The thing with audiophile networking equipment... where are the proofs?

[pkane2001]

8 hours ago, llatpoh76 said:

Click/bait topic worthy of that big red (Ignore this topic) button...

 

How dare the OP post a request for objective evidence in an Objective forum??? Ignore him, nothing good ever comes out of a discussion about science or the objective approach ;)

 

 

8 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

This whole love of music thing is very confusing indeed. For example, some people like Wagner and others prefer Die Antwoord. All this is strictly opinion based with total absence of any scientific method and slightest attempt to really prove any point, instead of preaching 😎

 

Amazingly, the topic of networks has nothing to do with the love of music and everything to do with science and engineering. 

[pkane2001]

17 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

Look at the name of this forum. Would you say that audiophilia as such has nothing to do with music?

I don’t romanticize network switches. Don’t get me wrong, there’s certain mathematical beauty there, but it’s not Wagner.

[pkane2001]

2 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

The topic of what to listen vs. how to listen is a recurring theme on the forum, and there is little point in adding to it. 

Interesting. Is that the only point worth discussing, or are there other things beyond listening, such as, for example, science, mathematics, and engineering and design in your worldview?

[pkane2001]

5 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

Didn't know we are on mathematics forum. 

No, but you’re in an Objective forum. And objectively, network switches don’t make music.

[pkane2001]

3 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

I am on a forum which is called Audiophile Style. Am I wrong it is all about love to music? Of course, people discussing here cables or stands, but it is all about the ultimate goal of delivering and enjoying the art of music, isn't it?

 

Network equipment is not about the love of music, no matter how many times you repeat it. Again, you're in the objective part of the forum, regardless of what the name of the site is. Do you have anything objective to bring to the discussion of networks delivering the 'joy of music'? 

 

[pkane2001]

2 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

You win, ok? 🤣

 

Awesome 🙃. Here's some (objective) light reading for you:

 

https://www.open-end-music.com/forum/privatforen/thomas-michael-rudolph-tmr/651284-messungen-von-ethernet-infrastruktur-switches-nur-lesen

 

Eric demonstrates here how some of the better known "audiophile" network switches and cards actually make things significantly worse. Not from audibility perspective, but at the basic networking noise/jitter level, even before the digital signal enters a DAC. Would you say that this extra noise and jitter make music more enjoyable? 🤨

[pkane2001]

1 minute ago, AnotherSpin said:

I don't want to convince or dissuade you of anything. Have a good Wagn... Jitter!

 

On most days I prefer a good dose of jitter with Rachmaninov than no jitter with Wagner 😎

 

[pkane2001]

Just now, AnotherSpin said:

 

I'm generally indifferent to Rachmaninoff, except perhaps only the Piano Concerto No.3. But not with the Russian/Soviet school of performing, too much drooling and sobbing makes me allergic. And I love Wagner, with or without jitter, whatever. The best available recordings of the Ring are from the 40s, 50s or 60s at the latest, so there are only big doubts about the audio quality.

 

Ahh, so we finally found the part where we really disagree 😀  

 

[pkane2001]

10 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

Perfectly fine with me. I hate being agree with others... 😝

Isn’t agreeing generally against the rules on the internet? 😁

[pkane2001]

2 hours ago, yamamoto2002 said:

Network equipment designed for audio use is expected to not emit acoustic noise.

General network gears (or computer monitors, PC, or other equipment) simply does not care about it.

 

Some network gears have annoyingly loud cooling fans, another one emit audible acoustic noise from the inductor or MLCC of its switching power circuits that is clearly heard by ears. The other emits ultrasonic acoustic noise: those are not heard from ears and no problem for audio listening but it contaminates high-res sound recording so it is important those who records high-res sound using microphones.

 

Those problems are all measurable, I had uploaded high-res recorded sound files of my worst sounding network gear on this forum but cannot found now.

 

Acoustic noise is a different discussion, of course. Some of the audiophile network switches and cards run much hotter than their non-audiophile, off-the-shelf versions. I don't know if the expectation of no acoustic noise is what some of these devices are really designed for: as I understand it, most are designed with the idea to reduce electrical/electronic noise, not acoustic. That said, I've yet to run into any non-audiophile network switch for home use that has fans built in or makes any audible coil whine. Data centers, of course may have lots of acoustically noisy switches/routers.

 

My audiophile DAC, on the other hand, developed a significant and audible hum coming from the power supply when plugged in to an audiophile power regenerator. I assume it's caused by a DC offset, but my solution was to scrap the regenerator - problem solved, and not by using audiophile cleanser devices or other tweaks ;)