Post by lurch on Nov 5, 2022 12:54:14 GMT
Collected one of these 'audiophile' switches locally from a seller on pfm. This purchase got picked up by Nick (four legs) and my name got dropped in to a long thread about switches and their efficacy or not. Anyway he said I was a no nonsense person and that I'd no doubt report back with my findings, which I said I would.
NOTE: I paid £250 collected. RRP is £500, though can be found online from £430.
BELOW IS MY REPORT ON PFM.
Okay, here goes, and Bere in mind I don't really have a dog in this fight. At the price I paid for the EE 8 Switch, dependent on MY perceptions on its performance, I can either move it on at no loss or keep it for a while.
Pre switch additions setup: Std Sky 2 port wifi router > Innuos.
Change 1. Add a used Cisco SG100D-05, 5 port small business switch between router and Innuos.
Change 2. Add EE8 switch between router & Innuos.
Change 3. Swap EE8 supplied wallwart for an SBooster 2 ECO + Ultra mk2.
Ethernet cable was whatever 1.5 - 2m lengths of generic Cat5/6 I found in a cupboard.
Streaming Chain:
ZenITH mk3 > Mutec MC-3+USB > Modded Black Ice DSD > MFA Baby Ref > Nord one UP SE NC500MB > ML Summits.
ALL test tracks used were HiRes via Qobuz.
Having run via wifi, a pimped Node2 for 6 years I upgraded to the Innuos ZenITH just over a week ago so was forced down the wired LAN route hence my interest in maxing out this part of my system.
CHANGE 1.
I bought the the Cisco switch for £8 last weekend as a cheap experiment in possible SQ uplift, it only arrived yesterday morning so I inserted via the 2nd port in the router, powered with the supplied wallwart (port 1 had 2x 2m joined via a cheap 1:2 splitter to extend the cable reach between router and steamer) and sat down for a listen and some a/b-ing.
RESULT:
After around 2 hours of listening I came to the conclusion that for the sake of £8 it could stay, there was absolutely NO DIFFERENCE that I COULD DISCERN between Switch and inline splitter.
CHANGE 2.
On returning from collecting the EE8 Switch I inserted it into the network with its supplied SMPS, on port 1, inplace of the el cheapo 1:2 splitter, spent some time re-acclimatising myself to the Cisco chain, then started the a/b swapping back and forth every 30 mins or so and using the same 2 tracks at the end of (a) and the beginning of (b). This continued for 4 hours last night.
RESULT:
If your looking for something to give your digital system a BIG lift then look elsewhere. It took me quite a while to latch on to the subtle, and I mean subtle difference the EE8 made to my streaming experience.
For me and my 63 Yr old ears + slight tinnitus, it didn't magic extra details from the mix, give extra weight/authority to the bass or sweeten the mids. What it did do FOR ME, was make the sound a little more relaxing, I guess you could say it just did some fine polishing around the edges of the sound.
CHANGE 3.
After another 2 hours listening this morning, I swapped the SMPS on the EE8 for an SBooster ECO + Ultra mk2 (left over from the Pimped Node) to see what if any change this would bring.
RESULTS:
Here there was no great change, maybe a slightly cleaner sound than change 2. However if you don't already have a spare 5v LPSU then don't bother acquiring one, your ££s are better spent elsewhere.
MY VERDICT.
If I'd paid full price for this then I would be boxing it up and sending it back on Monday, as the EE8 to my mind does not offer VFM on a cost to performance basis.
If however your hunting that last 1-2%, then maybe its a whole different ballgame.
As it is, and because of what I paid for it, I will leave it in the chain for a couple of months then take it out to see if I miss it, if I don't then it will go back in the various classifieds.
Now spending £99 on a Supra Excalibur USB cable, to replace the Mutec and Black Ice give away ones, that was VFM!!!
NOTE: I paid £250 collected. RRP is £500, though can be found online from £430.
BELOW IS MY REPORT ON PFM.
Okay, here goes, and Bere in mind I don't really have a dog in this fight. At the price I paid for the EE 8 Switch, dependent on MY perceptions on its performance, I can either move it on at no loss or keep it for a while.
Pre switch additions setup: Std Sky 2 port wifi router > Innuos.
Change 1. Add a used Cisco SG100D-05, 5 port small business switch between router and Innuos.
Change 2. Add EE8 switch between router & Innuos.
Change 3. Swap EE8 supplied wallwart for an SBooster 2 ECO + Ultra mk2.
Ethernet cable was whatever 1.5 - 2m lengths of generic Cat5/6 I found in a cupboard.
Streaming Chain:
ZenITH mk3 > Mutec MC-3+USB > Modded Black Ice DSD > MFA Baby Ref > Nord one UP SE NC500MB > ML Summits.
ALL test tracks used were HiRes via Qobuz.
Having run via wifi, a pimped Node2 for 6 years I upgraded to the Innuos ZenITH just over a week ago so was forced down the wired LAN route hence my interest in maxing out this part of my system.
CHANGE 1.
I bought the the Cisco switch for £8 last weekend as a cheap experiment in possible SQ uplift, it only arrived yesterday morning so I inserted via the 2nd port in the router, powered with the supplied wallwart (port 1 had 2x 2m joined via a cheap 1:2 splitter to extend the cable reach between router and steamer) and sat down for a listen and some a/b-ing.
RESULT:
After around 2 hours of listening I came to the conclusion that for the sake of £8 it could stay, there was absolutely NO DIFFERENCE that I COULD DISCERN between Switch and inline splitter.
CHANGE 2.
On returning from collecting the EE8 Switch I inserted it into the network with its supplied SMPS, on port 1, inplace of the el cheapo 1:2 splitter, spent some time re-acclimatising myself to the Cisco chain, then started the a/b swapping back and forth every 30 mins or so and using the same 2 tracks at the end of (a) and the beginning of (b). This continued for 4 hours last night.
RESULT:
If your looking for something to give your digital system a BIG lift then look elsewhere. It took me quite a while to latch on to the subtle, and I mean subtle difference the EE8 made to my streaming experience.
For me and my 63 Yr old ears + slight tinnitus, it didn't magic extra details from the mix, give extra weight/authority to the bass or sweeten the mids. What it did do FOR ME, was make the sound a little more relaxing, I guess you could say it just did some fine polishing around the edges of the sound.
CHANGE 3.
After another 2 hours listening this morning, I swapped the SMPS on the EE8 for an SBooster ECO + Ultra mk2 (left over from the Pimped Node) to see what if any change this would bring.
RESULTS:
Here there was no great change, maybe a slightly cleaner sound than change 2. However if you don't already have a spare 5v LPSU then don't bother acquiring one, your ££s are better spent elsewhere.
MY VERDICT.
If I'd paid full price for this then I would be boxing it up and sending it back on Monday, as the EE8 to my mind does not offer VFM on a cost to performance basis.
If however your hunting that last 1-2%, then maybe its a whole different ballgame.
As it is, and because of what I paid for it, I will leave it in the chain for a couple of months then take it out to see if I miss it, if I don't then it will go back in the various classifieds.
Now spending £99 on a Supra Excalibur USB cable, to replace the Mutec and Black Ice give away ones, that was VFM!!!
