You have the best descriptive language of any reviewer i know to make me understand the sound you hear. I love the terms you use to describe sound. Keep up the good work!
I think he is one of the honest UA-camrs, If he had done this review 5 years ago, how different would his assessments of this device have been. Now his sound equipment and expertise allows him to distinguish these subtleties
@iiWi Reviews thanks to your review I am enjoying this isolator, even as we speak. I was not expecting much as I had already implemented optical isolation. Fiber optics run directly into my PC running LMS and another optically connected SFP switch connects via RJ45 to my streamer. I now benefit from a wider and better layered stage, better separation but it's more to do with accurate placement, a more detailed presentation in the sense that it rounds up the instruments, it completes them, it's not just adding details. The greatest deal with this isolator is the presence of the instruments. It's not anymore about the sensation or perception of realism. I don't say "it >sounds< so real" anymore. Now I say, it feels like the instrument plays in a room, in a given space. It's a whole different change in perception of what I hear. I can close my eyes and feel like in a space defined by what I hear and it's fantastic! So, a big, big, thank you!
Waiting for mine to be delivered. I just upgraded to the Volumio Rivo+ with the Lineo 5 PS, and it was a game changer from my Eversolo DMP-A6 with a LPS upgrade. Once you hear the difference, you can’t go back. Hanz Beekhuyzen’s videos have convinced me that products like this make a difference, looking forward to trying it out, and with the 30 day return policy, you can’t go wrong, other than shipping costs.
I really enjoy your insights, but also especially your subtle sense of humor that you embed in your reviews. Keep up the great work and always fly the hifi flag high!
I made my own fiber "bridge" today, putting two converters with sfp-modules and a fiber patch in before the network hits the streamer. Sounds good so far.
Having watched a few dozen of your videos, I am confident that you know what you are talking about. Electrical noise is a real problem. This product makes a lot more sense to me than $1000 interconnects or a $750 USB cable. Thanks for another great post.
Hi. I have a similar device in my system, the ifi lan ipurifier pro. It works great! My recent modification is to add a custom made audio switch with separate power supplies for each section of the device and a separate one for the clock. The clock is ultra-precise and also has a separate linear power supply. Now it looks like this: the signal from the router goes to the ifi lan ipurifier pro and from that device goes to the switch and then to the streamer. I also use some of the best Audioquest diamond rj45 LAN cables in pure silver, they are brilliant and do a great job.Regards
@@mat.b. In this configuration it gives the best sound results. The switch power supply is linear and supplies the clock section and the rest separately.Everyone recommends putting ifi before the switch, not after. I'll try putting it after the switch and from there to the streamer. I use Audioquest diamond LAN rj45 cables. Best regards
@@mat.b. After thorough tests, the system - router >>> ifi purifier pro>>> switch>>> streamer, indisputably plays best in my system. The switch is a custom-made unit with an ultra-precise clock and a linear power supply with a separate line just for the clock and a separate one for the rest of the switch. Best regards
Interesting review, thanks again. I've gotten good results with a combination of an LHY Audio switch, plus iFi LAN silencers. Also using iFi DC purifiers on my Asus router's and NUC Roon server's power connections. Also highly recommend Stack Audio Auva isolation products under components and speakers. Actually the Stack Audio products brought the biggest improvements. My system is roughly $15K for reference. Obviously I wouldn't recommend all these tweaks on a much more budget system, but they bring noteworthy improvements at my level. 👍
Too funny! Great minds think alike! Same setup, LHY SW8, the ifi products and the Stack Audio LAN isolator. I also use the super capacitors on the DC power side along with LPS of different flavors.
Really appreciate this review. I’ve been using back to back switches isolated and connected with fibre. I hear what you hear a more revealing sound. Thank you for adding to our experience an opportunity for a better music experience
@ you’re right, just looked it up. Didn’t know they’ve done this as well. Appears to have an external switching supply instead of an internal one, and quite a bit cheaper. Would be great to compare to this one!
Here's the thing though. 1. Ethernet switches already have line filters that suppress external noise and noise from the power source. This also includes signal conditioning. 2. Electrical signals are actually regenerated at each switch port, which eliminates cumulative noise that may have been picked up over the cable run. 3. There's DSP in some switches that filter and improve signal quality. So all you need to have is a quality ethernet switch in-between the PC/streamer/DAC and the router - like something from Cisco, Juniper, Ubiquiti or Mikrotik. Have properly specced ethernet cable too and you're done.
even if they didn't the data would be unaffected, TCP/IP stack has plenty of data integrity checks at many levels of the stack. This is pure non sense. Then I think optical is the best way to transfer digital data so I love this kind of products. Would they improve the audio? Not at all, it's digitally encoded and it will not change even if you use pigeons to transfer it. (not joke, RFC 2549)
The heaviness you are describing is one characteristic I have used for years to select analog cables. Metal cables have this to one degree or another. Considering the relative price, the Effe should be a great step for budget to 50k systems. Your video is very helpful. Another way to go is with a switch that has fiber optic output, but the streamer would have to have a fiber optic input.
Thank you, very interesting. It also removes the need of two optical converter at each end with each their own power supplies etc. While looking into this I also found the "SilentPower LAN iPurifier Pro - Ethernet Filter with Optical Isolation" from ifi . If one day you have. chance, would love to hear your opinion on that one too since it aims at the same clientele.
I really wish I could A B test something like this. Even if it does what its intended to do there's also the question on whether or not I can tell the difference to warrant the purchase. Very much like some of these crazy expensive usb cables.
I loved that saying - 'the shallower your knowledge, the deeper your convictions'... I would add ' the shallower your true ability to think past the obvious, the deeper your convictions' . I call these flat earthers. Like the real flat earthers they assume the knowledge they have is infinitely complete and immutable and that their usually unstated assumptions are similarly immutably correct
Nice clear review again ! Your review are free from muddiness, smearing and harshness,😊 And now seriously: A few years ago i bought a second hand Silent Bonn8 with a Forester PSU . I connected the boxes and didn't listen serious to it. I just listen to music while i did other things in house, laughed with friends and so on. After 2 months i removed the Silent Night set and that for me was the big change. Music wasn't less attractive, less engaging . Something you hear the difference even more when you remove something
. Skip the 'audiophile' box & use a pair of SFP ethernet cartridges with LC to LC glass fiber optical cable in between. It's a much less expensive solution from the computer industry rather than the audio industry. Acid jazz, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
@ so electrical noise is not the main offender... now It's wifi microwaves ok... you'll have to install your hifi system inside a faraday cage if you want to avoid microwaves.... they are hitting your gear 100% of the time even if they don't have a wifi antenna. 🤷♀️
Since a few weeks I notice I listen louder, and I recently really wondered why. To the point I hear some weaknesses of my speakers in the bass region because of just more volume. And some days ago I realised it is since I have the Ifi iSilencer plugged in the back of my streamer. This is really interesting because you described the same thing. Everything is calmer, less shouty. To express it in other words it is less sharp and edgy. And let me tell you that when it happens to you on a system you listen since a long time, it really is a major change.
