Network Switches

Can a digital switch, as the manufacturers and 'reviewers' say it can, improve audio and video streams passing through it. ?

Yes it can. Don't know about video, but audio, yes. The rationale is simple:  It is all about some form of noise (usually either voltage noise or phase noise) hitching a ride along with the digital data (the bits) and getting into the DAC. This causes distortions in the analog signal which somehow affects the human perceptual system. THAT is what an "audiophile switch" attempting to accomplish: getting rid of those noise components before they reach your DAC.

So no switch for me

That was obvious with your first post. So really, not sure why you were posting here. It's not like someone could change your mind and convince you to buy a switch, is it? Besides, why don't you try a switch for yourself? Is it so hard to do?

I am pretty sure you are one of those people from audio "science" forums claiming that all DACs sound the same, and a $50 DAC from China would provide the same SQ as any SOTA DAC. Heck... someone told me there that a DAC is not even part of the audio signal / chain !!

@david_uk_22

But I don't think that your Ferrari/Kia comparison works.

If the sole purpose is to get from a to b and the Kia will do that, then the Ferrari is not needed

Of course the Kia/Ferrari analogy works. If you care about audio you don’t just want to hear music come out (i.e. getting you from point A to B), whether it’s from phono or 192 stream, you want it to present with the least amount of noise layered on top of it. My point is that regardless if whether the digital signal is perfect, it is susceptible to RF/EM noise riding along or being created by power supplies and any gear (including switches) that pass electric current. If another switch can keep this noise out then you can potentially recognize better sound. This isnt about 1s and 0s getting through or not.

Is not the sole purpose of the equipment in question, in both the professional and amateur setups, to get the radio/TV show from a to b ?

What @david 22 in UK?? Are you asking whether the sole purpose of an audio system is get sound coming out of it? An Alexa speaker does that job very well.... so...

@thyname...

This is the level of blatant ignorance and misinformation that I have come to expect from some of the people on this thread...

"It is all about some form of noise (usually either voltage noise or phase noise) hitching a ride along with the digital data (the bits) and getting into the DAC. This causes distortions in the analog signal which somehow affects the human perceptual system. THAT is what an "audiophile switch" attempting to accomplish: getting rid of those noise components before they reach your DAC."

...and this is the level of arrogance that is driving me away...

"I am pretty sure you are one of those people from audio "science" forums claiming that all DACs sound the same, and a $50 DAC from China would provide the same SQ as any SOTA DAC. Heck... someone told me there that a DAC is not even part of the audio signal / chain !!"

My point is that regardless if whether the digital signal is perfect, it is susceptible to RF/EM noise riding along or being created by power supplies and any gear (including switches) that pass electric current.

Sorry but I still don't follow how the digital signal can be susceptible to your "RF/EM noise" , and were it to be possible why is that not considered to be a problem by the professionals. You do realise that in the UK we have DAB radio ?. It is digital all the way from the microphone to the receiver.

What @david 22 in UK?? Are you asking whether the sole purpose of an audio system is get sound coming out of it? An Alexa speaker does that job very well.... so...

No, I am saying that in this case the sole purpose is to safely deliver the audio data. The only difference between an Alexa speaker and the most expensive hi-fi system is the quality of the DAC, the amplifier and the speaker(s). The data it receives is identical. You are thinking of analogue audio.

Back to my original question.

Is there anybody who can explain why the professionals need only normal cables and switches?.

What are they doing differently and why can't I do that on my system?