{"id":37040,"date":"2024-02-15T11:07:53","date_gmt":"2024-02-15T09:07:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/?p=37040"},"modified":"2025-07-20T13:42:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-20T11:42:27","slug":"network-acoustics-tempus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/cables-reviews\/reviews-digital-cable\/network-acoustics-tempus\/","title":{"rendered":"Network Acoustics tempus"},"content":{"rendered":"

Review sample supplied by Network Acoustics<\/a>
\nRetail Prices (ex VAT):
\ntempus world price 3,329 UKP (approx. 3.900 euro)
\nmuon Pro Ethernet Filter 1.329 UKP (approx. 1.500 euro)
\nmuon Pro Streaming Cable from 995 UKP for 1.5m (approx. 1.167 euro)<\/h4>\n

Network Acoustics<\/h3>\n

Network Acoustics was started by two music-loving audio engineers on a mission to design products that make streamed music sound as good as it possibly can. With a primary focus on digital, the streaming specialist makes digital cables such as USB<\/a>, Ethernet, and “regular” digital cables. But what makes their portfolio stand out are products such as the eno Ethernet Filter and the muon Pro Ethernet Filter<\/a> that I reviewed in April last year, and, of course, the tempus Network Switch, which is the subject of this review.<\/p>\n

tempus<\/h3>\n

The most recent addition to the Network Acoustics portfolio is the tempus flagship Ethernet Switch, an ultra-low noise design, intended to deliver a clean and perfectly timed data signal to music and video streamers, media servers, NAS, and Smart TV.<\/p>\n

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“Perfectly timed?” Some will shake their heads at the mere notion. Why on earth would that matter for an asynchronous digital signal that is error-corrected and holds no timing information? As I mentioned in another review, I won’t claim to know all the reasons why a network switch influences the sound, but one important aspect is that it is not the format or signal itself but rather the environment in which it is distributed that makes the difference. But rather than theorizing about the precise mechanisms, I always insert a review component into the system and listen to the result. In the end, all I can say is that I have repeatedly found clearly audible differences among switches, even among high-end models. And as my listening tests would soon confirm, the tempus is something very special!<\/p>\n

In developing tempus, Network Acoustics consistently found that effectively separating the power supply from the signal clocking and output is a critical factor when designing an Ethernet Switch for high-end music and video streaming. They achieved this goal by designing a Switch with huge processing and switching capacity running at low-stress, \u2018tick-over\u2019 speeds, enabling noise-free and accurate data flow, even in bandwidth-intensive scenarios. In addition, the tempus incorporates precision clocking capable of simultaneously delivering perfectly accurate signals to all the devices in your entertainment home network, and contains integrated power filtering.<\/p>\n

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The tempus is also available in black<\/em><\/p>\n

The tempus is fitted with a fully shielded enclosure engineered from a single aluminum billet to act as a final layer of noise rejection. In addition to being technologically useful, this also makes for a beautiful, seamless look and feel.<\/p>\n

The Switch is perfectly matched with its Hybrid Power Supply Unit, a special design using a switch-mode supply combined with multilayered DC noise-filtering integrated into the power supply and the tempus network switch. Among audiophiles, switch-mode power supplies may have garnered a bad reputation, but when implemented correctly, these power supplies can outperform the linear variants. Network Acoustics opted for this solution to provide the clean and dynamic power switches and streamers need, while the special filtering avoids the potential downsides of such supplies.<\/p>\n

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The power supply may have a very different shape than the switch, but it oozes quality and certainly does not look out of place on its supporting shelf. It’s that it is much lighter than anticipated; otherwise, I would not have guessed the material type so easily. It is made from plastic, but the finish is\u00a0 100% seamless and so utterly smooth that it might as well have been industrial stone or ceramic. Until you pick it up, of course. But that, too, is a good thing. Why should audio components be heavy if that does not serve a purpose?<\/p>\n

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Connections<\/h3>\n

The tempus has a regular 12v DC barrel connector and could theoretically be used with other power supplies, should you wish to experiment with this. I have no special power supplies available so I did not try this, but it goes without saying that the partnering Network Acoustics power supply is specifically tailored to this task. This power supply is anything but an afterthought!<\/p>\n

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The tempus offers no less than 12 ultra-low noise RJ45 outputs. Six of these are universal Gigabit ports, and two are 100 Mb\/s RJ45 ports. The manual states that Network Acoustics recommend connecting all devices to the 1Gb ports unless a product is specifically designed to operate at 100Mb. I used the 1Gb ports for my tests.<\/p>\n

To the far right are four SFP interface slots intended for use with future Network Acoustics products. These slots can be used with various adapter modules, such as RJ45, Fiber, or a DAC (Direct Attach Copper) cable. With many possible uses for these slots, it will be interesting to see what partnering products Network Acoustics may have up their sleeves.<\/p>\n