Yes, even small differences accumulate over time to make a more meaningful impact than any quick AB test could ever predict. Listening to the music is emotional experiance and emoitons don't care for logic and math much. A very suitable analogy from life can easily be drawn after a long relationship - all small quirks and habits you considered almost insignificant at first grow big and important over time and with repetition.
@@Nefty_ Do not take marketing at face value...I had ifi ...0 effect...but this is expected because it is a simple another isolator that any switch already had inside...it could help a little probably only before switch if a very long ethernet cable is before it...and then only a minimum amount if at all.
@@Nefty_ Yep what to say if you enjoy that, it is what it is but from a tehnical point of view if u had that simple passive dongle from ifi it not contain inside nothing more than an simple coil isolator that you already had in every port output of your switch. In my case 0 improvement.
Every word you used to describe that added information in the music that should not be there in the first place, is noise and distortion. Thank you for another great review.
Here's a question: This device, and others like it, use an optical connection to achieve galvanic isolation. But then why are we told that optical/toslink is the worst connection to use between a streamer and a DAC? I always hear people praise I2S or spdif or AES/EBU, and toslink is not recommended. Why is this? And yes I realize that this decice is meant to clean the data going into the streamer whereas I'm talking about the connection from streamer to DAC. But still, how is toslink a good thing in one part of the chain but not in the next? Thats what I'm asking. Thank you.
Non-optical, passive network isolators also improve the sound in combination with network switches. I use isolators from PinkFaun, SotM, iFi and EMO (medical grade). And I have placed them in front of my 3 network switches to bridge an 8 metre LAN cable run from the router to the streamer. There is also a network isolator in front of the router. And all the netswitches are powered by linear power supplies (Keces P8, Ferrum Hypsos). The result: a sound that is somewhat reminiscent of analogue music playback. Quite marvellous.
If ethernet galvanic isolation (whether it be via optical or otherwise) for a single connection is needed, I’m curious how this would compare with the iFi LAN iSilencer at a relatively modest $89 USD. My system is pretty dialed in and am admittedly pretty tweak-oriented so I purchased one (drunk late night Amazon whim) and added it to my system between an Araknis switch and my Denafrips Arce streamer (which uses opto-couplers in its circuit for an additional galvanically isolated output) and it produced a very minor improvement. For less than a hundred dollars though to electrically isolate from the rest of the switch was enough for me to be happy and call it a day on network noise.
Thanks for this review. Of course it may work. I use an ifi Lan Silencer between my Fritz! Router and a Holo Audio Red streamer. In this case there is a difference hearable, a small one. For those who think about snake oil I often remember to the very good sound of an Onkyo Integra CD-Player from 1987, which used Opto-Coupling between the analog and the digital stage. Today we can find Opto-Coupling-Technic in many modern hifi equipment, like the brandnew Eversolo DMP A10 for example. Here are six opto couplers build in between the analog and the digital stage. Wouldn't it be nonsense to do this one the one hand and if we one the other hand bring "poluted" signals via LAN Cabke direct to the digital stage? I think no. So of course there is an effect but if it's hearable or not depends also of the quality of the used devices himselve. Greetings, Michael
Thank you for risking your reputation (with some) and taking the time and energy to answer explore this subject. Remember, they can’t cancel you if you don’t care LOL!
Thanks for another thoughtful, open minded, non judgmental, non hysterical review. People should just try something similar for themselves, and listen. I bought an English Electric switch some time ago, I thought it made my system sound a bit better, to me. That's all that matters really.....isn't it?
Network isolators are used for years in other applications. Mostly to protect equipment or people from surge / lightning strikes. E.g. Hospitals & clinics use them. Honestly though I'm with you on this - I run my Matrix streamer on WiFi and that gets a better quality sound than network cable or usb connections.
The natural competitor to the $500. Effe-01 Optical Ethernet Isolator is iFi's SilentPower LAN iPurifier Pro @ $299.00 "The LAN iPurifier Pro utilizes Optical Galvanic Isolation technology to effectively isolate and eliminate electrical noise and interference emanating from the router or switch, which in turn, minimizes system noise, errors, and jitter." Love to see a comparison review of the two.
Nice to see a comparison because that big price difference. From what I see the Effe had some high quality clocks inside then reclocking the signal, but ifii I do not know d'ont see the clocks.
@@Sorin_F You're right, that is a difference between the iFi and the Effe. And the Effe has just been discounted £398.00 Regular Price £338.30 Sale Price Even more of a reason for the iiWi channel to compare the two.
If they're worried about noise and emi wouldn't an external power supply make more sense? I'm also not convinced the box does anything worthwhile to begin with.
Yes the switching power supply is crap...always will introduce electrical noise...because switching :), if that device try to minimize the electrical noise the natural and logic step was to have a linear power supply or at least an external brick...but it seems to be a nice device anyway...but also not cheap.
I tried iFi LAN silencer but I never reviewed it. It influence the sound, makes it calmer and milder but also less dynamic and touch slower in a way. I didn't like the effect in my network, a friend did and he kept using it.
that one is passive and doesn’t insert an optical path. presumably it adresses some other issues, also in addition to this cheaper LAN filter, ifi offers a very similar device to the one under test here, ie also with optical isolation. mind you sending and receiving devices inside the lan filter are connected to the same psu…
I'm sure the device improves the signal transmission. My issue is the cost value of the product. If the device was manufactured in China, Taiwan, or even Eastern Europe, the cost would likely be reduced by 50% of the current retail price. For my money, I would use the $500 to add it to my budget to upgrade my dac.
great review, tx, special thanks for testing the daisychain options. The only thing that surprises me is that in your configuration a direct connection between router and streamer is only slightly worse than wifi SQ wise. I had to insert at least one switch and had to replace a cheap cat 8 cable from AMZ with “audiograde” lan cables to get a result that is better than wifi.
