Network Switches

I went with the standard SOTM Switch due to finances.  I would love the new Innuos reclocker, but it is simply out of my budget ☹️

I have the SOTM Switch. Very nice sound quality improvement. My son is an IT network tech and security expert. He also heard the improvement. He is open minded and while he does not understand how or why, he knows what he heard.

I also power the SOTM Switch with a good LPS. The ethernet cable used is also important. Everything matters in our digital audio front ends. Everything folks. We are still learning more as this is a relatively young technology. We don’t have all the answers or understandings so there is much room for learning and experiencing if one’s mind is open. The earth is still flat in relation to our current knowledge on this topic and the future is exciting. 

Well my experience with optical connections has been they simply don’t sound as good. May be time to try it again? 

That old argument of miles and miles of this and that before our system is nonsense. Just nonsense. If it were true then nothing would matter in our audio rigs. Power cords, speakers, cables, caps, resistors, power supplies, conditioners, tweaks...,none of makes a difference because of the miles and miles of stuff before our system. Nuts! The last few inches even help!

Understand. One would need to run optical inside the house .....between the walls etc... to use this medium. Correct? Or is it traditional ethernet cabling into one side of the new optical ready switch and optical out of the switch? My server does not accept optical? I guess I am confused as to how optical would work in many current systems. 

+3 steakster

@atdavid & @yyzsantabarbara.   I will let Steakster confirm, but that comment was in no way aimed at you gentlemen. Your posts have been very open minded and helpful.   Thank you for sharing your knowledge.  

@yyzsantabarbara. I very much appreciate your posts. I have been reading on the subject and the new Sonore Opti products. Great stuff.

I have a question. I don’t want to sell and buy a new dac and streamer, but I want to experiment with optical ethernet. My Innuos server/streamer only has conventional ethernet inputs and usb output.  However, my SOTM Switch does have two SFP ports. I am thinking of going optical ethernet out of the SOTM switch into the Sonore optical module to conventional ethernet cable into my Innuos server. This would give me the benefit of lower noise through optical isolation right?

You simply cannot be taken seriously based on how you handle  yourself here.  It would be nice to converse with an adult and one who possesses an open mind is also a plus.  Oh well. 

I used to think ethernet cables could not possibly make a difference or improve sound quality. Well after trying A SOTM Cat 7 cable, it was clear this particular cable made an immediate and quite substantial improvement.

My SOTM switch and Innuos server are not poorly built and I am left with empirical, direct experimental observation, evidence that this particular Ethernet cable, in my system, made for a nice improvement in sound quality. I know my system’s sound very well as I play music for 6-10 hours every day. Not hard for me to detect changes in SQ.

I build and sell USB cables and have compared and meticulously jotted down the sonic differences in these cables. They are very real. When developing my USB cable I tried all manner of conductors ranging from stranded to solid core, silver to copper to silver/gold, 24 gauge to 16 gauge, cotton vs PVC and Tefton dielectrics. I also tried various shields on the +5v Vbus as well as on the entire 4 conductor assembly. In most cases the differences in sound quality ranged from subtle to quite obvious. The materials matter and impact the sound. The build design matters and impacts the sound. Again, I am not learning this from books and theories, but rather through hard work and actual first hand experience.

I have done the same with parts such as capacitors and resistors as I also mod gear for customers and myself. Many think all these parts sound the same as long as they are in spec. Many great and talented audio designers believe this. They are incorrect on this point however. Most likely because they have spent the hours becoming expert in other areas such as design and building of electronics. I am not skilled at design and do not possess the knowledge of these designers. Not even close. I do however consider myself expert on parts and their influence on the sound character of a given piece. I can only claim this has I have done the work, spent the countless hours learning through doing.

All of this to say that ethernet and usb cables do change and impact the sound of our systems. They just do. Frankly, the parts in our switches and power supplies also impact sound quality. Yes, even in digital electronics including switches.  The parts in these switches impact the sound never mind the brand or maker of the switch.  Some text books may say no, but actual empirical evidence says otherwise. 

It all matters in digital is 100% correct! The DC cable also matters from the linear power supply.  The parts in the LPS matter. I am trying the OpticalRendu very soon as I am confident it will matter and help sound quality based on all the user comments I have found. This is a fast moving medium with many innovations ahead of us to enjoy.  

@david_ten, What bridge are you using? Built into your streamer or a separate purchase? Thanks! 

Good you found out for yourself by actually doing it and testing. Now you have first hand experience! I have done the same as was also very impressed with the sonic results! Be sure and use great ethernet cables like the Cat 7 sold by SOTM. At least try it! A good low cost one is the Cat 8 from Supra.  

