I have just acquired a Melco S1 Ethernet switch to use with my Vivaldi system. Great switch.
The S1 has an external clock input. spec 10 MHz 50 Ohm 0.5 - 5 Vpp.
Can I use my Vivaldi Master Clock to clock the S1 ??
I don’t think you can because Vivaldi outputs either 44.1 or 48k. But, you can get some high quality 10 MHz clock and clock both your Melco and Vivaldi with it.
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As above, you can’t use the vivaldi clock as it doesn’t run 10 MHz.
You can buy a clock with say 2, 10 MHz outputs and then connect this to both the melco and master clock in on the vivaldi clock.
If doing so will actually make the vivaldi better is a question that isn’t clear.
But you can do a search on it and gather info.
Plus maybe try to borrow one and give it a go.
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It is as @hifimckinney says. Whether or not 10mHz clocks bring a meaningful improvement or are just this year’s fashion accesory is for you to find out. So I would only proceed if I could be loaned such a clock or had tight SoR provisions.
- @Anupc, one of our resident networking experts : )
Unless I am mistaken (and happy to be corrected) plugging an external reference 10MHz clock into an Ethernet switch shouldn’t make any difference because Ethernet is an asynchronous data protocol.
In other words, Ethernet divides data into packets (“frames”), sends them across the network, and then reassembles them at the destination, so improving the “timing” of this won’t make a difference.
Connecting an external 10MHz clock could improve the performance of the closed loop Vivaldi system (DAC + Upsampler + Clock + optional Transport) as has been extensively discussed on this forum.
Again, happy to be corrected if I have this wrong.
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Search “Perf 10” for this answer
I am happy with mine
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Understood Gregg. I understand it’s a great product, not too expensive either. I think I have read every clock thread on the forum at least twice (!) ; )
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Spot on. Ethernet Switches are typically based on chipsets from the likes of Broadcom, Marvell, MediaTek, etc., which use a 25MHz Crystal, and don’t require anywhere near the precision that drives the A-to-D conversion stage, as Ethernet is an asynchronous transmission which is self-synchronising based on the transmitted physical signal. Adding a 10MHz reference Clock to an Ethernet Switch is absolutely useless (in the context of Streaming audio).
Unfortunately, as with many things audiophile related, real-world Engineering explanations gets in the way of “alternate facts” from unscrupulous profit-driven vendors who prefer to promote pseudoscience 
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But would it make a difference to the stored music on the melco?
Why would Melco provide an external clock input on the S1 ?? The consensus here seems to be that it would not affect the asynchronous data transmission.
The digital world is really complex for us aged music lovers brought up on Analogue !
It can make no difference as you mention. I recall when the S100 was introduced and the German audio magazine Stereo had an interview with a senior European Melco person. He was asked if they had added a special clock. He replied correctly that such a clock was not necessary. So why do it now?
The likley answer is fashion. If a market expects a feature even if there is no engineering reason for it they have to include it to maintain sales. I remember a similar situation with a loudspeaker manufacturer and providing split crossovers for biwiring. He said that his designers hated the feature as it implied that they did not know what they were doing with the original one. However it had become impossible to sell speakers without it in the Far East. I suspect much the same is occurring here.
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Thanks Pete. I expect you are correct but it would be interesting to hear from someone who has actually used an external clock with a switch.
But I wonder if there are there any other switches available that are equipped with an external clock connection option ??
Have the Uptone etherregen which is provided with a10MHz input. Pulled it out of my chain though as it didn’t bring any effort with my Aurender W20SE. Never used an external clock with it, I really do not expect any difference.
Why, and for what purpose? So their ears could “over-ride” a known, documented, global data protocol and “prove” all of the engineers wrong?
: )