I use an ifi lan silencer at the back of my streamer which is a basic device relatively speaking compared to review sample and to me it makes a difference a small difference, but a difference all the same. smoother, more enjoyable sound stage. Its difficult to quantify but you kind of feel it more than critically hear the difference, its like adding cream to your coffee instead of milk. If you have a revealing system it will definitely make a difference. I dont think using a more budget system will do much as your whole chain must be as sensitive and revealing as possible to get those last few percentages of sound to be heard or felt.
My 3 channel 150 watt starkrimson scrambles my over the air TV signal when powered. So this cannot be good for nearby electrical equipment. Resending the signal optically is a good idea.
Hi… stop the music…. I have a regular ethernet cable connected to my wiim ultra, then I have optical running out of the Wiim to my external DAC and then over to my amp with RCA.. I guess I don’t need this .. Right? I always enjoy watching your videos. Keep them coming. Happy New Year to you. KCB👍🇬🇧😁
Thank you for your review of the Effe. I find this very interesting having never considered the regeneration of optical signals to eliminate noise. Your work is greatly appreciated! 👍👍👍
No no! The air particles are dirty hence making the signals in the air dirty. You should look at air purifiers that clean the air to improve the audio signal!
I'd suggest to the person that buys this to spend and equal amount on tickets to a live show. But on second thought, if the show is amplified, I'd imagine you'd want to track down the sound engineer to complain that the sound would be better if they just had power conditioners, and elevated the speaker wires.
If your system is sensetive enough for this to matter then yeah, but even very good listening setups are not this sensetive. The problem is I believe your gear needs to be so good that the only way to get a beyurr sound is incremental stuff like this, otherwise the 500 can be put somewhere where it would make a bigger impact
Ok here is my take on this. A serious one. Optical isolators help eliminating or reducing issues that degrade audio quality. If your DAC setup is already free from noise, interference, and ground loops, adding an optical isolator might not make any noticeable difference to your audio experience. I think many good dacs will not run into this issue. In the context of a network switch, using optical isolators is not directly applicable because optical isolators are primarily designed for protecting and isolating signal paths in electrical circuits. Network switches, which facilitate the routing of data packets between devices in a network, generally do not involve the same types of electrical signal issues that audio equipment might face, such as ground loops or electrical interference in the audio signal path. So you don’t need this device in my humble opinion.
To those that say snake oil, if you hear it, for you it's real. This is very difficult to ABX, but in my experience I have been able to detect changes in my own system after extended (as in days) of living with a change. Not scientific, but repeatable, so good enough for me. I tend to think that a good LPS, and inserting any quality switch between your provider and your system would accomplish comparable results.
Oh boy... Flame suit on... I have the SW8 and noticed improvements across the board, especially with video. I am also using the ifi products, their LAN, USB and SPDIF decrapifiers, along with a Stack Audio LAN isolator. We can see and hear the differences these products bring to the table here. Good video sir.
in the recent toronto audiovest, i heard a similar isolator from the chord cable company and it did make a noticeable improvement. the question i now have is will it make a difference in your netflix streaming? thanks for sharing your experience.
I imagine you need a very high end stereo system and a low quality home network for this type of device to make an audible improvement. Also, wouldn't utilizing a wifi streamer bypass the noise issue created by a poor wired network.
The wifi enhances the noise issue, as it make even more noise entering your streamer. And the difference is audible on any decent system, nothing crazy needed.
LOL! How dare you! 😂 I already have my Netgear Modem on an LPS, and an LHY Network Switch SW-6.….NOW you tell me THIS! LOL! Thankfully I am VERY happy with the sound of my system. This optical isolator makes perfect sense. 👍🏼 I believe that PS Audio AirLens Streamer includes this tech, too…so in that case on would not benefit from this isolator.
An effe'ing isolator. I will save the knowledge when I finally go ethernet instead of Wifi. You could replace the power supply of your providers router with a linear one that will be less noisy both towards your router and back into the socket.
Nice review as always! Is there any data available to back any of this up also, if a person was to do blind testing between this product and a regular 40E switch would there be a difference? I ask because im interested in performance upgrades etc but im also interested in proven test data which shows its an improvement. Regards
It is so easy to call something you do not understand snake oil. Much easier than apply some logical reasoning to the situation. Galvanic isolation is a real thing. Separates the electrons that carry information from the ones that carry noise (as far as the music is concerned (before someone is going all philosophical on me)).
I have somthing similar , and I can hear a big difference ,but I hide it so my freinds cant c it i dont want to justify it , I tryed disconecting it but imidiatly regret it and connect it again ,had this 4 about 2 years now , galvanic isolation is the name of the game
Digital is 0s and 1s as long as it is in the digital domain. When you are feeding a DAC all noise and jitter affects it. And your network switch affects the device that feeds your DAC.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. I would really like to understand your perspective on how this could improve the sound. I'm of the conviction that the bits ending up at your DAC are identical with/without the device. I have a strong opinion on this, but weakly held.
Hey guys, I have got lost into the abyss of the Audio community looking either for a stack or a Dac amp combo around the £500 mark. At present I am leaning towards the Aune S9C. Has anyone got any recommendations. I will be pairing them with the Hifiman Ananda Nano to mix and master music....for fun in my room. Thx
Once again, I will happily PayPal you $100 if you can tell the difference between this versus any other Ethernet switch in a blind A/B test. Because you can’t. If things go as last time that I offered this, you’ll reply with “easy money,“ and then you’ll do nothing. But I’m serious, though. And if it really is easy money, you’ll take me up on it and you’ll make that easy money.
This is and opinion opportunity for people who dont know how this works, have never heard one or owned one to express their ignorant outrage and get their weekly "snake oil" accusation out.
