Tag Archive for EtherStream

EtherStream Network Switch review on Positive Feedback by Marshall Nack (Featuring CH Precision C1 with Quboz)

April 19, 2020 in Review

Although EtherStream Network Switch was reviewed before in Positive-Feedback by Tom Gibbs. However, EtherStream works very well with CH Precision C1 DAC so it gets another review with highend networked audio setup.

This is probably the first review of EtherStream with ultra highend networked audio setup. We have some reviews with great systems but I wouldn’t expect $395 modded switch to be paired up with over $30k DAC in review for sure.

I’m really happy to see fellow highend audiophiles appreciating EtherStream too. Here’s his listening impressions and I’m glad he noticed that EtherStream doesn’t produce the stereotype of bleached, hyper-detailed, fast, and edgy audiophile sound.

After hitting PLAY, it only took seconds before my eyes opened wide. The piano was crisp and sparkling, with good edge definition and texture. WOW! Just like that, the culprit was nailed—and this was only my first sip! For confirmation, I swapped back to the TP-Link switch and, sure enough, the excessively soft presentation was there again. The TP-Link did not produce what we call a soundstage. It only had width and height, no depth, it was 2-D flat like a paint gun splatter. The images were swimming together as notes emanated from an ill-defined place, indistinct, hollow sounding, and lacking a tonal center. This is what happens when the music doesn’t have a good foundation. Without support, the soundstage gets spongy.

A firm foundation underpinning the stage is very important. When you build a house, the foundation is laid first and everything that sits on it, depends on it. If it’s unstable, the whole structure becomes insecure and wobbly. Same with instruments on a soundstage. The EtherStream firmed up the structure and presented a 3-D stage layered side to side and front to back, populated with decently sized images.

Well, this was quite a flip from the last time I streamed with Ethernet. My brain struggled to process what just happened. Unawares, I had slipped into the mindset of the audio objectivists, the deniers of differences. I put together these streaming front-ends on the cheap without giving them much thought, thinking parts is parts. It never crossed my mind to give the switch a second thought. Damn! It’s the same old lesson I have to relearn (let alone the undesirable association with the deniers). Remember: rule number one in the High-End is everything counts. When you’ve been doing this long enough, time and again, it’s the things from out in left field, the stuff you think can’t possibly matter, that blindside you.

The foundation of the soundstage was not the only thing that changed. After burn-in (yes, a new EtherStream needs about 200 hours for optimal performance), the music had a decidedly acoustic bent with nice flow and satisfactory timbre. Tonal balance was evenly disbursed from the decent low-end up to a natural treble, plus there was some flesh on the bones. The EtherStream is positioned to appeal to the audiophile market, but it didn’t produce the stereotype of bleached, hyper-detailed, fast, and edgy audiophile sound.

One other thing: according to the Fidelizer website, a primary design goal for the EtherStream product was to address many consumers’ poor opinion of streaming vs. music files on local storage. Based on my own explicit comparison, the EtherStream gives you the same playback quality from Qobuz as music files on local storage. There was no audible difference.

He also asked me for linear power supply upgrade too but the suitable product was yet ready at that time. I’ll launch new products to use with EtherStream soon and I highly recommend to read his full review and see how EtherStream can perform in highend networked audio setup.

EtherStream Network Switch review on AudioGallery by Giulio Salvioni

February 8, 2020 in Review

AudioGallery - February 2020

Here’s a new review of EtherStream Network Switch published in local audiophile magazine in Italy called AudioGallery by Giulio Salvioni. He’s using Fidelizer Pro and interested to review EtherStream when it was launched in November 2019.

AudioGallery is local Italian magazine which is the sister publication of monthly magazine in AudioReview.it. As review is published in local audiophile magazine, language used in review is Italian. I’ll include paragraph about sound quality translated to English in this post below.

I will not waste precious space in the description of the setup which is the same used for the test of the JCat Femto network card. Let’s get to the point: are there distinct perceptible improvements?

Absolutely yes and if you notice it even in an already optimized system, which I think is mine, I imagine that it is even more evident in a less cared installation. For this purpose, I set up a slightly more basic system with a Windows laptop to which the Aqua La Scala MKII DAC was connected via USB; then there was a NAS and the usual modem / router for connecting to the Internet, all connected via Ethernet to the switch.

In this “simplified” configuration, I was able to make comparative tests between an inexpensive eight-port Netgear switch and the EtherStream.

The result was clear: the modified switch is quieter. It is clear that I am not referring to noises or hums, but to that background carpet that prevents the clear perception of the signals at a lower level, which the economic switch tends to return in a confused way and to the micro dynamics that cannot unfold as it should.

