akamatsu

"enhances sound quality" over what? Over no switch? Then it would have to improve the signal coming from whatever device is upstream. I don't see how this is possible. One cannot say "enhances sound quality" in a meaningful way without saying over what it enhances. In my example, the switch would be added where nothing existed before, and it would have to sound better. This is the point where I would like someone to explain how a switch can be put into a network and sound better at the hifi vs. the switch simply not being there, and instead, just some cable with two fewer connections. If switch A sounds better than switch B, it would be because switch A degrades the sound less than switch B. If switch A sounds better than no switch, then switch A degrades the signal less than no switch. But this isn't possible, so, in order for switch A to sound better than no switch, then it would have to enhance the signal. This doesn't seem possible to me.

If I go to a product's website, they make a lot of claims, then provide no verification for those claims, then proceed to spew pseudoscience, then my confidence in them to provide a product that lives up to the claims just wouldn't be sufficient for me to give them my money.

If a switch is no worse than no switch, then how can the switch be improved to be better than no switch? It would have to enhance the signal to sound better.

But they lose me with their marketing copy. I just can't take them seriously after reading some of what they write. Like I said, they wrote the marketing copy with an audience in mind. I am clearly not that audience.

When I read the unverified claims and dubious science on these Audiophile product websites I think to myself "I am not their target market."

As I've said, I've done this and could hear no difference. It is an extremely easy test to do.

I'll have a look at this later. It is sunny here and it's time for a bike ride. The eagles await. Can't forget the binoculars (Japanese, not German )

Not directed at you. I've asked for verification in the past and got links to marketing brochures.

To all you non-native speakers of English, "cracking" means good. Didn't want that taken literally.

I wanted to make sure you knew I wasn't putting you on the spot. Since my analogue playback is now dialed in, my next move is to shore up the digital side of things. For being a relatively new technology, there sure is a lot of lore out there. It's a matter of separating the lore from the facts.

Like many other controversial "upgrades," there are people who say it works, and for every one of those people, there is one who says they don't hear a difference. So presenting more examples of the former doesn't really move the discussion along. For a switch to improve the music, there would have to be a cause and effect happening. If there is, it would have to be known. Therefore, the information would exist. What is that information? This isn't top secret classified stuff. @Ben Webster, I'm not directing this question at you. P.S. Marketing copy doesn't count.

This is what Linn DS does so well. Do they really need external help?

I kind of can't see a way around this.

This is how I had my Netgear switch connected. I can try some different connections to see if I can force sound degradation from the switch.

Okay. This would have to be determined first, before any further claims could be made.