was used in two other systems—either swapped for the Muon Pro filter—it led to huge improvements. So it seems the design of the streamer can play a bigger role than we often think when it comes to perceiving upgrades in network performance and sound quality.

@PYP , do your experiences align with that maybe?

View attachment 148577
© Hans Beekhuyzen

I tried the Muon Pro filter after seeing HB's video and had a similar experience. A nice improvement, mostly in the HF. Eventually, I realized one difference between his setup and mine was his use of a switch between the router and Muon Pro. Very shortly after that light bulb went on, I received an email about the Synergistic Research UEF switch bundle (reduced price offer). Tried a demo unit and found quite a difference. It actually surprised me (a skeptical audiophile). Purchased a UEF switch and was very pleased (short story: more immersive listening).

Later, I read the marketing blurb for the switch that mentioned grounding. Sure, one would think, they are selling more stuff. They are. But I tried the simplest grounding block as a test. Again, surprising change with the switch and SR ethernet cable that feeds the switch (did not work well with the rest of my gear, tested in various configurations). One very noticeable change was the greater realism of piano, but of course all instruments (including the human voice - wow, the vocals!) became closer to what I know the timbre and tone to be. Purchased the grounding block and two "high definition" grounding cables. It took well over a month for the cables and grounding block to settle in (similar, in my experience, to clock cables that take a long time).

I had been thinking about upgrading my speakers, but I'm not so sure now. Sonically, the speakers fit the room beautifully. Sometimes audiophiles talk about how a tweak (or gear) has the effect of removing some grime from the window. These two changes (switch + grounding) removed the window. Unfortunately, cannot describe it better than that. There is only music -- I am there/they are here.

 

[treitz3]

Me thinks you are getting rid of noise.

Tom