Melco S100 audiophile switch

[Abyss Man]

Thanks for your thoughts

A standalone Melco S100 seems like the way to go for me.

Questions
1. Does "audio grade" ethernet cables worth it?
2. If yes, what "reasonably price cables do you recommend?

The Ethernet cable from the Router to the S100 is NOT as important as the E cables from my Roon Nucleus and my Streamer/Dac to the S100?

Thanks in advance

Hi Razuu,
Although I have never heard the Melco, I'm very sure its an awesome piece of kit and you will not go wrong. The reviews here will attest to that.

As to your 1st question, IMHO it sure is. Personally my digital from is full soTm, my USB being the only exception. I'm using Tellurium Silver Diamond for my USB x2.

As for your 2nd question, look at my answer to the 1st.

There have been reports which support that claim, but me being me, just went with what I could afford, hence it's soTm all the way except for my router where I use Supra Cat8. If cost is an hindrance, go with a Belden. (Ghentaudio and Blue Jeans) they were very decent for the money. The last final ethernet connection from Melco to Streamer u can use a higher quality one. I would suggest you listen to the cable. The soTm is very good but there are others out there too. Sablon is exceptional and well priced too. It boils to your listening taste. Have fun and stay safe.

Oh BTW, please read up reviews, get some inputs from seniors and audition first before getting anything.

 

[QuadDiffuser]

Hi Guys.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Questions with your recommendation:
1. SOtM with Clock OR Melco S100?
2. SOtM with sPS 500 PSU OR SOtM with Clock?

Cheers

Hi Razuu,

If you happen to have additional funds to buy more choices, consider a third option - putting the sPS-500s aside, and substituting them with high-quality LPs which do not inject ultrasonic noise back into the AC line to pollute the rest of your system. There are many on the marketplace which you can consider, but basically they incorporate either a toroidal or even a balanced toroidal transformer (containing twice the material) to create a noise-free ground and reject common-mode noise over a very broad bandwidth, before the usual downstream job of rectification, filtering, and outputting a low-impedance, high current, load-invariant and stable DC source.

Here's a piece I posted on the Farad Super3 (a real beauty!) which will give you and idea of what to be looking for in a well-designed DC power supply.

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/thre...ps-by-farad-power-supplies.29931/#post-625247

I'm currently using two SOtM NH-10Gs, powered by two 12V PLiXiR Elite BDC-2A LPs, and one SOtM USBultra, powered by a Farad Super3 LP. The two LAN cables which link the NH-10Gs to my Aurender W20 are SOtM dCBL-CAT7s, and the two USB cables thereafter linking the USBultra to my MSB Select II DAC are the Intona Ultimates.

Of the two sPS-500s which have been substituted and made redundant, I'm using one of them to provide 12V DC two generic network devices (a Huawei optical modem, and a Linksys wireless router) through a Y-cable. I figured that the sPS-500 would be an upgrade to the two wall wart SMPS which came with the devices.

As for my other sPS-500, I'm considering using it to power one of my two current SOtM NH-10Gs, to be placed right ahead of the Linksys wireless modem, when they become obsoleted by a replacement model (Mark II ?) or even the Melco S100, pending an audition. I'm anticipating owning three audiophile-grade network switches, and cascading them strategically to extract the best results.

I've home-auditioned the SOtM OCX10, using three (very expensive) SOtM dCBL-BNC50 clock cables to synchronize all three SOtM devices, but the results were not good, resulting in a greyness and hardness to the sound. My belief and understanding is that any external clocking device implemented through the unavoidable forest of conductor, connector, and shielding variables will do more harm than good, being inferior to the onboard clock, because significantly more jitter will be introduced. This conclusion is not surprising to me at all, and I have yet to see any sellers of "outboard clocks" provide objective data to support the contrary.

https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/does-your-studio-need-digital-master-clock

Fortunately, I'm able to take advantage of the aforementioned architecture designed into my MSB DAC to use the Femto 33 as the master clock to slave packets of data through the ProUSB, a very clever and innovative outboard USB-to-optical module unique to MSB. I think the ProUSB and the ProISL DAC input module is the Golden Standard which no other manufacture so far has been able to even come close to emulating, endowing MSB Technology a huge competitive edge. The company continues to delight me with their innovative products which my modularized Select II DAC can incorporate to improve its already peerless performance.

https://www.msbtechnology.com/accessories/prousb/

 

[Razuu]

Hi QuadDiffosor

Thanks for the very detailed response. Will take me some time to digest and google but much appreciated.