Always pros and cons about something new that we do not know or we do not know how it works.... In my experience, bring friends to listen to the current equipment with and without the new "unit, cable, power supply or.anything you would like to test" . Only one person knows which one he plugs in....then how you and others think of it. A kind of blind test without knowing....😊
For typical HiFi setups, an audiophile-grade optical ethernet isolator isn’t necessary, especially for short distances. Ethernet cables, particularly Cat 6 or Cat 7, are already well-suited to handle high-quality audio streaming with minimal interference over standard home distances. However, if you're set on adding an isolator, there’s a more practical and cost-effective alternative: using a pair of Ethernet-over-fiber (EoF) adapters. These adapters are widely used in various industries to prevent electromagnetic interference (EMI), offering the same isolation benefits without the high audiophile price tag. Ethernet-over-fiber technology has been designed and tested to perform under challenging environments and long distances, which are far more demanding than any home HiFi setup requires. Ultimately, while short distances don’t call for optical isolation, Ethernet-over-fiber adapters provide a proven and budget-friendly solution if EMI isolation is a top priority.
It looks as though all the device he's testing has done, is put two of those adapters in the same box and added an internal PSU. Trebling the price in the process.
Sadly no, jitter on the usb signal created phase noise in your DAC, galvanic isolation or not, which disturbs you dac’s clock. And you dac’s clock has is own jitter.
Controversial is an understatement! I laughed when he said the unit had a switching power supply yet it aims to clean up micro volt level non critical EMI from the signal... More audiophoolery🤪🤪🤪🤣🤣🤣🤣 I don't think this is a real review. Its only purpose is to create debate in the comments section.
Yeah, I would like to see the signal on a oscilloscope or similar, showing actual differences in the signal before I would trust someones subjective impressions. Then I would hope that their room has been carefully optimized as well.
1s 0s get cleaned by a TCP-IP protocol stack I've built everything from a Pocket AM/FM Radio to Cell Tower.... Simply power a Network Switch with clean power .... every else was done before most were born. Spend the money on better sound
@@Pete.across.the.streetStop It !!!! Dude this topic circles Audio every year if Ethernet is bringing noise you have a bigger problem... Simple challenge play a local file not connected to a switch play the same local file connected to a switch
This is not about the 1's and 0's but about the noise that travels with them. That noise is irrelevant for the DA conversion but is passes through the DAC to the speakers and affects the sound. It is amplified and audible through the speakers. All this is irrelevant in the digital domain as long as the data stays intact, but if it passes to the analog domain we can hear it. So all of your it's just ones and zeros argument misses the mark. It is not about the ones and zeros.
if ethernet switches could degrade the quality of an audio or video digital signal then this youtube video would be unwatachable.... it travels through hundreds of ethernet switches before hitting your smart phone or tablet. Common sense guys, please. 🙏
You guys always miss the point that’s crazy, we don’t care about the data, the data is easy to manage. It is about the electrical noise that affects the electronics.
@@sagi_tech_n_stuff and you are actually an ASR cult member, no wonder you have no constructive answer. Just go buy some cheap good measuring Topping gear and bask yourself in the belief that you have the best measuring stuff. The rest of us will let listening with our ears decide what we like to listen to. ASR is very one sided, biased, no one measurement can define human hearing and personal preference. Again, what are your experiences with the topic of the video? None? Then hush you troll.
Articulate and eloquent as always. I suppose the proof is in the listening, but the science appears to make sense, given that signals which attempt to result in your ears as 'the truth' are passing along metal, over distance and subject to interference and impediments of all sorts! The name Effe by the way, was a Christian name for girls, particularly during Victorian times. Effe Bancroft, a well known actress for one.
Everything that he’s reviewed - and the manner in which he’s reviewed it - has been straightforward. The engineering and potential benefit is most definitely plausible, yet system dependent (as stated in every review). Your comment however, is typical for someone who hasn’t actually taken the time to fully consider the benefits.
I'd rather just buy a Furman P-1800AR. Regulates voltage and conditions power while offering surge protection for multiple pieces of gear for 100 bucks more.
You have the best descriptive language of any reviewer i know to make me understand the sound you hear. I love the terms you use to describe sound. Keep up the good work!
I think he is one of the honest UA-camrs, If he had done this review 5 years ago, how different would his assessments of this device have been. Now his sound equipment and expertise allows him to distinguish these subtleties
@iiWi Reviews thanks to your review I am enjoying this isolator, even as we speak.
I was not expecting much as I had already implemented optical isolation. Fiber optics run directly into my PC running LMS and another optically connected SFP switch connects via RJ45 to my streamer.
I now benefit from a wider and better layered stage, better separation but it's more to do with accurate placement, a more detailed presentation in the sense that it rounds up the instruments, it completes them, it's not just adding details.
The greatest deal with this isolator is the presence of the instruments. It's not anymore about the sensation or perception of realism. I don't say "it >sounds< so real" anymore.
Now I say, it feels like the instrument plays in a room, in a given space. It's a whole different change in perception of what I hear. I can close my eyes and feel like in a space defined by what I hear and it's fantastic!
So, a big, big, thank you!
Waiting for mine to be delivered. I just upgraded to the Volumio Rivo+ with the Lineo 5 PS, and it was a game changer from my Eversolo DMP-A6 with a LPS upgrade. Once you hear the difference, you can’t go back. Hanz Beekhuyzen’s videos have convinced me that products like this make a difference, looking forward to trying it out, and with the 30 day return policy, you can’t go wrong, other than shipping costs.
@@trebepand VAT if you're outside UK
I really enjoy your insights, but also especially your subtle sense of humor that you embed in your reviews. Keep up the great work and always fly the hifi flag high!
I made my own fiber "bridge" today, putting two converters with sfp-modules and a fiber patch in before the network hits the streamer. Sounds good so far.
Having watched a few dozen of your videos, I am confident that you know what you are talking about. Electrical noise is a real problem. This product makes a lot more sense to me than $1000 interconnects or a $750 USB cable. Thanks for another great post.
