Switchers - How to properly connect multiple amps to one DAC output

Goldpoint also makes really high quality units. Not Aliexpress-cheap, but not uber expensive either. Example: https://goldpt.com/sw4.html

 

The Ali express wood seems the best (value) to me, because the switch looked quite good and it's also has switched ground as a bonus.

The metal ali express if the RCA jacks are not insulated from the metal chassis not sure what would happen.

For the switching input have you though about a pre-amp upstream.

 

Has anyone bought the metal version? The photo of the parts breakdown says it's a DIY kit and you have to assemble it yourself. Might be kind of fun to do, but it would be good to know in advance if that's the case.

 

are you referring to the picture on this page? If so it looks to me like you can choose

black assembled
Silver assembled
DIY kit (silver?)
DIY kit (red?)

I’ll ask the seller since I posted this

 

Doh, imma eejit!

I just figured that out trying to add it to my shopping cart. At the inlaws' for Chinese New Year, so I blame it on browsing with my phone. 1 billion+ people are on holiday, so I'll put an order in next week and report back. For $3.40, I think I'll let them build it for me.

 

Just to add that I have owned the TC-7240 clone for a long while now and have been very happy with it. I can confirm that there is some very minor bleedthrough between the channels at extremely high volumes (way louder than any normal listening volume). I simply mute any sources that I am not listening to.

Another thing I notice when I am doing A/B testing between DACs is that there is some minor scratchiness when I switch between inputs. I opened up the unit, cleaned the switches with Deoxit and it did not seem to change anything. It could be some DC-induced noise that depends on my sources similar to the infamous whooshing sound on the original Magni 3 volume pot.

It would be interesting to get some measurements of these devices to see if they affect the signal in any way. Ironically, I have been asking for these measurements at ASR forums for years with no success. They do not seem to be interested in measuring devices that actually may have an effect on how something sounds.

 

Amir measured the Nobsound XLR switcher I linked to and said it was transparent for whatever that’s worth. I took it as sort of “it’s more likely to be transparent than I previously thought before seeing the ASR review but I still don’t know”

interesting about the Behresford clone. I wonder if the AliExpress units are the only really well built switchers commercially available. Well actually Goldpoint makes a 1 in/out 4 in/out. I’ll add it to the first post. It’s got to be good I would think.

 

This is the only teardown pic of the Goldpoint unit that I found:

 

I am actually surprised that neither Schiit nor JDS Labs has made a nice, good quality and affordable RCA switcher box with no preamp capabilities and no potentiometers. Something under $150 with 4 inputs and 2 outputs. I know I would rather buy it from either two of these companies than from someone that I have no experience with.

I mean, we all put a lot of money in our gear, but it is only is as good as its lowest denominator. Perhaps all of these switchers are fully transparent but most of them have never been vetted by anyone, so we can't really know for sure.

 

I agree.

the Goldpoint is $376 though so it must be good.

Really though they have a good reputation, better than any of these other ones. That may be the best bet.

 

Ironically, I have gone back to using a simple Y-splitter from my Atom DAC to share the signal between the Asgard 3 and my Yamaha receiver that I use a speaker amp. I hear absolutely no distortion regardless whether the Asgard 3 or the Yamaha are turned on or off. The input impedance of the Asgard 3 is 22K ohms and my HTR-6060 is 47K ohms. The output impedance on the Atom DAC is less than 1 ohm according to JDS Labs.

I started getting a bit suspicious that my TC-7240 was affecting the integrity of my signal. The reason for this doubt came from the fact that the rotary selector switch started cutting out and making crackling noises as soon as I put my finger on the knob. I opened up the unit and realized that the contacts within the switch were not making a really solid connection. There was also a weird in-between position when you could hear the left channel of one input and right channel of the second input. I bent the contacts a bit with my screwdriver and applied some deoxit while at it. Afterwards, there was no cutting out or crackling sounds anymore, but the whole switch started making a squeaking noise when turned because the contacts were too tight now.

All this left me with a bit of bitter taste in my mouth because this unit is only a couple of years old. I think the type of rotary selector switch used here is not really top quality. It is like when a great sounding guitar has a cheap input jack that needs to be tightened every year to stop the sound from cutting out.

Unfortunately, I think there is no free lunch, as all of the solutions I have tried had some drawbacks or potential for an issue. The Sys for example had some crosstalk between the inputs where I had to mute the input that was not playing because I could hear it on the other input. TC-7240 also has some minor crosstalk between inputs.

