12-04-2019, 07:15 PM
Voici la traduction google en anglais(plus fiable qu'en français de nos amis néerlandais
The test was carried out completely blind for the test panel. The first idea was to do it double blind. But in the end that didn't work, because every switch has a recognizable appearance. Even if there was a cloth over it. In addition, the Ansus switch had to be disconnected from the power, as it can affect the display. That would immediately tell which is going on.
For the test, we pulled a - solid solid, copper - SFP-CAT6a cable of approximately 16 meters from the server room to the Metrum Acoustics Ambre. Each switch to be tested is linked to a Netgear GS724T v3. This is again connected via fiber to our core switch. The ROON core also indirectly depends on the Netgear. The NAS with music is directly connected to the Netgear. Each switch is supplied with the standard adapter. This is because we want to test everything "as-is". Not everyone has an Sbooster, IFI or other luxury food.
The test set consists of:
Pass Labs XP-12
Bryston 4B SST3
Metrum Acoustics Ambre
Metrum Acoustics Pavane (I2S connected)
Focal Sopra No1 speakers (with isoacoustics feet)
Cables from Grimm Audio, Audioquest
Kemp and Isotek filter (titan)
We played three tracks:
Paul Simon - Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
Massive Attack - Angel
Steven Wilson - Pariah (live Royal Albert Hall)
We play every track - except for Pariah - for 30 seconds. And that 2x to get a good idea. After the three tracks, we switch the switch and the list starts again.
Five plus three
We let five switches play in the first round. Then we took the winner from the first round to play with that one more time. Each round starts with a base-line test with a standard switch. So the order is:
standard Netgear (getting used to the sound / baseline)
Fidelizer EtherStream (399 euros)
Ansus switch (1999 euros)
Fiber (250 euros complete)
Netgear standard (149 euros, 24 ports)
Bonn N8 (€ 395)
Standard Netgear (getting used to again after a break)
Bonn N8 (€ 395)
SoTM - basic model (999 euros)
Meraki enterprise 8 port with fiber and PoE (799 euros)
We were able to deploy a group of 5 and then 4 people for this test. The "break group" was able to relax with a drink and food.
After a day of testing and full forms you have a lot of data. We have received a form with + and and -en from one reader / tester. We could not include that data, but we did compare it with the averages. Fortunately it would not affect the outcome. We have also included the comments on the forms in the conclusion of this article. That is perhaps even more interesting.
Difficult
Of course we asked what everyone thinks. It appears that differences are audible, but that they are small. And sometimes very difficult to explain. This is also apparent from the scores. Some models are very close together. However; everyone agreed on the top 3. And that is also apparent from the scores.
We have looked at the data in various ways: average, median and distribution of the scores. The scores for the Top-3 are fairly close to each other. The least appreciated switch in this test are two readers who don't like it. The rest is around average. The Meraki scores high and the most coherent. The SoTM idem and the Silent Angel have a major outlier.
To give you insight into how close it is to each other, we have put all the data in graphs. It is up to you to come to a conclusion. Our conclusion for the time being: it is audible. But make sure the basics are right before you start working on this. It is a dot on the "i". No more.
Averages per switch
Score per Track
Scores average
Total points - final score
What is striking here is how consistently the Cisco Meraki scores. The SoTM also scores fairly equally among all participants. The Bonn N8 slightly less, but that outlier is mainly upwards. The Netgear, Ansus and the Fiber have a big dip in the score. These three are the only ones who have failed, although the fiber is assessed as less "erratic". However, the Ansus again has two failings. Remarkable, since with 2000 euros that is the most expensive switch in this test. We read "sharp", "flatter" and "hard" back there. For the Bonn, Meraki and SoTM especially: "Nice tonal balance", "YES!", "Large" and "Deep low".
The Fidelizer EtherStream is average, but, oddly enough, scores slightly lower across the board than the standard Netgear and the Fiber solution. It is a crazy world ... Anyone who looks critically at the data will see that the Fidelizer scores more consistently. We would therefore set it to 4 and not to 6, given that it did not pass.
Spread of scores
Spread Scores
Spread scores - per switch
Scores all readers
As you can see here, the spread is still fairly limited. Down on a few notable outliers at the Ansus and Netgear. Apparently those switches do something. The Fiber solution is not everyone's taste either. The rest of the test field is fairly stable in the assessments and is fairly close to each other. With a consistently higher score among the winners.
Scores per reader - per model and track
Score reader 8
Score reader 7
Score reader 6
Score reader 5
Score Reader 4
Score reader 3
Score reader 2
Score reader 1
We have indicated the score per reader for your insight. This way you can see how the assessments are individual. You can also read from this that it is extremely difficult for some readers to observe differences. And that is it. Certainly blind!
We streamed live this entire day to let you watch. And grateful use has been made of that. Very nice! This day tastes for more!
Today's conclusion: yes ... a switch makes an audible difference. However, the differences are small. The basis of the set and the acoustics must be correct. Otherwise it is a shame to invest so much money. But the fact is: it is audible. The data in this test also show that.
