Recommended network components

[tokenbrit]

Whilst on the subject of GS308T setup, has anyone updated the firmware? Mine came with 1.0.2.2, but there is a 1.0.5.6 available...
Just wondering if anyone keeps their switch firmware up-to-date, or leaves alone (I had updated the 108T when I got it, and updated again to the latest... Figure it's safe since I expect to switch (no pun intended) to the 308T soon enough)

[markiteight]

Whilst on the subject of GS308T setup, has anyone updated the firmware? Mine came with 1.0.2.2, but there is a 1.0.5.6 available...
Just wondering if anyone keeps their switch firmware up-to-date, or leaves alone (I had updated the 108T when I got it, and updated again to the latest... Figure it's safe since I expect to switch (no pun intended) to the 308T soon enough)

Mine is on 1.0.2.2 as well. I think I updated my 108T when I first got it, but never again.

[Hermann]

My GS308T FW version is 1.0.1.2. Current FW is 1.0.5.6

[Spannko]

Has anyone had the chance to compare the English Electric 8Switch to the Netgear GS108Tv2 or GS 308T with the Kalla?

I’ve heard a comparison of the 8Switch and FS105 conducted by The Chord Co. I preferred the FS105 which isn’t as good as a GS108T which appears to be not as good as a GS308T.

[tokenbrit]

Whilst on the subject of GS308T setup, has anyone updated the firmware? Mine came with 1.0.2.2, but there is a 1.0.5.6 available...
Just wondering if anyone keeps their switch firmware up-to-date, or leaves alone (I had updated the 108T when I got it, and updated again to the latest... Figure it's safe since I expect to switch (no pun intended) to the 308T soon enough)

Mine is on 1.0.2.2 as well. I think I updated my 108T when I first got it, but never again.

Never again as in didn't bother again, or as in such an awful experience, "never again!"? :)

I guess the more general question is: has anyone perceived a change in musicality with a firmware update of their switch?

[ThomasOK]

I've never bothered to update the firmware of any of my switches. In all honesty it never even occurred to me to do so. You know, if it ain't broke, don't fix it and all that.

[tokenbrit]

I've never bothered to update the firmware of any of my switches. In all honesty it never even occurred to me to do so. You know, if it ain't broke, don't fix it and all that.

What firmware version do you have on your 108Tv2?

And what if you don't know it was/n't broke unless/til you fix it :?

[markiteight]

Never again as in didn't bother again, or as in such an awful experience, "never again!"? :)

'Never again' as in I couldn't be arsed. I actually wasn't aware of another firmware update as I never bothered to check. I don't recall the update process being anything but smooth sailing.

It would be interesting to know if there's a musical difference between firmware versions, but I would only undertake that experiment if I was certain it's possible to revert to a previous version.

[ThomasOK]

I've never bothered to update the firmware of any of my switches. In all honesty it never even occurred to me to do so. You know, if it ain't broke, don't fix it and all that.

What firmware version do you have on your 108Tv2?

And what if you don't know it was/n't broke unless/til you fix it :?

No idea.
If it's working it ain't broke. I think that's the definition. ;-)

I'll also refer you to markiteight's most recent comments. Sounds about right for me as well.

I already have more than enough things I should check out on my system to see if I can't take it even farther musically. The last thing I need to do is add more things to fuss with - especially those that could go wrong. Until I read the latest on this thread I didn't even think about the possibility of changing the firmware on my switches. Ignorance is sometimes bliss.

[springwood64]

A Netgear GS308T turned up yesterday and I swapped out the GS108Tv2. No other changes - eg power supply and network cables unchanged. My immediate impression is it is slightly more impressive and I find music a bit more engaging, tho a bit more raw and fatiguing. I'll give it a couple of weeks to make itself at home and then do some A/B comparisons with the GS108T

[tokenbrit]

.. Netgear GS308T .. a bit more raw and fatiguing...

UK? I was going to suggest try reversing the psu, but may not be poss... "raw and fatiguing" is a good description of how my 108T sounded with the psu plugged in the wrong way round (US). Hope your 308T settles in & relaxes into the music.

