The Linear Solution OXCO router

[TheAttorney]

I'm also interested in this router - primarily because my broadband modem/router is positioned too far away from my hifi stack for me to connect an ethernet cable in any WAF-accepting manner. So I'm looking for a wifi extender/access point that can effectively bridge my broadband modem via wifi to my hifi stack via ethernet. And romaz' rave review of the LS OCXO switch on head-fi (where I normally reside) had me intrigued.

 

As this is my first post on CA , I thought I'd better contribute by adding what I've found so far on this router:

 

1. The LS website's spec of the Linear Power supply states only US voltage, but Adrian from LS has replied that he can configure it for other voltages, so ok for UK and Europe etc.

2. I was hoping to use one of the rails of my recently delivered Paul Hynes SR7 (finally!), but Adrian is unwilling to sell without its dedicated LPS, saying that this LPS has been carefully designed to perfectly match his switches and routers.

3. As of a few days ago, there's an introductory price of $849 for the OCXO router, compared to $659 for the OCXO switch (both including the LPS).

4. Adrian's view is that the OCXO router would be a better solution than an OCXO switch + non-audiophile accesspoint/extender.

5. Because I need to be absolutely sure that this router can work for me as an access point, I went in search of a user manual. I put on my Sherlock Holmes deerstalker and eventually deduced that the underlying model is most likely a D-Link DIR-867 (or 869). The former definitely works as accesspoint and wifi extender. The latter appears to be an older model for which the user guide is ambiguous on those functions.

 

If I was in the US, I'd be ordering one of these by now. I don't know of any other company that sells a standalone OCXO router. From the UK, I'm a bit more hesitent until I see more feedback.

[TheAttorney]

 

15 hours ago, ChrisG said:

It definitely looks like the DIR-879 https://www.techradar.com/reviews/d-link-dir-879-exo
 

I had a dyslexic moment in my earlier post, but I can't find a way to correct it now. I meant to type DIR-869 and 879. Both are outwardly identical and both user guides are dated early 2016, and neither appear to be current models, although still sold from some resellers. But the 869 user guide clearly describes the accesspoint and extender mode (e.g. screenshot below), whereas the 879 guide merely alludes to it.

 

13 hours ago, Ben2300 said:

Can you get by with the switch? Or you absolutely need a router?

 

A switch won't do what I need, as in the setup as below (I don't know why the upload quality is so poor, the original screenshot is fine).  

Another way of connecting my broadband modem on the right long distance to my hifi stack on the left would be to use powerline adapters, and I immediately discounted those on sound quality grounds.

 

EDIT: Sorry about the extra links below. I can't seem to delete them. Still in a learning curve with this site's editing function.

 

Adrian didn't expand upon his point about OCXO router being better than OCXO switch + non-audiophile extender, but it made sense to me: If the super clock and p/s and other benefits apply equally to the router and wifi parts as they do for the swtich parts, then that has to be better than having just a quality switch that is compromised by the noise etc of poorer quality extender. That's jus an assumption - I don't know for sure thet the super clock does apply to all the router functions.

 

[TheAttorney]

It's good to know that the powerline option can give as good SQ as a direct ethernet cable (both into a high quality switch). So I'll keep this as an option, although my natural paranoa will probably continue to fret over what noise it is adding to my mains power.

 

But as a dedicated audiophile, I'd still like to know if this high quality LS router can give even better SQ than an ethernet cable .

Along the lines of the SOtM trifecta modded switch being better than no switch at all in the signal path, according to some.

Romaz has directly told me that he would expect the LS switch to improve upon my direct ethernet cable connection (between laptop and microRendu). So still wondering if the LS router can do the same whilst providing the extra routing/wifi functions as well. Still deliberating....

[TheAttorney]

On 6/18/2018 at 5:04 PM, hieukm said:

I also have just put in my OCXO router from thelinearsolution.

 

What router and power supply did did you previously have to make this comparison?

And how does this OCXO router fit into your system? E.g. are you using its WIFI function?