English Electric (Chord Company) 8Switch Ethernet Switch

An audio-grade 8-port switch with TXCO clocks in a machined aluminum enclosure

 

“Cost effective and well-made … combines welcome sonic improvements with real-world practicality at a reasonable price.”

  

“It resulted in a marked increase in purity and extension of treble which in turn did great things for timing and imaging, the extra detail serving to better define leading edges and open up the harmonics which create a sense of air and scale.”

 

Audiophiles buy streaming digital sources with low-noise external power supplies, high-quality clocks, and high-bandwidth DACs that can reproduce the tiniest whisper, and then connect a noisy $12 wall-wart-powered product directly in the signal path. Anyone who has focused on optimizing their digital system will know that network upgrades make significant improvements to sound quality.

These improvements come from better clocking, lower noise, and better noise rejection. They are heard as blacker backgrounds, better inner detail, microdynamics, and greater ease and musical flow. 

The English Electric 8switch is an audio grade 8-port gigabit streaming network switch made by the Chord Company (a cable company not to be confused with Chord Electronics, which makes DACs).

Powered by a customized TCXO (Temperature Compensation Crystal Oscillator), accuracy is 0.1 ppm – far higher than normal crystals and higher than a normal TCXO, allowing the 8Switch to generate higher accuracy network signals. Jitter is reduced by as much as 90% over a conventional switch. 

The power supply and clock generation circuits each have two electrical noise isolation circuits which ensure stable network signals. An EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) absorber helps to further reduce the noise from the digital circuit.

The machined aluminum enclosure offers excellent protection against both acoustic and electrical noise. The A/V-grade power adaptor has been designed to reduce electrical noise from AC power and prevent mains quality issues from affecting the network signals.

Features

• A/V-grade PSU
• Custom TCXO clocking
• Eight shielded Ethernet ports

Specifications

Dimensions (WHD): 6.1″ x 1.38″ x 1″

Weight: 0.9 lb