An article and listening report including JPLAY FEMTO and JCAT USB Isolator was published in print in the June issue of Stereo Sound (No 219). https://www.stereosound-store.jp/fs/ssstore/ss219

Many thanks to Lachlan Fennen of Passion for Sound for the excellent and very comprehensive review of our USB FEMTO and NET FEMTO cards "Both the USB and network cards were great upgrades to my existing setup." Full review in the link below:

@AudioDoctor You can connect 2 different network devices to the NET Card. But you don't have to do it. The same is with USB card - some people connect USB DAC to one power and e.g. USB hard drive to the 2nd port. Best regards, Marcin

Gotcha, I'm sure it sounds fantastic, I know mine does. BUT, you know how this goes.....I've been thinking of eliminating one "hop" just to try since I run fiber into listening room. So moving my high end wkst (running server 2019 with HQP) into listening room, getting a fiber eth card and a XE usb to go direct to dac. The advantage? Besides eliminating a hop (OR) I could use the windows drivers so as to use native DSD and eliminate the F&*%$ pops when switching sample rates (in some cases) AND you can run NAA (using the batch file) on same system to retain using roon (sep

I've never actually considered that topology before. Right now I run Roon Core and HQP on the same server and use a network endpoint (Sonore Signature Rendu Optical and Optical module) to the DAC. In my opinion, it sounds pretty damn great. But the second ethernet port on the Jcat card has puzzled me.

Correct, I was just putting out the possibility of a dac direct config e.g. => roon core on its own server => server/wkst with HQP (with both XE cards) => DAC. I suppose I went off on a totally different tangent not relevant, my bad 😄

I have thought about doing that direct to DAC as well.

A server that sends data over the network has zero use for a usb card...

Such a dumb question 😄 I would think if one is using an XE net card one would then have a XE usb card in same system ("server") thus going direct to DAC? However, the comment about one box system is a very broad stroke, especially since it changes daily 'round here. One day its this, next week its a whole new way - which is cool and part of the experimenting / hobby. I've been contemplating very seriously moving my server into listening room, getting a fiber card and a XE usb card to go dac direct (HQP) and comparing it to my current OpticalRendu setup (2 box).

That's what I do now, but with an Optical rendu and an optical converter.

According to Marcin using both ports on the XE will reduce the quality of the card. IMHO I would always connect end point to a switch & server to a switch, with something like an EtherRegen.

I appreciate your extra help, however, despite my noob question here, I am not a noob.

My understanding is that you don’t need a router in between, the connection can be passed through direct. However there is a lot to be said for optical network isolation between the two. There are lots of options.

I have been sitting here this entire time wondering what the benefit of the second ethernet connector is, and how the router in the middle doesn't wreck all of the benefits of the card...

Yes that’s right - but please note that the current trend is now towards single box solutions (i.e if you have a server like the ones that Nenon builds then there is apparently little benefit to the server/endpoint approach).

so what you guys are telling me is I can eliminate a router between the server and endpoint? Is there some set up I need to do in the OS of the server (Ubuntu) to make that work, or is it plug and play?

True advaita question.

Yes, allows bridge node to connect to the main network and an audio endpoint like a renderer . The router can assign a fixed IP to one port's MAC address, the other is DHCP. The renderer needs to be connected to the network for remote control purposes. You could add another router to do that, but introduces a very noisy piece of IT gear where it isn't wanted. Net card is about essential for a music server.

For server / endpoint functionality

Why are there two ethernet ports on the back of the Netcard XE?

Our INITIO 3 power supply in action

No issues on this end.

Works fine for me. No issue Update: Should have read all your post! 😜

Is anyone else having issues opening jcat.eu links? Is the site down? I have been getting this for three days... This site can’t be reached jcat.eu refused to connect. (Update) For some reason it's working now. All good.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/usb-card-xe-jcat.25121/ 'JCAT did it again'