My late father -- a dedicated science educator with two Master's degrees -- always reminded me of the fact that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing." Hans has *very* "little knowledge" on this subject -- he's in *way* over his head.

Hans Beekhuyzen is trying with good intentions, but I think he has gotten himself into areas, where he as a Journalist simply cannot swim. He is up against engineers in electronics, sound, networks, and let's face it, despite his long experience in audio, he is no engineer.

Thank you for a great video! What I find most puzzling about this theme is how unwilling some audiophiles are to embrace pure facts and undisputable knowledge like this. When there are so many things that matter for sound quality learning what doesn´t should be welcomed with great relief instead of burrying our heads in the sand. I have extensively A/B-tested a so-called audiophile switch for a few days now and have found absolute zero difference to sound quality. Which is great really:-)

He better never stream from TIDAL or ANY online service then, because what about all the hops between his home router and the service? There's easily 10-20 non-audiophile routers and switches involved in delivering his streaming traffic from the service to his speakers. Ridiculous conversation all around. There's a business idea for you; you know those gaming VPNs promising lower latency (ping) no packet loss and less lag? Create an audiophile streaming VPN service promising lower jitter and priority treatment (QoS) for streaming packets. 😂😟 It would be funny if I it wasn't so sad.

I am wondering if Hans ever used that measurement devices in the background of his videos....

As a surprise to no one, another audiophile (Hans) doesn't understand even the very basics of what he tries to discuss.

Finally someone told that Leberkäsen guy off! Great work Matt!

Thank you for posting this video! The audiophile community needs more people like you.

I don’t spend much time on overthinking everyone’s bro science. What I’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of is when I’m thinking about buying a new DAC (third one in 12 months), I instead build a quick list of all the other things I could get for the same money and compare the overall effect. Instead of the DAC, maybe I upgrade the tweets in the the surrounds to beryllium, get the larger TV next time, or buy a slot machine for the basement to fleece the guests, using that money for some nice Kantas for the garage.

Thanks there was recently a post about audiophiles needing $ 1400-3500 Ethernet cables with sliding Ferrite beads I simply stated play the file from drive on the streamer because I knew the OSI model would not help

Has an Audio Precision analyzer sitting behind him, doesn't know how to use it to back up his ridiculous claims. He's simply putting gear behind himself to make it look like he's a qualified professional. The fact that people believe this guy is sad.

Haha the video description is gold! Hans really needs some education about a lot. Great video man!

I think I said something to Hans about that video and he's good with the comebacks. I find it really odd how many 'experts' can be ignorant and defend their position to the very end. Just knowing how little bandwidth music needs and a little bit about TCP/IP protocol is all that is really needed. I kind of feel sorry for him, his health doesn't seem to good. I also wonder what he does with that test equipment strategically placed in the background? I could probably put some of it to good use.

Thanks for doing this video. I almost made a video like this a few times. I've just been too busy with work. I'm a network administrator with telecom experience, also an audiophile. So many reviewers " reviewed " "audiophile switches " around the same time. Ugh. Notice they haven't said anything since those waves of reviews? There is so much snake oil in the audiophile world. I wish they would just cut out the BS in general.

Finally someone made a video about this. I've tried telling him a few times that networking can't have an effect on the music quality especially the things he attributes to this like more/better bass etc. Problem is that Hans takes this kind of thing (being told the truth) as bullying... So I wonder if it helps. Have you seen the BS video about jitter done by alpha-audio this was wrong on so many levels...

Today I posted the following comment on his latest video, in which I discovered a flaw in his optical setup. He shadow banned this comment, since it cannot be found under the comment section: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/i7eIhreJq9TepqM.html My shadow banned comment: The main problem with your first network setup, is that the optical link is in the wrong place. You only isolate the NUC. You should connect devices such as a NUC, NAS, ISP modem to a separate switch which is optically linked to an audio grade switch (e.g. a SOtM with SFP module), and on this audio grade switch only connect your streamers, and the uplink to the rest of the network. Since your electrical isolation is in the incorrect place, the reviewed device is going to make a difference. I admit that most of your readers will have such setup, and therefore the device makes sense.

Thank you for this response videos. People who pass on misguided or fraudulent information must be stopped, or at least called out. It's like asking a chiropractor to address open-heart surgery (nothing against chiros, btw).

And then the magic hooks in: Buffer. What a nonsense with jitter... Crazy to see someone sitting in front of some advanced tech and talking BS.

