Network Switches

A WiFi router usually has a switch built in.  The router interfaces with the service providers network and usually doles out IP addresses to the connected devices on the home network.  An audiophile switch connects into one of the ports of the WiFi router and expands the network with higher quality ethernet ports.  Of course, the connection to the service providers network, and on to the streaming service, will always be through the standard ethernet port on the WiFi router.  That being said, the whole concept of an "audiophile" network switch is questionable at best.

No, I have not, nor will I ever.  Having been a network technician for over 30 years I know that a network switch's job is to faithfully receive packets and transmit them to their intended target.  If it doesn't do that it will be replaced as defective.  Implying that these devices can color audio signals is patently ridiculous, but I knew at some point some one would try it and some one would buy it.

You do realize that the signal from Tidal or Qobuz has passed through hundreds of regular old switches on its way to your router.  To think that a local switch will be able to reassemble the seemingly mangled bits into a once-again pure whole is somewhat laughable.  The claim on the SOtM website is that "your network audio system will be able to perform with more realistic textures, wider sound stage and explosive dynamics without losing the detail of the entire range".  Indeed!
If you want to spend multiple thousands of dollars because you like the looks of the device, I get it.  But don't tell me it sounds better.

Based on my experience in the networking field and 50 years of audio tinkering, I truly believe that audiophile network switches are utter nonsense, designed solely to bilk gullible audiophiles, and those that hear a difference do so because they REALLY, REALLY WANT TO.  That being said, no one is listening to reason in this thread, nor is anyone listening to the counter claims - as silly and uninformed as they are.  This thread is becoming a shouting match with no possible resolution.

Signing off.

@almarg I have said this before but you choose to ignore common sense and continue to spew techo-babble.

Your arguments assume that the ethernet signal as received by your audiophile switch is perfect and that your audiophile switch will transmit the signal to your DAC perfectly, counteracting (your words)...

 " interactions involving ostensibly unrelated signals and circuitry, including interactions involving circuitry that is downstream of the Ethernet interface in the DAC or other receiving component. Interactions that are dependent on the spectral composition of the signal waveforms on the Ethernet link, which in turn can be presumed to vary significantly as a function of the characteristics of the particular switch and its power supply".

The fact is that this signal has passed through hundreds of routers, repeaters, data centers, and switches prior to arriving at your router.  Are we to understand that all those networking devices have had no effect on the signal, thus allowing that signal to arrive at your digital doorstep in pristine condition?  Are we to further understand that the only place deterioration of the signal can occur is within the final switch and hence that switch needs to be a magical audiophile switch.

Your whole argument sounds like the same pseudo-scientific verbiage used to describe other incredibly overpriced nonsense products that plague hi-end audio.  

Despite my attempts to educate people that if RF/EM noise introduction at the switch will really affect the audio signal, then after passing through hundreds or even thousands of interim switches and routers how do we even have a recognizable audio signal.

Another forgotten fact is that the switch does not communicate directly with the DAC, it communicates directly to the network card in the DAC and it's buffers, where the signal is extracted from the ethernet packet and stored until the DAC requests it.  These network cards are manufactured by a handful of chip companies and I guarantee that NONE of them are giving any attention to audio.  There is so much misinformation being thrown about here that it is disheartening that it's even being given serious consideration.

@thyname...

This is the level of blatant ignorance and misinformation that I have come to expect from some of the people on this thread...

"It is all about some form of noise (usually either voltage noise or phase noise) hitching a ride along with the digital data (the bits) and getting into the DAC. This causes distortions in the analog signal which somehow affects the human perceptual system. THAT is what an "audiophile switch" attempting to accomplish: getting rid of those noise components before they reach your DAC."

...and this is the level of arrogance that is driving me away...

"I am pretty sure you are one of those people from audio "science" forums claiming that all DACs sound the same, and a $50 DAC from China would provide the same SQ as any SOTA DAC. Heck... someone told me there that a DAC is not even part of the audio signal / chain !!"