Download Fidelizer Explore Nimitra
Are you computer audiophile? If so, Fidelizer will help you enjoy the music on computer even more.

Tag Archive for Network

Introducing Lira, the flagship network station as successor of EtherStream2 and Nikola2

 in News

 

Lira - Side

 

On Christmas night in year 2024, I had a dinner with my audiophile friend who purchased EtherStream2 network switch and Nikola2 linear power supply to upgrade from previous highend network switch and use with his dCS Vivaldi One streaming CD player.

After dining, he proposed the idea of building a better version of network switch knowing what I’m capable of from listening to Erawan flagship streamer product in his system. I confessed to him that I considered it but it’d create a dilemma with EtherStream2 + Nikola2 combo.

 

Lira - Back

 

He understood my point and clarified the issues he had further. The switch is so small. It’s very hard to keep switch attached with isolation feet after swapping audiophile ethernet cables. Cables from Nikola2 to EtherStream2 + AirStream2 + main router are cluttering audio rack too.

At that moment, I realized that making linear power supply infrastructure and route access to network as a single box product that surpasses both EtherStream2 and Nikola2 is the solution we’re looking for. Customers can send EtherStream2 and Nikola2 to be upgraded as well.

 

Lira - Internal

 

With a clear vision in mind, I finalized Lira as a suitable companion of Erawan flagship streamer. Aside from thick aluminum chassis enclosure and footer to handle resonance and vibration control better, Lira has the improvements over EtherStream2 and Nikola2 as below:

 

Improvements from EtherStream2 network switch
-Bypass power switch and input socket completely improving purity of power distribution
-Optimized output for shortest path possible to supply power from output board to network switch circuit
-Upgrade input capacitor upgraded with high quality polymer hybrid design with much lower impedance
-Upgrade noise reduction capacitors with even lower ESR with improving tuning for lower impedance and current leakage
-Upgrade resistors around grounding and internal circuit components to further reduce noise in circuit

 

Improvements from Nikola2 linear power supply
-Add dedicated chassis ground connector to ground conditioner product
-Change output connector to gold plated XLR with very high voltage rating (same termination as HDPlex)
-Upgrade DC output cable with high quality pure copper wiring
-Upgrade diodes with Schottky design with years of listening tests with different models
-Upgrade internal wiring with high quality solid core pure copper wiring
-Upgrade output transformer with 100VA Toroidy audio grade transformer
-Upgrade stock fuse with improved dynamics and musicality

 

Lira - Front

 

After testing Lira in a few audio shows and with highend to ultra high-end level systems using $30-50k sources from CD and vinyl as reference, I’m confident that Lira will deliver worthwhile improvements that meets ultra high-end standards.

The product price will be $1899 USD with 30-day money back guaranteed and free shipping until 30st November 2025. You can read more about Lira network station product in details before ordering with discount up to $900 USD if you upgrade from EtherStream2 and Nikola2.

Introducing HyperLink, the world’s most affordable audiophile network switch

 in News

 

HyperLink - Network Switch (Front)

 

Today Fidelizer is launching HyperLink, the world’s most affordable audiophile network switch at only $169 USD! We have been designing products to improve streaming experience for over 7 years and we can finally developed product with best price/performance as below:

 

  1. Accept 12VDC input – Most affordable network switches with 5VDC input can’t share power source with other Fidelizer products
  2. Full scale dynamics – Most network switches we tested before often lack full sound experience, probably due to 5VDC input
  3. Isolation transformer support – Network switch with isolation transformer design can reduce interference from connected devices
  4. Good circuit design for modification – Good network switch should have multi-stage power regulation with radical can capacitors to upgrade

 

To find network switch that checks all these boxes at very affordable price point is very hard. We actually found one by coincidence while looking for parts to build Aura medical grade power supply that supplier also sell network switch too.

After finding the right network switch that aligns with our design philosophy, we applied the following modification as below:

 

-Upgrade input capacitor upgraded with high quality polymer hybrid design with higher capacitance and much lower impedance
-Upgrade crystal clock with higher precision clock module
-Upgrade capacitors in power supply section with higher capacitance and lower impedance
-Remove low quality solder in power input socket and replace with high quality solder to improve dynamics and transparency
-Components are soldered with high quality solder providing solid bass and dynamics
-Install high quality 3M rubber feet for better vibration control

 

HyperLink - Network Switch (Internal Photo)

 

At fraction of EtherStream’s price, HyperLink can deliver promising results in high-end audio systems. We recommend using HyperLink network switch together with Aura medical grade power supply. Aura can power 12V WiFi router before HyperLink also.

