What the Matrix Audio SS-1 is
The Matrix Audio SS-1 is an audio grade network switch. Its job is not to make sound. Instead it sits upstream of a network streamer or digital transport and works to clean up the digital chain that feeds your music. It does this through galvanic isolation on the network stage and a high precision internal clock, so the Ethernet signal arriving at your streamer is quieter and better timed than what comes off a typical office grade switch.
Because the SS-1 is a switch rather than a source, it does not include a DAC, a preamplifier or an amplifier. You still need a streamer or transport to receive and convert the signal, and downstream electronics to drive your speakers or headphones. Think of the SS-1 as an infrastructure component that serves the digital chain rather than as a listening component on its own.
Matrix Audio design and technology
Matrix Audio has built its reputation since 2010 as a digital source and streaming specialist, and the SS-1 reflects that focus applied to the network layer. It offers multiple RJ45 ports so you can connect your incoming network on one side and your audio devices on the other. Two design elements define its character.
Galvanic isolation on the network stage
The Ethernet path in most homes carries electrical noise picked up from routers, computers, power supplies and everything else sharing the network. The SS-1 galvanically isolates the network stage so that noise riding along the connection is interrupted before it can reach your streamer. This is the core reason an audio grade switch exists.
High precision internal clock
Timing matters in a digital chain. The SS-1 uses a high precision internal clock to reclock the network activity moving through it. A cleaner and more stable timing reference at the switch helps the devices downstream do their own work with less to correct.
Sound and performance character
To be clear about how this works, the SS-1 does not produce sound. What it changes is the condition of the signal reaching a component that does. When a system is resolving and you have addressed the obvious factors first, listeners often describe the contribution of a well isolated, well clocked switch as a lowering of background haze that lets the streamer present detail and space more calmly. The degree of change depends heavily on how revealing your streamer, DAC and the rest of your system are.
Ideal system and use case
The SS-1 is aimed at the listener who streams from services such as TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify or a local library and wants to tidy up the network feeding that streamer. It belongs in a system where the streamer and DAC are already good enough to reward the effort. Place it directly upstream of your streamer or transport, with the incoming home network on the input side.
It pairs naturally with Matrix Audio streamers and transports that AEA carries. If you run a dedicated transport into an outboard DAC, the Matrix Audio TT-1 or the reference Matrix Audio NT-1 sit downstream of the switch beautifully. If your source is an all in one streamer and DAC, the Matrix Audio MS-1 Pre, the Matrix Audio TS-1 or the more compact Matrix Audio MS-1c are all strong partners. For a streaming integrated approach, the Matrix Audio MD-1 and Matrix Audio MD-1P make tidy systems, and the Matrix Audio ND-1 is a fine DAC to feed from a transport on the far side of the switch.
Where the SS-1 sits in the Matrix Audio range
Within the Matrix Audio network family the SS-1 is the switch that brings galvanic isolation and internal clocking together in an accessible package. If you want a network isolator to sit alongside your existing switch rather than replace it, look at the Matrix Audio SI-1. If you want the more ambitious expression of this same idea, the Matrix Audio SS-1 Pro steps up within the range. Each shares the Matrix Audio design goal of serving the digital chain, so the right choice depends on how far you want to take the network layer and how the rest of your system is built.
Other switches AEA carries
AEA also stocks the Silent Angel line, and these are a matter of design approach and preference rather than one being superior to another. The Silent Angel Bonn N8 and Bonn N8C offer eight port layouts, while the Bonn N8 Pro and Bonn N16 LPS add linear power supplies and, in the case of the N16, more ports. The Bonn NX sits at the flagship of that line. Where the Matrix Audio SS-1 leans on galvanic isolation and internal clocking within a Matrix Audio ecosystem, the Silent Angel switches emphasize their own power and port strategies. Choose the one that fits your system philosophy and layout.
Pairing thoughts
Keep the whole chain sensible. The SS-1 makes the most sense feeding a capable Matrix Audio streamer or transport rather than sitting in front of a modest source. Match it to a streamer or DAC that can resolve the difference it aims to make, connect your home network to its input, and let it serve the components downstream.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Matrix Audio SS-1 Network Switch?
The Matrix Audio SS-1 is an audio grade network switch. Its job is not to make sound. Instead it sits upstream of a network streamer or digital transport and works to clean up the digital chain that feeds your music. It does this through galvanic isolation on the network stage and a high precision internal clock, so the Ethernet signal arriving at your streamer is quieter and better timed than what comes off a typical office grade switch.
How is the Matrix Audio SS-1 Network Switch designed and built?
Matrix Audio has built its reputation since 2010 as a digital source and streaming specialist, and the SS-1 reflects that focus applied to the network layer. It offers multiple RJ45 ports so you can connect your incoming network on one side and your audio devices on the other. Two design elements define its character.
What does the Matrix Audio SS-1 Network Switch sound like?
To be clear about how this works, the SS-1 does not produce sound. What it changes is the condition of the signal reaching a component that does. When a system is resolving and you have addressed the obvious factors first, listeners often describe the contribution of a well isolated, well clocked switch as a lowering of background haze that lets the streamer present detail and space more calmly.
Who is the Matrix Audio SS-1 Network Switch best suited to?
The SS-1 is aimed at the listener who streams from services such as TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify or a local library and wants to tidy up the network feeding that streamer. It belongs in a system where the streamer and DAC are already good enough to reward the effort. Place it directly upstream of your streamer or transport, with the incoming home network on the input side.
Where does the Matrix Audio SS-1 Network Switch sit in the range?
Within the Matrix Audio network family the SS-1 is the switch that brings galvanic isolation and internal clocking together in an accessible package. If you want a network isolator to sit alongside your existing switch rather than replace it, look at the Matrix Audio SI-1 . If you want the more ambitious expression of this same idea, the Matrix Audio SS-1 Pro steps up within the range.
What should I pair with the Matrix Audio SS-1 Network Switch?
Keep the whole chain sensible. The SS-1 makes the most sense feeding a capable Matrix Audio streamer or transport rather than sitting in front of a modest source. Match it to a streamer or DAC that can resolve the difference it aims to make, connect your home network to its input, and let it serve the components downstream.
Come listen at AEA
AEA is an authorized Matrix Audio dealer with a showroom in Timonium, Maryland. Demo units rotate and not every model is always set up, so reach out to AEA and we will help you arrange a listen and build the streaming chain that suits your system.