Comments on: Audio Ramblings and the AQVOX SE Switch - A Step in the Right Direction

By: brodie7838

brodie7838 — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 01:10:00 +0000

In reply to PositiveFeedbackDiscussions. I believe I am being quite civil; I am simply defending my position and challenging Peter Zuiderveld to provide a reasonably compelling argument that backs up their currently unfounded objections. I'm reasonably qualified in my field to be speaking to this exact topic and am confused how being an "Enthusiast in astronomy and quantum mechanics" is even remotely relevant here, much less 6 months after the article and my original comment were published. If you still feel my comments are in need of moderation, please go ahead and remove all of them from the site.

By: PositiveFeedbackDiscussions

PositiveFeedbackDiscussions — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 00:54:00 +0000

In reply to brodie7838. Please keep it civil.

By: brodie7838

brodie7838 — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 00:02:00 +0000

In reply to Peter Zuiderveld. Nah dude, I already explained my position as technically as is merited for the topic at hand. It's not 'my' truth, it is the truth - by definition of which there can only be one. I've provided a logical and technologically backed argument against this product, so if you're so convinced I'm wrong, go ahead and provide an equally compelling argument for it, for the rest of us. My guess is you have nothing but more ambiguous platitudes. And what do your hobbies have to do with any of this?

By: Peter Zuiderveld

Peter Zuiderveld — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 20:35:00 +0000

In reply to brodie7838. Enthusiast in astronomy and quantum mechanics here. You preach what you learned as a network engineer. It's your truth but please take the challenge and go listening and trust your hearing system (=your brain). You have me convinced that you cannot explain the difference with your present knowledge. Fact is, there is more we do not understand than that we understand and we judge most because of a misunderstanding.

By: Karthik B

Karthik B — Sun, 02 Sep 2018 10:23:00 +0000

In reply to Pierre Keler. One more nod for the Cisco 2960 from me. NO other switch improved my stereo like the Cisco did. Full disclosure I never got a chance to compare it against the audiophile network switches

By: Pierre Keler

Pierre Keler — Sun, 26 Aug 2018 14:53:00 +0000

In reply to PositiveFeedbackDiscussions. I am convinced you have heard an improvement with the aqvox se switch, in your system. Network optimization seems to give different results in different systems and domestic networks. Some heard no differences with expensive ethernet cables vs cheap ones. The same perhaps with switches. For myself, the cisco 2960-8tc gave the most positive results. But I have not heard personally the aqvox.

By: brodie7838

brodie7838 — Sat, 25 Aug 2018 15:08:00 +0000

Network Engineer here. I have to agree with Tonye - this seems like snake oil to me. The only thing that seems plausible about this is improving the external power supply to produce less EM noise - maybe. A switch is a switch, unless it has a fan all of its components are solid-state and produce no noise to begin with and the components are generally inside a metal enclosure from an EM standpoint. The actual function of a network switch is all digital as well; it's all 1's and 0's so using "fancy" CAT6 cables is very unlikely to result in better performance, and certainly would not change the TCP IP payload (the data). When data is transmitted it is sequencedt and then the receiver sends back an acknowledgement to the sender. This ensures every last byte was received the way it was transmitted. Missing data is resent to ensure no corruption or incomplete packets. Latency and jitter don't really play into what this product seems to be trying to solve. In short: the OSI Model ensures that data traversing an Ethernet network won't see any sort of performance degredation nor improvement, by using 'better' cables or switches. This seems like the 'gold-plated HDMI cable' of networking to me.

By: PositiveFeedbackDiscussions

PositiveFeedbackDiscussions — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 16:52:00 +0000

Knowing that a device such as the AQVOX SE would cause some disturbances and differences among our readers, let us share this from our FAQ Page... All DISQUS comments must be approved at our end to appear on the site (we have the option of approving or not, marking the comment Spam, Editing the comment, or simply Deleting it—all of these are our Editorial decision, not yours) and while we get to them as quickly as possible, again be patient as it might be a few hours or even a day or two before it appears (We are not at the computer 24/7—we do like our sleep—and there are days where we might be traveling, covering a show, or just not online for some reason). Meaning no need to post twice. Please note: Comments that are derogatory, inflammatory, condescending, or simply mean and not in the spirit of conversation—that is they should add to the discussion and not detract—will not be approved or will have such comments or wording edited out for approval at our discretion. So be civil. We have no issues with a difference of opinion, but like we said, present it in a way that furthers the conversation and not one that is argumentative and demeaning.

By: PositiveFeedbackDiscussions

PositiveFeedbackDiscussions — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 16:48:00 +0000

In reply to Pierre Keler. Am sure that there are many others, who like me, found a beneficial difference. A big audio world out there for everyone to find their happiness.

By: PositiveFeedbackDiscussions

PositiveFeedbackDiscussions — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 14:55:00 +0000

In reply to Pierre Keler. Sounds like a promising alternative. Thanks for the information.

By: Pierre Keler

Pierre Keler — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 14:51:00 +0000

the aqvox se switch was tested in stereophile. The reviewer said that the improvement was so minimal that he prefers to put money elsewhere. On the devialet chat, some tested it and were not convinced.
Myself i was using netgear switch powered by an hdplex. I tried the paul pang tcxo switch which didn’t convinced me too.
Today i am using a 8 port cisco 2960 8tc, which is the only switch that improved quite dramatically the sound. This switch costs around 700 dollars. The sound is bigger, with better bass and more body and involvement. It is audible the first seconds. I use audioquest diamonds ethernet cables and naim nds.

By: David W. Robinson

David W. Robinson — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 07:09:00 +0000

In reply to tonye. You might try making your point without all of the sarcasm, tonye. Tripping over yourself is hardly the way to go, eh? Dr. David

By: firedog55

firedog55 — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 07:07:00 +0000

Uptone Audio is about to come out with their own quiet/isolating switch. I think it will cost less.

By: tonye

tonye — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 05:52:00 +0000

In reply to PositiveFeedbackDiscussions. It's simple design, which we have been doing since the beginning of TCP IP. Besides, device driver design also works that way. Not just me, it's an industry standard and an audiophile switch is next to snake oil.. if you really want to implement reliable transmission at Layer 2 then get a managed switch. An 8 port managed switch runs about 120 bucks.

By: PositiveFeedbackDiscussions

PositiveFeedbackDiscussions — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 05:05:00 +0000

In reply to tonye. Hey, if you can do it better for less, then go right ahead.

By: tonye

tonye — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 01:14:00 +0000

And then, all you really gotta do is put a large enough memory buffer in the DAC and clock the data out of the memory with its own dedicated clock that is in sync with the DAC... and all of this goes out the window.

Sorry, but I've programmed devices for four decades and all you need to do is decouple the clocks for the reads and writes and install a big enough buffer that it never goes empty.

But, if you wish, I'll sign my managed switches and sell them to you as Tony's Signature. I'll even put it in the freezer, with a magnet on top, for a couple of weeks to make sure all crystalline structures are aligned properly along the best sounding axis. Micro dynamics and color, you know?