The product price will be $169 USD with 30-day money back guaranteed and free shipping until 30st April 2025. You can read more about HyperLink network switch product in details before ordering and happy listening.

Introducing StreamHub, Audiophile Streaming Router as wireless router + network switch + DLNA server for high fidelity streaming

 in News

 

StreamHub - Streaming Router

 

After successful launch of AirStream2 wireless router with over 100 units of AirStream products being sold with no return, it’s quite certain that wireless network improvement is the missing key to complete media streaming in future.

We also found network switch in AirStream2 performing very well enough for customers to remove several audiophile network switches and use switch in AirStream2. This made us realized how great it would be if we could have:

audiophile network switch
audiophile wireless router
audiophile streamer

all in a single product at very affordable price so most audiophiles and even Netflix users can enjoy better streaming experience.

Despite being the most affordable audiophile wireless router already, $549 audiophile wireless router is still far from being reasonable for products like $500-1000 streaming DACs, soundbar, TV. So, we decided to develop a new category product to fit market’s demand perfectly.

StreamHub will improve both ethernet network as audiophile network switch and create a new Wi-Fi 6 access point called “StreamHub” with password “fidelizer” as audiophile wireless network, just like AirStream2 but at only half of the price at $279 USD.

Plus, you can also plug USB storage into StreamHub and system will prepare DLNA server for you to stream music library from router to streaming DAC directly without a computer or configuration required as true plug and stream solution.

To ensure StreamHub will meet the Fidelizer’s standards of feel the real sound, we chose the most important modification to improve StreamHub product as below:

 

-Upgrade Capacitors with high capacitance and low impedance tuned in power supply section
-Crystal clock is upgraded with high precision clock optimized for network application with noise reduction tweaks
-Components are soldered with high quality solder providing solid bass and dynamics
-Router is configured for low-latency audiophile streaming applications

 

If you use DLNA/uPNP or Airplay / Chromecast, streaming packets will be sent from application through Wi-Fi meaning there’ll be some wander jitter in streaming packets before reaching network switch. StreamHub can offer low-jitter / low-noise network to minimize total jitter in your system.

The product price will be $279 USD with 30-day money back guaranteed and free shipping until 31st October 2023. You can read more about StreamHub Streaming Router product in details before ordering and happy listening.

AirStream Wireless Router review on Positive Feedback by Marshall Nack

 in Review

 

AirStream - Wireless Router

 

The first review of AirStream Wireless Router is now published by Mr. Marshall Nack who also reviewed EtherStream with ultra highend system before. This time AirStream is reviewed with daily devices bringing audiophile’s spice in daily life.

Last time I couldn’t send EtherStream with Nikola Classic as it was still being developed. This time I was going to send AirStream with Nikola Classic but I decided to send AirStream with Nikola Signature with 2 outputs instead for upcoming project.

It’s really assuring to start this review with Qigong class as I also had a lot on my plate recently. I’m glad to hear that AirStream also resolved his issues with Zoom software during online class on top of audio/video improvements in daily life.

Positive Feedback

As consumers of electronics, we are damn lucky to be the beneficiaries of trickle down. There are a few specialist companies that ensure we eventually get the advances. All you need is patience and meanwhile, the wallet stays healthy. Besides, it is always best to avoid being a Beta tester.

The improvements an audiophile ethernet switch brings to hard-wired music streaming are by now well established. That leaves all those internet apps that you access via Wi-fi, like Netflix, YouTube, or Zoom—what about them, they have the same issues. The root cause in both cases is the consumer-grade router at the head of the chain.

The idea is so obvious in hindsight. Why not port the fixes developed for the EtherStream switch over to a Wi-fi dedicated router? What the EtherStream switch did for the audiophile market, the AirStream does for household apps accessed via Wi-fi. However, the quality of results depends a lot on your local setup and devices. Video streaming with my MacBook Pro showed variable results: some apps were marginally better; others, no difference. With my iPhone, it was consistently better.

What was never in doubt, though, was AirStream’s effect on streaming audio from a high-quality source, like Qobuz. The improvement here was pretty remarkable, nearly equaling that of the EtherStream switch for hardwired connections. I expect the video side will evidence similar improvements for consumers who watch movies on high quality screens.

Thank you for this wonderful daily life experience review with AirStream product. You can read his full review and see how AirStream can improve WiFi audio and video streaming quality in details.