Snake oil of the year?

As it’s been written over and over here, there snd everywhere there are many variables in systems/rooms. 

With my gear I found the EtherRegen made a difference and the Jcat M12 more so.

Some of these “snake oil” solutions are actual tonics. 

I find it hard to take seroiuly folks who haven’t tried equipment they excoriate but haven’t used or been around. Ah the internet. 

“There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”

Isaac Asimov

@yage

With apologies to Paul Simon and Mose Allison

“It’s really not my habit to intrude
Furthermore, I hope my meaning
Won’t be lost or misconstrued
But I’ll repeat myself
At the risk of being crude” your gotcha moment ain’t got me dude.

In one word, forgetaboutit.

I watched untill it was clear this was a test of a COMPUTER based signal into a snazzy headphone amp.

Having converted years back from computer streaming to using a streamer, I’ll stay with a streamer, roubust PSU and ethernet cleanup with no switch (filter’s yes).

I’m willing to admit that I don’t know about high end computer audio.

On my rig the JCat is top dog. Naturally I have listened with and without it.

I’m also willing to admit of possible bais with new grear but this snake oil is non toxic and delicious.

“Please don’t talk about me when I’m gone
Though our love has ended from now on
If you can’t say anything real nice
Just don’t talk at all, that’s my advice

You’ll go your way, I’ll go mine
It’s better that we do
Here’s a kiss I hope that this
Brings lots of love to you

Makes no difference how I carry on
Please don’t talk about me when I’m gone.”

Hope you know I’m kidding.

I’m not kidding that better liniear power into a swich, filter, Roon Nucleus, makes a difference to all (2) of my test subjects who I pay to agree with me by the trap of marriage (I digress). If that educational video had fitted either switch maybe with a great PSU that would have cured my ADD rather than caused it

@yage I have done an A/B test. I’m in N Cal and if you are too you are welcome to hear for yourself.

@akg_ca

With respect. I went back and clicked on the links you provided. You selected (cherry picked) only one side supporting your beliefs that audiophile switches are hokum. Have you ever tried one? If so what? The repose below seems very even and way above my pay grade too.

Is there conformation bias when one gets their latest doodad? Sure.. However, there are far more positive comments from actual switch users than not. I'm not dousing my system with Flagyl to combat parasitic capacitance but I'm using an audiophile switch. Doctor's orders.

"almarg

9,670 posts

10-29-2019 at 06:14am

As someone having extensive experience in digital (and analog) design, although not for audio, it is very conceivable to me that a network switch can make a difference sonically. Not because it affects the accuracy with which 1s and 0s are received; not because it affects the timing with which those bits are received; and probably not because of most of the reasons that are likely to be offered in the marketing literature of makers of audiophile-oriented switches.

The likely reason relates to differences in waveform characteristics such as signal risetimes and falltimes (i.e., the amount of time it takes for the signal to transition from its lower voltage state to its higher voltage state and vice versa); differences in noise that may be riding on the signal; and differences in distortion of the waveform that may be present. In other words, things that affect the spectral composition of the waveform.

Those differences in waveform characteristics in turn may, IMO, affect the degree to which some of the RF energy present in the signal may bypass, i.e., may find its way around, the ethernet interface circuitry in the receiving component and affect circuitry that is further downstream. Perhaps affecting timing jitter at the point of D/A conversion, and perhaps affecting analog circuitry further downstream via effects such as intermodulation or AM demodulation.

One thing that became abundantly clear to me in my experience as an electrical engineer is that signals and noise don’t necessarily just affect or entirely follow only their intended pathway. And the waveform and noise characteristics of the signal that enters a circuit can affect the degree to which RF energy present in that signal may find its way via unintended pathways to unintended circuit points "downstream" of the intended circuit. "Unintended pathways" may include things like grounds within the receiving device, parasitic capacitances, power supply circuitry, or even radiation through the air within the component.

For example, in the following thread ...

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/bricasti-m1-dac-vs-ps-audio-direct-stream-dac?page=9

... two members reported that inserting an inexpensive Netgear switch between their router and the ethernet interface in their audio system resulted in significant sonic improvement. One of those members, whose system is of exceptionally high calibre, was extremely skeptical initially, but ended up saying "I can’t believe it."

None of this is to say, though, that a given switch will provide benefits that are consistent from system to system, or that there will necessarily be much if any correlation between the cost of a switch and the benefits it may provide.

Regards,
-- Al"

@akg_ca

What one did you try? What’s in your system please?

My takeaway is a lot of this stuff is system/room dependent.

I have no beef with those who can afford the best(what ever that is). If I was in that realm I’d have to get divorced to afford it and because of the divorce I’d be unable to affrod much at all. My darTZeels would be real gold too.

I suspect many on this forum are looking for the best they can afford and clearly a lot of knowledge here gets systems that sound better from the shared knowledge.