Unexpected convo at ultra high end audio salon

[FrantzM]

In a $ 1000000 system the thing that bothered you the most was the “cheap” switch

Honestly, I would probably be more bothered by the fact that the system has no room correction Yes, that is pure speculation on my part, but I’m 99.999% sure I’m right

+1

Posted similar in my post #20

Peace

 

[dweeeeb2]

They aren't engineers. They are scammers.

C’mon an engineer can scam as well as anyone

 

[voodooless]

More a case of making sure every component was satisfyingly expensive though.

But that is never the argument, is it? It's always about audibility.

 

[Axo1989]

But that is never the argument, is it? It's always about audibility.

Yes. I don't really get it. And personally I'm often happy to pay for aesthetics/haptics/UI/UX without necessarily getting a raw performance improvement. There are lot of reasons we can like things, without making up more.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

That’s why you need to separate between streamer, dac, preamp, and amp. So, at least 4 devices that come from 4 different brand/manufacturers.

..........and more cables.

 

[GXAlan]

Network Switches - Yamaha USA

usa.yamaha.com

I would be interested in these audiophile switches though.

 

[OldTimer]

..........and more cables.

of course for the inter connect. Also good for the industry

 

[klettermann]

This turned out to be more interesting than I would have guessed, thanks. To elaborate a little, the $700 switch was the tip of the iceberg. The owner kind of latched on to that cause I'm running a big server (though mostly for video).

Also, somebody mentioned room EQ. We actually did talk about that. The answer was that none was used cause it's too spacially dependent (what sounds good on one place sounds bad somewhere else). Instead, the room has extensive wall treatments, diffusers, bass traps, and all that. It really did sound damn good over a wide area. But here's the rub. My system would probably cost me $12k to replace and would probably be considered "mid high end." So what is that extra $988,000 buying?

Anyway, I have to admit, I do find the idea of a $1mio system socially troublesome. And that doesn't include another $150k (or whatever) for the perfect listening room, the acoustic treatments, the noise-free battery\inverter setup for perfect power, etc etc. I feel the same about having multiple $8mio houses, super yachts, etc, but all that is a topic for another forum.

 

[mhardy6647]

Just, no. Ethernet is used in data centres at up to 100gigabits per second, with essentially no loss.

Ahh, but all of the high end resides in that weasel-word "essentially".

 

[Cbdb2]

The only story I've heard that makes any kind of sense is that noise on the Ethernet can get into the host's power rail and cause issues with a DAC clock. it's not that the Ethernet frame is bad. I don't remember where I saw that, and I don't think it made any meaningful errors in the analog reconstruction. Anyway, just spreading more unreferenced gossip.

As far as the power rails are concerned the pulses of the bits are noise.

 

[BlackTalon]

C’mon an engineer can scam as well as anyone

Probably on average more capable of scamming than most. But thanks to the code of ethics registered professional engineers adhere to, they will not do so.

...well, some of them will. And they'll probably make a lot of money.

 

[dweeeeb2]

Probably on average more capable of scamming than most. But thanks to the code of ethics registered professional engineers adhere to, they will not do so.

...well, some of them will. And they'll probably make a lot of money.

Its all in the wording. “To me this sounds better”

 

[ahofer]

Innovative Audio? A few years ago I got the cable hardsell from the boss there, as well as arguing that ATC passives with “proper amplification” would sound much better. It was a bit too much horse hockey for one afternoon.

 

[ta240]

Ahh, but all of the high end resides in that weasel-word "essentially".

It must be tough for those that can hear the difference from the type of screw that is used to hold the faceplate on the outlet their amp is plugged into.

 

[ta240]

.... And if $$$$$ is no object, as it obviously isn't with a $1.000,000 system, then what's the harm? After all, why leave any stone unturned? .....

It is all price relative. As part of a million dollar system it costs next to nothing. But a lot of people don't go 'well, someday I'll have a system like that and then I'll need that network switch'. Instead they say 'my system that cost a few thousand dollars sounds really good, but imagine how much better it could be with that network switch'

I was in BestBuy a few years ago and a guy was buying a sound bar, apparently, to listen to music and as the salesman was writing up the sale he plugged a device into the outlet and it screeched like crazy and then he plugged it into their power conditioner and it was silent. All the salesman said was something along the lines of "this will clean up the noisy power going into it" The customer just waved his hand and said 'sure, I guess I need that too'. The power conditioner was a couple hundred dollars, 10-15% the price of his sound bar and there was no audible noise from the sound bar between songs and there were no power conditioners used on their display units.

If there aren't some already, it will just be a matter of time before there are slightly fancy network switches priced for the lower end systems. And then people with $2000 systems will be using $100-$200 network switches with gold plating and....

 

[BillG]

On a recent trip to NYC I dropped into an uber high end salon just to check it out. It's owned by a big name audio guy who has been in the business for decades.

I had a friend whose father owned a high end audio store in Manhattan years ago.

Those places are just playing the Wall Street crowd for suckers because those people have money to burn. Considering that the stock market is essentially just legalized gambling, I really don't have an issue with its big players being taken advantage of. Many of those same players are involved in all sorts of financial crimes that they get away with for a slap on the wrist. Ex. The global financial crisis of 2007 - 2008.

 

[Oso Polar]

tcp is tcp?

Hmm, an oversight? As a software engineer, I see an opportunity for TCP-A (TCP for Audio)! It'll provide 100% compatibility with TCP (to the point of being indistinguishable) and ensure that packets with audio data are treated well. For a modest additional fee... Imagine TCP-A certified switches and routers! Ethernet cables! Hmm, definitely a missed opportunity.

 

[kemmler3D]

Hmm, an oversight? As a software engineer, I see an opportunity for TCP-A (TCP for Audio)! It'll provide 100% compatibility with TCP (to the point of being indistinguishable) and ensure that packets with audio data are treated well. For a modest additional fee... Imagine TCP-A certified switches and routers! Ethernet cables! Hmm, definitely a missed opportunity.

Sounds like MQA all over again...

 

[boxerfan88]

As a software engineer, I see an opportunity for TCP-A (TCP for Audio)! It'll provide 100% compatibility with TCP (to the point of being indistinguishable) and ensure that packets with audio data are treated well.

An audiophile AES67 switch?

 

[DonR]

"every packet is transported with the utmost care to ensure it preserves even the finest detail." - this quote is available to audiophile switch manufacturers for a modest sum.