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Silent Angel Bonn N8 Audio Grade Ethernet Switch

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amirm

amirm

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There are pictures online.

MG_0641_large.png


MG_0663_large.png


Pretty exciting, hah?
 

wwenze

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Should have used a different exhaust venting pattern

Or is that pattern audiophile-y enough
 

wwenze

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Sorry if what I said triggered a witchhunt (or am I flattering myself), but the external appearance does not always reflect the internal.

For example, putting a big TCXO on a separate board is never done in normal switches. A TCXO... on a separate board... I'm hoping there are small-value capacitors on the other side of the board, too. Giving the benefit of doubt.

Next, ethernet switches are usually terminated with ICs or transformers (multi-transformer packages)
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/y37LWSbKDos7AvSqSEN9xi-650-80.jpg
https://www.insidegadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_3383.jpg

so something like the Silent Angel is... different. Might be many individual transformer packages.

So at the very least, I dare to say it is at least built differently on the inside.
 
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Francis Vaughan

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Looking a range of on-line picures it looks suspciciously like they have taken an existing generic product, removed the crystal from the board, and connected their own. (There is one on-line pic with a board that clearly shows pads for a de-soldered crystal). Other than that, they have added an "adsorbing layer" on the case under the board to prevent RF contamination of their fabulous crystal. Probably a BOM of a couple of dollars. Some crystals can rush you $10. The Meanwell PS probably costs more than the switch.
 

RayDunzl

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D

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Although I am in total agreement with everyone here, that a switch is not going to impact sound quality, surely we should be testing it with terrible components rather than those that we know already have superb rejection?

I get the argument that people are likely to pair this with high performing gear but what we are really interested in is does it do anything different/better compared to a standard switch? Shouldn’t we be testing things like this with the most poorly isolated streamer available to you Amir?

When it then fails to make any difference at all, the case for not wasting money on things like this becomes even stronger.
 

gvl

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Although I am in total agreement with everyone here, that a switch is not going to impact sound quality, surely we should be testing it with terrible components rather than those that we know already have superb rejection?

What can be more terrible than a $40 Pi streamer?

Oops, it hasn't been tested - my bad.
 

Doodski

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Although I am in total agreement with everyone here, that a switch is not going to impact sound quality, surely we should be testing it with terrible components rather than those that we know already have superb rejection?

I get the argument that people are likely to pair this with high performing gear but what we are really interested in is does it do anything different/better compared to a standard switch? Shouldn’t we be testing things like this with the most poorly isolated streamer available to you Amir?

When it then fails to make any difference at all, the case for not wasting money on things like this becomes even stronger.
The best and worst digital circuitry both have great rejection and acceptance of poor and good digital signals. It's a moot point due to the nature of the circuitry and signals.
 
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amirm

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Shouldn’t we be testing things like this with the most poorly isolated streamer available to you Amir?
I don't own any other streamer other than piecing together some kind of Raspberry Pi.
 

wwenze

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Although I am in total agreement with everyone here, that a switch is not going to impact sound quality, surely we should be testing it with terrible components rather than those that we know already have superb rejection?

I get the argument that people are likely to pair this with high performing gear but what we are really interested in is does it do anything different/better compared to a standard switch? Shouldn’t we be testing things like this with the most poorly isolated streamer available to you Amir?

When it then fails to make any difference at all, the case for not wasting money on things like this becomes even stronger.

"But your equipment is not transparent enough to reveal the difference"
 
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