Fortunately my streamers connect wirelessly, so I do not really have this problem. Assuming the wireless network is stable, I’m convinced it is still better than cables.
Depends on your WiFi receiver, having a 2.4Ghz/5Ghz sender/receiver close to HiFi electronics does pose its own problems.
Just to pick a random example, here is a comparison of the noise floor in the analogue output of the Hifiberry DAC+ Pro, run off a 5V switching PS (white) vs off a battery pack (green)
And here is what Archimago says about it
Note: That noise at 37kHz originates from the ADC as previously documented and is not an issue with the Pi/DAC+ Pro.
Nope. Nothing to see… Notice the 60Hz hum (peaking way down at -130dB) is exactly the same whether using the switching power supply or lithium ion battery! [Remember this… I know where this comes from and you’ll see this discussed in another blog post later :-)]. Plus there’s no evidence of extra noise in either case all the way to at least 50kHz before we see the ADC noise floor rise!
Question for all those hyping audiophile Ethernet switches: where does that bump up to -130dB at 60 Hz come from?
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After hearing and reading about definitive sound improvements through special ethernet cables and switches and after seeing a review from HB, I bought a few In-Akustik Excellence Network Cable CAT6 cables and an audiophile Silent Angel Bonn N8 switch out of pure interest. That was a conscious purchase decision. The worst thing that could happen is that nothing happens. For a manageable amount (in relation to my stereo system).
I am a computer scientist, so I was rather skeptical about the propagated sound improvements. Because after everything I know, it can’t be right. On the other hand, I am a HiFi and sound enthusiast. And: There is always a vague possibility that something is wrong. And HB doesn’t look like a liar either. However, the opinion of other people is of little use, as you can read here, the range of opinions is wide. So, I have to find out for myself.
The cable test:
A: 1m & 2m In-Acoustic Excellence CAT6
B: Approx. 50m normal CAT6 cable (ca. € 30.- 50m)
My network leads from the basement over 2 floors to the attic. By patching the cables accordingly, I can route the signal directly from the Roon-Rock to the streamer or alternatively from the roof to the basement and back and then to the streamer
The switch test:
Audiophile Switch Silent Angel Bonn N8 vs. Netgear GS105Ev2
The Silent Angel Bonn N8 the is mounted under my lowboard
The in-acoustic cables are plugged into the back.
For the test I have both switches in operation. By plugging in the cables, I can compare the sound of the two devices almost without delay.
And of course, I checked the entire cable route to the basement again with my Kurt LANcheck. Normally I would notice immediately if something is wrong, but it is safe to do so.
At the other end my streamer with a cable that is provided with a coupling, so that I can quickly switch between the two switches.
Result:
It didn’t take me long to do the cable test. When comparing the switches, it was not that easy. After all, it was me who switched the network cables and therefore I knew which of the Switches was currently in operation. I didn’t take it lightly. Sometimes I thought I hear a little more attack or a wider sound stage. Then I switched the cables around again and heard the same thing as before. After about 2 hours of serious listening, I’m sure.
To put my personal result into words:
If someone asked me whether it makes sense to spend money on audiophile network cables, my answer would be yes. In case I expect a well-made cable with solid plugs and a nice look. Because of the sound? I can hear no difference for myself, whether it is an audiophile cable connection with a length of 2m or a connection with a 50m normal CAT6 cable.
When comparing standard Netgear vs. audiophile Bonn N8:
If someone asked me whether it makes sense to spend money on an audiophile switch, my answer would also be yes. In the case I just want to calm my psyche or conscience by having done the maximum possible. Because of the sound? Here my answer is rather diplomatic. I for myself, my system and my ears cannot hear a reproducible difference in sound. Nothing that would withstand a blind test. I would definitely not be able to pinpoint the sound of device A or device B.
Do I regret buying the cables or the switch? No, not at all. The cables are excellently manufactured and fit perfectly in their connection. Significantly better than some Amazon standard cables with which I have had the one or the other problem in normal PC operation.
Would I buy the Bonn N8 again? Hmm… I don’t think so. But I don’t regret the purchase, after all I learned a lot from the Bonn N8. In the network it is completely passive, it is not manageable and it cannot even be found with a network scanner, so you cannot assign an IP address to it. At first I thought that its interior could be identical to my Netgear GS108Ev3, so I disassembled and compared both. They are not identical, the Bonn N8 has its own design. It works perfectly in combination with my Linn streamer. And it is also not detrimental to the sound. But not beneficial either. It is a good, solid switch with low performance requirements, it does not get warm and it does its job reliably. But rather overpaid for this job.
