The Melco S100 is set to make its world debut at The UK Hi-Fi Show Live 2019 at Ascot Racecourse this weekend. 

The high-performance data switch has been designed to not only complement Melco's digital music libraries, but also to offer a clear and easy upgrade path for all systems using Ethernet for audio, especially those using Roon devices and streaming services such as TIDAL and Qobuz. 

S100 Audiophile Network Switch

The S100 features advanced architecture, an audio-specific mainboard with a 1.5MB packet buffer, a powerful processor, plus an audio-grade capacitor bank. Melco states that the S100's low-noise design, coupled with highly precise data-handling, gives it uncompromising sound quality when used with Ethernet audio devices. 

The S100's internal packet-traffic settings have been optimised for use with IT NAS drives, IT routers (for streaming services), Roon Core processor devices, Roon Bridges, and, of course, Melco's N1, N10, N100 digital music libraries. The S100 features the same vibration-isolating aluminium-chassis construction and form factor as seen in Melco's N10 series.

 Melco's S100 has been designed and manufactured purely for audio by an expert engineering team, led by Mr Hayashi. 

Alan Ainslie, Melco Audio's General Manager, told StereoNET: 

With the acclaimed Melco N1 series, we eliminated the data switch from the data path (server to player) and lifted sound quality hugely. But it was still clear that the rest of the network was having an effect. It was, perhaps, less obvious on lesser systems, but as soon as we fixed everything else, it remained a nagging problem. 

Work started to analyse exactly what was going on, and the resulting S100 resolves those final nagging sound quality issues. Crucially, while the S100 is clearly befit for Melco owners who use the PLAYER Ethernet port, the difference an S100 can bring to non-Melco systems is quite surprising, especially for the heavy traffic created in a Roon environment, as well as for streaming services such as TIDAL and Qobuz, where the data has been seriously compromised on its journey from the distant servers into the user's home. The S100 restores the magic of the source stream as no IT device can possibly do.

Ports

The Melco S100 features 10 ports in total: 4 x 100MbE ports with RJ45; 4 x 1GbE ports with RJ45, and 2 x SFP optical fibre ports. You can also disable the LEDs for further noise reduction.

Discover the Melco S100 Yourself

Find Melco at The UK Hi-Fi Show Live 2019, this weekend at Ascot Racecourse: Room 637-638 (Level 6, Core C). 

Price and availability

Pre-order now for delivery in November; £1,999.

For more information, go to Melco.