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How much can a switchbox influence quality of sound?
I tried searching the forums, but this hasn't really been answered anywhere. For the sake of convenience, one might want to connect various sources to a switchbox and then the switchbox to a headamp. How much impact would such a switchbox have on the quality of music? Assuming the switchbox is just a cheap piece of kit bought from radioshack...
One would anticipate that adding another component to the chain would affect sound, but would it really be significant? And in what way would it change the sound?
Would the soundstage become narrower? Would the bass get leaner? Will the highs get harsher, or more sibilant? Will clarity and details suffer?
A high quality line router will have little if any effect on your sound. Search for the words line router and you may find more information. Check out my sig for one noted line router that I had built that I found here, page6 ,home page is index
Or you could do it yourself with the right high quality parts.
__________________ Headphones: Stax: SR-007 MkII, SR-404, SR-003: Ultrasone: Edition 9:AT:ATH-ESW9/ESW10JPN Amps: Stax: SRM-T1S, SRM-252a, Headamp: KGSS(bg) Yamamoto: HA-02 Sources: Lavry DA10 (2), Oppo 981HD, Squeezebox V3, iMod, WD Passport HD 320 with FLAC files Misc: M-Audio USB Audiophile, HagUSB-XLR, Auricap Dock, IeGO and VD cables Feedback: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f12/slwiser-129086/ <><
IC: Willing to sell Stax SR-404 and/or SRM-T1S and the Stax SRS-005II system
I'm sure a good one would be completely transparent but I tried a cheaper one badged radio shack, from Jaycar, and it ruined the sound. Added noise and lost details, no question.
I tried searching the forums, but this hasn't really been answered anywhere. For the sake of convenience, one might want to connect various sources to a switchbox and then the switchbox to a headamp. How much impact would such a switchbox have on the quality of music? Assuming the switchbox is just a cheap piece of kit bought from radioshack...
One would anticipate that adding another component to the chain would affect sound, but would it really be significant? And in what way would it change the sound?
Would the soundstage become narrower? Would the bass get leaner? Will the highs get harsher, or more sibilant? Will clarity and details suffer?
I use switch boxes big-time as my headphone amp only has one input and I have PC, DVD, and 2 CD as sources, I also use a switch box for the digital coax outputs and have just bought a optical switch box since my DAC has Coax and toslink inputs and I want to see if there is any difference between the digital outs of my sources. At work I have another switch box as my old amp (pre-CD era) only has 3 inputs and I have 2 DAPs, 2 PCDPs and the computer.
So long as the extra signal path is short there really should be minimal difference, you may get a tiny signal loss, you are adding another 3ft of cable into the chain and maybe six inches of wire in the box. Informally I havent really heard any difference but it is quite hard to blind test these things.
What they said. Losses will be minimal, unless there are other problems or the box is realllly cheap.
Keep signal paths short and the net impedance of your system will be low enough that you won't miss out on any detail.
Switchboxes are a necessity when there's only one input (like on the Little Dot's <MKIV) but just make sure you get one specifically designed with quality as the goal. I.E., no '$2.99' bargain basement stuff.
As for digital cables, there mustn't be any loss there since digital is either "100%" or 0%"!
Just give Art Taylor of ampBoxAudio an email and he will give you an estimate to do one of these. Those shown on that page all have attenuators, mine only has a high-end switches and the RCA on the back. Just click on the links above and you will find the email links for a query. Art uses these cases for his work.
__________________ Headphones: Stax: SR-007 MkII, SR-404, SR-003: Ultrasone: Edition 9:AT:ATH-ESW9/ESW10JPN Amps: Stax: SRM-T1S, SRM-252a, Headamp: KGSS(bg) Yamamoto: HA-02 Sources: Lavry DA10 (2), Oppo 981HD, Squeezebox V3, iMod, WD Passport HD 320 with FLAC files Misc: M-Audio USB Audiophile, HagUSB-XLR, Auricap Dock, IeGO and VD cables Feedback: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f12/slwiser-129086/ <><
IC: Willing to sell Stax SR-404 and/or SRM-T1S and the Stax SRS-005II system
Seems rather complicated if you only want a basic switch box though
I think the SkipJack is the ultimate high-end audio switch on the market. I hope mine will be arriving by end this month so that I can compare to the other two switches (AmpBox Sl+ & Red Wine Audio Signature 3S) ;-)
F. Lo
__________________
Music aside, it is the discovery part that make head-fi self-fulfilling. One step at a time.
How much can a switchbox influence quality of sound?
Linear Mode