Cheers

 

[QuadDiffuser]

Hi QuadDiffosor

Thanks for the very detailed response. Will take me some time to digest and google but much appreciated.

Cheers

You’re very welcome, and good luck in your journey to find your destination!

 

[Jeffy]

I'm in the US. Can anyone recommend a dealer I can buy the S-100 from and maybe even get a discount. I don't mind if its from China. Thanks

 

[auricgoldfinger]

I'm in the US. Can anyone recommend a dealer I can buy the S-100 from and maybe even get a discount. I don't mind if its from China. Thanks

Last I checked, they were not being sold in the U.S. Here is an explanation of how to buy one from Japan:

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/...eaming/page/632/?tab=comments#comment-1027665

I have used the fromjapan.co twice and found them to be trustworthy and reliable. Patience is necessary, however, as it took them 3 weeks to receive the S100 from the distributor once I placed my order. The wait time could be even longer now because of the virus.

 

[Jeffy]

I’m using a Aqvox switch now. Do you think the Nelco would be better? I’m also using a gigafoil filter. Should this be placed before the switch or after? Thanks

 

[XCop5089]

I’m using a Aqvox switch now. Do you think the Nelco would be better? I’m also using a gigafoil filter. Should this be placed before the switch or after? Thanks

Jeffy - I have an AQVox 'SE' switch on long-term loan from a friend and have been comparing it with an Uptone Audio EtherRegen, which is clearly superior and has the added advantage of being able to receive a 10MHz clock signal. As a Mutec Ref10 120SE owner, this takes the EtherRegen switch to yet another level. The icing on the cake, is to replace the Uptone Audio SMPS with a high quality LPSU. I don't have any experience of the Melco S100, but it is considerably more expensive than the alternatives from AQVox and Uptone Audio and it is hard to imagine how much better this part of the network could get, even by spending more than twice the price on a Melco S100!

The gigafoil filter should be placed before the switch IMHO.

 

[auricgoldfinger]

I’m using a Aqvox switch now. Do you think the Nelco would be better? I’m also using a gigafoil filter. Should this be placed before the switch or after? Thanks

Here is a review of 3 switches: https://audiophilestyle.com/ca/reviews/uptone-audio-etherregen-review-and-comparison-r887/

Although the AQVox is not part of the review, I have never seen anyone who preferred it over the SOtM, EtherREGEN, or S100 in a head-to-head comparison. I think it's safe to say you would find any of them to be a step up compared to the AQVox. The real question is which would be best given your system and budget.

 

[Jeffy]

Wow I placed the gigafoil filter in front of the aqvox switch and the sound is more fluid less bright, thanks for the tip. How does the switch xcop sound in comparison to the aqvox se?

 

[XCop5089]

Wow I placed the gigafoil filter in front of the aqvox switch and the sound is more fluid less bright, thanks for the tip. How does the switch xcop sound in comparison to the aqvox se?

Sorry Jeffy. I don't understand your question!

Are you asking how the AQVox 'SE' switch sounds in comparison to the Uptone Audio EtherRegen switch?

 

[Jeffy]

Yes and actually, I’m wrong I do like the foil after the switch.

 

[Jeffy]

Yes how aqvox compares to uptone

 

[XCop5089]

Yes how aqvox compares to uptone

The Uptone EtherRegen is superior to the AQVox 'SE' IMHO.

Less noise, more detail, better imaging and soundstage!

 

[nonesup]

With respect to the normal AQvox that is the one that I had, EtherREGEN is much better, but don't expect that, as they indicate, it isolates output B from all kinds of upstream garbage, unfortunately it does not.

 

[Jeffy]

I ordered a Dela S-100 yesterday from Japan.

 

[howiebrou]

I ordered a Dela S-100 yesterday from Japan.

Congrats. Make sure you add a LPS to maximise the gain.

 

[Jeffy]

I already have a keces

 

[CKKeung]

Hello WBF brothers,
This Melco S-100 thread was started by me in Jan 2020, and around the same time the Telegartner M12 Gold Switch was launched, yet due to unavailability of the latter in Hong Kong and then the lockdown caused by the stupid virus, I am unable to audition them in details until very recently.


The HK dealer of Telegartner Japan Branch got a demo unit about 3 weeks ago.



I went for audition twice.
IMHO the M12 Gold Switch has taken the throne.

I don't want to pollute this S100 thread.
My opinion on M12 Gold Switch has been relocated to :
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/m12-gold-switch.29842/
Sorry and thanks.

 

[CKKeung]

Don't want to pollute the S100 thread.
Content on M12 Gold Switch relocated to :
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/m12-gold-switch.29842/