The other aspect that you notice, wanting to use an analogy, is the disappearance of a sort of halo or fog that flattens the scene, confuses the contours of the instruments and removes air between one and the other. Inserting the EtherStream after listening to the same track with the generic switch, it seems to look through a clean window with the Vetril, where before it was dirty and full of fingers.

Finally I have to report on the ratings via Streaming – essentially Qobuz – which presented itself with a completely new polish.

I would say that the elimination of the fog effect to which I referred here is even more macroscopic, with the addition of a higher articulation in low range – an aspect that had appeared less evident when listening to the files stored on the NAS – as well as a higher yield in terms of timing.

If so far I had considered listening to streaming as an excellent solution to discover new music but with limited appeal in a strictly audiophile sense, the inclusion of the switch “on steroids” certainly changed my perspective.

It is a fact: since the EtherStream was installed in my system I spent more time listening to Qobuz than from my NAS, this is because that unpleasant sensation that made me think has disappeared: “… nice record, sure if I could to have it on the NAS I’d listen better ….

For Italian audiophiles who’s interested in learning more about audio network switch and how EtherStream can work with your system, I highly recommend you to read full review article published in magazine or you can read public article for EtherStream here too. 🙂

Added EtherStream feedback from Vichien Nuum

February 4, 2020 in Feedback

Here’s a new feedback today from a client who ordered EtherStream to use with Nimitra server through WiFi connection. This is probably the first feedback from WiFi application. 🙂

Greetings khun Non. Today I received your item and listened to it. It was an immediate improvement with lowered noise floor and very quiet. Music sounds a lot better even from WiFi signal. I highly recommend using EtherStream in streaming system for significant improvements. Whoever try this will surely return it in cash lol.

And here’s his original message written in Thai language for Thai people who’s interested in EtherStream product.

สวัสดีครับคุณนนท์ วันนี้ได้รับและลองต่อแล้วนะครับ ฟังดีขึ้นแบบไม่ต้องเพ่งเลยครับ noise floor ต่ำ สงัดมาก ขนาดต่อแบบผ่าน wireless อีกทีครับ ฟังออกดีขึ้นชัดเจนมากๆนะครับ ใครเล่น streaming ชุดดีๆ ถ้าได้ต่อ etherstream น่าจะได้ยินศักยภาพของชุดขึ้นมาอีกพอควรครับ ใครได้ลองน่าจะถอดไม่ออก คืนเป็นเงิน 555

Added EtherStream feedback from Elle Tsai

February 1, 2020 in Feedback

Here’s a new feedback today from a client who ordered EtherStream to test in her shop. I received feedback updates after burning unit for a long while.

I also distribute some higher brands. That’s why I am surprised with your product. Lower price but high efficiency. I took your switch to compare with anther switch brand “SOtM”. Yours completely wins. The price of SOtM is $799 and lot of ppl already bought it lately.

It took me a while publish this feedback against popular network switch product. I received this feedback for a while until I received her permission after new year events. 🙂

EtherStream Network Switch review on 6moons by Srajan Ebaen

January 16, 2020 in Review

Here’s another review EtherStream Network Switch published in 6moons website by Srajan Ebaen himself. This is Fidelizer’s first review from Mr. Srajan Ebaen too so it’ll be a good reference for him to see Fidelizer products in action.

He tested EtherStream in a few setups he can utilize with from dedicated server with USB Reclocker to standard iMac setup. It seems USB Reclocker will make changes in network becoming harder to notice so I’ll share his feedback from conventional parts as below.

I of course haven’t the foggiest whether what I now heard mirrored in scale and importance what Michael had heard. It simply seemed to track in kind. Soundstage cues on depth of field for more specific layer assignation refined. Leading edges had slightly better definition. As always, those aspects caused gains in perceived focus and articulation. With them, separation bettered. Things remained more discrete and individuated rather than blended or blurred into each other when mixes grew thick with interlocking lines. None of it related to frequency response, tonal balance or any expansion/shrinkage of the virtual stage. Rather, it revolved on timing. Tunes felt just a tad snappier to be rhythmically more assured. One might say that in the domain of beats and grooves, the contrast ratio improved. Put casually, think of various time keepers more fully awake. Musicians call it playing in the pocket. Here the Fidelizer worked like a pocket protector.

There’s time I was into USB Reclocker which can be effective anti-jitter solution for some cases so it’s good to have diversity cases like this one. It’d be nice to see review with masterclock + 10M Rubidium clock some days too. You can read his full review for details.

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