I know some of us here are using audiophile switches, some of which include functionality designed to further improve isolation from noise travelling along ground wires in networks beyond that which is mandated by the Ethernet standard. For instance I have an Uptone Audio EtherREGEN feeding my Vivaldi stack and I know others here are using switches from Melco, SotM, English Electric, Silent Angel etc.
However I hadn’t really focussed on the network filtering product category, despite having used a Baaske Medical Isolator many years ago. I had this between my cable modem and my router, but I actually removed it when we upgraded from cable to fiber based on the (quite possibly mistaken) notion that the bad stuff was coming in from the outside through the copper wire and with the fiber connection I didn’t need it any more.
However, on reading Roy Gregory’s recent article on Gy8 I think I am going to have to look into this again. Roy’s article contains no measurements so I realise it is unlikely to convince Anup, however keeping reading I came across this article by Jaap Veenstra over at Alpha Audio which reaches similar conclusions and which does (and includes the Baaske). If there is some flaw in his methodology I trust Anup will point it out.
Is anyone else here using any of the products mentioned in these articles (or similar)?
I use both Innuos PhoenixNet and Baaske. I am not competent enough to say if the difference can be measured or not but if I were to deduce anything from all the experiments I have done so far, it looks like the key is power supplies to these network equipment. In any case it requires substantial investment because if you do not want to spend on equipment like Innuos or Melco, you will still have to spend on a GOOD linear power supply which again, is expensive (based on my household income :))
I do not think it about the bits/bytes in data stream getting distorted but something more complicated or some areas yet to be explored. I do not think when Ethernet was invented, they thought that we (fools …sorry) will use it for audio.
I’ve tried a few in the past, though all of them have been removed from my current systems.
I think its serves a tangible purpose, but mainly in platforms with cheaper/poor integrated magnetic, not dCS systems.
Fibre provides the ultimate galvanic and noise isolation. So the only thing one would need to care about is the “last foot” or so, from the media converter to your HiFi equipment. If folks believe that that section has the potential for induced high-voltage surge/noise or requiring even more galvanic isolation, then Ethernet filters might have a play.
