Playground for practical listening exercises

[tokenbrit]

Never as straightforward with 3...
For me it was 1 (GS108T) or 2 (Melco) each better than 3 (GS108T+Melco), so I focused on 1 v 2, only going back to 3 to understand the difference(s) between 1 & 2.
With this song, to these ears, I thought 1 was better: more harmonious, giving me a stronger connection with the song.
I could see how someone might prefer how 2 performs, but I thought that 3 was a confused combination of the individual 'purifiers' with neither presentation winning out in, and the emotion of the song losing out.

PS was that deliberate: "people hearing without listening"? :)

[beck]

Never as straightforward with 3...
For me it was 1 (GS108T) or 2 (Melco) each better than 3 (GS108T+Melco), so I focused on 1 v 2, only going back to 3 to understand the difference(s) between 1 & 2.
With this song, to these ears, I thought 1 was better: more harmonious, giving me a stronger connection with the song.
I could see how someone might prefer how 2 performs, but I thought that 3 was a confused combination of the individual 'purifiers' with neither presentation winning out in, and the emotion of the song losing out.

PS was that deliberate: "people hearing without listening"? :)

We agree!!! :-)

[Charlie1]

I am having a beck-like moment where I struggle to hear differences between digital recordings. I did pick up on slight differences but, possibly cos I'm familiar with the vinyl, I was left a bit cold by all three. Sorry Spannko. Maybe I'm just too tired again - been another long day.

[ThomasOK]

I'm with all three others on this set. Being very familiar with the analog version of this song I wasn't particularly happy with any of them. But setting that aside 3 was clearly bad as Garfunkel's backing vocals were no longer harmony vocals! I suppose if you like disharmony vocals...

Clips 1 and 2 were closer but I found clip 1 was the only one that didn't seem too hard to follow to bother listening to it.

[lejonklou]

I definitely prefer 1.
2 is OK but a little off in an "interesting" way.
3 is the worst.

[Spannko]

Thanks for your thoughts chaps.

I agree, the GS108T directly into the DS is the most enjoyable, which is in total contrast to what is being written on nearly every HiFi forum, where the consensus is that doubling up on Ethernet switches always produces an improvement.

I also agree that the Melco doesn’t work quite as well as the 108 as an “Ethernet Purifier”, which is a bit disappointing since Melco make a song and dance about its “purifying” qualities. I think it’s still better than the Cisco though, but at four grand, I should ‘kin well hope so! The fact that it’s not as good as the £50 GS108Tv2 with the supplied wall wart smps is embarrassing, to say the least.

[tokenbrit]

Thanks for your thoughts chaps.

I agree, the GS108T directly into the DS is the most enjoyable, which is in total contrast to what is being written on nearly every HiFi forum, where the consensus is that doubling up on Ethernet switches always produces an improvement.

I also agree that the Melco doesn’t work quite as well as the 108 as an “Ethernet Purifier”, which is a bit disappointing since Melco make a song and dance about its “purifying” qualities. I think it’s still better than the Cisco though, but at four grand, I should ‘kin well hope so! The fact that it’s not as good as the £50 GS108Tv2 with the supplied wall wart smps is embarrassing, to say the least.

Have you sorted the polarity of your Friwo, into the GS108Tv2, to be able to record & post the difference: Friwo vs "supplied wall wart smps"?

[Spannko]

Thanks for your thoughts chaps.

I agree, the GS108T directly into the DS is the most enjoyable, which is in total contrast to what is being written on nearly every HiFi forum, where the consensus is that doubling up on Ethernet switches always produces an improvement.

I also agree that the Melco doesn’t work quite as well as the 108 as an “Ethernet Purifier”, which is a bit disappointing since Melco make a song and dance about its “purifying” qualities. I think it’s still better than the Cisco though, but at four grand, I should ‘kin well hope so! The fact that it’s not as good as the £50 GS108Tv2 with the supplied wall wart smps is embarrassing, to say the least.

