Sonore opticalRendu

[Foggie]

2 hours ago, barrows said:

Although I would still ground those supplies for good measure since it is so easy to do.

Can you clarify what you are you referring to?

 

This product looks very interesting and I am seriously considering moving to this from my microU.  My fiber setup is as follows and have had very good results thus far:

 

My server, NAS managed switch etc.. are all in my laundry room and I run a ~30m fiber to listening room. 

 

My switch is a Tplink_TL-SG3216 (AC powered) and use Cisco GLC-SX-MM SFP's in the switch and in the FMC which is a Trendnet TFC-1000MGA (which sits next to microU in audio rack).  From there I use a ~ 8in cat7 unshielded (on one end) to microU and usb to Lampizator.  I only have a LPS powering the microU and a Jameco reliapro powering the FMC.  Fiber cable is LC to LC multi-mode 50/125 OM3.  There's another thread on optical that I seem to recall specifying a different type/spec of cable, but I don't remember - thoughts on the above config are welcome in preperation for the opticalRendu.

[Foggie]

49 minutes ago, vortecjr said:

He means grounding the DC negative of the power to AC ground...AKA John’s trick.

 

That setup seems fine. You will need a matching SFP at the opticalRendu as discussed above. 

OK makes sense.

 

The Cisco SFP (GLC-SX-MM ) in my Trendnet would go into the opticalRendu which would work - being the same SFP is in my switch.

 

Using my optical config explained above as a "template" of sorts and I'm sure others are using similar, what changes would you or John recommend or see as a weak point if any?

[Foggie]

Just now, vortecjr said:

I would hover in place for now. 

Will do - excited about this new lineup

[Foggie]

I don't recall the exact issue, but several of us using optical had a few quirks with a speed issue ("too fast") using NAA with microU (I think) which was remedied very nicely with a 10/100/1000 FMC - this Trendnet that @jabbr recommended.  I believe @The Computer Audiophile had a similar issue and used a dumb 10/100 switch to address the too fast issue.

 

@vortecjr do you think this may be a possible issue with the opticalrendu?

 

Also for FWIW, this Cisco SFP + cable I also referenced seem to be a good match.  

 

[Foggie]

5 hours ago, vortecjr said:

What he said! This is it exactly including the part about 802.3x which I had forgot about:) Thanks for posting this. I’ll add it shortly to our optical dos and don’ts and to our FAQ here on AS. 

Yes thank you @Miska  - FWIW on the tplink managed switch it is a setting in the port config to enable/disable flow

[Foggie]

Kinda lost track/missed the shipping announcement.  If I purchase one this eve can I receive it by the holiday wknd! 😀😉

 

[Foggie]

So in a scenario with a managed switch that has fiber built in - how does one evaluate/determine the performance or quality of its fiber link?  With all the talk of clocks, power supplies, servers directly connected to DAC (Innuos) etc.. Confusing.  SOTM has a whole line of separate devices with dedicated USB, pwr, endpoint.

 

Specifically my switch (TP-Link TL-SG2216 ) is AC powered connected to a UPS along with my router/FW, modem, NAS, all of which are in in a network rack located in laundry room with a 25m optical cable to listening room which is connected to a FMC (Trendnet TFC-1000MGA) to a mU.  Wkst running ROON server and HQP are also in laundry room connected to switch via BJC cat6e.  SFP modules are cisco glc-sx-mm

 

I'm thinking hard about next move, so many differentiating opinions about svr direct connect (to DAC) or separate modules (similar to my setup).  What to do?

 

[Foggie]

10 hours ago, JohnSwenson said:

Of course that depends on how much money you want to spend. The best sound will be from an opticalRendu and opticalModule. Plug the opticalModule into the switch with a short Ethernet cable, plug your existing optical cable into the opticalModule and the other end of the fiber cable into the opticalRendu.

 

If you don't want to spend that much the least expensive upgrade is an opticalModule in place of the existing FMC. There are various options with ultraRendus with intermediate cost.

 

An opticalRendu connected to the existing fiber cable, without the opticalModule at the switch end, is going to sound considerably better than the microRendu with the opticalModule feeding it. I still think it will sound better than an opticalModule feeding an ultraRendu, but the best is the opticalModule feeding the opticalRendu.

