Ultimately, I employed the Macro G in a variety of different network configurations, in both the Music and Reading rooms. It pulled the same trick every time. Ultimately, it’s impact is going to be limited by just how quiet and transparent your system already is: The quieter the better. Otherwise, system noise will swamp the benefits. But perhaps the most interesting application came in the main system, once the Reiki switch adjacent to the router was reinstalled. With the Macro G linked to the router only, it still did its thing. Substituting the Reiki (with an iFi supply rather than its own, large PSU) for the SOtM was always likely to improve things – and it did. But once again, adding the Macro G in an otherwise all-Reiki rig resulted in the best performance yet. Needless to say, even with only a single connection to the network, the little Telos is staying put.
The Macro G is more than just Ethernet specific, with versions available to handle HDMI and USB connections too. I haven’t tried those, but past experience with the Chord Co. HDMI GroundARAY suggests that improvements to picture quality could be just as dramatic as the ethernet version is on network replay. I know that DD has laid his grubby mitts on an HDMI unit and integrated it into his home theatre set-up, so I await his findings with considerable interest, especially given the way that modern AV devices seem to scatter HDMI sockets like confetti.
By targeting a limited and specific application – and applying exactly the same technology and approach to the problem – these two Telos products offer listeners a genuine slice of what the bigger products do. By limiting their ambition (and capacity), the company has made them more affordable and considerably more accessible, small enough to be easily posted/shipped. But, possibly best of all, their plug-n-play nature makes them a shoo-in for try-before-you-buy sales. In this case, trying is something I’d seriously recommend. If you hear no benefits, simply send it/them back. But, somehow, I doubt that will be the case. If network replay, from a streaming or a server, is an important part of your listening, I suspect the Macro G will become an important part of your system.
Prices and availability
Macro G Ethernet Noise Reduction Unit – $999 USD (+ local sales tax)
Macro Q USB Noise Reduction Unit – $299 USD (+ local sales tax)
Manufacturer
Telos Audio Design