Have you sorted the polarity of your Friwo, into the GS108Tv2, to be able to record & post the difference: Friwo vs "supplied wall wart smps"?

Yep, I’ll do that tomorrow.

[Spannko]

Ladies and gentlemen, back by popular demand, and for your aural titillation, here’s the Friwo v the supplied Netgear power supplies. Enjoy!

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jp8qsi3roix ... A5OFa?dl=0

Hint: The Netgear ps is the first one, with the ps in front of the HiFi.

PS We’re still listening to a Qobuz 320k stream. We’ll be moving on to locally stored files very soon.

[tokenbrit]

Cheers for posting - just listening now... First impressions (via desktop speakers): good boogie to the Netgear ps; more to the song & better individual musicianship with the Friwo, but with a little less bop. Need to listen on the phone to see if I get a different vibe.

[David Neel]

I prefer the second clip. But since I have done the same comparison myself, I'm hardly surprised. Expectation bias?

[Defender]

second clip for me

[beck]

I agree with tokenbrit’s description and will personally choose clip 1 in the end.

[tokenbrit]

Do get a slightly different vibe listening on the phone... Netgear PS is fun, but more interest in the Friwo.

[fatjulio]

I perfer clip 1. It's more together, the other is more separated.

[Spannko]

I agree with tokenbrit’s description and will personally choose clip 1 in the end.

I think tokenbrit’s struggling to even agree with himself at the moment beck, but I’m sure we’ll all choose clip one in the end!

Sorry tokenbrit, only joking ;-)

[Defender]

I am still with clip 2 ... so much that I even wanted to hear it again to xcheck but have struggle to access it

[Spannko]

Just as an aside, I haven’t done any vids, but I plugged another 108T into the ‘house hub’ 108 to “purify” the signal before it makes the journey to my listening room 108T. Totally against my expectation, it was worse. Maybe slightly tighter in the bass and a bit cleaner overall, but it was really lifeless. I’m still struggling to understand why tbh. Every port on the 108T home hub is occupied and the all of the network traffic indicator lights are flashing away like the Blackpool Illuminations. The poor thing’s running flat out, and yet, adding another switch is of no help at all. Explain that one then, if you can!

[lejonklou]

Clip 1 for me. Tighter playing compared to clip 2, where they feel more clumsy.

[Ron The Mon]

Clip 1 for me as well.

What I am hearing reminds me of when I've compared Spotify to the competition. At first Tidal (or Qobuz, or Google Play Music) sounds "impressive" or "detailed" or "more natural". Then when I go back, I realize Spotify has more groove and boogie, and follows the tune better. On repeated listenings I hear the *trick* and realize how lifeless other streaming services sound compared to Spotify and Spotify actually is more impressive and detailed and natural.

Same difference here.

Ron The Mon

[tokenbrit]

I agree with tokenbrit’s description and will personally choose clip 1 in the end.

I think tokenbrit’s struggling to even agree with himself at the moment beck, but I’m sure we’ll all choose clip one in the end!

Sorry tokenbrit, only joking ;-)

No apology needed. Actually, I was struggling more with how to disagree with myself... a couple more drinks & I should be OK ;)

[Ron The Mon]

a couple more drinks & I should be OK ;)

What are you drinking? Obviously not Kool-Aid.

[tokenbrit]

GnT - hadn't had one when I was listening earlier, though. Maybe that was the problem.

[David Neel]

I prefer the second clip. But since I have done the same comparison myself, I'm hardly surprised. Expectation bias?

I went back and listened again, and heard that the Netgear had more boogie, more guts, less beauty. I ended up violently agreeing with tokenbrit :)

So I'm repeating the comparison in my system. Looks like I have a surplus Friwo... thanks, Spannko!

[ThomasOK]

If you can't get the rhythm right on this track, you might as well not bother. Clip 1 gets the rhythm from the very first notes. Clip 2? Unh, uh! 'nuff said.