Network Acoustics tempus

Adding muon Pro Streaming cable

So far, I’ve been using the tempus switch with standard Cat.6 cables. Honestly, the results were great and these cables did not seem to undercut the switch’s performance. Or so I thought. When I tried the Network Acoustics muon Pro Streaming Cable, boy, did that ever make a large and very positive difference!

The muon Pro Streaming cable has the appearance of a very thick and heavy cable, but appearances can be deceiving! The cable is actually lightweight and the sleeve is fitted very loosely.

With the muon Pro Streaming cable between the tempus and the streamer, all of the tempus’ inherent qualities remain but are enhanced with even further increased transparency, refinement, and air. Oh, and spaciousness, too! The sound was already beautifully free from the speakers, but now, the stage extends further beyond the speakers and covers the entire room. Recordings with lots of ambient information benefit hugely, not only in the depth plane but also vertically, resulting in a soundstage that sometimes creates the illusion of having Dolby Atmos height channels installed. I don’t often hear products create more height, and I certainly would not expect this to happen due to using a different network switch, but there you go. This is how I heard it!

The elusive “singing” quality (as opposed to rigid, restricted, or static) that I call “lyrical” is something I heard the tempus possess right off the bat. I have a feeling that UK manufacturers are particularly careful never to lose sight of this quality. But maybe I am generalizing. In any event, all  Network Acoustics products I heard so far sound liquid and alluringly lyrical. Sure enough, this quality is further enhanced with the muon Pro streaming cable. I said it before, but the recurring thought is that these products are the exact opposite of technical or over-controlled.

Both the switch and the cable have a similar sonic signature, leading to a sound that is more nimble and airy than planted and robust. But unless your system verges toward being lean in the bass or is a little reticent or polite, this balance will be preferable to the fuller and darker alternative that many switches offer.

At this point, it occurred to me that there is a nice analogy to be made with phono cartridge stylii. Here, the tempus switch and muon Pro cable would be analogous to a Micro-Ridge or Fine Line stylus shape, whereas the standard switch and cables are analogous to a conical or Elliptical stylus shape. Admittedly, this comparison is not entirely accurate, but where it concerns the overall presentation, I think it illustrates the differences quite well.

While I am providing analogies, why not add one more? While I don’t think it is possible for a digital format to ever 100% mimic vinyl playback, these Network Acoustics products do get you closer in many respects than when using a standard network switch and -cables.

Adding muon Pro Streaming System

Now, here’s another addition that proved very interesting! Whereas the tempus and muon Pro Streaming cable fortify each other’s nimble and light-footed nature, the muon Pro System adds a new dimension, well, two, actually. First, it adds a touch of body to the bass and lower midrange without affecting the transparency and delicate nimble balance. The sound remains agile and airy but gains more saturation and substance, further increasing the level of realism. For example, low-plucked guitar strings now have a nice thud to them, piano has gained a more distinct wooden element, and so on. Everything sounds more convincing. Honestly, I felt these qualities were somewhat underexposed using the tempus without the muon System. Nevertheless, I’d still much rather take the tempus’ beautifully airy and transparent presentation over one that adds a lot of character but sounds colored as a result.

Second, and this is also a big one, the muon System further enhances the organic quality of the sound without adding any thickness or blur. Let me be very clear on this as it deserves repeated mention: the resolution, refinement, and delicacy of the cable, the tempus, and the muon Pro system are truly beyond reproach.

Power Cables

So far, I’ve been using the Tempus with a standard Belden 19364 power cable with Bals schuko and Oyaide 004 IEC connectors. This cable worked so well that I felt no real desire to change it, but upon trying, I found that the tempus can be tweaked using power cables. For instance, you can add body and substance using a GigaWatt PowerSync ULTRA cable, maximize the switch’s inherent qualities such as airiness and fluidity using a Final Touch Audio Elara, or you can make the sound crisper and more direct using the GigaWatt LC-2 EVO.

For those who like to make their own cables, Furutech is a popular choice. But I don’t feel that a cable such as the Furutech FP-TC-31 or similar combines ideally with the tempus unless you are specifically looking for the maximum in refinement and fluidity and don’t mind giving up some impact, control, and expression for this. The Oyaide Tunami V2 is an arguably more synergistic choice as it does pretty much the inverse of the Furutech, providing a rather impactful and full-bodied foundation combined with a rich midrange. Still, I feel the best balance is obtained using one of the name-brand cables I mentioned. Or, if you don’t want to enter this rabbit hole, just stick with a standard cable like the Belden and turn your attention to another area to tweak, such as the footers!

