Synergistic Research UEF Ethernet Switch
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I love what it has done in my system, it feeds an Aurender n100h going to a Shiit Yiggy. A modest system but is inching closer to my Kuzma analog rig. I lust after a LampiZator Baltic 4 down the road but am in no hurry because I'm really happy with the SQ. I saw your post on the other site with the negative reply but declined to add my opinion.
Oh no, I've owned the switch since it came out a couple of years ago & I'm very happy with it. I have Gigabit internet service & wondered if switch could be a bottleneck for performance. Nowhere on the switch could I find any reference to speed. However, I have since learned from SR that their switch is Gigabit.
While I was skeptical (SR seems to embrace the voodoo label), my ears tell me this switch is doing something very right. My impression is confirmed when my wife often makes positive comments about a wide selection of music. My conclusion is that the UEF eliminates noise and allows the DAC to sound richer with more realistic density. Vocals are surprisingly clear of any grunge or over-emphasis (if not recorded that way). Well recorded piano improves in a very obvious way (and the many different ways of recording a piano are very clear). For just one example, Transparent Water with Omar Sosa (piano) and Seckou Keita (kora) sounds like a new album instead of one I've listened to many times. That experience of re-discovery is always fun.
It does take a long time for break-in/settle in, therefore it is important that the demo unit has been used for hundreds of hours in order to understand what it provides.
Republicoftexas69
Well-Known Member
For audio you do not need Gigabit. The cat 5 in your wall is a bigger bottle neck if any.
Actually, quite pleased with the SR switch for several years now. Was thinking out loud as I ordered ENO 2 to go between Nucleus+ & switch. Muon pro between switch & integrated. Isolated from router to switch via pair of EtherRegens connected by Melco C1 Direct Attach cable. Sounds great, but chasing that last bit of performance by adding the ENO 2.
Republicoftexas69
Well-Known Member
Since you are chasing the last bit, have you tried grounding the SR switch? The SR website suggests grounding provides an improvement. That may be practical if you have SR cables with a grounding connectors since SR grounding device is required.
Agree that a combination of active and passive works well and the Muon Pro is a good choice for passive device. I also had two eRs when I had a slightly different setup and moved on when the Grimm Audio MU1 streamer wasn't improved by using them. All very setup dependent, of course, as is typical with all gear.
Cool. It really can be endless... Did you try the switch with and without the ground? If so, do you agree it makes a difference?
Since I only two SR pieces -- switch and an ethernet cable -- I might consider trying their smallest grounding block. The cable did come with a grounding cable that plugs into an outlet, but the switch did not. Not sure why.
Guys just a heads up, after engineering our first active digital product, the UEF Ethernet Switch a few years back we’ve made numerous advancements when engineering both our router and voodoo streamer server. So in a few weeks, a significant upgrade is coming with a brand new UEF Ethernet Switch. This will be a massive upgrade encompassing several core active (SR) technologies that were not applied, or were not yet developed during the original engineering project. Stay tuned.
Ted Denney Lead Designer Synergistic Research.
Ted Denney Lead Designer Synergistic Research.
Good to hear. Are trade-ins planned? Recently purchased a UEF Ethernet Switch...
We have a lifetime 70% trade-in allowance going back to August 1992. It’s called the lifetime passport protection plan. The way it works is, if you’ve spent $1000, I’m using round numbers, and if you purchased new from an authorized SR dealer, you upgrade into something that’s twice the value, or $2000, and you can combine products to hit that number if you need to, then you get a 70% trade-in allowance, or $700. But if you’ve already purchased a brand new switch and you’re happy with it, I would not worry, I would, however, look into creating a dedicated digital network using our UEF Router which has all current state of the art technology as it was recently engineered, not years ago like the Ethernet Switch. This will improve your sound more than getting the new Switch and not having the router. I hope this helps.
Ted Denney Lead Designer Synergistic Research
Thank you for the response. I'm very pleased with the current UEF switch. Good to know you continue to innovate.
I've had other switches and this one is the most neutral. It seems to simply let the Grimm MU2 do its lyrical thing with more depth, density and physicality. Just watched your video comparing with/without router and the improvement of sound has that depth and density improvement similar to the switch. Must be a great combination. Definitely worth a home demo if I get used to the magic occurring during my daily listening.
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I find a dedicated digital network for your stereo is more important than a dedicated AC line. Significantly more so in fact. The exact same technology plus significant additional technology was applied to the router, as was applied to your Switch. The Switch was our first foray into modifying a Switch with our technology. Then came the router, which is a significant upgrade over any router you can buy, easily verified through an in-home audition, and then we applied all that technology and more to the voodoo streamer server. Now we’re going full circle back to the Switch, so it has all the innovation of both the router and the voodoo.
Ted Denney Lead Designer Synergistic Research
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