HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

The only cables you need to run it without configuring it is a standard UK power lead and RJ45 networking patch leads.

If you lived close to me I'd drop off and lend you my USB to serial adapter and a console cable. If you know any IT implementation people, near you they should be able to lend you these.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, reading the Naim forum, I got the impression that plenty of people on there were running these with no configuration done on them at all...

I will give it a try without configuration. There is also a good thread about switches on SteteoNet.

Connected the unconfigured Cisco to the router and plugged in the ethernet cables to the streamer, NAS, Sky Q box and PC. It took some time to connect to the streamer, via BubbleUp, but did eventually. Yet to do any real listening as I am making the most of the long awaited warm sunshine in our south facing back garden and I don't have the house to myself any more.

Am able to report on the Cisco after playing a number of albums. To sumarise, it is a steal at the price I paid as the improvement is not subtle. There is a greater sense of depth and space and the music is simply more enjoyable. This is most pronounced on the better produced albums. There is also a slight increase in volume. It would appear that the "muck" which is being removed has an effect on volume as well as clarity. The switch has reinforced my belief that what takes place before the signal reaches the DAC has a profound effect on the music coming out of the speakers, which is underestimated. I have one issue and that is the one mentioned in my previous post concerning the time it takes for the app to pick up the streamer. When up and running there is no problem. I dont know if lack of configuration has anything to do with this.

Nice one CN

Seems like you got a big SQ improvement for a fraction of the price of an 'audiophile' ethernet unit.

I've just ordered a "CISCO 2960G WS-C2960G-8TC-L v02" switch from eBay: £49.99 inc delivery.

It'd be nice to do bake-offs of the Cisco business switch vs an audiophile one...

Would it be fair to say that the Cisco 2960 has been a very cost effective upgrade for your system - at the used price?
At the the new price - not sure how much it would have been - several hundred? Over a thousand? It would have been rather less cost effective.

Cisco business switches take a couple of minutes to fully boot after powering them on. Some of them take longer than others. They're designed to be left powered on 24/7, which is why they don't have power switches. And for business critical areas to have UPS's to keep them up through power blips, such as generator tests.

There's also techie stuff like "spanning tree portfast" settings that you can configure on each port that make a difference in how quickly a device talks properly on the network when plugged into a switch. I'd expect a proper config tailored to the devices plugged into each port of the switch - eg router connection vs PC or printer connection - would help with the delay you reported on your streamer when you first connected it.

Difficult to say what a fair price for the Cisco would be and it is system dependent. In the context of my system I would have been prepared to splash out upwards of £500 for the SQ benefit, but not £1,000. This takes into account that I have the top of the range NVA interconnectors and speaker cable which I think are more important,though costing a lot more. I am leaving the Cisco on 24/7. To start the music playing I am finding that I need to turn the phone on, off and on again.

There are comments on the Naim forum about rubber feet for the Cisco improving SQ. When I bought mine I also ordered the washing machine anti vibration feet I use for some other kit. It is supported by four, on the floor, out of site near the router.

CN211276 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2020 9:52 am There are comments on the Naim forum about rubber feet for the Cisco...

Well, it was only a matter of time, wasn't it? Custom feet Coming to a hifi shop near you, SOON!