$600 Hi-Fi-grade network switch, anyone?

[mooseblaster]

Once again, we turn to the audiophiles to come up with computing snake-oil, in the form of an 8-port network switch that can improve the sound of streaming audio and costs over $600:

 

Quote

English Electric announced the device at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show with claims that the English Electric 8switch can act as a filter for streamed audio to remove unwanted noise which regular computer industry-made switches and routers never consider. 

 

As the name suggests, the switch is an 8-port gigabit device which will likely retail for between £400-500 when it arrives later this year. The Chord Company MD, Alan Gibb said:

 

"Most streaming equipment comes from the computing industry without the same care and attention as hi-fi kit. In computing, it's all about getting your packets across from one place to another and if you can get  your email or word file, then you're fine."

https://www.whathifi.com/news/chord-company-revives-english-electric-debuts-network-switch

 

In addition, The Chord Company has also announced a special 'ChordOhmic fluid' that you can put on your interconnects to 'create a greater contact area that lowers that contact’s resistance and thus allows more current (the signal) to flow.' Yours for only £200 for 10ml!

[Guest]

They're releasing a ton of memes this week lol.

[Guest]

I wear my Hi-Fi socks so I can be properly grounded to listen to clearer music.

[Derkoli]

25 minutes ago, mooseblaster said:

Once again, we turn to the audiophiles to come up with computing snake-oil, in the form of an 8-port network switch that can improve the sound of streaming audio and costs over $600:

 

https://www.whathifi.com/news/chord-company-revives-english-electric-debuts-network-switch

 

In addition, The Chord Company has also announced a special 'ChordOhmic fluid' that you can put on your interconnects to 'create a greater contact area that lowers that contact’s resistance and thus allows more current (the signal) to flow.' Yours for only £200 for 10ml!

Welcome to the world of old men with too much retirement money. We have other memes for you to browse aswell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've bought my fair share of stupid expensive audio gear, but I've only got expensive cables for aesthetics. Chord Company RCA's sound no different to 15 dollar KabelDirekt RCA cables off of amazon.

[porina]

34 minutes ago, mooseblaster said:

Once again, we turn to the audiophiles to come up with computing snake-oil, in the form of an 8-port network switch that can improve the sound of streaming audio and costs over $600:

But those packets will be so much cleaner if you use audio-grade capacitors and oxygen free copper.

 

34 minutes ago, mooseblaster said:

In addition, The Chord Company has also announced a special 'ChordOhmic fluid' that you can put on your interconnects to 'create a greater contact area that lowers that contact’s resistance and thus allows more current (the signal) to flow.' Yours for only £200 for 10ml!

Ok, does liquid metal react with gold? Would likely work out much cheaper, and have more of an effect.

 

 

Having said the above, I did have a US$100 subwoofer cable. It must be really good, as it came "free" with the sub I bought. Best/worst value questionable product I actually bought was a ~US$25 bottle of aquarium glass cleaner. It does work well, I also use it on monitor screens equally. (no, I didn't benchmark it against lower cost glass cleaners)

[PlayStation 2]

Can’t wait to improve quality on VHS ta-oh wait. 

[TempestCatto]

As someone who does live sound as a side thing, quality of things does matter. Which usually means you're paying a hefty premium for the stuff that will take a beating and deliver top notch performance at the same literal time. I do see value in the switch - assuming it uses audio grade hardware like capacitors and that. It could easily be used to route signaling on your Dante network, connect AVIOM's, etc. But, like everything, you can go too far.

 

This?

1 hour ago, mooseblaster said:

Chord Company has also announced a special 'ChordOhmic fluid'

Not far enough /s

[2FA]

32 minutes ago, TempestCatto said:

As someone who does live sound as a side thing, quality of things does matter. Which usually means you're paying a hefty premium for the stuff that will take a beating and deliver top notch performance at the same literal time. I do see value in the switch - assuming it uses audio grade hardware like capacitors and that. It could easily be used to route signaling on your Dante network, connect AVIOM's, etc. But, like everything, you can go too far.

Ethernet is digital and checksummed, there is no affect by noise unless you mean packet loss, which shouldn't happen with any quality switch of sufficient spec. The only place noise matters is when the digital signal gets turned to analog.

[Dabombinable]

1 hour ago, porina said:

But those packets will be so much cleaner if you use audio-grade capacitors and oxygen free copper.

 

Ok, does liquid metal react with gold? Would likely work out much cheaper, and have more of an effect.

 

 

Having said the above, I did have a US$100 subwoofer cable. It must be really good, as it came "free" with the sub I bought. Best/worst value questionable product I actually bought was a ~US$25 bottle of aquarium glass cleaner. It does work well, I also use it on monitor screens equally. (no, I didn't benchmark it against lower cost glass cleaners)

This is gold your talking about, its one of the least reactive metals.

[jasonvp]

I'm both an audio nerd by nature, and a Network Architect by profession.  That entire article in the OP just made me laugh.

 

A lot.