Finally, I have to admit that I have made another investment in my stereo. Here you can see How It’s Made:
And of course, I’m not going to tell you what this streamer sounds like. Because otherwise some run to the bank and take out a loan. Besides, he still risks that the best wife of all puts him in front of the door 
But if someone asked me if you could hear the quality of sound, my answer would be a definite yes. Without hesitation and without ifs and buts. This device lives up to all promises made by other devices.
I don’t want to be misunderstood with my opinion, nor do I want to get on anyone’s toes. Therefore: All of this is simply my personal opinion. It applies to me, my ears, my stereo and my room.
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He may not be the best guy to take advice from.
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Why not???
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I have watched a lot of his reviews, and while he talks to much and blinks to little, I actually trust his ears, and his opinions also seem to reflect many other reviews (and then I don’t mean EtherRegen specifically).
I also borrowed and tested EtherRegen myself, and as I mentioned earlier it does give a step up in sound quality (unlike HB I haven’t compared it to other HiFI switches, only the one I have at home).
Generally speaking, I never trust a single review. But if you get a lot of different reviewers from different magazines, youtube etc, and they all say basically the same thing, then I trust it.
Because, over the years, he’s bit down wholeheartedly, on the subjective hook.
He never finds a device that doesn’t live unto it’s marketing hype.
Just my impressions from watching some of his stuff. I find some of his videos incoherent. His technical knowledge seems to be lacking. He’s best when reading from what seems to be Wikipedia. He parrots advertising claims from evidence-free hi-fi magazines. He drops in these little drive-by negs, like “the polluted USB” port of the Raspberry Pi, without explanation or evidence. His backdrop, with the never-used test equipment, is dishonest.
To me, this all adds up to an untrustworthy aura. So I gave up on him fairly quickly. He is not someone I’d ever turn to for competent technical advice on stereo equipment.
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Ditto. /10 chars
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I definitely prefer Hans Beekhuyzen over Amir. Someone who, with a straight face, claims a Topping DX3 Pro DAC sounds better than a Schiit Yggdrasil is way out there in fantasy land. I have the Topping DX3 as a TV DAC, but in my HiFi it sounds really bad, muted and veiled, like sound from a smartphone in comparison to Schiit Yggdrasil that sounds awesome, transparent and open with a wide sound stage.
Which ties back to what I said earlier: the only way to determine how something sounds is to listen to it, but listen in such a way that bias is not a factor (blind tests if you like, for me its enough to listen long enough).
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I think he’s saying that it measures better, not that it “sounds better”. Your ears might prefer the noise and distortion of the Yggdrasil, for instance. Your brain might interpret that distortion as “awesome, transparent, and open with a wide sound stage.” Hearing is a mysterious thing.
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Prefer? Well, his phlegmatic Teutonic presentation style is appealing, I agree. But to me, preferring Hans over Amir for technical advice, or even evaluation of a product, seems a mistake, and I’d advise others not to make that same mistake, if they were to ask me.
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Maybe its me, but when reading I review I want to know things like how it sound (soundstage, transparency, details, agressive/laid back etc), and also the basic functionality of the equipment. Why would I bother about measurements?
As long as measurements (and the interpretations of measurement) don’t tell the whole story about how something sound, they can at best be used as a guideline.
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Is personal preference not a qualitative statement.
Or is it? Research suggests otherwise.That is, there is strong correlation between objective measurement and subjective preference.
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Its amusing that people who has HiFi as a hobby thinks listening is something bad. I already explained that you have to take steps to get past the “bias” period, or you might fool yourself. But once you learn how to handle this, of course the only way to determine how something sound is to listen to it. Especially since sound quality is subjective, but even listening to neutral transparency is better than to measure it, at least today.
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If someone asks you if you like a photo from the vacation in the alps, do you then go out there, measure lightning, shadows, color spectograms before deciding if the photo was actually a good photo? 
They may not tell the whole story, but they always tell you something.
In particular, if you think that electrical noise due to the use of switching power supplies can be reduced/eliminated by using a battery pack instead, then a sensible person might want to know whether or not the measured noise level is actually reduced by making that change.
I measure the camera, not the photo 
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Funny that you only trust your ears and how it ‘sounds’ and at the same time you try to reduce noise. Fun fact is that the right amount of noise and distortion give the sound more warmth, more depth and give it a wider soundstage. That is why a lot of people love the sound of a good tube amp, because it adds the right portion of distortion and noise to the sound.
The same is true for pictures. Professional photographers add some noise to give the picture more depth. Completely noise-free photos look flat.
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