Hi. I have a similar device in my system, the ifi lan ipurifier pro. It works great! My recent modification is to add a custom made audio switch with separate power supplies for each section of the device and a separate one for the clock. The clock is ultra-precise and also has a separate linear power supply. Now it looks like this: the signal from the router goes to the ifi lan ipurifier pro and from that device goes to the switch and then to the streamer. I also use some of the best Audioquest diamond rj45 LAN cables in pure silver, they are brilliant and do a great job.Regards
seems counterintuitive to bottleneck the purifier's signal into a switch, the ifi is bound to be cleaner
@@mat.b. In this configuration it gives the best sound results. The switch power supply is linear and supplies the clock section and the rest separately.Everyone recommends putting ifi before the switch, not after. I'll try putting it after the switch and from there to the streamer. I use Audioquest diamond LAN rj45 cables. Best regards
@@mat.b. After thorough tests, the system - router >>> ifi purifier pro>>> switch>>> streamer, indisputably plays best in my system. The switch is a custom-made unit with an ultra-precise clock and a linear power supply with a separate line just for the clock and a separate one for the rest of the switch. Best regards
Interesting review, thanks again. I've gotten good results with a combination of an LHY Audio switch, plus iFi LAN silencers. Also using iFi DC purifiers on my Asus router's and NUC Roon server's power connections. Also highly recommend Stack Audio Auva isolation products under components and speakers. Actually the Stack Audio products brought the biggest improvements. My system is roughly $15K for reference. Obviously I wouldn't recommend all these tweaks on a much more budget system, but they bring noteworthy improvements at my level. 👍
Do you mean the, iFi SilentPower?
Too funny! Great minds think alike! Same setup, LHY SW8, the ifi products and the Stack Audio LAN isolator. I also use the super capacitors on the DC power side along with LPS of different flavors.
Really appreciate this review. I’ve been using back to back switches isolated and connected with fibre. I hear what you hear a more revealing sound. Thank you for adding to our experience an opportunity for a better music experience
Very nice to know that someone put some effort into deigning a one box fiber isolator like this. Really great to have this option!
didnt IFI already do this first?
@ you’re right, just looked it up. Didn’t know they’ve done this as well. Appears to have an external switching supply instead of an internal one, and quite a bit cheaper. Would be great to compare to this one!
Here's the thing though. 1. Ethernet switches already have line filters that suppress external noise and noise from the power source. This also includes signal conditioning. 2. Electrical signals are actually regenerated at each switch port, which eliminates cumulative noise that may have been picked up over the cable run. 3. There's DSP in some switches that filter and improve signal quality. So all you need to have is a quality ethernet switch in-between the PC/streamer/DAC and the router - like something from Cisco, Juniper, Ubiquiti or Mikrotik. Have properly specced ethernet cable too and you're done.
even if they didn't the data would be unaffected, TCP/IP stack has plenty of data integrity checks at many levels of the stack. This is pure non sense. Then I think optical is the best way to transfer digital data so I love this kind of products. Would they improve the audio? Not at all, it's digitally encoded and it will not change even if you use pigeons to transfer it. (not joke, RFC 2549)
Yes you're right but still, it sounds better with the right switch and cable even though it makes no logical sense.
@@phantomplastics6582It makes no sense for reasons that we have not discovered yet.......
Always thinking and not listening
@@phantomplastics6582 it could be placebo. Very powerful effect and I experienced it myself many times.
The heaviness you are describing is one characteristic I have used for years to select analog cables. Metal cables have this to one degree or another. Considering the relative price, the Effe should be a great step for budget to 50k systems. Your video is very helpful. Another way to go is with a switch that has fiber optic output, but the streamer would have to have a fiber optic input.
Thank you, very interesting. It also removes the need of two optical converter at each end with each their own power supplies etc. While looking into this I also found the "SilentPower LAN iPurifier Pro - Ethernet Filter with Optical Isolation" from ifi . If one day you have. chance, would love to hear your opinion on that one too since it aims at the same clientele.
I really wish I could A B test something like this. Even if it does what its intended to do there's also the question on whether or not I can tell the difference to warrant the purchase. Very much like some of these crazy expensive usb cables.
I loved that saying - 'the shallower your knowledge, the deeper your convictions'... I would add ' the shallower your true ability to think past the obvious, the deeper your convictions' . I call these flat earthers. Like the real flat earthers they assume the knowledge they have is infinitely complete and immutable and that their usually unstated assumptions are similarly immutably correct
Nice clear review again !
Your review are free from muddiness, smearing and harshness,😊
And now seriously: A few years ago i bought a second hand Silent Bonn8 with a Forester PSU .
I connected the boxes and didn't listen serious to it. I just listen to music while i did other things in house, laughed with friends and so on.
After 2 months i removed the Silent Night set and that for me was the big change. Music wasn't less attractive, less engaging . Something you hear the difference even more when you remove something
I have the uptone etherregen and it’s working really well
. Skip the 'audiophile' box & use a pair of SFP ethernet cartridges with LC to LC glass fiber optical cable in between. It's a much less expensive solution from the computer industry rather than the audio industry.
Acid jazz, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
or just use wifi... nothing in the world is more galvanic isolated than wifi
That's what I did, I bought a fiber optic converter from Aliexpress for $16, and two cat7 ethernet cables (30 centimeters each) and instant heaven...
Be careful with that, a crappy fiber setup creates huge phase noise.
@@net_newsbut it uses antennas that bring even more noise into your device. Wifi sounds the worst in most cases.
@ so electrical noise is not the main offender... now It's wifi microwaves ok... you'll have to install your hifi system inside a faraday cage if you want to avoid microwaves.... they are hitting your gear 100% of the time even if they don't have a wifi antenna. 🤷♀️
Since a few weeks I notice I listen louder, and I recently really wondered why. To the point I hear some weaknesses of my speakers in the bass region because of just more volume. And some days ago I realised it is since I have the Ifi iSilencer plugged in the back of my streamer. This is really interesting because you described the same thing. Everything is calmer, less shouty. To express it in other words it is less sharp and edgy. And let me tell you that when it happens to you on a system you listen since a long time, it really is a major change.
Yes, even small differences accumulate over time to make a more meaningful impact than any quick AB test could ever predict. Listening to the music is emotional experiance and emoitons don't care for logic and math much. A very suitable analogy from life can easily be drawn after a long relationship - all small quirks and habits you considered almost insignificant at first grow big and important over time and with repetition.
You are right.
@@Nefty_ Do not take marketing at face value...I had ifi ...0 effect...but this is expected because it is a simple another isolator that any switch already had inside...it could help a little probably only before switch if a very long ethernet cable is before it...and then only a minimum amount if at all.
@@Sorin_FIf you read my message a little bit, you may understand that it is the opposite that has happened. It works and it works really well.
@@Nefty_ Yep what to say if you enjoy that, it is what it is but from a tehnical point of view if u had that simple passive dongle from ifi it not contain inside nothing more than an simple coil isolator that you already had in every port output of your switch. In my case 0 improvement.
