Snake oil of the year?

$2,500 Ethernet Switch Effectively Isolates Audiophiles From Cash

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/ethernet-switch-for-audiophiles

Key quote on this switch effect metaphor:

”… However, the reviewer says, "This review is based on my subjective requirements, my subjective ears, my specific system configuration, and my specific listening room."

This means there are no actual measurements of sound quality, so you’ll need to take his observations with a grain of salt. ,,,”

…hmmm .,, more like exaggeration requiring a boatload full of salt….ergo … horse hooey.

I don't know about this being "snake oil".

I've found that judiciously placed Illuminati Stickers do increase my performance.

DeKay

While the dude in the YT video comes across as a very pretentious prick, he does IMO point out that this switch is a bunch of hooey. Seriously a glued on crystal makes it a "crystal oscillator"? That is hilarious. Folks couldn’t tell a difference in blind test listening either versus the D-Link the AQVOX is based on.  Most everything in the AQVOX is just glued on.  For ~800 Euro? Best to spend your money elsewhere where a difference could be made in your digital chain.

On the advice of someone in a position to know I use a D-Link DGS105 with an ifi power wall wart  The advice was that this would give what "audiophile" devices at about $600 will give.  You can buy and try on Amazon.  Be sure to ground the switch--there is a grounding screw.

It made a noticeable improvement in my system for very little money.

It is important to be clear that not all network switches are being made fun of, just this one (AQVOK Switch SE) when Linus Sebastian open up the box to investigate.  Linus employs 80 people in his company, and is hiring 14 more according to his job posting, he is known to be reputable in the hardware circles.  I believe he has 22M subscribers in all his channels/distributions. 

I have the M12 switch from JCAT.  It is hugely better than the standard switch I replaced.  If you have not heard a good switch you should.  So tired of network experts who know without listening.

Linus Tech Tips is a reputable YouTube tech channel. They’re currently investing a lot of money in a new facility so they can test different electronics / accessories.

It’s no surprise that a blind test showed that the claims AQVOX makes about improvements to sound quality are without merit. As the video states, we’re dealing with digital data. If there were audible changes in the sound, then the data must be different when received by the DAC.

You can test this yourself. Connect a PC to your audiophile switch. Select a music file to copy. Create a SHA-512 hash of the file (see below for some tips). Copy that music file to another PC on the switch, network attached storage, or even Google Drive (if you can reach the internet through the switch). Then copy that file back to a different location on the PC. Create a SHA-512 hash of the copy. Compare the SHA-512 ’fingerprints’. If they match, then you know the switch isn’t the source of the change in sound quality.

Generating a SHA-512 hash...

on Windows (at command prompt):

certutil -hashfile [file] sha512

on macOS (using Terminal):

shasum -a 512 [file]

on Linux

sha512sum [file]

Judging by the tone of your OP, you never tried an Ethernet Switch? They may or may not impact SQ depending on your own system, and your listening skills / preference. I don't know your system. But, judging by the picture on your profile, with the (right or wrong) assumptions that that picture depicts your system, I don't think an Ethernet Switch should be your top priority right now. 

Eh.  I was unimpressed with it.  (Scroll down a bit to AQVox.)

Audiophile Network switches? There are prior threads dissecting  this. Here is a sample of the  “audiophile” network switches assessments from some our fellow forum members 

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/do-i-really-need-an-audio-grade-network-switch?highlight=Network%2Bswitches

djones51 4,473 posts

01-17-2022 6:20pm

“…There is no such thing as an audio grade switch …”

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/ ... i%20router.

" ... 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...."

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/ ... t=ethernet

" ...Well, I just tried using a wifi repeater and noticed no improvement (or degradation) of sound quality. ... "

have you tried one? if not just go away 

If the only people that purchase them are those that believe that it will work, then we have a skewed population. And that population would likely believe that they help in a sighted test.

Much the same as people who do not believe that they work would likely hear a difference in a sighted test, and also may not want to hear it in a blind test.

i actually have one, it works well, makes the music seem calmer, more analog, less hashy, compared to a basic commidity switch - this unit is upstream of my etherregen and/or eno

My dog pooping projects a more professional image than the wankers ripping this switch apart verbally and physically in this video. If you want to have a fun and productive discussion going, come up with a bit more interesting topic than this or go to ASR forum where you’ll be a star for posting something as stupid as this video.

have you tried one? if not just go away 

things are always being discovered that are new and if people hear an improvement that should be enough

naysayerslaughed at speakerspikes now everyon uses them isoacouhas proven their products do indeed work