Switches improving sound is on top of list for snake oil 🙄

I have found not all switches are alike when dealing with real time data. I have to hand pick the switches and routers I use for DMX over Ethernet using broadcast ACN or Artnet. Some routers are low latency, while others buffer, then forward, which turns smooth motion on movers into jump, stop, jump, stop, as some send packet batches after accumulation of many. For video, this is fine as playback is start delayed, but the packets are buffered and the stream runs smoothly at it's bitrate. DMX lighting signal does not work with that as it is not buffered for smooth playback on the receiving end. It updates fixtures in real time as data arrives. The same can affect non buffered audio devices that try to run real time. The buying of audiophile switches simply means, switches already vetted for latency for low delay audio, such as live concerts where performers are in the same room as the real time playback in the monitors and speakers. Adding a switch that adds a 500ms delay would be a show stopper as the delayed sound becomes a delayed echo to the performers. All packets, including broadcast, should be forwarded within 20ms. They should not be buffered for longer to meet some QOS that is not in use. My tests were on common home routers and switches on the LAN ports only, and between the WiFi and lan ports, not the gateway to WAN. Let's face it, VOIP should be low latency. Audio rated switches are used in digital console setups for concerts and broadcast. Nobody is going to cache 3 seconds of audio between the mic on stage and the mixing console and call it acceptable for live productions. Audiophiles don't understand live sound vs recorded sound. One must be low latency. Low latency is small cache.

I think maybe Hans is mixing up the delivery of the data to the input buffer of the device that plays it with the incumbent necessity of avoiding jitter during actual D/A conversion. Also the imbalance in the transformer resulting in a DC offset rang false with me, since anything going through a transformer will need rectification, regulation and conditioning, so plenty of opportunity to produce correct DC whatever the tolerance in the transformer windings. I experimented this evening, accessing a WAV file from my NAS over mesh WiFi node and local Gigabit Ethernet switch (non PoE ports), playing via iPhone over Bluetooth to my DAC connected to my HiFi. I'll have to do an A/B test with the same CD on the CD player digital out via Toslink to the same DAC, see if I can hear a difference. All the best, Rob

My streamer is rather close to the wifi access point, which may be the reason why my system sounds a bit better in wifi connection rather than cable bound through a standard switch even if fed by a LPS (or also by ifi X-power). I do not have a good theory nor good measurements to offer, except that even a standard ethernet interface that should galvanically isolate the streamer from ethernet source (switch) might to some extent be less than ideal (no interfaces is ideal). In my case, insertion of a galvanic separator between streamer and switch significantly improves SQ, though not as much as to really reach the level of wifi (some fans of double blind tests might declare that remaining difference to be „irrelevant“ and a matter of taste - I find its still quite a remarkable difference in refinement I‘d be willing to pay for >1000€, was it not for free).

Finally!!! A credible push back to the BS of Hans.

Matt I appreciate your post and the dialog this creates. However I think there other things at play that my need to be considered. I agree, the way modern layer 2 switching works and its robustness make it nearly impossible to introduce errors that go uncorrected into the frames within the network path. You outline this perfectly in respect the hundreds of network elements and the numerous signal paths that digital audio take before it reaches your audio system and ultimately ears. Additionally, I agree, even with the use of Roon, like Jriver, streams from Tidal and Qobuzz as well files over the network are buffered. This buffer allows for plenty of time for dropped packets and incomplete frames to be retransmitted before the steam deconstructs in the DAC and reaches our ears. Unless I missed it in your reply video to Hans Beekhuyzen, It wasn't considered that noise that exists along the cabling; while doesn't affect the network stream, can introduce issues with the digital to analog conversion and quality of digital audio. Audiophile switches offer only one feature above an off the shelf layer 2 switch "Reduction of Noise". Audiophile switches have optical isolation of the Ethernet signal path to reduce interference along the network cable that can and will interfere with sensitive ladder DACS. This isolation attempts to block the noise that could enter the sensitive digital clocks and add jitter and defects to the digital to analog conversion. I am not speaking about noise in the network packets as I agree that isn't a practical condition. I am speaking about noise on and around the network cable that affects other components in the digital audio path. Additionally, Audiophile switches have improved power supply filtering to also further reduce noise that can be introduced along the cable that require filtering at the network streaming device and ultimately the DAC. In very revealing audiophile systems it is easy to hear noise from the Power Utility, DC Switching power supplies and yes, network switches. Again, this isn't a rebuttal or an attempt to take sides. Just another perspective from some dude on the internet. Be well.