Every word you used to describe that added information in the music that should not be there in the first place, is noise and distortion. Thank you for another great review.
what do you think about this device vs similar iFi products?
Thanks for this review and comparison! I wish you could review the PS Audio AirLens, and/or the Holo May Red one day.
Here's a question:
This device, and others like it, use an optical connection to achieve galvanic isolation. But then why are we told that optical/toslink is the worst connection to use between a streamer and a DAC? I always hear people praise I2S or spdif or AES/EBU, and toslink is not recommended. Why is this?
And yes I realize that this decice is meant to clean the data going into the streamer whereas I'm talking about the connection from streamer to DAC. But still, how is toslink a good thing in one part of the chain but not in the next? Thats what I'm asking. Thank you.
Non-optical, passive network isolators also improve the sound in combination with network switches. I use isolators from PinkFaun, SotM, iFi and EMO (medical grade). And I have placed them in front of my 3 network switches to bridge an 8 metre LAN cable run from the router to the streamer. There is also a network isolator in front of the router. And all the netswitches are powered by linear power supplies (Keces P8, Ferrum Hypsos). The result: a sound that is somewhat reminiscent of analogue music playback. Quite marvellous.
I have another brand that has isolator and clock. The difference is clearly noticeable. Thanks for sharing this.
If ethernet galvanic isolation (whether it be via optical or otherwise) for a single connection is needed, I’m curious how this would compare with the iFi LAN iSilencer at a relatively modest $89 USD. My system is pretty dialed in and am admittedly pretty tweak-oriented so I purchased one (drunk late night Amazon whim) and added it to my system between an Araknis switch and my Denafrips Arce streamer (which uses opto-couplers in its circuit for an additional galvanically isolated output) and it produced a very minor improvement.
For less than a hundred dollars though to electrically isolate from the rest of the switch was enough for me to be happy and call it a day on network noise.
Thanks for this review. Of course it may work. I use an ifi Lan Silencer between my Fritz! Router and a Holo Audio Red streamer. In this case there is a difference hearable, a small one.
For those who think about snake oil I often remember to the very good sound of an Onkyo Integra CD-Player from 1987, which used Opto-Coupling between the analog and the digital stage.
Today we can find Opto-Coupling-Technic in many modern hifi equipment, like the brandnew Eversolo DMP A10 for example. Here are six opto couplers build in between the analog and the digital stage. Wouldn't it be nonsense to do this one the one hand and if we one the other hand bring "poluted" signals via LAN Cabke direct to the digital stage? I think no.
So of course there is an effect but if it's hearable or not depends also of the quality of the used devices himselve.
Greetings, Michael
Thank you for risking your reputation (with some) and taking the time and energy to answer explore this subject.
Remember, they can’t cancel you if you don’t care LOL!
Thanks for another thoughtful, open minded, non judgmental, non hysterical review.
People should just try something similar for themselves, and listen.
I bought an English Electric switch some time ago, I thought it made my system sound a bit better, to me.
That's all that matters really.....isn't it?
Network isolators are used for years in other applications. Mostly to protect equipment or people from surge / lightning strikes. E.g. Hospitals & clinics use them.
Honestly though I'm with you on this - I run my Matrix streamer on WiFi and that gets a better quality sound than network cable or usb connections.
I use a Phonosophie Netzwerkisolator in my system which costs an arm and a leg ... go figure 🧨😇 ... does it make a difference ... absolutely
The natural competitor to the $500. Effe-01 Optical Ethernet Isolator is iFi's SilentPower LAN iPurifier Pro @ $299.00
"The LAN iPurifier Pro utilizes Optical Galvanic Isolation technology to effectively isolate and eliminate electrical noise and interference emanating from the router or switch, which in turn, minimizes system noise, errors, and jitter."
Love to see a comparison review of the two.
Nice to see a comparison because that big price difference. From what I see the Effe had some high quality clocks inside then reclocking the signal, but ifii I do not know d'ont see the clocks.
@@Sorin_F You're right, that is a difference between the iFi and the Effe. And the Effe has just been discounted £398.00 Regular Price £338.30 Sale Price Even more of a reason for the iiWi channel to compare the two.
It seems that effe 01 use better clock (maybe) but use an internal switching power supply.... Ifi instead can powered by external lps.
If they're worried about noise and emi wouldn't an external power supply make more sense?
I'm also not convinced the box does anything worthwhile to begin with.
Fiber isolator is the way to go. Just disagree a bit on a switching power supply especially on output fiber module. Great review and good product.
Yes the switching power supply is crap...always will introduce electrical noise...because switching :), if that device try to minimize the electrical noise the natural and logic step was to have a linear power supply or at least an external brick...but it seems to be a nice device anyway...but also not cheap.
Ok, cool, into it but I wonder how this would compare to a similar product, the iFi LAN for £89?
I tried iFi LAN silencer but I never reviewed it. It influence the sound, makes it calmer and milder but also less dynamic and touch slower in a way. I didn't like the effect in my network, a friend did and he kept using it.
that one is passive and doesn’t insert an optical path. presumably it adresses some other issues, also in addition to this cheaper LAN filter, ifi offers a very similar device to the one under test here, ie also with optical isolation. mind you sending and receiving devices inside the lan filter are connected to the same psu…
What about sound difference in LAN cables
I'm sure the device improves the signal transmission. My issue is the cost value of the product. If the device was manufactured in China, Taiwan, or even Eastern Europe, the cost would likely be reduced by 50% of the current retail price. For my money, I would use the $500 to add it to my budget to upgrade my dac.
great review, tx, special thanks for testing the daisychain options.
The only thing that surprises me is that in your configuration a direct connection between router and streamer is only slightly worse than wifi SQ wise. I had to insert at least one switch and had to replace a cheap cat 8 cable from AMZ with “audiograde” lan cables to get a result that is better than wifi.
I use an ifi lan silencer at the back of my streamer which is a basic device relatively speaking compared to review sample and to me it makes a difference a small difference, but a difference all the same. smoother, more enjoyable sound stage. Its difficult to quantify but you kind of feel it more than critically hear the difference, its like adding cream to your coffee instead of milk. If you have a revealing system it will definitely make a difference. I dont think using a more budget system will do much as your whole chain must be as sensitive and revealing as possible to get those last few percentages of sound to be heard or felt.
Can you connect this to a switch?
