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JCAT - TCXO 10/100/1000 Audio Grade Ethernet Switch vs AQVOX - AQ-SWITCH


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To set up a Network Bridge on Windows 10 is very easy with this card. 


1.    Connect one Lan cable to your Roon output (microRendu for example) and another LAN cable to your Router/modem 
2.    Power on the JCAT card from external PSU or computer PSU via LP4 connector
3.    Download and install the Windows 10 driver from here: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/59062/Intel-Ethernet-Server-Adapter-I350-T2.
4.    Open network connection and select both networks with the name Intel i350. Right click then both are selected and choose bridge connection
5.    One new green network called network bridge will show up and that all. I didn’t need to fill in IP address or anything like I did with my old card
6.    I don’t know if it’s really necessary to go and update on http://www.sonicorbiter.com/, but I did 

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On 8/26/2017 at 11:09 AM, Summit said:

To set up a Network Bridge on Windows 10 is very easy with this card. 


1.    Connect one Lan cable to your Roon output (microRendu for example) and another LAN cable to your Router/modem 
2.    Power on the JCAT card from external PSU or computer PSU via LP4 connector
3.    Download and install the Windows 10 driver from here: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/59062/Intel-Ethernet-Server-Adapter-I350-T2.
4.    Open network connection and select both networks with the name Intel i350. Right click then both are selected and choose bridge connection
5.    One new green network called network bridge will show up and that all. I didn’t need to fill in IP address or anything like I did with my old card
6.    I don’t know if it’s really necessary to go and update on http://www.sonicorbiter.com/, but I did 

 

Thanks for the quick guide. I'm sure it will be helpful for others who are planning to connect the card directly to a network renderer 

 

Best regards,

Marcin

JPLAY & JCAT Founder

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  • 4 weeks later...
17 hours ago, TubeMan said:

Jcat Net Femto is a very good card,
but is it worth 500$ compared to the better sound you get,
compared to a very good sounding intel 350T2 standard

 

I don’t know I have not tried the standard Intel 350, but if you believe that an external, separate PSU and “better” clock and regulators makes for superior sound and aren’t in to DIY maybe/probably.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 27/7/2017 at 6:48 PM, Confused said:

Obviously not a direct response to the JCAT - TCXO 10/100/1000 Audio Grade Ethernet Switch vs AQVOX - AQ-SWITCH question, but I have some observations.  I tried the AQVOX switch, and found that in my system it really did appear to do nothing at all.  Some helpful posters on CA advised tips such as connecting the earth tab to earth, using port 1 in, port 8 out, and so on.  I tried all of this but in much A/B testing vs a standard switch I really could not detect any difference.  I know others have reported fine results with the AQVOX, which is fair enough, I just could not detect it.  This was with Windows 10, Roon, microRendu, Mutec MC3+USB to Devialet amp.  I also tried using the AQVOX with Devialet's 'AIR' Ethernet streaming, so taking the microRendu and Devialet out of the mix.  A/B testing against the standard switch using Devialet AIR, there were a couple of times I was not sure the if the sound quality with the standard switch was better, with the AQVOX taking something away.  To be honest, the margins were so very small this is well within the range of what could be imagined, expectation bias or whatever, which I think is the point, so ultimately sent it back.  One positive here, I had zero hassle with AQVOX's returns policy, I returned the item and obtained a refund.  So if you really want to try one, it is relatively risk free, AQVOX's customer service was excellent.  So not the comparative report you might have hoped for, but I guess I could say that in my system I expect the JCAT offering would be at least as good, if not better!

Which standard Switch did you compare the AQVOX to and do you know whitch clock the Aqvox come with?

Thanks

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1 hour ago, Monge said:

Which standard Switch did you compare the AQVOX to and do you know whitch clock the Aqvox come with?

Thanks

It was a TP-LINK TL-SG108 8 Port Metal Gigabit Ethernet Switch.  As to which clock the AQVOX comes with, I have no idea!

Windows 11 PC, Roon, HQPlayer, Focus Fidelity convolutions, iFi Zen Stream, Paul Hynes SR4, Mutec REF10, Mutec MC3+USB, Devialet 1000Pro, KEF Blade.  Plus Pro-Ject Signature 12 TT for playing my 'legacy' vinyl collection. Desktop system; RME ADI-2 DAC fs, Meze Empyrean headphones.

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1 hour ago, Confused said:

It was a TP-LINK TL-SG108 8 Port Metal Gigabit Ethernet Switch.  As to which clock the AQVOX comes with, I have no idea!

Thank you very much. I have the TP-Link Tl-SG108 and the TL-SG108E and prefer the TL-SG108E version a little.

I don't know If you have read this

http://www.klinktbeter.be/index.php/specials/highend-switch

He is powerring the TL-SG108E with SBooster Botw P&P Eco 9-10V he told me In an e-mail.

Regards Monge

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17 hours ago, Monge said:

Thank you very much. I have the TP-Link Tl-SG108 and the TL-SG108E and prefer the TL-SG108E version a little.

