The white paper linked to earlier is another attempt to wow with nonsense. It talks about line jitter leaking into your DAC and causing all sorts of nasties. So they use very precise clocks to control this. Only problem with this fix is ethernet line uses a 25MHZ clock, yeah megahertz . So it’s "fixing" a nonexistent problem. Not to mention the "line noise/jitter" and clocking doesn’t reach to DAC, the packets are stripped of the outer layers and any clocking of the stack by software, processed by the software in the streamer to retrieve the data, placed in a buffer then the DAC clock asynchronously pulls the data for conversion. The bottom line is with today’s software, hardware, filtering and precise clocks placed close to the DAC the last thing you need to worry about is a switch. I also find it amusing why no worry about the little $100 modem that converted the incoming analog signal to your house and built this digital signal so your devices could read the signal? That has more to with what’s going on with your streaming than any switch you place downstream. By all means decide what you want, buy what you want but try informing yourself as to what you’re buying and use some common sense.
Anybody want a laugh?
- ...
- 189 posts total
djones51, 'You think that switch is funny get a load of this thing. https://www.kevalinaudio.com/product-page/waversa-wrouter' Waversa WRouter $4,050.00Sale Pri WROUTER: Ultra Low Noise Audio Grade Router Although a relative unknown in the Western Hemisphere, the Waversa Systems WRouter has been on the market for some time, and it remains the only audiophile grade router. This unit was a “from the ground up” build, taking advantage of Waversa’s in-house chip design and proprietary signal processing and protocols. The WRouter achieves what it is designed to accomplish: to present streaming data without tradeoff, with black background, more focus, less tension, improved clarity, dynamics, and detail, all with a noticeable reveal of the intricacies of decay.
The WRouter is designed to handle the most demanding audio files and is capable of streaming different content to different locations simultaneously without compromise. This unit is not a high-speed router or switch. Any step in that direction proved detrimental to overall sonic presentation.
The Waversa WRouter achieves network security by “packet filtering” and, for ease of use, is not configurable by the end-user. However, WiFi Access can be custom labeled and password protected by the end-user.
The end user can set up the WRouter as a WiFi router, a switch, or a hotspot. Best overall results occur when the WRouter is separated from non-audio bandwidth by connecting the WRouter to your modem with an isolated ethernet line. ..... Clean power Switch mode power supply (SMPS) introduce high frequency noise and voltage spikes to normal sinusoidal alternating current. This noise has been demonstrated to travel retrograde and contaminate other power lines in your home and your neighborhood. Waversa products use either an internal linear power supply or lithium battery power, but switch mode power supply noise generated by other network sources can still pollute the audio signal. This issue has been considered and addressed by the WRouter’s incorporation of two isolated ethernet hubs. The normal LAN ports use linear power and the audio LAN ports are battery powered, providing complete power separation. Switching hub processors in each LAN area provide effective data distribution by separating distribution of music streaming data from distribution of data having nothing to do with music, such as behind the scenes network processing, firmware, LCD display commands, etc. Large power transformers supply main power ...Linear power supplies are more stable than SMPS power supplies, so distortion is reduced by minimizing jitter and noise. Battery-powered LAN audio ports The four audio ports are designed to operate on a lithium-ion battery. By ensuring consistent, clean electrical current, Lithium-ion batteries allow for a more precise data stream. This level of performance is difficult to achieve even with a linear power supply. In addition, the ultra-low impedance characteristics of lithium-ion batteries absorb and remove even the smallest noise signals transmitted through connected signal lines to achieve noise-free performance.
LAN ports with Isolation and Noise Filtering ...In addition, two transformers are strategically placed to eliminate high-frequency noise, one between the two hardware network switch chips that communicate between the three ‘dirty’ side LAN ports near the power supply and the four ‘clean’ side battery-powered LAN ports connected to the audiophile components. The second is located after the switch chip for audio data. The four audio LAN ethernet ports have an additional filter so the signal to the audiophile devices is filtered twice. ..... Separate Internal Parallel Switches The WRouter’s audio LAN ports and normal LAN ports are designed to be completely separated, using parallel internal switches. This separation of processors reduces latency relative to use of a single processor, reducing the chance of jitter due to overloading. This design also prevents internally processed packets from being delivered to the audio ports, thus improving the throughput of audio data.
Whole-cut duralumin chassis The WRouter’s solid, CNC cut duralumin chassis minimizes the effects of vibration. In addition, the inside and outside are partitioned to a thickness of about 5 ~ 8mm, so that noise, whether generated externally or internally, does not interfere with the audio signal.
Floating structure design resistant to vibration While the basic exterior armature is built to resist vibration, the structure itself is also designed to “float”, providing even more effective vibration suppression. This airborne structure makes it almost impossible to transfer vibrations, so there is no sound distortion due to vibration. ------------ All in all a decent stab at pointing the well-heeled yet unsuspecting audiophile towards pulling the trigger on what might appear to be a credible unit to an uncritical eye; albeit one priced at $4K. For good measure a couple of graphs are thrown in alongside snaps of some of the hardware contained therein. The usual emphasis on filtration and implications of signal purity are tossed into the mix plentifully. Leaving no stone unturned, great emphasis is also placed upon the importance of isolating against the harm caused by structural and airborne vibration control which seems to have now become the new hunting ground in snake oil audio. The bait fixed, the trap duly set ; the rest is just a case of waiting for a bite. Some might say that this kind of practice is harmless in itself. They might argue that anyone who falls for such an obvious scam dues so deservedly. Just another example of the free market at work. Fair enough if that's your view, but I'm more concerned of the harmful effect this kind of fraudulent behaviour will have upon the future of the high-end and the associated dealerships. The high-end is already a veritable 'wild west' festooned with overpriced products of unsubstantiated quality often assembled by designers of unknown repute. You only have to see the back pages of any magazine to what lurks there. For every Roy Gandy and Sean Casey there seems to be a thousand charlatans out there. Dealers, no doubt faced with increasing financial pressures, who might be prepared to join in with this charade are risking their business becoming a laughing stock. What a choice! Who'd want to be a dealer today? Only for love. |
"Noise suppressing capacitors" as linked to in the article are not high grade capacitors. The only thing special about them is their failure mode. This is not a "special" capacitor configuration. It is almost a given that the power supply in the Cisco switch already has it, as does most switch mode power supplies with a ground connection. There are many ways to reduce and suppress this noise - installation methods, shielded cabling, filters, etc. One proven way in electronics design would be to replace lower-grade capacitors with noise suppressing capacitors. Here is an example of a capacitor design that reduces EMI/RFI and would have a measurable reductive effect on noise levels if installed into a Cisco switch: |
CD318, the best is this for another product. Basically they figured out if you will fall for the marketing blurb of one, you will fall for connecting multiple in series and that you won’t question why the first one did not do the job. Cumulative process – there is an increased level of Waversa Audio Processing when multiple WNDR capable units are connected, improving sound quality On another note, and Ethernet connection is galvanically isolated. There is the potential for analog noise to be conducted over an Ethernet configuration and in a poorly designed DAC, I could foresee situations where it could cause an issue. Of course you can also transmit 100 megabits per second across a fully isolated barrier for <$10 including support circuitry. |
This is about amplifiers but it's applicable to everything in audio. It's from Bruno Putzey paper 'The F-word or why there is no such thing as to much feedback" whether you agree doesn't really matter to the quote. The avoidance of feedback, specifically global feedback, also meant that longer signal chains quickly accumulated distortion products. A relentless drive for minimalist design ensued. If everything one adds to the signal path detracts from the result, only the smallest number of components will do. |
- 189 posts total