Everyone is talking about theory. It would be nice to know if the difference is real or not. Whatever test, multiple listeners, including people who claim to hear the difference to begin with. To be honest, I also seem to hear a clear difference in some cables, in high end systems, including digital ones, streamers despite the fact that I specifically wanted to hear no differences. I am extremely skeptical about a switch effecting sound, but the streamers/dacs have some very unintuitive solutions on caching which is a mixture of source, software and hardware. Local caching should limit exposure to any timing issue, but depending on the chain (and source - I have no idea about rights management for streaming services) this might not happen. Roon streams stuff from an external source in many cases and playback can and will get stuck on a PC mid file.

... and no, there's no problem with Ethernet cables unless you run them out of spec (or they are broken!). Forget about wireless (!!) or fiber, don't search for problems where there's none... As for the digital signal, Hans doesn't know about logical detection levels and why a CPU with billions of stacked gates running at gigahertz doesn't make errors!

Great video, concise and straight to the point

Network equipemnt that uses ethernet based protocoles only send "ones" and "zeroes". There is therefore 0.00000000000000000000000% total distortion introduced by such equipment into an audio stream. No timing circuit can be jitter free and it is built to handle it properly with a quite safe pargin. In the event errors are detected at the receive end, ethernet protocoles have provisions to deal with that. That guy has a 30,000$ distortion testset behind him, the APX series unit at the bottom. I submit that If he connect himsef to it, everybody would get distortion reading way too high. Audiophilia is an illness that make you pay 400$ for a 6 feet power cord, 10,000$ for an amplifier, 40,000$ for speakers. Does't he kno speakers generate between 0.1% and 1% distortion? What is the use of 0.0001% distortion preamplifiers and/ amplifiers in that case? Fixing the listening room is quite inexênsive and it goes a long way to enhance a listening experience.

I can only say that i bought the silent Angel audio switch, it made a big improvement from my netgear switch, i have no idea what it does but going back to My old netgear switch is not an option, PS i am using standard cabels and powersupply

What about the claim that DACs being fed optical are converting it in real time and don't have a buffer, therefore if errors happen they won't be corrected? I haven't seen a demonstration of getting something bit perfect over optical or how reliable that is, but I think that's probably the case. Also: since you sound like a reality based guy, do you see any advantage to building a system out keeping everything digital until it's at the speaker, or is that going to be transparent compared to using XLR? Debating getting an all digital MiniDSP vs using balanced outputs which would allow me to use regular subs instead of expensive Genelec ones. Currently have a Genelec 8260 pair that I can feed with balanced or AES/EBU. Right now the analogue XLR is winning out because it's more expandable in the future if I want to do surround sound.

I think the key argument here is based on timing of the data received not whether you are getting a bit perfect copy or not. Han’s argument is based around jitter being fed into a streamer/DAC which can cause issues. In the case where a streamer caches the data, then that probably becomes a non-issue. However, in a case where the stream from say Tidal or Qobuz or even from a network drive is being fed directly to a DAC then timing issues affect things like jitter which do alter the sound quality. Also noise can be introduced into the streamer from either the network switch, cabling, and or the router. While this noise may not be in the audible band, again it can cause a DAC to jitter which does effect sound quality. Also in the case of DSD specifically, which uses ultra-wide frequency band for delivering audible signal, then these kind of high frequency noise will negatively affect the signal and the decoding. Also in the case of fiber optics, the quality of the converter from an electrical signal to a lightwave can cause jitter. So even with fiber optics you can transfer jitter if your switch isn’t high quality. So I think it depends. However, if you deliver a cached bit perfect file to a streamer and you are still getting jitter errors, then that is being caused by the streamer and not the switch or network. So I would run your test again and this time turn caching of J River OFF and see how it goes. By the way, I should mention that I currently use an M1 Mac Mini which is probably the best computer you can buy as a source, and even then I have opted to buy a dedicated streamer for my 2 channel system. I’ve decided to go with the Hifi Rose RS150. And once I get that, I plan on doing an A/B sound test with my M1 Mac Mini (which already sounds fricken phenomenal as a source) to compare it to. If I am wrong, then I wasted $4k.

Hans Beekhuyzen has no clue and is a typical example of the Dunning-Kruger effect... He's just a peddler repeating audio crap, not having basic knowledge in networking, let alone electrical engineering undergraduate level basic concepts...

