Almost ridiculous difference

+1

I failed to appreciate it at the time, but my vote for the "post of the thread" award would be to Gary.

Surely it has to be "Reason to believe"

I change this week my network cables for Audioquest cinnamon (nas to bridge) and Vodka (Bridge to Naim) and it really sound better...

My network cable evolution:

Basic Cat 5

Good Cat 6e

Audioquest Forest

And finally Cinnamon and Vodka.

And imp 100% sure it sound best with the last ones, more clarity, more definition, more control... better overall.

I follow this post, I understand the reasons for this not be possible, but the true for me it’s that they really improve my sound.

I just want to give my feed-back about it.

Interesting findings, James. I'm still waiting for my Cinnamon lead to arrive. I'm going to use it between the switch and the SuperUniti, which is where I'd expect it to make the biggest difference. Luckily I only need the shortest one they make (0.75m) which costs £65. If that works I'll add another between the UnitiServe and the switch, again only 0.75m. My current cable from router to switch is too long, so I've ordered a standard Cat 7 8m lead for £10. I guess a better cable could be of benefit here, but 8m ones are very pricey. Once it comes, I'll let you know my findings.

James, I'd be interested in your views with your new cables in place without the isolator in circuit.

BTW I have found many of the Netgear bundled SMPS quite appalling in terms of noise.

Simon

Simon, can you recommend a modestly priced linear supply for a Cisco switch? thanks.

I am sorry I can't. I use Cisco 2960 switches and they have inbuilt SMPS and they seem of a high quality I have had no issue with noise with them... I guess you get what you pay for and Cisco is not cheap.

Simon

Thanks Simon. My Cisco switch cost only £40, hence why I thought it can be improved upon. The one you use is clearly in a different league. One day maybe!

I picked up a netgear prosafe 24port gigabit switch for 12 quid at a car bootie. happy days.

Would it be safe to assume that one way or the other the above will be far better than say a cisco 3550 simply due to the gigabit speeds, or are there other factors which I might need to consider?

Hmm.. The 3550 were designed for higher duty tasks than home networks... I suspect the quality and back plane performance would be more than sufficient for home working... However if I remember correctly they are sonically noisy with those fans... But I suspect like all Cisco equipment I have come across they will have a good quality SMPS.

I have no idea about the back plane performance of the pro link gigabit switch.. Not that it matters as the data being shifted in a typical home network is minuscule. I guess in the context of this forum if it is sonically quiet, ie no fans, and is has a good quality well filtered SMPS in built then it should be fine.

I am assuming you are only needing basic unmanaged switch functionality.

Simon

Will do. Looking at the latest rain radar image i think i may have a good excuse to stay in and play !

James

I have been recommended linear power supplies from the CPC website to replace the SMPS on the Netgear switch. Unfortunately, there are more than one so I didn't know which one to go for. Perhaps others with more technical knowledge can advise? Simon?

Cheers,

Keith

Find out the rating on the current supply (Volts DC and current) it may be also stated on the device you are going to connect the new kit up to as well. If it's on both but they are different (within reason!) then pick the higher current capacity... I'd look further afield than bench PSUs towards bespoke boards like those that the 'bear-like' and Paul (sounds like 'Heinz') companies offer, as the design incorporates better stability under varying loads and have taken into account the necessity to minimise noise 'pass through'.  

Thanks Hafler

Simon, it lives in the loft, so depending on your definition of noise, i.e. real sonic noise, then it cannot be heard.

Its a managed switch, netgear GS724T.

I have no idea what back planes mean, I don't suppose we are office levels of data movement here, that being said there are 18 devices on the network, including to servers in constant use.

I guess my question was, there are lots of cisco switches on line with like 16 100 and 4 gigabit slots etc, looks like meaty kit. In the round would they be faster than the netgear. Noise not an issue. Electrical use would be. Reliability, well this netgear has never fallen over.

Gary, in the real world for home usage I think the switches will be much of a muchness unless you are doing some more advanced configurations such QoS, queuing, spanningtree, VLANs, port security, multicast IGMP etc.. 

Unless you are shifting large amounts of data to and from storage drives, 100mbps is fine.. With possibly using 1Gbps for connecting switches together ( which is typically why many older Cisco switches only have 1,2 or 4 gagabit ports)... and as we have discussed before jumbo frames are the best technique for sending large data transfers...

If the switch is in the loft, then as you say the sonic noise from the fans will be irrelevant... 

So perhaps ultimately it comes to SMPS with the switches (electrical noise) ... Do a listening test to see if you prefer one to the other... Or are they the same?

Simon

BTW Back plane refers to the bandwidth capacity of the switch. Most switches can't switch all their ports concurrently at maximum data throughput, because they are bandwidth limited by the back plane of the switch .(processing power of the switch)

MM, good stuff!!