A novel way to massively improve the SQ of computer audio streaming

[austinpop]

2 hours ago, elan120 said:

@austinpop, thank you for sharing and write up.  I plan on using some ideas here to see if it will help improve my current server that has much higher TDP due to my current desire of using HQP to upsample to DSD515 non-2s filters, but this build recipe is great to learn and copy in case my upsampling desire changed.  While going through upgrades with my present server, I had my JCAT Net Card clock replaced by a  sCLK-OCX10 connected sCLK-EX clock output instead with good result. Wonder if you plan to do clock modification to your new server and perhaps JCAT Net Card?

 

This is sounding so good, I'm not inclined to do it. This goes back to the reclocking chains we were discussing a year or more ago. How far upstream does reclocking matter? 

 

Never say never, but for now, I don't expect the benefit to justify the cost.

[elan120]

14 minutes ago, austinpop said:

 

This is sounding so good, I'm not inclined to do it. This goes back to the reclocking chains we were discussing a year or more ago. How far upstream does reclocking matter? 

 

Never say never, but for now, I don't expect the benefit to justify the cost.

Very good point.  I also wonder how much sNH-10G contribute to the total upstream isolation, and this likely be my next upgrade.  I now hope to hear your feeling or knowledge on the dual sNH-10G recommendation from SOtM?  

[BigAlMc]

7 minutes ago, elan120 said:

dual sNH-10G recommendation from SOtM?  

 

Hi @elan120,

 

Dual as in run the signal thru it twice, or as in buy two sNH-10G's?

 

Cheers,

Alan

[elan120]

25 minutes ago, BigAlMc said:

 

Hi @elan120,

 

Dual as in run the signal thru it twice, or as in buy two sNH-10G's?

 

Cheers,

Alan

Hi Alan,

 

They suggest getting two and run them in series to gain great SQ improvements.  I may consider this route since I can free up two unused clock output tabs from a tX-USBUltra I already have.

 

Kevin

[auricgoldfinger]

3 minutes ago, elan120 said:

Hi Alan,

 

They suggest getting two and run them in series to gain great SQ improvements.  I may consider this route since I can free up two unused clock output tabs from a tX-USBUltra I already have.

 

Kevin

 

FWIW, May claims that an externally clocked sNH-10G does not sound as good as the model with the internal sCLK-EX board. 

 

Why not put an ETHERegen in front of the sNG-10G?  Then you would have two separate approaches for eliminating network noise that could potentially be even more effective than two SOtM switches.  I assume Uptone will offer their 30-day money-back guarantee.

 

[BigAlMc]

3 minutes ago, elan120 said:

Hi Alan,

 

They suggest getting two and run them in series to gain great SQ improvements.  I may consider this route since I can free up two unused clock output tabs from a tX-USBUltra I already have.

 

Kevin

 

Thanks Kevin,

 

I like SoTM but you can't accuse them of being shy when it comes to opening our wallets. Two 4 figure network switches because the first one didn't do enough 😳

 

Cheers,

Alan

[elan120]

5 minutes ago, auricgoldfinger said:

 

FWIW, May claims that an externally clocked sNH-10G does not sound as good as the model with the internal sCLK-EX board. 

 

Why not put an ETHERegen in front of the sNG-10G?  Then you would have two separate approaches for eliminating network noise that could potentially be even more effective than two SOtM switches.  I assume Uptone will offer their 30-day money-back guarantee.

 

That has been an option I been thinking as well, and trying to wait as long as I can for EtherRegen to go live.

[BigAlMc]

2 minutes ago, auricgoldfinger said:

Why not put an ETHERegen in front of the sNG-10G? 

 

I know the nature of this hobby is chasing 'more' but if you need a EtherRegen to make your sNH-10G sound better, or vice versa that's more of a reason to seek a refund on the original.

 

I've been on the fence for a while about buying either the sNH-10G or EtherRegen. But the buy both or buy two argument has me thinking sod it just buy an Integrated amp, DAC and streamer like the Hegel H590 and call it quits on all this madness.