I don't know If you have read this

http://www.klinktbeter.be/index.php/specials/highend-switch

He is powerring the TL-SG108E with SBooster Botw P&P Eco 9-10V he told me In an e-mail.

Regards Monge

No, I had not seen that, thanks for sharing.  Maybe that's why I did not hear any difference with the AQVOX where others did, it could be that the TP-Link Tl-SG108 is nearly as good!  Perhaps I should go crazy and buy myself the E version?  It's cheap enough. 

Windows 11 PC, Roon, HQPlayer, Focus Fidelity convolutions, iFi Zen Stream, Paul Hynes SR4, Mutec REF10, Mutec MC3+USB, Devialet 1000Pro, KEF Blade.  Plus Pro-Ject Signature 12 TT for playing my 'legacy' vinyl collection. Desktop system; RME ADI-2 DAC fs, Meze Empyrean headphones.

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IMO the 108E is nice. You can manage it to some degree. I disabel unused ports. The 108E can be powered by 5VDC. Only thing I miss is a way to turn off powersaving feature and a Ground skrew. 

Like the Cisco here:

http://www.yamahaproaudio.com/global/en/training_support/selftraining/dante_guide/chapter3/02_eee/

 

The link was Updated today.

"Update 5 otct 2017: we now recommend Sbooster instead of iFI"

http://www.klinktbeter.be/index.php/specials/highend-switch

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2 hours ago, Monge said:

IMO the 108E is nice. You can manage it to some degree. I disabel unused ports. The 108E can be powered by 5VDC. Only thing I miss is a way to turn off powersaving feature and a Ground skrew. 

 

So what is the essential difference between the TP-LINK TL-SG108 and the TL-SG108E?  Is it anything significant that might influence sound quality / performance?

Windows 11 PC, Roon, HQPlayer, Focus Fidelity convolutions, iFi Zen Stream, Paul Hynes SR4, Mutec REF10, Mutec MC3+USB, Devialet 1000Pro, KEF Blade.  Plus Pro-Ject Signature 12 TT for playing my 'legacy' vinyl collection. Desktop system; RME ADI-2 DAC fs, Meze Empyrean headphones.

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34 minutes ago, Confused said:

So what is the essential difference between the TP-LINK TL-SG108 and the TL-SG108E?  Is it anything significant that might influence sound quality / performance?

The 108E is managed and the 108 are not. The difference is very subtile regarding SQ in any case. Regarding the 108E I personally like you can set QoS on ports, disable unused port etc.

If I were you, I would keep the 108. 

Regards Monge

 

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8 hours ago, TubeMan said:

someone who has compared Cisco SG200-8  or SG110D with  TP-Link TL-SG108E

 

 

I started with the Netgear GS108 a little to aggressive to my taste. Then the Cisco SG110-08. This sounded better maybe a little to soft to my taste. Then I got the TP-Links 108 and 108E In a very good offer and I liked them. This was all with standard SMPS's. I am not sure if I could tell them apart In a blind test to be honest. The differences was small In any case.

This was before I knew about the importance of power.

A guy (I trust) in a forum In my country bought a JCAT TCXO switch and told me this was the best he has invested In for a long time.

So the JCAT switch might be my next investment. Until then the 108E will stay.

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  • 2 months later...

I don’t have a switch, currently just running ethernet (Sonictransporter and Allo Digione, Belden 6e) off my Time Capsule, which I now know is not ideal.  Before I buy TP-Link TL-SG108, if there any other switch I should consider? 

 

Is there a compact switch that uses a three prong plug? It seems that would be ideal, and then add a LPS.

 

Thanks in advance!

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One more question. Sorry for my ignorance! 

 

My router is operating in bridged mode to my Time Capsule.  I would like to keep using the Time Capsule for home wireless use. It’s works well.

 

What is the best way to introduce the switch?

 

I need to connect the Timecapsule, the SonicTransporter and the Digione.  That’s all I have to connect.  

 

Is is it best to trade my router in for a non bridge one?

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If your router is bridged what is your firewall? What router do you currently have?

 

Typically the cable modem (or DSL) is either in bridged mode or routed mode. If in routed mode the cable or DSL modem provides the firewall and IPv4 NAT.

 

If in bridged mode you have something operating as your firewall/router.  Then from there you would cable to something like the SG 200-8 and then hang WAP, NAS, TimeCapsule, etc directly off of it.

 

The switch becomes the hub and everything else a spoke.

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Thanks for your help.  My modem is a Hitron CGNM-2250. It is bridged to the TimeCapsule.  So I guess the time capsule is acting as the router/firewall?  Right now I have the SonicTrasporter and DIgione running off that.  

 

Everything sounds good, in fact it is the best sound I have had (previously a Bryston BDP-1 connected by an airport express and Ethernet cable).

 

We moved, and now can run Ethernet a short distance to the Digione which replaced the BDP-1. 

 

I don’t want to chase problems that don’t exist, but can’t seem to wrap my head around what would be a solid or reasonable step.

 

 

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