Прочие устройства — Nordost QNET7

The QNET7 is a seven-port network switch in the QRT range of Nordost, the company better known for its cables, and it made its debut in August 2025 as the successor to the five-port QNET. It is a layer 2 unmanaged Ethernet switch that Nordost designed from the ground up for audio systems instead of adapting consumer network hardware. The US price is USD 5,499.99, the unit is made in the USA and the warranty runs 24 months for the original buyer.

Key specs that matter

Ports 1 to 5 are RJ45 sockets running 1000BASE-T or 100BASE-TX with auto-negotiation and auto-MDI/MDI-X. Port 6 is an RJ45 socket limited to 100BASE-TX. Port 7 is an SFP cage that accepts 1000BASE-T copper modules as well as 1000BASE-LX and SX optical modules for single-mode or multi-mode fibre, and Nordost keeps a list of modules it has approved for this port. The DC input takes 5 to 9 V at 1 A, and a 5 V wall adapter comes in the box. With its feet the anodised aluminium case measures 320 x 122 x 59.25 mm, has matte black end caps and weighs 1.65 kg.

Engineering and use context

Inside are nine independent linear power supplies with very low noise, so that each part of the circuit has its own feed and noise from one section cannot reach another through a shared rail. Two temperature-compensated femtosecond oscillators clock the circuit to keep jitter and phase noise low. The printed circuit board has eight impedance-controlled layers, and the signal traces are embedded between them, which shields them from ground noise and stops crosstalk between lines. Port 6 runs at 100 Mbps because the lower rate allows extra noise control, and Nordost intends it for a streamer, a music server or a network DAC. The SFP port lets the switch take a fibre link from the router, which breaks the electrical connection to the rest of the home network. Compared with the QNET, which had six power supplies and a single oscillator, the QNET7 adds power supplies, a second clock and the SFP port. The older switch also ran from 9 V at 1.2 A and weighed 880 g, about half the mass of the new case.

Pairing

The supplied adapter can be replaced by the Nordost QSOURCE linear power supply. Nordost also offers a QRT stand mount that carries the case on Sort Kone supports to control vibration. Audio devices go on port 6, the router or a fibre link on port 7, and the gigabit ports serve a NAS or other devices.

Alternatives

The Nordost QNET is the smaller layer 2 switch with five RJ45 ports, two of them fixed at 100BASE-TX.