Optical switch

[inbox4]

Has anyone had any experience of optical switches? Do they degrade the sound at all?

I’m thinking of getting one to connect my CDP and a chromecast to the single optical input on my DAC.

Thanks for any comments.

(Something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002AL152Y/ref=asc_df_B002AL152Y52023206/?tag=googshopuk-21&creative=22110&creativeASIN=B002AL152Y&linkCode=df0&hvadid=214190284008&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11703177100555498398&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046180&hvtargid=pla-423333934737&th=1&psc=1)

 

[andyjm]

Has anyone had any experience of optical switches? Do they degrade the sound at all?

I’m thinking of getting one to connect my CDP and a chromecast to the single optical input on my DAC.

Thanks for any comments.

(Something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002AL152Y/ref=asc_df_B002AL152Y52023206/?tag=googshopuk-21&creative=22110&creativeASIN=B002AL152Y&linkCode=df0&hvadid=214190284008&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11703177100555498398&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046180&hvtargid=pla-423333934737&th=1&psc=1)

Toslink is not a great standard, and the "light to electronics to light" conversion that this box is doing will introduce additional jitter.

Will it be audible? Assuming that box is a halfway decent design, and for a reasonable DAC that has jitter mitigation, the anwer is no.

 

[inbox4]

Thanks for the reply.

The DAC is a Chord Qutest.

Don't your two paragraphs contradict each other?

 

[ellisdj]

How are you getting on with the Qutest now?

Are you using the included psu??

 

[inbox4]

I'm FINALLY loving it. I've never had a hifi component that has needed so much running in. For ages it sounded super bright and headache inducing. I hated it and wanted to sell it and wanted my 2Qute back. However, It is finally sounded even, balanced, natural and amazing. I love it.

Yes, I am using the supplied PSU.

 

[Deleted member 108165]

I'm FINALLY loving it. I've never had a hifi component that has needed so much running in. For ages it sounded super bright and headache inducing. I hated it and wanted to sell it and wanted my 2Qute back. However, It is finally sounded even, balanced, natural and amazing. I love it.

Yes, I am using the supplied PSU.

It's not the electronics that needed running-in it was your ears acclimatizing to the sound.

 

[inbox4]

That is certainly one school of thought.

Not one I agree with however.

 

[andyjm]

That is certainly one school of thought.

Not one I agree with however.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, however wrong it may be.

Electronic equipment is not like a Ford gearbox, there aren't mechanical components rubbing past each other. The larger suppliers of electronic components (RS, Farnell, digiKey, Mouser) have all their data sheets online. Just see if you can find one that describes how the component needs to be 'run in'. I can't, and I used to design this stuff for a living.

I can only assume some half-educated hifi hack picked up that certain electronic equipment is 'burnt in' (to identify devices that would fail early) and thought that seemed a good idea. I also suspect hifi retailers tell clients to 'run-in' their new purchase to give time time to get used to the sound. There is possibly an argument that speakers could sound different after a period of use if the compliance of the elastomers in the cone surround changes, but this is mechanical, not electronic - and I have yet to see a proper study that demonstrates that this effect is real.

The only thing being 'run-in' is the device between your ears.

 

[ellisdj]

that's mad I havent had1 second of sound where I thought that was the case.

only difference I havent used the included psu.

Do you have a phone battery charger like one from anker to try with it??

 

[inbox4]

Ellisdj,

Are you saying you didn't experience it with your Qutest or that you don't believe in burn in full stop?

I'm a firm believer and have experienced with the majority of components I've bought. They've all taken very different lengths of time to burn in but they have always required an initial period to settle and improve.

This is an interesting watch and I can agree with every word: https://youtu.be/lJFnlDTtsBA

 

[Andrewjvt]

That is certainly one school of thought.

Not one I agree with however.

Free yourself from the pits of the snake oil salesmen

 

[andyjm]

I'm a firm believer and have experienced with the majority of components I've bought. They've all taken very different lengths of time to burn in but they have always required an initial period to settle and improve.

This is an interesting watch and I can agree with every word: https://youtu.be/lJFnlDTtsBA

To quote your youtube link "While I have heard burn in...... I don't fully understand it" Hardly a scientific analysis. I am afraid if the best he could come up with was that the smoothing caps in the power supply may change series resistance over time - then I remain to be convinced.

I would suggest you do some research on the web to see if there is any analysis to back up your 'beliefs'.

 

[ellisdj]

Ellisdj,

Are you saying you didn't experience it with your Qutest or that you don't believe in burn in full stop? 

I'm a firm believer and have experienced with the majority of components I've bought. They've all taken very different lengths of time to burn in but they have always required an initial period to settle and improve. 

This is an interesting watch and I can agree with every word: https://youtu.be/lJFnlDTtsBA

I didn't experience any period of bad sound with the qutest like you mentioned.

run in burn in or whatever experienced that loads mate