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The story of development AfterDark. is looking for better solution, when we modified and design the new product line. Since we become Sponsored in Audiophilestyle.com, we meeting a lot of old friends where they shares their way to improve sounding with the highly modified network switch. We remember I have a night to visit Hols's place in Hong Kong, when we are dealer for Denafrips R2R DAC. @Hols is a well known audiophile in Hong Kong. Therefore, after reading the below sharing, he is using Buffalo BS-GS2016 in Cascade connected with SFP Optical Fiber cable. So, we tried to build one with heavy modified - AfterDark. Project ClayX Giesemann OCXO Black Modernize Edition His impression on Buffalo BS-GS2016 Cascade OCXO. "I would prefer the 2016 than the S100 because of its richer presentations. Using one 2016 already gives you the same character but using two is definitely a revelation. Everything just seems to be present around you. The presence is much better with two 2016." by Hols Why Buffalo BS-GS2016? What is so special about this switch? We are selling DELA S100 Switch and modified version. Just looking at the two motherboard, DELA S100 is using the same motherboard as Buffalo BS-GS2016. This make us quite curiosity on how to improve Buffalo BS-GS2016. So, we purchase two units from Japan market and see how Buffalo BS-GS2016 compared with DELA S100 (Estimate Price USD1600). So, let us open the metal box and have a look. This will be a steal if the performance is comparable with DELA S100. Will GS-2016 Cascade outperform vs DELA S100? And how good will the BS-GS2016 OCXO optimized? Purchase Link for Buffalo BS-GS2016 Giesemann Edition: ***For existing Buffalo BS-GS2016 user, we will have upgrade option for full service of modification up to Giesemann Edition. "There is an easiness in the sound and everything come up so sure so accurate and fluent. There is no hint of any slowness or muffled sound or harshness that are sometimes associated with over-cleansing. And can I take out the SOtM? Yes I can and still live very happily with the sound. There is only very slight diminished high frequency only noticeable on critical listening." "Overall very impressed with the clock-modded 2016." by Hols There is large silver heat sink at the middle, and the switching power supply at the right corner. The motherboard is secured with more than 13 screws. The LED indicator board is at the top right. We trying to locate the 25Mhz clock under the heat sink... DELA S100 is quite amazing network switch, it is very well made with the heavy and good looking chassis, it sound really good when we compared with other switch. Let's compare with DELA S100 with open box now. This version is AfterDark. Black Modernize Edition with modified capacitor by Floyt Germany with Carbon Fiber replace the aluminium top plate. The internal cable is replaced with Dueland Audio Cable. As you see their is extra Capacitor section compared with the Buffalo GS-BS2016. We replaced the Japan capacitor with larger Floyt Audio Capacitor from Germany. We can now confirm the motherboard of DELA S100 is the same as Buffalo GS-BS2016. Someone may noticed that the DELA S100 is only with 8 ports, which is different to Buffalo GS-BS2016 having 16 ports. Actually DELA S100 actually hide the top 8 ports nicely with the back plate and was disabled those port in admin page. The LED can be switch off to eliminate noises. The DELA S100 has external DC port which allow customer to use their Linear Power Supply (LPS) to power them in 12V 1A So we are quite excited to open up the large heat sink and have a look what is inside. The inside is opened, both Buffalo GS-BS2016 and DELA S100 is using BROADCOM BCM53343A, the internal clock is near the silver Broadcom. The excessive size of Aluminium heat sink is good to work 24x7 in commercial. As you may know, the lower the heat, the music representation will be more relax and laid back. The rich representation on sounding and lush airly high may be due to proper sofware implementation and high specification on motherboard, and using a very low jitter re-clock high performance switch with BROADCOM BCM53343A. How we design a modified Buffalo GS-BS2016? Improve the outlook which make it more like a audiophile gear We love the ideas of Cascade of Buffalo GS-BS2016 The device should be powered externally with audiophile grade LPS The power section should be enhanced with more exotic audio capacitors The Giesemann OCXO 25Mhz will be optimised to Cascade of Buffalo GS-BS2016, the power supply will be independent powered with Linear Power Supply, this can avoid the interference further. The Giesemann Clock will be in module, to supply the cleanest clock signal to the board. Two of the Buffalo GS-BS2016 should be fit into one single box The internal wire with optimised with Duelund Silver Cable, and solder with Audio Note The chassis will be using Carbon Fiber to tailor made for fitting two motherboard at once, or there will be single version of Buffalo GS-BS2016. The use of SFP Single Mode Optical Fiber will give you another isolation to connect Cascade of Buffalo GS-BS2016 The additional functions may utilised the function of Giesemann Clock Module to output 10M Master Clock for connecting Mutec MC3-USB The EMI shielding from KAMET corp. will apply to the RJ45 ports Enhancement on Industrial Grade Thermal material from Shin-Etsu (Made in Japan) will apply to CPU again. This is the first version with tailor made 3mm Carbon Fiber material from Japan. It provide the best isolation from external EMI when compared to Aluminium. It simply eliminated the trouble of stacking the two metal case of Buffalo GS-BS2016. By using the larger chassis, this make modification and enhance more easily. This MIFLEX Audio Capacitor is over sized at 70mm x 40mm and placed on DC power section. It take quite a long time to burn in. After run-in for 7 days, the soundstage open up and so much airly, the sounding is just more relax and rich representation when we compared with other switch. The KEMET Aluminium Capacitor is another big plus to improve the micro details and darkness. Miflex KPCU-01 Copper Foil Paper / Polypropylene in Oil "Check out the new Miflex caps, the copper version are