[springwood64]

UK? I was going to suggest try reversing the psu, but may not be poss... "raw and fatiguing" is a good description of how my 108T sounded with the psu plugged in the wrong way round (US). Hope your 308T settles in & relaxes into the music.

Yes UK, so reversing requires some rewiring.

Anyway, it's heading comfortably in the right direction. I'm starting to get the impression that this is a bigger improvement than I expected.

[Defender]

same change here - just swapped the main unit 108T v2 for 308T but used the power supply which came with the 108T
feels I have better access/understanding the texts of the songs right away - some other things in the hifi (not tune) part of evaluation seem off a little bit but I attribute that to the missing run in and that my Akurate froze before I changed the units so I had to switch it off and on again.
All in all it seems like a nice and very good value for money improvement improvement.

[fatjulio]

I recently got a GS308T. I was initially happy but then not so much. I was finding it a bit bright. Then I looked at my GS108T and saw it has no rubber feet. I placed the GS308T upside down to get it off it's feet, and liked the result. I've now removed the feet, they're only sticky pads. You'll need a piece of paper folded once or twice to put under a corner, so it's stable.

[Peder]

🔶 I have just received these to
evaluate in the music-system.

🔸Ediscreation Silent Switch OXCO
🔸Ediscreation Fiberbox
Both have built-in Linear
PowerSupplies.

[Spannko]

A video comparing the Ediscreation to the Netgear would be really helpful Peder!

[tokenbrit]

"Eddies," said Ford, "in the space-time continuum."
"Ah," nodded Arthur, "is he. Is he."
...
"What?" said Ford.
"Er, who," said Arthur, "is Eddy, then, exactly, then?"
Ford looked angrily at him.
"Will you listen?" he snapped.
"I have been listening," said Arthur, "but I'm not sure it's helped."

Hopefully listening to clips will help, in this instance ;)

[yahia.said@gmail.com]

Some routers offer IP binding from the router interface. Eg Asus AX6000. Is it necessary/beneficial/harmful to fix the IP from the router side as well as from the Kella side? btw. My router does not allow binding to an address iutide the range so I used one from within.

[Peder]

A video comparing the Ediscreation to the Netgear would be really helpful Peder!

Hi...
Sorry,.it's been many years since I/we left the cheap Netgear GS108T.

• First,.the Packedge switch was here
with LPS.
• Then the noted Cisco 2960,.also
with separate LPS.
• Also English Electric 8switch with
separate LPS.
• The switch Pura from Holland has
also passed here,.has built-in LPS.

But now it is Ediscreation Silent Switch Extrema that applies here,.this together with Fiberbox II.
Both have built-in dedicated LPS.
These have now been "burned in" for two weeks,.so tomorrow we will start testing them for real.

[Spannko]

Thanks Peder. I look forward to your report!

[lejonklou]

I now have a Netgear 308T in front on my home Källa. Will burn it in for a couple of days before I compare it to the 108T.

[snatex]

I searched through all of the previous switch discussions and could not find any comparisons to Netgear's 5-port switches. Has it been determined that the 5-port versions are inferior to the same model 8-port versions? Is there a preferred port on these units to use? What other factors seem to matter - buffer size? POE? Managed?

[lejonklou]

Yes, several have tried the 5-port versions and found them worse than the 8-port GS-108T. But I'm not sure of the exact model numbers.

After a recommendation I tried GS-108, which I found tuneful and clean sounding, but with less soul and engagement than GS-108T. Think I reported on this before.

[ThomasOK]

I think several have tried the 5 port units and found them less musical. I don't believe they made a 5 port T version which may be part of the reason as the GS108 was not as musical as the GS108T.

I don't know how much of a part it plays in the musical quality but one of the differences between the GS308T and the GS108T versions is the removal of the POE port on the new model.

[Spannko]

I’ve been running the 308T for a few weeks now. Unfortunately, I can’t say the change has been particularly successful and going back to the 108T this afternoon immediately returned the system to its former glory.