Yes, you can daisy-chain them.
My 3 channel 150 watt starkrimson scrambles my over the air TV signal when powered. So this cannot be good for nearby electrical equipment. Resending the signal optically is a good idea.
Hi… stop the music….
I have a regular ethernet cable connected to my wiim ultra, then I have optical running out of the Wiim to my external DAC and then over to my amp with RCA..
I guess I don’t need this .. Right?
I always enjoy watching your videos. Keep them coming. Happy New Year to you.
KCB👍🇬🇧😁
Thank you for your review of the Effe. I find this very interesting having never considered the regeneration of optical signals to eliminate noise. Your work is greatly appreciated! 👍👍👍
Isn't WiFi best and no cost isolation method ?
No no! The air particles are dirty hence making the signals in the air dirty. You should look at air purifiers that clean the air to improve the audio signal!
@harisjaved1379 You're right. Good ones start from $15k 😭
@@hymaera 😂
Would be interesting to compare against Sonore optical module which does the same thing Ithink.
Manual shows up to 4k ,does that mean no 4k, that always confuses me
I'd suggest to the person that buys this to spend and equal amount on tickets to a live show. But on second thought, if the show is amplified, I'd imagine you'd want to track down the sound engineer to complain that the sound would be better if they just had power conditioners, and elevated the speaker wires.
This reminds me of "The Clock" from the 80s
If your system is sensetive enough for this to matter then yeah, but even very good listening setups are not this sensetive. The problem is I believe your gear needs to be so good that the only way to get a beyurr sound is incremental stuff like this, otherwise the 500 can be put somewhere where it would make a bigger impact
From my experience.. moving to fiber opticts makes a bigger/better difference;)
Regardless, thanks for another great review❤
Ok here is my take on this. A serious one. Optical isolators help eliminating or reducing issues that degrade audio quality. If your DAC setup is already free from noise, interference, and ground loops, adding an optical isolator might not make any noticeable difference to your audio experience. I think many good dacs will not run into this issue.
In the context of a network switch, using optical isolators is not directly applicable because optical isolators are primarily designed for protecting and isolating signal paths in electrical circuits. Network switches, which facilitate the routing of data packets between devices in a network, generally do not involve the same types of electrical signal issues that audio equipment might face, such as ground loops or electrical interference in the audio signal path.
So you don’t need this device in my humble opinion.
To those that say snake oil, if you hear it, for you it's real. This is very difficult to ABX, but in my experience I have been able to detect changes in my own system after extended (as in days) of living with a change. Not scientific, but repeatable, so good enough for me. I tend to think that a good LPS, and inserting any quality switch between your provider and your system would accomplish comparable results.
good video
Oh boy... Flame suit on... I have the SW8 and noticed improvements across the board, especially with video. I am also using the ifi products, their LAN, USB and SPDIF decrapifiers, along with a Stack Audio LAN isolator. We can see and hear the differences these products bring to the table here. Good video sir.
Put on your flame suit. Here come the checksum experts.
in the recent toronto audiovest, i heard a similar isolator from the chord cable company and it did make a noticeable improvement. the question i now have is will it make a difference in your netflix streaming? thanks for sharing your experience.
I imagine you need a very high end stereo system and a low quality home network for this type of device to make an audible improvement.
Also, wouldn't utilizing a wifi streamer bypass the noise issue created by a poor wired network.
The wifi enhances the noise issue, as it make even more noise entering your streamer. And the difference is audible on any decent system, nothing crazy needed.
LOL! How dare you! 😂 I already have my Netgear Modem on an LPS, and an LHY Network Switch SW-6.….NOW you tell me THIS! LOL!
Thankfully I am VERY happy with the sound of my system.
This optical isolator makes perfect sense. 👍🏼 I believe that PS Audio AirLens Streamer includes this tech, too…so in that case on would not benefit from this isolator.
SW-6 is newer and probably better than SW-8. I belive it also has Fiber Optic SFP connection... So you're set.
An effe'ing isolator. I will save the knowledge when I finally go ethernet instead of Wifi. You could replace the power supply of your providers router with a linear one that will be less noisy both towards your router and back into the socket.
I believe some Denafrips DACs use optical isolation
Nice review as always!
Is there any data available to back any of this up also, if a person was to do blind testing between this product and a regular 40E switch would there be a difference? I ask because im interested in performance upgrades etc but im also interested in proven test data which shows its an improvement.
Regards
It is so easy to call something you do not understand snake oil. Much easier than apply some logical reasoning to the situation. Galvanic isolation is a real thing. Separates the electrons that carry information from the ones that carry noise (as far as the music is concerned (before someone is going all philosophical on me)).
I have somthing similar , and I can hear a big difference ,but I hide it so my freinds cant c it i dont want to justify it , I tryed disconecting it but imidiatly regret it and connect it again ,had this 4 about 2 years now , galvanic isolation is the name of the game
All you need is Zyxel 105b v3 - best affordable audiophile switch
How do you know, until you try every other one on the world market . Maybe you have?
Digital is 0s and 1s as long as it is in the digital domain. When you are feeding a DAC all noise and jitter affects it. And your network switch affects the device that feeds your DAC.
Ahh yes, I’m here for the non believers in commentsection. Gets me everytime.
Many decent dac and steamers have a good power supply and a good form of isolation on the digital inputs. Soo....
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. I would really like to understand your perspective on how this could improve the sound. I'm of the conviction that the bits ending up at your DAC are identical with/without the device. I have a strong opinion on this, but weakly held.
It’s all a bunch of unverified science
Hey guys, I have got lost into the abyss of the Audio community looking either for a stack or a Dac amp combo around the £500 mark. At present I am leaning towards the Aune S9C. Has anyone got any recommendations. I will be pairing them with the Hifiman Ananda Nano to mix and master music....for fun in my room. Thx
Once again, I will happily PayPal you $100 if you can tell the difference between this versus any other Ethernet switch in a blind A/B test. Because you can’t.
If things go as last time that I offered this, you’ll reply with “easy money,“ and then you’ll do nothing. But I’m serious, though. And if it really is easy money, you’ll take me up on it and you’ll make that easy money.
You should spend this money for a psychiatric session
You should spend the money for a psychiatric session
This is and opinion opportunity for people who dont know how this works, have never heard one or owned one to express their ignorant outrage and get their weekly "snake oil" accusation out.