@yyzsantabarbara. I have an SOTM Switch using SOTM Cat 7 DBL copper ethernet cabling. I also have an Innuos Server/Streamer and will most likely get two of the Sonore optical modules like @thyname.

@thyname. Please share how you set up (Wired) your two optical modules to your Innuos and the resulting sound quality improvement realized?

I have also compared and MQA Tidal and 24/96 and up Qobuz sound as good as my ripped CDs using DB Poweramp software and my  Innuos server/streamer. Regular Tidal and Qobuz sound very, very similar.  So very close.  It depends on your digital front end and system.   No one answer is going to fit for all in all circumstances.   

Please remind us of your digital front end chain? How is it incorporated in your rig.   Thanks. 

 Nice! Please keep us updated. Thank you.

If it is anything like my SOTM switch, when you pair your new switch with nice ethernet cables the combo will make you smile big! 

He never hears a difference and is predisposed to find such an outcome. He is not, and does not care to be, a careful listener passionate about sonic nuance. Realism, natural tonality and the like elude his sensibilities and gifting.   He is a tech guy not connected to these other realities.  Just understand that when reading his comments. 

One cannot measure the difference between Duelund 2.0 uf tinned copper foil CAST capacitors vs a $5 Solen 2 uf cap at the output of the same dac. However, they will sound radically different. One cannot measure the difference of many component upgrades, but they impact the sound greatly. Great sound and measurements can and often have nothing to do with other in many situations. What measures well on that site often sounds rather Hifi like or electronic. Units like the Topping Dac he loves so much is one example. Ever listen to it? Sounds artificial. I’m am sorry, but that site makes me laugh out loud because it is often irrelevant to those looking for great sound. 

Measurements play an important role as does good building techniques, layout, design, parts quality and synergistic pairing of parts.  However, listening and fine tuning based on actual sound is also very important.  It all matters. That’s why I have to laugh at that one note song site.  

@three....This is not that confusing is it? Some things cannot be measured to determine if you will like it or prefer it to another piece of gear.  You just have to listen. Some things can be measured.  We are saying read, measure and listen to decide for yourself. Only you can make this decision. Only using measurements is a ditch. Trusting another’s ears only is a ditch. Avoid ditches and have fun looking! 

I 3rd it! Thanks for the update.  The Cat 7 Ethernet cables I purchased from SOtM really upgraded the sound of my system.  They do matter! 

The Telegärtner M12 Switch Gold sounds very interesting, but goodness it costs more than my switch, server, LPS, router, and cables combined! Look forward to the day this level of sonic improvement is more affordable with switches/filters. 

I have the EE Switch 8 combined with Network Acoustics ENO cabling and Ethernet filter. The combo is amazing, but not sure if it is up to the M12 in performance. Not done an A/B. I bet it is not, but perhaps a great option for far less money. 
@lalitk,

I bet you will know? What say you?

Let me add this final comment. For me, me only, I find myself so engaged to my music that at times it brings me to tears connecting with both the emotions and intentions of the artists. This kind of realism and emotional impact only came about as I improved my digital front end. Everything matters, as they say, when it comes to digital. I’m intentionally curious and rather relentless in my quest for this emotional connection to music. Some call it passion.

Not all will share this passion. For them all of this switch and cable talk is nonsense and a chasing after the wind. This is understandable.

Ethernet cables matter and they impact sound quality in important ways. Only way to know is to try for yourself. Speculation and thinking won’t get you there. You must try. If your system is resolving enough and you care about tone, realism and other sonic characteristics, then you may appreciate the sonic impact.
I use Network Acoustics ENO ethernet cables and their ENO filter. Put both in your system and just listen. The improvement related to noise reduction was just fantastic for me.

Yes, switches also matter. I use the English Electric switch. Not as much improvement as the ENO products, but still important to me. I have an Innuos Zenith 3 server and it certainly responded to these network additions. The difference was not small for me. The end result removed some glare and smearing and helped my digital front end sound far more at ease and natural. Realism improved greatly as more and more noise was removed.


Like all things audio one has to try these in their own system and decide for themselves. No broad-brush statements saying they do nothing or everything are ever accurate in this hobby. To many complexities and variables are at play that we simply don’t fully understand.

I think it’s important we step back and realize just how little the entire human race actually knows about the topic of digital audio and how it relates to individual hearing. In the decades to come we will understand more,  but not right now. In addition, one person can only ever posses a very small percentage of the total knowledge currently available on a given subject (under 5% certainly). So the only way to really know for yourself is to try. To complicate things even further some of the products we try will work well, some not so well, and others not at all. Ha!

Perhaps it’s time to gain valuable empirical evidence with your mind wide open. I’m afraid there are no shortcuts to this experience based approach to digital audio.