 

I bet the AliExpress unit and the Goldpoint are transparent.

best is to DIY one.

@bboris77 you could be getting unexpected problems from the Y splitter too. And they could be things you don’t notice but wind up listening to FOREVER.

im in favor of a good switcher

 

Well, the TC-7240 is probably transparent when contact is made properly, but I would prefer something with a more reliable rotary switch and no crosstalk between inputs. It would be interesting to know whether the Goldpoint unit has any crosstalk between different inputs. Why can't anyone make a switcher where individual channels are completely isolated from each other and don't share the ground either? You know, like plugging and unplugging a cable lol.

 

We need to test the AliExpress and Goldpoint units. Really though I can’t imagine the Goldpoint’s have any issues. Good brand. @atomicbob uses their passive attenuators (or something by them) in his rig.

I lucked out and a friend made me a really nice one. I spent about $400 on parts alone. Elma switchers, top quality RCA jacks, crystal copper or whatever wiring, pretty case. It’s gorgeous and sure to behave like a champ.

 

This is interesting about the Goldpoint SA2:

I wonder if this means it can be used as a one-IN, two-OUT switch with the right jumper settings.





By the way, I got the Al ii Express switch and it looks/works just fine. Will upload some pics of the internals tomorrow.

 

i honestly have no idea what that means but since these are passive you can use them either direction.

so without modification this can be used as a 1 in/out 2 in/out switcher

cool about the AliExpress unit looking forward to your experience with it.

edit: nevermind it’s a passive pre. So your question is a good one and it can’t be used either direction stock. Sorry for not reading the link carefully enough.

 

I just got my balls out switcher yesterday and love it! Elma switchers, custom handmade enclosure, single crystal copper cable throughout, uber rca jacks brand I can’t remember, cnc aluminum volume knobs. It actually sounds better than my eBay switcher. More clarity, transparency, a cleaner sound. And zero motherfucking crosstalk!

oh and the feeling of switching these Elma switchers is orgasmic. It’s buttery smooth and slides into the next position with a satisfying thunk.







The case was built by a guy named Horace on eBay who just does this in his spare time but makes gorgeous wood trimmed enclosures.

https://ebay.com/usr/hma60

@dBel84 put it all together for me and I’m so glad he did because I know this one was done right. (Please don’t pm him asking to build you one)

it was actually a lot of work even though I didn’t build the case or put it together but so much fun trying to make it beautiful and awesome. And it cost $400 in parts alone. Worth it.

 

What is this?

 

oh I meant “single crystal copper cable”

I’m so used to making fun of that phrase adding random adjectives in chats with Don...

I still have no clue but it sounded nice ??

 

• Published: December 2007 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11431-007-0029-x

Microstructure evolution of single crystal copper wires in cold drawing

• Science in China Series E: Technological Sciences volume 50, pages736–748(2007)Cite this article
  

Abstract
The deformation microstructure evolution of single crystal copper wires produced by OCC method has been studied with the help of TEM, EBSD and OM. The results show that there are a small number of dendrites and twins in the undeformed single crystal copper wires. However, it is difficult to observe these dendrites in deformed single crystal copper wires. The structure evolution of deformed single crystal copper wires during drawing process can be divided into three stages. When the true strain is lower than 0.94, macroscopic subdivision of grains is not evident, and the microscopic evolution of deformed structure is that the cells are formed and elongated in drawn direction. When the true strain is between 0.94 and 1.96, macroscopic subdivision of grains takes place, and the number of microbands located on {111} and cell blocks is much more than that with the true strain lower than 0.94. When the true strain is larger than 1.96, the macroscopic subdivision of grains becomes more evident than that with the true strain between 0.94 and 1.96, and S-bands structure and lamellar boundaries will be formed. From EBSD analysis, it is found that part of 〈100〉 texture resulting from solidifying is transformed into 〈111〉 and 〈112〉 due to shear deformation, but 〈100〉 texture component is still kept in majority. When the true strain is 0.94, the misorientation angle of dislocation boundaries resulting from deformation is lower than 14°. However, when the true strain arrives at 1.96, the misorientation angle of some boundaries will be greater than 50°, and the peak of misorientation angle distribution produced by texture evolution is located in the range between 25° and 30°.


, couldn't resist the urge


There are quite a forums discussing various forms of OCC/OFC copper