Footers

The tempus is normally placed on its own soft rubber footers. They are quite compliant, reminiscent of the soft footers under the Meridian 500 and 800 series components. Having owned various Meridian components and used various aftermarket footers with them, I know they significantly influence the sound. I know we’re still talking about a Network Switch, but then, such a device was not supposed to make a sonic difference in the first place, yet here we are. So, without prejudice, I tried a few footers under the tempus. Well, sure enough, they made a very noticeable difference!

The standard footers make the switch excel in fluidity, liquidity, and the overall sense of a free-flowing performance. Nevertheless, from earlier experience, I know they’re not the last word in providing tightness, control, or crispness. So, to see what can be done with other footers, I first tried Finite Elemente Ceraballs, the original aluminum version. While they sure added more robustness, impact, and body to the sound, I also felt they were a bit rough and bombastic, removing a good portion of the refinement and air in the process.

Substituting the Ceraballs for the entry-level Ansuz Darkz C2T (280 Euro per piece (840 for 3 / 1.120 for 4) provided a much better result, reinstating all of the switch’s inherent qualities and adding to these with more focus and tighter and more articulate bass.

Regular readers will know that I am very fond of the T2 Darkz, and these do provide the most neutral timbre and most accurate and “chiseled” bass, along with even better transparency, but at 800 Euros per piece (2.400 for 3 / 3.200 for 4), they are arguably a little costly for this purpose. However, between the C2T and T2 are the S2T Darkz, at €640 per piece (1.920 for 3 / 2.560 for 4), still not pocket change for sure, but this model worked beautifully synergistically with the tempus. What these footers achieve (3 of them suffice) is a considerably more robust, earthier bass and deeper tonal saturation to complement the switch’s inherent qualities perfectly. While these footers most definitely enhance the sound quality, it should be noted that my experiences with the tempus so far have been gained using its integral rubber footers, and to be perfectly frank, it does sound great that way. So, whether you should consider also adding nice footers is a matter of personal preference and budget.

Naturally, when using an HRS rack, it also makes sense to use HRS footers. Of the available models, I like the Vortex system best. While these footers are relatively enormous in size, I’m definitely digging the look. Soundwise, too, there is a lot to say for these footers. Compared to the Ansuz C2T and T2, they provide an almost opposing rendition with full, rich bass and deeply saturated mids whilst retaining the fluidity.

And while on the topic of HRS accessories, it would be a shame not to add the final touch in the shape of a Damping Plate. Contrary to expectations, the damper does not “dampen” the sound but further increases transparency and resolution.

In all fairness, instead of such accessories, you could also get the muon Pro Streaming system and network cable. But please note that these two product categories do not achieve the same thing. So, depending on what you want to achieve (which sonic aspects to enhance), one or the other may be a more sensible choice. Unfortunately, in audio, I’m afraid everything matters.

Servers and system matching

The tempus works its magic with the Grimm MU1 just as much as with the Antipodes Oladra. Naturally, these two servers have their own unique sonic fingerprints, just like any other audio gear. While the tempus is very neutral and transparent and brings many advantages that many listeners will prefer over the sobriety of a regular switch, it does present the music differently. Thus, the end result may just be the ticket, or it may pull the performance in another direction than ideal for that system, just as it can be the case with any audio component added to a hi-fi system. When you get to this level of optimizing, whether it’s a switch, a DAC, or a cable, the goal is to find those components that best match together, and with network switches, it is no different. That said, the tempus is the most transparent switch I heard so far, and because of that, it is likely to work well in a wide range of systems.

Prologue

Ultimately, many of the aspects I described are matters of taste. Most importantly, the tempus’ most overwhelming quality for me is that it grabbed my attention from the first notes I played with it. Not because it makes me flinch but by allowing the music to flow so utterly freely and transparently in the room that you forget you’re listening to a system. With this, it allows the listener to undergo the music and the story within it in all of its beauty.

Conclusion

The tempus switch provides an open, airy, and agile sound. It is super-delicate, contemplative, effortlessly lyrical, and immediately emotionally involving. Adding the muon Pro Streaming cable between the tempus and the streamer retains all of the tempus’ inherent qualities but enhances the performance with even further increased transparency, refinement, air, and spaciousness.

Whereas the tempus and muon Pro Streaming cable fortify each other’s nimble and light-footed nature, the muon Pro System adds a touch of body to the bass and lower midrange and further enhances the organic quality of the sound, importantly, without any thickness or blur.

What struck me most about these Network Acoustics products is that the resolution, refinement, and delicacy of the cable, the tempus, and the muon Pro system are truly beyond reproach. Yet, they present all this in an utterly natural and organic manner. It’s a feat quite hard to achieve.

Associated Equipment

External Links

Manufacturer: Network Acoustics

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