EtherREGEN: The long development thread. [Some Gen2 dev. pics and update starting on page 92.]

[stevebythebay]

Thanks.  I'll be sure to "burn" in my unit when it arrives, for the 50+ hours, before doing any critical listening.  That's far less than the typical hundreds it can take for other components I've used in my system.  Luckily it's just a matter of turning on Roon and shuffling through my library and playing through the digital chain.

[stevebythebay]

Begs the question: under normal circumstances, does the EtherREGEN get assigned an IP address when it boots up (assuming it’s connected to the local network which has its router running DHCP)?  And if so, can/should an IP address reservation be made for the EtherREGEN by the router?

[stevebythebay]

So, under no circumstances will the EtherREGEN have an IP address assigned?  Reason I ask is I have a number of switches that, though they can be managed, I've reset to factory defaults, rendering them as unmanaged.  Yet they do get assigned an IP address when booting up, and connected to the local network,  However, if they are booted, but not connected to the network, they have the ability to assign an IP address to a Ethernet attached computer. 

[stevebythebay]

In the case of my Cisco 2960 what I have seen is the two following scenarios:

 

a) if the switch is not connected to any network at all, and is powered up, it first seeks to get an IP address.  When that fails (I'm assuming a TCP timeout occurs) it then comes up with a default IP address, and offers DHCP function; so anything plugged into the switch and capable of sending a DHCP request (like a computer) will receive an IP address from the switch;

 

b) if the switch is wired to a network and is then powered up it will send a request for an IP address from a DHCP server (typically a router in the network) and receive one and take that IP address on.

 

That's why I was uncertain how the EtherREGEN will behave.  If it never has an IP address that's cool.  Simplifies any sort of network troubleshooting.

[stevebythebay]

Thanks John.  And I'm assuming that from a trouble shooting perspective that, apart from the power supply, the LEDs are the sole means for determining whether all is well with the EtherREGEN.  That is, given no other visibility via apps or other means, right?

[stevebythebay]

4 hours ago, Thmoas said:

Hi,

long time follower of this thread, first post. 

I’m planning to get an etherregen, but I’m also upgrading my streamer and dac at the same time. Would you say that once I have the etherregen it’s less important to invest in a high end streamer (Auralic, sotm etc)? I listened to a very good and pricey dac and I’m wondering if I can save on the streamer. 

Thanks for all the information you put here.

thomas

 

I would certainly wait until you have the EtherREGEN in your system before making any other changes.  That will tell you a lot about how well the EtherREGEN is doing compared to your existing router/switch.  Then audition anything you plan to install in your system before taking the plunge.  I'd include upstream and downstream devices of all kinds.  Meaning don't discount anything that might generate or pass noise into the EtherREGEN or introduce it after it leaves the A side (poor quality cables that pick up EMI/RFI or other nasties).  And do it all step-wise - one thing at a time.  Give yourself enough time to audition the changes too.  Many devices need to "settle" into place a bit.  Some more than others, though it's hard to predict.  Mostly it's your own ears that need to become accustomed  to the new sonic experience.

 

Best of luck in your adventures...

[stevebythebay]

At least one port on one of the switches needs to be wired to a WiFi access point, be it traditional router or mesh network router.  In my simple setup my current Cisco switch has 3 wires: one to a Roon software app server, another to the downstream DAC related device (an upsampler) and the third wired to an Eero mesh WiFi access point.  Others may also wire up a NAS to provide the music files to the player, or even run the Roon or other player within the NAS device.  My files are living on a USB attached drive connected to the Roon server.  As you indicate, many need to access their music player via an app running on an iphone/tablet/computer via WiFi.

[stevebythebay]

Thanks Alex.  Just got my notice of shipment.  This is as close to winning a lottery as I'm ever likely to get.  And being here in the Bay Area I'll eagerly await my postman's approach...

[stevebythebay]

What, no YouTube unpacking video?  I’m shocked! 😵

[stevebythebay]

From all of the posts in this and the other eR threads it would be interesting to determine if any clear correlation exists between system network complexity and unhappiness with the eR. I suspect that those of us having, for instance, only a very limited number of copper connections between sources and the targeted DAC while using the eR have proved happiest.  However, the devices themselves play a part in noise creation/mitigation. Wouldn’t it be nice to identify all these bad actors and uncover how they’re behaving and why the eR is either helping or not. 
 

Maybe Alex or John or a member of the team is already working on this type of analysis or considering how such a survey could be designed. 
 

When it comes to home audio I trust my ear/brain system before bowing to other measurements. And my personal approach, which others on the forum also seem to follow, is to keep things as simple as possible, making single changes, letting the changed environment settle in, and finally listening for a sufficiently long period, to many sources of music, before coming to any conclusions. 

[stevebythebay]

30 minutes ago, pl_svn said:

 

let's see

my eR connects all of my music gear (dedicated NAS included) but... fiber comes from a TP-Link switch (other non music stuff plugged in there by copper, including a wi-fi repeater) connected by copper to a Netgear one (even more non-music stuff plugged in there), three stores upstairs, connected to the TP-Link router, connected to my ISP's modem with fiber coming in 😛

I believe (might be just a sensation: we're talking 10th of a second) connections (to my Roon core and to the NAS) are snappier with the eR than they used to be with my previous setup: TP-Link MC + Cisco switch

 

EDIT: wait... connections are snappier indeed: I also have a Pi+AlloDigiOne connected to the eR (for a secondary system) that... used to take ages (5~10 seconds) to connect to via a web browser when I needed to change RoPieee settings. now it takes 1~2 seconds

Fascinating. I don’t recall the eR being advertised as benefitting speed. Who knew?  Just added to our conundrum.

 

Ever feel like one of the proverbial blind men around the elephant

 

[stevebythebay]

49 minutes ago, EVOLVIST said:

 

I certainly don't want to flog a dead horse (if it's indeed dead), but my copper chain is very small. 

 

I've got coax from outside, leading directly to my listening room. No other splitters or anything in that chain. That coax feeds right into my Xfinity modem, which, by the way, vibrates like a sonuvabitch - the modem, that is. From there, everything sits on my Symposium Ultra Platforms. There are two short runs of Cat6a that chain my SonicTransporter i5 to my modem, and then out again, right into my Linn. Talk about a short copper run! 

 

So, if happiness is predicated on a short run, I should be the happiest!  I'm just trying to make sense of it all.  

Pretty simple.  So, I'm assuming when you tested the eR it effectively replaced the switching function of the Xfinity router.  By that I mean you used Cat6a from the Xfinity to one of the A side ports on the eR and did the same for another Cat6a from the SonicTransporter to the eR and finally out the B side using a third Cat6a to the Linn.  Or was this never tested?

[stevebythebay]

These cables, as with most high end cables these days, designate one or both ends with arrow indicators.  Likely just a labeling follow on to all the other cables in the system.  Agree with you as TCP/IP is bi-directional as a protocol by its very nature of packet send/receive validation.

[stevebythebay]

Hovland was my last tube preamp (used with VTL monoblocks) before moving on to Spectral gear.  Lovely preamp, for sure.