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Review Context<\/h3>\n

The tempus switch will be listened to in the main system<\/a> using Roon on various Music Servers, including the Antipodes Oladra G4<\/a> and Grimm MU1<\/a>. The rest of the system comprises the CH Precision C1.2<\/a> DAC, CH Precision L1<\/a> preamplifier, CH Precision A1.5<\/a> power amp, and Magico S1 MkII speakers.<\/p>\n

All digital sources are supported by HRS EXR Racks<\/a> while the CH pre-amplifier and DAC are supported by an Artesania Exoteryc<\/a> rack with Carbon Fiber Linear Arms<\/a>. The CH power amplifier is supported by an Artesania Aire<\/a> rack with Carbon Fiber Linear Arms<\/a> and KSH2 Krion shelves<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The tempus will be reviewed on both racks, with and without Ansuz Darkz<\/a> Resonance Control footers.<\/p>\n

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Listening<\/h3>\n

After connecting it in place of my budget Cisco switch, the tempus made a superb first impression, even though I still used standard Cat.6 cables. Whereas some products (switches, too) can take a little time to get accustomed to, the tempus immediately pulled me off the fence and right into the musical performance. Compared to the standard switch, the tempus provides an open, airy, and agile sound. It is super-delicate, contemplative, effortlessly lyrical, and immediately emotionally involving.<\/p>\n

To my delight, the tempus is exceedingly neutral yet with a very natural touch. It’s the antithesis of technical or stereotypical digital. It greatly enhances the liquidity and adds a gently refined touch but without affecting the transparency, pacing, or resolution. Each music listener pays special attention to certain musical aspects. For me, Especially the pacing, articulation, and transparency of a recording are aspects I hold very dear. Some switches, interfaces, or cables may affect these aspects negatively. But not the tempus. This switch has a delicate and relaxed nature but does not sound slow at all. I’d say it is fast without being hurried.<\/p>\n

Compared to the budget Cisco, the tempus allows the soundstage to develop further into the background, reducing the forward and relatively hard nature while increasing the focus and precise imaging of center-stage elements such as vocals. With the standard switch, vocals appear midway between the speakers but spread out more, larger than life. The tempus binds it more together and allows the portrayal of a more 3D image, as you would hear in real life.<\/p>\n

The standard switch has a certain raw directness that can work in its favor if a system needs it, but this is probably not how it should be. Nevertheless, it should be noted that a high-quality switch will usually sound friendlier and more polished in comparison. And indeed, the Tempus is just a tad less hard-hitting and less forward for it, but also less abrasive and, importantly, infinitely more delicate.<\/p>\n

Before the tempus, I reviewed the Ansuz X-TC3 and D3 switches. I don’t intend to enter a shootout kind of comparison and they are too different to pronounce any one as “better” or “best”. But precisely because they are so different, I think it will help paint the tempus’ sonic picture if I describe them.<\/p>\n

Between Ansuz and Network Acoustics, we have two rather unique presentations. In my Ansuz review, I mentioned finding the switches surprisingly neutral, given earlier experience with very rich or warm and slow-sounding switches. But the tempus offsets the balance by providing an even more neutral and transparent perspective. In terms of frequency spectrum, I feel the Ansuz switches (especially the X-TC3) are more voluptuous in the bass, tonally more saturated, and darker in the treble, whereas the tempus is the opposite: light-footed, tonally slightly lean and exceedingly open and airy.<\/p>\n

Besides the tonal differences, another distinction is in soundstaging. While both brands enhance the soundstage, they do it differently. With the Ansuz switches, the sonic aura warps all around you, along with everything in, which is hugely entertaining, but it may also be perceived as bordering on supernatural. With the tempus, the stage becomes much deeper and airier, but not so much wider, providing a performance that is less sensational but arguably more “normal” and may be perceived as more natural. The tempus very carefully threads the fine line between adding fluidity, refinement, and air, and not editorializing too much.<\/p>\n

I hasten to add that the tempus is very far from a sober-sounding product. More like the opposite! It is more ethereal than grounded or earthy. But ultimately, the two brands have different presentations, which will cater to different audiences.<\/p>\n

Next: adding muon Pro Streaming cable<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Adding muon Pro Streaming cable<\/h3>\n

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!<\/p>\n

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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.<\/p>\n

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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!<\/p>\n

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\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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Adding muon Pro Streaming System<\/h3>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Power Cables<\/h3>\n

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<\/a>, maximize the switch’s inherent qualities such as airiness and fluidity using a Final Touch Audio Elara<\/a>,\u00a0or you can make the sound crisper and more direct using the GigaWatt LC-2 EVO<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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<\/a> 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!<\/p>\n

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Footers<\/h3>\n

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!<\/p>\n

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<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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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 \u20ac640 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.<\/p>\n

Naturally, when using an HRS rack<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n

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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.<\/p>\n

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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.<\/p>\n

Servers and system matching<\/h3>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Prologue<\/h3>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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Conclusion<\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Associated Equipment<\/a><\/p>\n

External Links<\/h3>\n

Manufacturer: Network Acoustics<\/a><\/p>\n

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