Zayin Audio Stargate audiophile switch : a Steal of 2023!

[CKKeung]

There are very few PP customers in Hong Kong nowadays, mainly due to their aftersale service ...

 

[rgmd11]

There are very few PP customers in Hong Kong nowadays, mainly due to their aftersale service ...

Aside of bad after sales service, how does the PP switch compare to the Stargate !
Thanks

 

[CKKeung]

Aside of bad after sales service, how does the PP switch compare to the Stargate !
Thanks

Sorry, I can't comment because I don't have friends who are using the current products of PP.

 

[rgmd11]

Sorry, I can't comment because I don't have friends who are using the current products of PP.

Hello CKKeung

ok, no problem, thanks anyway

 

[Emorante]

The story began several months ago when I visited the showroom of Volent HK, I noticed an unassuming component placed near the wall ethernet socket.

Both the top-plate & front-plate are made of thin & transparent acrylics, quite likes a diy project.
View attachment 109555

View attachment 109556

I was told that it was a near-final prototype of an audiophile switch.
I listened to it at the showroom and borrowed it home to compare with several well-known switches and it performed brilliantly.
However I was asked not to mention it openly until the official launch.

Now it's the time!
It's the Stargate Switch of Zayin Audio of Taiwan.

Zayin Audio, Hi-end audio, Audiophile grade networking switch | audio linear power supply

Zayin Audio Satrgate - the audiophile grade networking switch designed for audiophiles and videophiles who demand the very best in network performance and reliability.

www.zayinaudio.com

Zayin Audio is a new Taiwan brand but it is not completely a newcomer in the CAS market.
The boss/designer is Funjoe who owns also the Clones Audio of Taiwan.

CLONES audio

Our goal is producing ELEGANT audio gear, carrying you into the HEART of MUSIC

www.clonesaudio.com

Clones Audio is famous for their small-sized amplifiers but many years ago they also made a HOST II server and several mods for audiophile switches.
Zayin Audio is their new side-brand/company into the CAS arena.

The finalized Stargate Switch has a thick real wood frontplate and a more beautiful acrylic top-plate.
The software & sonic performance have been finetuned.
Here are several photos of the finalized Stargate :

View attachment 109561

View attachment 109560

View attachment 109562

View attachment 109563

To cut to the points, here are my comments on the Stargate after careful audition :
1. It's not cheap at usd2499, but it's the only audiophile switch in the market which contains internal linear powersupply, ocxo clock module, four 2.5G ethernet ports and two 10G SFP sockets for optical ethernet connection!
No other choice available in the market at this moment!

2. More importantly, its sonic performance is superb and can fight with switches from other more well-known brands which are 3-4 times more expensive!
Stargate has great agility & resolution yet is both elegant and natural.

3. The above two factors make Stargate the switch with the best C/P ratio in the market currently.
It's so good that I myself have ordered one!

4. Many WBF members and I are Extreme Server users.
The Stargate may be excellent for other servers/streamers, but how is it performing when paired with Extreme Server?
This is the question I asked the dealer too so I carefully paired it with the demo Extreme Server in the Volent HK showroom, compared it with the Extreme Switch AND last but not least, auditioned Stargate & Extreme Switch working in a dual-switch configuration for the Extreme Server.

View attachment 109564
View attachment 109565

Le seguenti sono le mie opinioni e YMMV:
i) Se usato da solo, Extreme Switch è migliore di Stargate, ma non con un ampio margine. Il primo è più tranquillo e dinamico e il secondo più musicale ed elegante.
ii) Se usati insieme, il mix&match di Yin/Yang è perfetto :1+1=3! Questa è stata la migliore performance di Extreme Server che abbia mai ascoltato!

Ricordo che Emile aveva detto nel thread WBF Extreme Server: ha provato molte configurazioni dual-switch sull'Extreme Switch ma erano inferiori all'Extreme Switch che funzionava da solo. E che la configurazione migliore era Extreme Router+Extreme Switch.

Ciao Emile:
Scusa, questa volta non sono completamente d'accordo con te, perché non hai testato lo Stargate!
Il suo effetto sinergico con Extreme Switch è strabiliante!
Quanto può la combinazione Extreme Router+Switch migliorare Stargate+Extreme Switch? Voglio saperlo anch'io!

IMHO e in parole semplici, se un audiofilo CAS che non utilizza Extreme Server ed è disposto a spendere usd2500 su uno switch, Stargate è la scelta migliore.
Per un budget inferiore, i due modelli di interruttori Ediscreation sono i miei migliori consigli.