The test was carried out completely blind for the test panel. The first idea was to do it double blind. But in the end that didn't work, because every switch has a recognizable appearance. Even if there was a cloth over it. In addition, the Ansus switch had to be disconnected from the power, as it can affect the display. That would immediately tell which is going on.
For the test, we pulled a - solid solid, copper - SFP-CAT6a cable of approximately 16 meters from the server room to the Metrum Acoustics Ambre. Each switch to be tested is linked to a Netgear GS724T v3. This is again connected via fiber to our core switch. The ROON core also indirectly depends on the Netgear. The NAS with music is directly connected to the Netgear. Each switch is supplied with the standard adapter. This is because we want to test everything "as-is". Not everyone has an Sbooster, IFI or other luxury food.
The test set consists of:
Pass Labs XP-12
Bryston 4B SST3
Metrum Acoustics Ambre
Metrum Acoustics Pavane (I2S connected)
Focal Sopra No1 speakers (with isoacoustics feet)
Cables from Grimm Audio, Audioquest
Kemp and Isotek filter (titan)
We played three tracks:
Paul Simon - Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
Massive Attack - Angel
Steven Wilson - Pariah (live Royal Albert Hall)
We play every track - except for Pariah - for 30 seconds. And that 2x to get a good idea. After the three tracks, we switch the switch and the list starts again.
Five plus three
We let five switches play in the first round. Then we took the winner from the first round to play with that one more time. Each round starts with a base-line test with a standard switch. So the order is:
standard Netgear (getting used to the sound / baseline)
Fidelizer EtherStream (399 euros)
Ansus switch (1999 euros)
Fiber (250 euros complete)
Netgear standard (149 euros, 24 ports)
Bonn N8 (€ 395)
Standard Netgear (getting used to again after a break)
Bonn N8 (€ 395)
SoTM - basic model (999 euros)
Meraki enterprise 8 port with fiber and PoE (799 euros)
We were able to deploy a group of 5 and then 4 people for this test. The "break group" was able to relax with a drink and food.
After a day of testing and full forms you have a lot of data. We have received a form with + and and -en from one reader / tester. We could not include that data, but we did compare it with the averages. Fortunately it would not affect the outcome. We have also included the comments on the forms in the conclusion of this article. That is perhaps even more interesting.
Difficult
Of course we asked what everyone thinks. It appears that differences are audible, but that they are small. And sometimes very difficult to explain. This is also apparent from the scores. Some models are very close together. However; everyone agreed on the top 3. And that is also apparent from the scores.
We have looked at the data in various ways: average, median and distribution of the scores. The scores for the Top-3 are fairly close to each other. The least appreciated switch in this test are two readers who don't like it. The rest is around average. The Meraki scores high and the most coherent. The SoTM idem and the Silent Angel have a major outlier.
To give you insight into how close it is to each other, we have put all the data in graphs. It is up to you to come to a conclusion. Our conclusion for the time being: it is audible. But make sure the basics are right before you start working on this. It is a dot on the "i". No more.
Averages per switch
Score per Track
Scores average
Total points - final score
What is striking here is how consistently the Cisco Meraki scores. The SoTM also scores fairly equally among all participants. The Bonn N8 slightly less, but that outlier is mainly upwards. The Netgear, Ansus and the Fiber have a big dip in the score. These three are the only ones who have failed, although the fiber is assessed as less "erratic". However, the Ansus again has two failings. Remarkable, since with 2000 euros that is the most expensive switch in this test. We read "sharp", "flatter" and "hard" back there. For the Bonn, Meraki and SoTM especially: "Nice tonal balance", "YES!", "Large" and "Deep low".
The Fidelizer EtherStream is average, but, oddly enough, scores slightly lower across the board than the standard Netgear and the Fiber solution. It is a crazy world ... Anyone who looks critically at the data will see that the Fidelizer scores more consistently. We would therefore set it to 4 and not to 6, given that it did not pass.
Spread of scores
Spread Scores
Spread scores - per switch
Scores all readers
As you can see here, the spread is still fairly limited. Down on a few notable outliers at the Ansus and Netgear. Apparently those switches do something. The Fiber solution is not everyone's taste either. The rest of the test field is fairly stable in the assessments and is fairly close to each other. With a consistently higher score among the winners.
Scores per reader - per model and track
Score reader 8
Score reader 7
Score reader 6
Score reader 5
Score Reader 4
Score reader 3
Score reader 2
Score reader 1
We have indicated the score per reader for your insight. This way you can see how the assessments are individual. You can also read from this that it is extremely difficult for some readers to observe differences. And that is it. Certainly blind!
We streamed live this entire day to let you watch. And grateful use has been made of that. Very nice! This day tastes for more!
Today's conclusion: yes ... a switch makes an audible difference. However, the differences are small. The basis of the set and the acoustics must be correct. Otherwise it is a shame to invest so much money. But the fact is: it is audible. The data in this test also show that.