[rcmaehl]

[Dabombinable]

1 hour ago, huilun02 said:

And then you realize the market is full of toslink cables with gold connectors

Whats up with that?

People being ignorant of what toslink actually is (got one of those cables for my grandmother's soundbar - all plastic connectors).

[RejZoR]

I guess you can also use it as a lube. Because at the price they are selling it to you, you'll need it.

[kokakolia]

I dunno what’s worst: the chord company selling this junk or the specialized press and “knowledgeable audio review channels” hyping it. 

[dalekphalm]

15 hours ago, TempestCatto said:

As someone who does live sound as a side thing, quality of things does matter. Which usually means you're paying a hefty premium for the stuff that will take a beating and deliver top notch performance at the same literal time. I do see value in the switch - assuming it uses audio grade hardware like capacitors and that. It could easily be used to route signaling on your Dante network, connect AVIOM's, etc. But, like everything, you can go too far.

 

This?

Not far enough /s

You're right in that sometimes quality does matter.

 

But not here.

 

This is a literal scam.

 

As mentioned above, anything you're streaming is already using established network protocols, and being transmitted as digital packets.

 

If you were overly concerned about quality and longevity of the switch itself, you'd be much better off spending half the price and getting a small enterprise grade Cisco switch (or similar like HP Aruba). It would be more reliable, and it would work literally just as well for streaming.

 

The only way a network switch can interfere with your streaming, is if there are network issues happening, and you're getting data loss. It sure as fuck won't make your stream any clearer or sound better.

[GilmourD]

Literally the ONLY way I could see this being of any value is if it was shielded and didn't output any RF noise while sitting next to audio equipment. That is the ONLY way this could be of benefit to audio quality going through it.

[Derkoli]

5 minutes ago, GilmourD said:

Literally the ONLY way I could see this being of any value is if it was shielded and didn't output any RF noise while sitting next to audio equipment. That is the ONLY way this could be of benefit to audio quality going through it.

If someone has enough money to dump onto this, the other gear they own would have sufficient RF shielding. Some new gear uses the enclosure as a faraday cage to shield internal components, My McIntosh C53 Pre-Amp does something similar, the chassis is grounded internally, so it kind of acts as a faraday cage.

[GilmourD]

1 minute ago, Derkoli said:

If someone has enough money to dump onto this, the other gear they own would have sufficient RF shielding. Some new gear uses the enclosure as a faraday cage to shield internal components, My McIntosh C53 Pre-Amp does something similar, the chassis is grounded internally, so it kind of acts as a faraday cage.

Shielding isn't difficult.

 

What this thing claims to do, though, is complete horsepucky. 

[Derkoli]

Just now, GilmourD said:

Shielding isn't difficult.

 

What this thing claims to do, though, is complete horsepucky. 

Yeah it 100% is lol.

 

I own Chord Company interconnects/cables, and while they are extremely well made, they don't sound any different at all to 15 dollar KabelDirekt RCA cables.

[GilmourD]

1 hour ago, Derkoli said:

Yeah it 100% is lol.

 

I own Chord Company interconnects/cables, and while they are extremely well made, they don't sound any different at all to 15 dollar KabelDirekt RCA cables.

It's Monster Cables times 1000. At least there's some dubious science behind Monster. This is just BS. LOL

[Salv8 (sam)]

21 hours ago, Derkoli said:

electrons move at 40 mph!!!!!! how the fuck does this help?!?!?!?

a fucking EMP field would work better!!!!!!

why can't i hear anything?

oh! my EMP field is on, it improves sound quality by removing interference from electronic equipment!

but that affects the equipment that you are using for audio production...

exactly!

...

 

i swear i get more headaches from this then from my stress of living my life.

[Derkoli]

13 minutes ago, Salv8 (sam) said:

electrons move at 40 mph!!!!!! how the fuck does this help?!?!?!?

a fucking EMP field would work better!!!!!!

why can't i hear anything?

oh! my EMP field is on, it improves sound quality by removing interference from electronic equipment!

but that affects the equipment that you are using for audio production...

exactly!

...

 

i swear i get more headaches from this then from my stress of living my life.

It's funny, because Tachyon Fields are hyopthetical, So that product proves something were not sure is real, and these hypothetical fields also affect our audio gear!

[JoshHendi]

Seems like some super thick oil here jeeez

[Monkey Dust]

To be fair those Siltech Triple Crown Speaker Cables to look, from an aesthetic point of view, pretty awesome. Not 55K of awesome, obviously.

 

 

[WereCatf]

On 2/22/2020 at 1:14 AM, mooseblaster said:

Once again, we turn to the audiophiles to come up with computing snake-oil, in the form of an 8-port network switch that can improve the sound of streaming audio and costs over $600

It never ceases to amaze (and seriously depress and disappoint) me how many people just have zero morals and are entirely willing to basically rob other people. I couldn't bring myself to even work for a company like this, let alone run one.

 

_{Sometimes I can't help but wonder if there's just something wrong with me, when I don't value money enough to pull off something like this, when everyone else seems entirely willing?}