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Nordost · QRT
$5,500
Not currently in our rooms. For a serious buyer we will often bring a piece in from the manufacturer for a private session — tell us about your system and what you are weighing it against, and we will advise.
Nordost · QRT
Nordost's seven-port, layer-2 network switch for audio: five gigabit ports, one quiet 100 Mbps audio port, an SFP cage for optical, nine independent ultra-low-noise power supplies and two femtosecond clocks.
Price is for one switch with its supplied power supply. The QSOURCE linear power supply and the QRT Stand Mount are separate upgrades.
Authorized Nordost dealer · Delivery and installation by Pearl Audio · Trade-ins welcome
The story
The QNET7 is Nordost's second network switch and its reference. Where most audiophile switches modify a consumer unit, the QNET7 is designed from the ground up to remove the noise generated in high-speed digital transmission. Ports 1 to 5 auto-negotiate at gigabit speed for the router, a NAS or other network devices. Port 6 is a 100 Mbps port built with extra noise control for the streamer, server or network DAC. Port 7 is an SFP cage that takes a 1000BASE-T or 1000BASE-LX/SX module, so the switch can feed a component over an optical link or an aftermarket RJ45 module.
Inside, nine independent ultra-low-noise power supplies feed the separate sections of the switch to prevent cross-contamination, the board is an eight-layer precision impedance-controlled layout, and two femtosecond temperature-compensated oscillators handle the clocking. The result Nordost describes, and reviewers have confirmed, is lower jitter and noise, with a calmer, more ordered presentation.
hi-fi+ gave the QNET7 its 2026 network switch award, and Jason Victor Serinus of Stereophile, reviewing it with the QSOURCE in May 2026, urged readers with the budget to try the pair. In our rooms the QNET7 is what we put in front of a dCS, MOON, Aurender or Linn streaming front end, powered by a QSOURCE and connected with Heimdall 2 or Valhalla 2 Ethernet cable on the audio ports.
| Type | Layer-2 unmanaged Ethernet switch, seven ports |
| Ports 1 to 5 | 1000BASE-T / 100BASE-TX, auto-negotiation, auto MDI/MDI-X |
| Port 6 | 100BASE-TX, auto-negotiation, auto MDI/MDI-X, for the audio device |
| Port 7 | SFP: 1000BASE-T and 1000BASE-X (LX/SX) modules; see Nordost's compatible module list |
| Connectors | 6 × 8P8C (RJ45), 1 × SFP |
| Power supplies | Nine independent, ultra-low noise |
| Clocks | Two femtosecond temperature-compensated oscillators |
| DC input | 5 V, 1 A; QSOURCE linear power supply recommended |
| Dimensions | 320 × 122 × 59.25 mm (12.6 × 4.8 × 2.33 in) with feet |
| Weight | 1.65 kg (3.64 lb) |
| Sold as | Single unit, US version |
| Warranty | Two-year limited |
Nordost QNET7 Network Switch product page and specifications Specifications from nordost.com and the Nordost USA price list (August 2026).
Nordost QRT power and network products, by price.
Pair it with the QSOURCE and connect it with Valhalla 2 Ethernet Cable.
Plan your Nordost system with Pearl Audio
Pearl Audio is an authorized Nordost dealer and Nordost is the power, grounding and network foundation we recommend for high-end systems. We can plan power distribution, grounding, resonance control and the network path for your system and arrange an audition in our Portland showroom. Call (503) 222-2599 or email sales@pearlaudio.com.
The Pearl Audio experience
A system at this level should be heard, thoughtfully matched, and properly set up. From the first audition to long-term ownership, you work with the same people, in person.
The QNET7 Network Switch is not in our rooms at present. When it is the right piece for a client we arrange a demonstration unit from the manufacturer and set it up for a private session.
We deliver and install throughout the Portland area, taking care of placement, connections, ventilation and system configuration ourselves.
We support everything we sell for as long as you own it, whether the answer comes by phone, in your home, or through factory service.
Trade-in assistance and qualifying 100% Trade-Up options give you flexibility when your listening priorities or your system change.
