Melco’s new flagship £4,995 S10 data switch delivers the true potential of networked audio sound quality
31 March 2022, Tokyo, Japan: Melco Audio has launched a high-end network switch, which for the first time, benefits from a separate high-performance linear power supply for the ultimate in networked audio sound quality.
The new S10 becomes Melco’s flagship switch and comprises a ‘head’ unit and a power unit, separating the sensitive data-carrying areas of the design from the power supply. The two-box approach echoes that of the recently announced flagship digital music library, the N10/2, and offers the least compromise when it comes to ultimate sound quality.
The S10’s head unit is based on a heavily upgraded S100 network switch, and benefits from a greatly improved power management section. The head unit’s casework has also been significantly improved with better aluminium used for the casework to improve rigidity and increase isolation for the signal-carrying electronics. A rigid-steel screened chassis offers further mechanical stability.
The rear panel connections include different speed RJ45 Ethernet ports: 4x 100 MB and 4x 1 GB, the latter of which are useful for the Roon Core processor which generates high traffic flow. In addition, 2x 1 GB SFP (Small Form Factor) ports are also included for direct fibre connections and compatibility with supported devices.
A large toroidal transformer forms the bulk of the S10’s power unit and is mounted on a solid base with specialist insulators from Japan’s TAOC. Further features include high-quality Neutrik connectors on the output, plus a high-precision ‘102 SSC’ conductor from Tokyo’s Oyaide for the connecting DC cable.
Price and availability
The S10 network switch is available to order now in black or silver and is priced at £4,999
Audiophile Digital Music Masters Ltd. (distributor) contact details
+44 (0)1252 784525
About Melco
Melco (Maki Engineering Laboratory Company) was established by Makoto Maki in 1975 in Japan. Maki, an enthusiastic audiophile, established the company to design and manufacture the finest audio components of the time; the undoubted masterpiece of the Melco line was the turntable (introduced into the UK in 1980) which set new standards in music reproduction.
From those early beginnings, Melco developed into the largest computer peripherals manufacturer in Japan (Buffalo Inc.), offering advanced products based on rigorous R&D. These included wireless routers, ethernet data switches and storage devices such as NAS drives. Now, the company is proud to revive the highly respected Melco brand, offering discerning audiophiles high-technology network audio components in the spirit of those much-revered early Melco products, while incorporating the very latest research into reliable, high-performance networked devices and storage.