amazing. I've been replacing all of the coupling and/or output caps in all my amps from the Jupiter copper to the Miflex caps. IME the Miflex have better tonal density, more punch, more detail and present a blacker background. In almost every respect that I care about, the Miflex are a serious step up. " Do Buffalo GS-BS2016 needs OCXO optimised? We have same impression with member @Cool_Chris, the OCXO brings a very good sounding Buffalo GS-BS2016 to other levels. "This clock simply adds something that is unreachable in normal switches. It is so calm, fluid and transparent that nothing compares to that. No wonder Jord is installing this clock in his best designs. In short it is mine best switch too and I can't imagine to listen without it." New Giesemann OCXO Module developed for Buffalo GS-BS2016 The new designed of Giesemann Clock OCXO 10Mhz Clock Modules can synthesizers any frequency from 1-100Mhz. For example, two Buffalo motherboard required to receive two 25Mhz from a Giesemann 10M Master Clock. Features The product uses the selected audio grade SC cut OCXO, and through long-term calibration to select and install equipment with excellent stability. Ultra High Quality Large Factor 5151 SC Cut OCXO, very low phase noise and frequency stability compared to others small size OCXO specification SC Cut refers to stress compensated (SC) cut crystal resonators, which is more advance on performance of Frequency Vs Temperature changes, longer Crystal Aging. The pro is expensive to made and size is larger then normal OCXO. Then Large Factor size 5151 is around 5cm x 5cm dimension vs small factor 3cm x 2cm, 2 times bigger with better phase noise performances. OCXO are available in tailor made on various audio frequencies on special request. The module can be used on motherboards, and network switch, where the common frequency is 24 and 25 Mhz oscillators. Every Giesemann OCXO Clock (GOC) Modules is square wave out and thus quite suitable for direct connection for Network Switch, Motherboard, USB, Audiophile Network Card. EMI material from KEMET EMI Shielding is placed on top of OCXO, to isolate EMI factors for maximizing OCXO performance . Carbon Fiber material top cover, solid anti-vibration to provide solid EMI/ magnetic coverage. Advanced instrument Symmetricom 5125A calibrated with plotted characteristics. The phase noise, and Allen Derivation defines different grades of the OCXO. Available frequencies: 20Mhz / 22.569Mhz / 24Mhz /24.576Mhz /25 Mhz or customize rate from (1-100Mhz) Total 2 channels per module. For example: OUT1: 25Mhz OUT2: 25Mhz Ipex Shielding Cable to transmit the 25Mhz clock signal from Giesemann Clock to Buffalo GS-BS2016 The crimp terminal Cu/Zn/Ag - HELLA from Germany , the best contact point for power supply for Giesemann Clock Module AfterDark. Black Modernize R-Core Transformer power supply This device is designed to operate with R-Core Transformer for power supply. The Module will come with 35W R-Core Transformer is Audio Grade with great dynamic and provide stable 15AC voltage for the Linear Power Supply (LPS). The power section is design with Ultra Low Noise LDO low-phase voltage LT1963 for the first voltage. LDO + Ultra Low Noise / low-phase voltage LT3045 for the second voltage We believe the better the power supply , the Giesemann clock will perform much better with music flow, so smooth which makes music more organic with authority on BASS. Phase Noise GRADE Phase Noise@ 10Hz Phase Noise@ 1Hz PRINCE -131 -100 QUEEN -132 -103 Giesemann OCXO Clock have two grades to choose, the specification is better than Pink Faun Ultra OCXO (Phase Noise -130 dBC at 10Hz) The Giesemann OCXO Clock Module is greatly benefit with independent Linear Power Supply and located away from the Buffalo motherboard. Therefore, the phase noise is much better when compared with Paul Faun modules requires the power fitting from motherboard, which creates create interference with power noises. AfterDark. Project ClayX Constellation SFP Module + Single Mode optical Cable AfterDark. Project ClayX Cisco SFP+ Optical Cable connecting two Buffalo GS-BS2016 The first listening impression on Buffalo GS-BS2016: This switch is the most natural sounding switch, there is nothing more on the cleaning on signal, so there is warm, and rich representation. Music flow is smooth as silk, treble is lush and fill up the listening areas with a lot details and decay. When we compare to DELA S100, sound is more polite, when compared to Buffalo GS-BS2016. On the other hands, Buffalo is on the real performer, the music is real and right at the right places. The Giesemann OCXO start to open up and perform after 3 hours and soundstage is much wider and mid range is so sweet, this may happened because the capacitor inside started to burn in. After 24 hours powers on, playing music via ROON, my first impression is sounding become so fluid and transparent, the characteristics which other switch do not have. The noise floor is so low, so the micro details can fill the listening areas easily. In addition, we found the bass is more authority, punchy and control. The Cascade of Buffalo GS-BS2016 can amplify the improvement with wider soundstage, this may due to re-clocking of the switches, which makes it happened. Some reviews from audiophile: "The SR7 and Buffalo are still running in - however there is an obvious improvement in the quality of the sound produced already. The flow of music seems more liquid, greater sense of space particularly on live recordings and the dynamic range appears to be extended." by dctom "But the true game changer in my system was the addition of Pink Faun Ultra clocks to the Buffalo 2016Lets call it PFU Buffalo. Nenon was the first to try to use this clock in Buffalo 2016 switch and he really likes it.He was stacking them for better results upto 6 of them. Austinpop (Rajiv) was tesing this switch (PFU Buffalo borrowed fron Nenon) extensively and it was a clear winner in his precise testing Against the other switches he had including Sotm . Additionally Nenon retested PFU Buffalo against the Telegartner M12 and he would still prefer the PFU Buffalo (60%) than Telegartner M12(40%).That is a very good news ." by KRIS To give you the real audition, we shall record some YouTube in 2-3 days. To be continue....