Per i possessori di Extreme Server, puoi aspettare Extreme Router che è 2 volte il prezzo.
Ma se preferisci un budget inferiore come me, Stargate deve essere ancora una volta la scelta migliore sul mercato.

The story began several months ago when I visited the showroom of Volent HK, I noticed an unassuming component placed near the wall ethernet socket.

Both the top-plate & front-plate are made of thin & transparent acrylics, quite likes a diy project.
View attachment 109555

View attachment 109556

I was told that it was a near-final prototype of an audiophile switch.
I listened to it at the showroom and borrowed it home to compare with several well-known switches and it performed brilliantly.
However I was asked not to mention it openly until the official launch.

Now it's the time!
It's the Stargate Switch of Zayin Audio of Taiwan.

Zayin Audio, Hi-end audio, Audiophile grade networking switch | audio linear power supply

Zayin Audio Satrgate - the audiophile grade networking switch designed for audiophiles and videophiles who demand the very best in network performance and reliability.

www.zayinaudio.com

Zayin Audio is a new Taiwan brand but it is not completely a newcomer in the CAS market.
The boss/designer is Funjoe who owns also the Clones Audio of Taiwan.

CLONES audio

Our goal is producing ELEGANT audio gear, carrying you into the HEART of MUSIC

www.clonesaudio.com

Clones Audio is famous for their small-sized amplifiers but many years ago they also made a HOST II server and several mods for audiophile switches.
Zayin Audio is their new side-brand/company into the CAS arena.

The finalized Stargate Switch has a thick real wood frontplate and a more beautiful acrylic top-plate.
The software & sonic performance have been finetuned.
Here are several photos of the finalized Stargate :

View attachment 109561

View attachment 109560

View attachment 109562

View attachment 109563

To cut to the points, here are my comments on the Stargate after careful audition :
1. It's not cheap at usd2499, but it's the only audiophile switch in the market which contains internal linear powersupply, ocxo clock module, four 2.5G ethernet ports and two 10G SFP sockets for optical ethernet connection!
No other choice available in the market at this moment!

2. More importantly, its sonic performance is superb and can fight with switches from other more well-known brands which are 3-4 times more expensive!
Stargate has great agility & resolution yet is both elegant and natural.

3. The above two factors make Stargate the switch with the best C/P ratio in the market currently.
It's so good that I myself have ordered one!

4. Many WBF members and I are Extreme Server users.
The Stargate may be excellent for other servers/streamers, but how is it performing when paired with Extreme Server?
This is the question I asked the dealer too so I carefully paired it with the demo Extreme Server in the Volent HK showroom, compared it with the Extreme Switch AND last but not least, auditioned Stargate & Extreme Switch working in a dual-switch configuration for the Extreme Server.

View attachment 109564
View attachment 109565

The followings are my views and YMMV :
i) If being used alone, the Extreme Switch is better than Stargate, but not by a large margin. The former is quieter & more dynamical and the latter more musical & elegant.
ii) If being used together, the mix&match of Yin/Yang is perfect :1+1=3! This was the best Extreme Server performance I had ever auditioned!

I remember that Emile had said in the WBF Extreme Server thread : he tried many dual-switch configurations on the Extreme Switch but they were inferior to the Extreme Switch working alone. And that the best config was Extreme Router+Extreme Switch.

Hi Emile :
Sorry, this time I don't agree with you completely, because you have not tested the Stargate!
Its synergistic effect with the Extreme Switch is mind-blowing!
How much can the Extreme Router+Switch combo better the Stargate+Extreme Switch? I want to know too!

IMHO and in simple words, if a CAS audiophile who is not using Extreme Server and is willing to spend usd2500 on a switch, Stargate is the best choice.
For a lower budget, the two models of Ediscreation switches are my best recommendations.

For Extreme Server owners, you may wait for the Extreme Router which is 2x the price.
But if you prefer a lower budget like me, Stargate again must be the best choice in the market.

also here putting the sotm switch upstream of the taiko switch turns improvement

 

[cpasmoi]

Bonjour

Je vous invite à découvrir également HNE Audio Design qui produit aussi un switch haut de gamme avec des composants de qualité, je ne l'ai pas encore acquis, mais ce ne serait pas plus tard, nous sommes quelques membres d'un forum audiophile en France à avoir pris le plongeon et vraiment, personne ne regrette l'investissement
sur une page facebook,

HNE AUDIO

donc un sérieux concurrent de ZAYIN Stargate Le commutateur réseau audiophile
cpasmoi

 

[Brabus]

You’re right ! Hne make good gears .
I have the MagicNet D1 supreme , and for now, it’s the best I auditioned.