Always pros and cons about something new that we do not know or we do not know how it works.... In my experience, bring friends to listen to the current equipment with and without the new "unit, cable, power supply or.anything you would like to test" . Only one person knows which one he plugs in....then how you and others think of it. A kind of blind test without knowing....😊
I don't see what this gives me compared to just using the optical out of my streamer.
For typical HiFi setups, an audiophile-grade optical ethernet isolator isn’t necessary, especially for short distances. Ethernet cables, particularly Cat 6 or Cat 7, are already well-suited to handle high-quality audio streaming with minimal interference over standard home distances. However, if you're set on adding an isolator, there’s a more practical and cost-effective alternative: using a pair of Ethernet-over-fiber (EoF) adapters.
These adapters are widely used in various industries to prevent electromagnetic interference (EMI), offering the same isolation benefits without the high audiophile price tag. Ethernet-over-fiber technology has been designed and tested to perform under challenging environments and long distances, which are far more demanding than any home HiFi setup requires.
Ultimately, while short distances don’t call for optical isolation, Ethernet-over-fiber adapters provide a proven and budget-friendly solution if EMI isolation is a top priority.
It looks as though all the device he's testing has done, is put two of those adapters in the same box and added an internal PSU. Trebling the price in the process.
Ne mogu da verujem da moras i da radis recenzije za zmisko ulje.
. "Optical" & "Fiber Optic" are NOT (not even close) the SAME connection.
Acid jazz, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
The only thing it’s cleaning is your wallets.
😂
@@dodpr😂
Ha ha
Damned Ignorance
I’m going to stick with my dirty 1s and 0s from my TP-Link hardware.
"dirty" yeah, hahah
Пробвал съм няколко варианта и не чувам разлика...
Sound begins at the D/A conversion, not in the data feed. This is the same bs as gold CDs.
The noise and jitter that enters your DAC hugely affects the analog signal it recreates.
@@Nefty_ All decent DACs run with asynchronous USB and determine timing with integrated clocks. There is no jitter.
Sadly no, jitter on the usb signal created phase noise in your DAC, galvanic isolation or not, which disturbs you dac’s clock. And you dac’s clock has is own jitter.
@@Nefty_ Turning hour yead 5 degree has more effect on sound than jitter in asynchronous USB. Its nonsense.
good stuff thank you
uh oh, war cometh
Controversial is an understatement! I laughed when he said the unit had a switching power supply yet it aims to clean up micro volt level non critical EMI from the signal... More audiophoolery🤪🤪🤪🤣🤣🤣🤣
I don't think this is a real review. Its only purpose is to create debate in the comments section.
Yeah, I would like to see the signal on a oscilloscope or similar, showing actual differences in the signal before I would trust someones subjective impressions. Then I would hope that their room has been carefully optimized as well.
I'll wager no one could tell if this was on or off in a double blind test.
1s 0s get cleaned by a TCP-IP protocol stack I've built everything from a Pocket AM/FM Radio to Cell Tower.... Simply power a Network Switch with clean power .... every else was done before most were born.
Spend the money on better sound
The ethernet cables pick up noise too, not just the power supply
@@Pete.across.the.streetStop It !!!! Dude this topic circles Audio every year if Ethernet is bringing noise you have a bigger problem...
Simple challenge play a local file not connected to a switch play the same local file connected to a switch
@thinkIndependent2024 don't use local files. I haven't used this device but have heard and tested diffrances by fiber cascading two Cisco switches
This is not about the 1's and 0's but about the noise that travels with them. That noise is irrelevant for the DA conversion but is passes through the DAC to the speakers and affects the sound. It is amplified and audible through the speakers. All this is irrelevant in the digital domain as long as the data stays intact, but if it passes to the analog domain we can hear it. So all of your it's just ones and zeros argument misses the mark. It is not about the ones and zeros.
@@D1N02well said
if ethernet switches could degrade the quality of an audio or video digital signal then this youtube video would be unwatachable.... it travels through hundreds of ethernet switches before hitting your smart phone or tablet. Common sense guys, please. 🙏
If you are an audiophile, does a good power cable affect the picture?
You guys always miss the point that’s crazy, we don’t care about the data, the data is easy to manage. It is about the electrical noise that affects the electronics.
@@Nefty_ well wifi would be the perfect way to enjoy audio then... nothing is more galvanic isolated than wifi.
Snake Oil
Your comment is based on what experience? What’s the value of your system? And no, being a subscribed ASR cult member/reader doesn’t have any value.
@larsv6144 lol
@@sagi_tech_n_stuff see I rest my case. No constructive answer from the sagi oil troll. Just as expected.
@larsv6144
Lmao
@@sagi_tech_n_stuff and you are actually an ASR cult member, no wonder you have no constructive answer. Just go buy some cheap good measuring Topping gear and bask yourself in the belief that you have the best measuring stuff. The rest of us will let listening with our ears decide what we like to listen to. ASR is very one sided, biased, no one measurement can define human hearing and personal preference. Again, what are your experiences with the topic of the video? None? Then hush you troll.
Articulate and eloquent as always. I suppose the proof is in the listening, but the science appears to make sense, given that signals which attempt to result in your ears as 'the truth' are passing along metal, over distance and subject to interference and impediments of all sorts!
The name Effe by the way, was a Christian name for girls, particularly during Victorian times. Effe Bancroft, a well known actress for one.
People want so bad to believe this stuff works. So bad , it doesn’t , it just doesn’t
Because in your world, there is no such things as noise and distortion.
Unsubscribed successfully 😅
I used to like this, I guess you're not immune to the snake oil. Too bad.
But you are immune to snake oil. Because you're super smart. 😎
Absolutely nothing "snake oil" about it. It's pretty basic engineering, as any knowledgeable EE will tell you.
Everything that he’s reviewed - and the manner in which he’s reviewed it - has been straightforward. The engineering and potential benefit is most definitely plausible, yet system dependent (as stated in every review). Your comment however, is typical for someone who hasn’t actually taken the time to fully consider the benefits.
@Rob-Davidson lol exactly, zero self awareness, so indicative of the current cultural moment.
@@michaelmityok1001
100%
No interest at all sorry
Its videos like this that hurt your credibility
I'd rather just buy a Furman P-1800AR. Regulates voltage and conditions power while offering surge protection for multiple pieces of gear for 100 bucks more.