A video on high-end audio whose audio sounds like trash.

Stopped watching Hans' videos awhile ago. Clearly he thinks he has magic ears and doesn't know what he's talking about.

You calling poor Hans a liar? For crying out loud, he's the most neutral guy on youtube...

Just 2 think: I did a test last weekend with SOtM sNH-10G con External Master Clock the Mutec Ref 10 . So it works and improve sound a lot, So after this test I reconnect my 2 "cheap" ethernet switch netgear, but I changed the connection in order to create a "noise network" and "audio netwlork", In the Noise I put the cable from Router, 1 cable forn another room where connected to another Cisco switch and my QNAP NAS where is stored my music library, another cable with Fanless PC as Roon Rock Server, and 1 cable to go to Audio switch. In the Audio switch only the cable from Noise network and 1 cable to my network streamer SOtM sMS200 Ultra then to the DAC via USB. The background noise was better then before when the PC funless was connected on the "Audio" network switch and also the cable from other roon connected here. For me it's clear that some noise come trought wire and degrade the silense in the audio equipemet. How we can think? The Cina power supply of router internet provider can genarate noise for sure, so could you demostrate that network switch eliminato 100% of this noise? Could you test this?

2:11 that guy looks frightened. Maybe Aqvox is pointing a gun on him?^^

Why can't people like you see that all you're doing is trying to claim your product is as good as the more expensive one? I don't even disagree, necessarily, I just grow weary of the approach.

Switches are the next level snake oil. Talk about USB cables. A half decent USB cable will perform as good as one made out of silver - both of which cannot make any difference to sound because it's data for the dac and not its analog signal. I'm tired of explaining this to people online.

If someone hears a difference they hear a difference regardless of measurement. Hans is independent and highly respected, I guess it’s possible he might be fooling himself in hearing a difference but I very much doubt he speaks in bad faith. I find it fascinating why it bothers so many what others spend their cash on. If I want to drop a few hundred on a cable to give myself piece of mind that I’m giving the system the best chance, that’s my funeral! If you’d used to the time you spent criticizing audiophiles for something more remunerative, the cable would be a drop in the ocean!

Wait!!! at 16 minutes you said something that makes realize you lack the brain, ears or system to get it. Thank you for reveling that info, I will never watch your videos again.

The differences in sound are simply not heard by everyone, as people’s listening priorities and acuity are individual. Why is it that a music lover suddenly looses the interest after making what should be an upgrade. Without sponsorship for testing, it may take weeks or more to identify exactly what is going on while blindfolded. There is a big difference between mp3 files and 24/192 files, but not identifiable like the difference between a cheap phono cartridge and a high quality one. When listening to a cello, for example(as it is my instrument) , the brain’s first reaction is to auto correct the flat one dimensional sound of an mp3, because one already knows what a cello sounds like. But the missing qualities are unnoticed and only reveal themselves in a different way, perhaps over time. When you look at a Vermeer you look at it as n a particular way that is open to education and appreciation. Only then can the true genius be revealed. I agree that there is lots of snake oil in audio. But blind testing is not the answer, just as measurements cannot tell you how good your amplifier sounds. Only by living with a piece of equipment over time can reveal all of its characteristics. You may be too young, but some of your claims sound a little like Julian Hircsh from the now defund High Fidelity magazine boldly and repeatedly claimed mug that all amplifiers sounds the same. To smugly claim that a switching unit simply does not alter sound because your science doesn’t allow for it, is indeed quite a borrow point of view. At least this guy has a mature approach to offering different solutions to making your system sound better without spending DCS money, as Stereophile’s point of view implies.

Engineer here. Audio DACs, at least the ones made in the last 30years or so don't care about jitter because by design they have a buffer anyways. Its the biggest lie in the audio industry. On the output/analog side audiophile DAC makers just screw with equalization a bit in the midrange to get all these claims.

Well, we do not do blind testing. If you experienced enough in listening, it is like with your eyes, you know what is HD and what is 4K with or without blind testing. You thinking too much. Sit and listen. But, you need to have decent enough audio system, if not and you will hear nothing - all you can say is: in this particular system, you heard nothing. That is it. Otherwise you fooling yourself thinking you know what you do not know. Which is how other people systems sound. And one more thing. If you using Jriver as a source, well, that is the reason why you do not hear the difference. People who invest monies only in what makes difference in sound, do hear the difference. So what you are going to do about that? Tell them they do not hear what they hear? :)