 

No offence intended guys.

 

Cheers,

Alan

[elan120]

3 minutes ago, BigAlMc said:

 

I know the nature of this hobby is chasing 'more' but if you need a EtherRegen to make your sNH-10G sound better, or vice versa that's more of a reason to seek a refund on the original.

 

I've been on the fence for a while about buying either the sNH-10G or EtherRegen. But the buy both or buy two argument has me thinking sod it just buy an Integrated amp, DAC and streamer like the Hegel H590 and call it quits on all this madness.

 

No offence intended guys.

 

Cheers,

Alan

I think I know the feeling, Alan,

 

For now, I am just happy and enjoying playing music with my newly modded NUC while using my modded OCXO clocked switch.  Dust surely will settle soon enough.

 

Kevin

[sunny_time_99]

24 minutes ago, auricgoldfinger said:

 

FWIW, May claims that an externally clocked sNH-10G does not sound as good as the model with the internal sCLK-EX board. 

 

 

That is normal for clock tunings. Against all marketing stuff... A clock can only be clean on short distances. Dont believe in one who tells you that 50cm+ like you have if you use an external clock is okey. 5cm clock to host ist okey. better less than that, even with coax cables. That can only be done with internal clocks, guy's. Every cm more is an open side for pollution of any kind. Buy something like this below .. And find out what and how much is going to have an influence on you clock cable...

Its not realy precise but enough to have an idea whats going on in the neighborhood.

 

Regards

 

Sunny

[auricgoldfinger]

42 minutes ago, BigAlMc said:

 

I know the nature of this hobby is chasing 'more' but if you need a EtherRegen to make your sNH-10G sound better, or vice versa that's more of a reason to seek a refund on the original.

 

I've been on the fence for a while about buying either the sNH-10G or EtherRegen. But the buy both or buy two argument has me thinking sod it just buy an Integrated amp, DAC and streamer like the Hegel H590 and call it quits on all this madness.

 

No offence intended guys.

 

Cheers,

Alan

 

No offense taken.  However, IIRC, none other than @austinpop reported a while back that two switches in his system sounded better than one.  🙂

[austinpop]

6 minutes ago, auricgoldfinger said:

 

No offense taken.  However, IIRC, none other than @austinpop reported a while back that two switches in his system sounded better than one.  🙂

 

Yes, I tried the TLS and SOtM switches in series, and it did sound better than either in isolation. But I only did it "because I could," as I had the switches and PSUs on hand. I wouldn't in good conscience recommend people spend that kind of money, unless cost was no object.

 

OTOH, I am very curious to see what the EtherRegen brings to the table, especially if its strengths are complementary to the SOtM unit.

[BigAlMc]

Yeah I get it. Am just saying its also madness unless you just won the lottery.

 

The SoTM switch is $1700 with the sclk-EX and clock input. Another $200 for the Evox caps and silver wire. Times that by two and factor in two decent PSUs and your approaching 5 grand! For network switches!

 

Most music lovers will never spend $5000 on a HiFi or components. Let alone spending that on making the Ethernet signal nice.

 

And that's before we factor in the Master Clock.

 

Perhaps I'm just in a funny mood but jeezo. We've lost our minds somewhere...

 

I always assumed I'd sell my AQVOX SE to fund or part fund an EtherRegen or sNH-10G. Daisy chaining them never occurred to me. 

 

Cheers,

Alan

[Dutch]

Yep, we’re nuts.  Same happened with the Mutec MC3+ /USB units. People connecting them in series, fortunately after three further improvements diminished.

 

I already “predicted” the same would happen with the etherregen: 

 (not that it is hard to predict such a thing, just saying :))

[rickca]

28 minutes ago, BigAlMc said:

We've lost our minds somewhere...

You think? 🙄

[Dev]

https://jcat.eu/featured/m12-switch-gold/

 

 

Note: Two audiophile grade Ethernet cable with appropriate connectors will come for free.

[valveboy]

1 hour ago, BigAlMc said:

Yeah I get it. Am just saying its also madness unless you just won the lottery.

