Dear reader, the Japanese brand Melco has just announced a new bulletproof switch situated at top of their line: the Melco S1 Audio Network Switch. This switch is built with no reserve, having SFP+ and RJ45 ports, but also the option to use an external 10MHz clock input – wow! Melco has stated that the aim with this switch is to “extract the best possible audio performance regardless of the network connectivity or architecture”.
The fine-tuning possibilities go even further giving the user the option to fine tune each data port in terms of Link Speed directly from the front panel in real time, that’s something isn’t it? This is done by an array of buttons available on the front panel, a set of buttons that completely mimic the layout of the ports on the back. The buttons change their color depending on the speed that has been selected. The ports can also be completely turned off, this optimizing processing power. Neat.
The switch has also a USB power-only port on the backside that can be used to power accessories such as a Wi-Fi adapter or other kind of powered accessory. As I said at the beginning of this article, we have the option of connecting an external 10MHz clock. All ports are Neutrik audiophile-grade Neutrik, but the most amazing part is under the hood:
The S1 has a dedicated audio-optimized isolated power supply, installed alongside premium components in a very robust case made from steel and aluminum. It is clear that the build detail and technology used in the S1 is at its finest, but also, the price is significant: 13,999 EUR.
