SOtM sNH-10G Network Switches x2 : The NEW KING of USB/Network Gadget Setup
- Thread starter CKKeung
- Start date
Thank you CKKeung, for alerting me to the merits of adding an audiophile-grade Ethernet switch to improve my streaming audio (TIDAL) experience; the SOtM pair has been one the biggest "Holy Cr*p!!" moments I have ever experienced in my audiophile life. So impactful, profound, and of such surprisingly high cost/performance, that I went out the very next day and bought a second pair. Very much looking forward to auditioning a variety of Cat7 Ethernet cables (which you have kindly recommended) to optimize their performance! Leaning towards cascading the pair electrically, and skipping the optical modules (for now).
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I believe it is just 2 units, as ye mentioned cascading them by lan cables instead of from fibre between 2 units.
Possibly, a third unit , the first by optical and the 3rd by lan would be beneficial.
I had 2 units cascaded electrically earlier, and now by optical due to replacement of my FMCs used previously.
I do however feel that with 2 really good ethernet cables may have offered even better resolution after a clock FMC connected to the 1st sotm switch via fibre.
I am more than delighted by the fabulous musicality and resolution in the revised pair of switch that there are no areas sonically that i feel have any bottlenecks now.
I do have an extra 25mhz output from my sotms, so should i ever add a third sotm switch, it would be ready.
Greetings from Dubai, en route to Geneva from Hong Kong. Wow, it’s been ten days since I’ve logged onto WBF, my browsing destination of choice accompanying my morning coffee, due to being barred from accessing the server due from Hong Kong. Grateful that there are still ways (thanks, CKKeung) to circumvent the blockage to feed my audio OCD !
Since more a week ago, I’ve been a proud owner of two sNH-10Gs, two sPS-500s, and two Cat7 LAN cables, all from SOtM. Still early days in terms of breaking them in completely, but I really love what I have been hearing. No insecurities about connecting them electrically, as optical modules and connectors may potentially have issues, too.
Looking forward to adding the SOtM UltraUSB and 10M clocks sometime in the near future. I’ll be shopping for ultra-high quality 12V linear power supplies to power these boxes!
Since more a week ago, I’ve been a proud owner of two sNH-10Gs, two sPS-500s, and two Cat7 LAN cables, all from SOtM. Still early days in terms of breaking them in completely, but I really love what I have been hearing. No insecurities about connecting them electrically, as optical modules and connectors may potentially have issues, too.
Looking forward to adding the SOtM UltraUSB and 10M clocks sometime in the near future. I’ll be shopping for ultra-high quality 12V linear power supplies to power these boxes!
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I'm planning to get the switch and an external clock. I am really keen to understand how two switches will produce a better results than one switch.
I am planning to get the SOtM sNH-10G switch and an external clock. I am really keen to understand how two switches will produce a better result than one switch. I'd be grateful if you could explain.
Hello Yukster,
I am not a tech guy but only a consumer/user.
What I have discovered by audition is that two SOtM switches connected by optical fiber can bring about higher sonic improvement than one SOtM switch+external 10M clock.
The connection is easy :
Modem > ethernet cable > SOtM switch > optical transiever (in the SFP socket) > optical fiber > optical transiever (in SFP socket) > SOtM switch > ethernet cable > streamer/server
Thanks
Thanks CKKeung. The interesting question is how two swiches with optical connections compare to two switches with an exrernal clock. Do you know of anyone tried this?
Two swiches with optical connections with addition of an external clock to syn the 2 switches of course give the best result.
No doubt about this!
Haha
Perhaps you meant “two switches, synced to an external clock, connected with a LAN cable (instead of optically)” ?
I’m curious about that, too.
What kind of SFP’s are you using? Have you compared different SFP’s in these positions?
Technology marches on - a competitive product has been announced and released by Uptone Audio.
Quote: “The extreme care taken in the entire design of the EtherREGEN results in dual isolated clock/data/power domains, blockage of all external leakage currents, a vast reduction in upstream phase-noise fingerprint, and utmost signal integrity.”
The following link provides a lot of technical information which reference the science of what is audibly important in filtering and re-clocking.
https://uptoneaudio.com/products/etherregen
While I’m eager to hear comparisons and read reviews of this newer generation product, I’m not a fan of cramming all these parts onto a tiny board because it will likely lead to undesirable parasitic contamination of all sorts of noise. Why not use a larger board, shield parts internally, and house it all in a larger chassis?
Pretty sure SOtM will not be siting still, and will “upgrade” their product in coming years. Fingers crossed that older products can be factory-upgraded at a fair and modest price!
Quote: “The extreme care taken in the entire design of the EtherREGEN results in dual isolated clock/data/power domains, blockage of all external leakage currents, a vast reduction in upstream phase-noise fingerprint, and utmost signal integrity.”
The following link provides a lot of technical information which reference the science of what is audibly important in filtering and re-clocking.
https://uptoneaudio.com/products/etherregen
While I’m eager to hear comparisons and read reviews of this newer generation product, I’m not a fan of cramming all these parts onto a tiny board because it will likely lead to undesirable parasitic contamination of all sorts of noise. Why not use a larger board, shield parts internally, and house it all in a larger chassis?
Pretty sure SOtM will not be siting still, and will “upgrade” their product in coming years. Fingers crossed that older products can be factory-upgraded at a fair and modest price!
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You seem to be assuming that they didn't test all this. The unit has 1/2 the ports that the SoTM does so it should be smaller. The people at Uptone are not novices. That have built tons of things using this form factor.
Perhaps there are no merits in more physical separation to take advantage of the law of distance squared, as the components are truly not influenced by magnetic induction, etc. Just trying to be open minded.
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Just had an audiophile gathering last night and did what you wanted.
Will give all interested WBF brothers a report here.
Stay tuned!
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