 

The SoTM switch is $1700 with the sclk-EX and clock input. Another $200 for the Evox caps and silver wire. Times that by two and factor in two decent PSUs and your approaching 5 grand! For network switches!

 

Most music lovers will never spend $5000 on a HiFi or components. Let alone spending that on making the Ethernet signal nice.

 

And that's before we factor in the Master Clock.

 

Perhaps I'm just in a funny mood but jeezo. We've lost our minds somewhere...

 

I always assumed I'd sell my AQVOX SE to fund or part fund an EtherRegen or sNH-10G. Daisy chaining them never occurred to me. 

 

Cheers,

Alan

hi Al.

$5000 - would you get a better return for the investment (bang for buck) by upgrading say the speakers!

SoTM switch/sclk-EX/clock input/PSU's; Vs. speaker upgrade?

[rickca]

7 minutes ago, valveboy said:

$5000 - would you get a better return for the investment (bang for buck) by upgrading say the speakers!

It depends on where the performance constraints are in your system.  If you already have $15K speakers, maybe not.  

[kelvinwsy]

😀Aren't we all having fun with all of these Addo-on boxes in series! Guess what I am waiting for the Ether regen to go live too . But meanwhile I hv been doing the following with my SOTM SM200Ultra Neo..IP fiber modem to the Broadband Modem ( on 12v LPSU) to a ASUS modem AC65u on 12v LPSU then a Netgear GS105 switch on 12v LPSU ..only using the 100Mbps ports ! All ethernet cables Cat 6 with all plastic RJ45 connectors and Full JSSG with earth grounding on the shields to Earth!! 

Swear this sounds cleaner (Sweeter highs and mids) than w/o the Netgear in series.. So aSOTM switch and a Ether Regen might just do the trick! 

Re-watced John Darko 's youtube video on the Auraluc Aries G1 streamer claiming their Gear sounds better thru wifi than ethernet! 

Maybe John Darko shuld try adding 5k on switches clocks Habst cables and PSU's 

Oh did i say 5k more like 10k 😅

It WILL sound better over the Groaning Sounds from our long suffering wallets

Happy testing and  Listening

[valveboy]

1 hour ago, rickca said:

It depends on where the performance constraints are in your system.  If you already have $15K speakers, maybe not.  

agreed, if you have very expensive speakers already. But what if they are mediocre?

[Confused]

8 hours ago, Dev said:

https://jcat.eu/featured/m12-switch-gold/

 

 

Note: Two audiophile grade Ethernet cable with appropriate connectors will come for free.

 

Has anyone actually bought one of these?  I'm thinking that once you get to a certain level of expenditure on a system, it is not likely to have Ethernet in the chain anyway?

[RickyV]

8 hours ago, valveboy said:

agreed, if you have very expensive speakers already. But what if they are mediocre?

 

I don’t know about this, put the money in the speakers theory because if you buy 5000 dollars more expensive speakers you probably hear even more difference in the dual switches and then it’s even more justified to buy that too. 

 

Yep we are totally bonkers 🤪 but it’s fun.

 

 I am waiting for the ether regen, I find SoTM switch to expensive.

[rickca]

3 hours ago, Confused said:

Has anyone actually bought one of these?

I'm waiting for Hans B. to tell me the cables alone are worth the price.

[numlog]

On 3/22/2019 at 9:29 AM, rafa said:

Sorry for delayed answer. Yes I have. Its same effect as changing timings and other bios settings. You can slightly hear it. 

I find it really unusual that different speeds on the same CPU has an effect on sound but a different CPU with entirely different specs, including speed, does not

[Iving]

46 minutes ago, numlog said:

I find it really unusual that different speeds on the same CPU has an effect on sound but a different CPU with entirely different specs, including speed, does not

 

"different speeds on the same CPU" means Speedstep, Turbo Boost etc [Asus BIOS] or equiv. settings On ... and Windows sits on these behaving erratically ... anyway I do find best SQ with CPU speed adjusters in BIOS Off and Power in Windows High (=/or CPU at 100%) ...