Test Meraki MS220-8P switch - With Music Samples

We're testing the Meraki MS220-8P switch. An enterprise switch with 8 normal gigabit ports and two fiber ports where you can use a sfp-module. We have tested the Meraki switch with fiber and just 'copper / CAT7 SFTP' and also put our own Zyxel GS2200 next to it. You can listen to the differences in this video!

0:00 Intro
5:29 Start samples - I Will Radiohead
7:28 Eelke Kleijn - Orde van de Nacht
11:58 Jaques Loussier Trio - Little Fuge in G Minor
14:46 Conclusion

[adamos]

BTW thanks for sharing. It is illuminating. When done like this, switching from one box to the other, Ibam surprised that the difference is so noticable. They all sound great of course. The Meraki Fiber option though seems like the GoldiLocks choice to my ears. Sounds very complete. The CAT7 SFP seems slightly more dynamic, but kind of pinched in the higher frequencies. This gives the impression of perhaps a tiny but more 'sizzle' but at the cost of sounding a bit less natural too me. The Zytwlbis very good also, but ecer so slightly veiled / recessed compared to the other two. Of course on its own it would sould really great 👍

[rasardo]

Thanks for sharing this kind of swich tests, because there are a lot of audiophiles that really think that a proper swich can't improve the sound quality. They tend to associate them with snake oil. Subtle, but audible. It's seems that the Meraki is even more transparent (more air/space).

[MrComandr]

@alphaaudio Thank you Alpha Audio. Tried this device, I had better luck without the fiber connection hmm… This device is superb. Thank you

[EricRhodeslives]

I can totally hear the differences even on my speaker setup.

[scottcarlon]

Dyeing of the tone in English would be called decay. Great videos guys.

[adamos]

Meraki Fibre sounds best to me. Sounds less 'electronic' than CAT7 SFP, which has pinched edge. The Zyxel Fibre by comparison - leading edge is slightly softer, vaguer, less defined by comparison?

[mawe]

Great test!! You should have a lot more subscribers!! Do you sell these components in your shop?

[analogshop]

Really enjoyed this test! To my ears I’d say the meraki was more transparent - the CAT 7 connection was tighter and faster....the Fiber was softer and perhaps a bit smoother. Thanks for the great work.

[NT-LTS]

You have to try other fiber modules. Some sound better than others. Yes fiber modules do sound different, some better than others. In this test, Fiber is cleaner, less noise, less grainy, but can sound a tiny bit controlled and resricted. Cat7 is kind of more free flowing, but at the expense of more noise and slightly less resolution. It is up to personal taste which one is preferred. But with higher grade audio switches, and better gears, you will hear more differences. I have gone through more than a dozen expensive audiophile switches with various configurations. More than you have done here. And this is an area that is at an infant stage. More products will come out, and better performance will be available. Nordost will soon release a new switch too. So, a lot more to come.
One way to compare is to play a file from harddisk in the server/streamer as reference, and play same file from NAS via fiber vs cat7. See which one is closer to the local file. Use high end stuff like Aurender N30 or Taiko SGM Extreme. You will easily get good conclusion.

[TheCorvettehead]

Trank you for these very interesting test samples. The Meraki device is a cloud-managed Switch and as far as I know you have to buy a subscription license for the Cloud configuration. This costs have to be added to the Product costs. How do you Order and configure your Switch?

[brucebarbour]

Thanks for the effort! Frankly I can't hear a difference. I do wonder whether listening tests over YouTube streamed through an apple laptop to a Mojo dac and Sennheiser HD650 headphones is truly a hifi medium. What kind of sound quality is the YouTube audio stream?

[mawe]

can not find that Meraki switch for around 100 bucks, it starts at 400, -€. or refurbished 240, €. Are there different models around or have I got something wrong?

[eliaszeghen]

hello thanks for your videos you think hedd tipe 07 studio monitor speaker its better than Adam a7x in that range of price thank you

[sphaera]

I think this is as nerdy as it gets outside of DIY audio... ;-) I'm not sure I can hear the difference... I might hear a tiny, really small difference on the first sample track where I prefer the Zyxel.

[casytak]

Hi, Can you please provide the model number of the Netgear SFP module that you used in your test? Thank you

[AudiSorce]

HOW do you use the Meraki? I thought it needs license before you can use it. Also, there's BOTH MS120 and MS220, MS220 has BUILT-in power supply, MS120, has external power supply. Which one you're using?!

[TombstoneTube]

I just bought a Meraki to connect to a OpticalRendu. What SFP module do i have to buy for the Meraki? There's dozens variations... Thanks!

[OSQQ]

Where can I buy the Meraki at 100€? There is a new version called Meraki Go. Is it the same quality ?