Melco Upgrades Audiophile Grade S100/2 Data Switch
Japanese digital music hardware expert Melco has released its second-generation version of its S100 data switch.
The device widely credited as being the original 'audiophile' network switch, has been upgraded in two key areas and now includes higher-bandwidth connectivity, plus a new and improved internal Melco power supply.
The S100/2 is hand-made in Japan and takes advantage of trickle-down technology and design ideas from the flagship S10 switch, a two-box design with an audiophile-grade external power supply.
Melco's engineers say that they identified the increasing demands placed on networks and data switches in the home where, in addition to audio devices, TVs, set-top boxes and games consoles etc., all put demands on bandwidth. Accordingly, the new S100/2 now benefits from an upgrade to six one-gigabit Ethernet ports, coupled with two 100-megabit Ethernet ports for audio.
The configuration retains the speed-mix advantages of the original S100 and is said to "now offer greater speeds to bandwidth-hungry devices while retaining dedicated audio ports." Internally, the S100/2 also gains an improved power circuit board with a carefully selected AC adapter.
The S100/2 also retains the SFP (small form factor pluggable) connections seen in the original model, which allow upgrades to optical fibre connections with compatible devices, for even greater noise isolation and sonic performance. Finally, an LED indicator on/off button is included, allowing users to switch off the 'flash' effect as data is being transferred.
The good news is that despite widespread global inflation, Melco has implemented the key upgrades in the new Japanese-made S100/2 without increasing the price. Available now in black or silver, the Melco S100/2 sells for $3,995 RRP in Australia.
For more information visit Melco
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Marc Rushton
StereoNET’s Founder and Publisher was born in England and raised on British Hi-Fi before moving to Australia. He developed an early love of music and playing bass guitar before discovering the studio and the other side of the mixing desk. After a few years writing for audio magazines, Marc saw the future in digital publishing and founded the first version of StereoNET, known at the time as Planet Audio, in 1999.
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