Synergistic Research UEF MK 2 Ethernet Switch
REFERENCE AUDIO – WITHAM ESSEX
BOB’s Review Series - No 93 – SYNERGISTIC RESEARCH ETHERNET UEF SWITCH MK2
INTRODUCTION
I have written about several Synergistic Research (SR) products before, mainly their PowerCells and I have several of their components permanently installed in my home system including Purple and Master fuses, XOT Crossover Transducers and Carbon Cable Lifters. I have previously listened to their Ethernet Switch UEF MK1 and at the time preferred the Innuos Phoenix NET but now the MK1 has been replaced by the MK2 UEF version on review here. What has changed and is it for the better? Well, firstly the price has increased from £2,595 to £3,195, an increase of £600 but this price does now include a Pink fuse as standard which retails on its own at £250. The MK2 still includes the same 5’ Foundation ACC mains cable which retails at £599, so although the package price has increased it is still good value for money considering what’s included. For this review I stuck with the supplied cable although SR can provide a mains cable from higher up their range if you specify one at the point of ordering.
The main differences from the MK 1 are internal in the MK2 Ethernet Switch. SR say that the new Switch incorporates innovation developed in their flagship Voodoo server and PowerCell SRX components. It also now contains their latest Electromagnetic Cells (EM Cells) for filtration and their Ultra-Low Frequency (ULF) biasing systems together with their latest linear power supply technology. The ULF biasing system was not included in the MK1 version of the Switch and SR say this enhances musicality. The ULF “replaces high-frequency noise with harmonics of the Earth’s Schumann Resonance”, voodoo indeed! Perhaps depending on your current point of view on these things. The Switch also includes a grounding port for connection to any of the SR grounding blocks now available. I didn’t use it with a grounding block because, really, do you want to see all those thin cables running from every component in your system, I don’t, so I just connected the grounding terminal to my mains block.
THE SYSTEM
For this review I compared it to my resident Innuos PhoenixNET ethernet switch with the SR switch sitting between my BT Home Hub router and my Ideon Absolute Stream streamer which has recently replaced my Innuos Statement. The rest of my system remains largely as described in other recent reviews.
LISTENING
The differences in sound quality between original CD, ripped CDs to the streamer hard drive and streamed music from Tidal and Qobuz has in my opinion closed dramatically in the last couple of years. This is of course very much system dependant but, in my system, I would defy most listeners to tell the difference, I certainly struggle to do so on a regular basis. Convenience however is strongest in the world of streaming where access to literally millions of albums is virtually instant, and this is where having an audio grade ethernet switch in your system proves to be a worthwhile upgrade to take full advantage of the music on offer.
Noticeable upgrades when using the SR UEF MK2 include a darker background, less grain if you like and a clarity that is simply not there if you take it out. I found I was listening to more and more music and choosing to stream over other sources more often than before.
CONCLUSION
The difference between the Innuos PheonixNet and the SR UEF MK 2 are surprisingly easy to hear because quite frankly, there isn’t much in it. Whichever Ethernet switch you decide to buy will be an improvement over not having one in your system. The deciding factor for me was the size and shape of the SR unit which fits into my rack better than the PheonixNet, so I now have one in my system.
February 2026
Bob – Team Reference Audio