 

Lots of ways you can mix and match the parts.

 

John S.

Thanks for pointing out these options, I never thought about just an opticalModule right at the switch (or even in general) since I already have an FMC

 

Wasn’t aware or thinking that an opticalModule would be an improvement over a standard FMC.  Certainly it “all” matters, but just how much an improvement in my config there would be just adding that alone, dunno - I’ll have to decide. 

[Foggie]

41 minutes ago, Musikfan said:

Hi, i have a question regarding the OR and etherREGEN.  I am using the opticalrendu + optical module, and the OM is plugged into an eero unit.  Would I still need to get an Uptone etherREGEN?   If so, how would the OR and OM be plugged into the etherREGEN? As I understand it, the OM would have to be dropped from the system.  And on which side of the etherREGEN would  the eero be plugged into?  Thanks.

I'm not familiar with the eero's but if its an AP (wifi access point) then I'm assuming you are running Ethernet from the eero to your audio rack? so Ethernet > OM > OR?  IF this is the case you could:

1.  Use the ER before the OM + OR e.g.eero Ethernet > A side ER > B side ER  Ethernet > OM > OR

2. eero Ethernet > B side of the ER > fiber out of A side of ER > OR (eliminating the OM)

 

Whether an ER would make a difference if the above assumptions are correct would be up to you to decide.

 

[Foggie]

4 hours ago, lxgreen said:

So I removed om and ran the optical rendu to the sfp cage on the A side of the etherREGEN and now it works

So the output in the above is the Ethernet B port of the ER, how do you then connect optical to your OR SE?  Do you have a FMC after the ER?

[Foggie]

Just now, ericuco said:

 

I think he was originally trying to go:

 

Switch > etherRegen > oM > OR SE (on etherRegen, input on A side, output on B side) - problem is that B side is only 100Mbps and oM is 1000Mbps so they wouldn't connect.

 

After removing the oM:

 

Switch > etherRegen > OR SE (on etherRegen, input on B side, output on A side w/ fiber optic port) - that leaves all of the open (unused) ports on side A.

Yeah that makes sense, for some reason I was thinking he was running fiber to rack.  Ooy

[Foggie]

General question on PS - I noticed the PS offered by SGC for use with only the OR is rated at 7v/50w (7.5A ?) but the alternative recommend PS’s state 7v/ 1-2A variants (teddy, UpTone, sonore own PS).  

Why the large difference in Amp rating with the SGC?

[Foggie]

I received an OR on Friday and have a couple questions (see profile for gear):

Basic config:

- ROON server and HQP are on a wkst in utility room, ethernet to switch.  Using OR as HQP NAA.

- Network rack in util room with switch (has 2 SFP's), NAS, router etc...  I run optical cable from network rack to listening room rack

 

My mU has been flawless (couple hiccups here and there) and have been very happy with it.  I leave the mU and its LPS on 24/7 and turn off audio gear when not in use and rarely have to fiddle with the mU.

 

When I setup the OR on Friday I went through the similar setup steps as with the mU since I'm familiar with its OS.  I also assigned the OR a static IP in my router.  When I pressed play in ROON I would not get any sound although HQP recognized the OR and ROON would show the animated bar next to the song as "playing", but the progress bar at bottom was not moving.  A couple times out of the blue music would come on and stop.

 

I attached some DAC Diagnostics.  I eventually was able to get music going but not really sure how, but I think the last thing I did was hit the "Restart HQP".  After that it appeared to mostly work like the mU and I listened last eve for awhile without issue.

 

This morning I wanted to test a everything from scratch (everything powered off) and sort of had the same issues and I eventually got music, again not really sure how but used the "Restart HQP" and think that may have been the trick. 

 

Is there a specific start up process that MUST be followed:

1.  If everything is powered off, should the OR be the last thing powered on?

2.  When keeping OR powered on but audio components off what should the process be?

 

 

[Foggie]

On 12/8/2019 at 2:11 PM, vortecjr said:

foggy, try this in order:

1. Remove the power cable from the Rendu and the DAC.
2. Connect the power cable to the DAC and power it on.
3. Connect the power cable to the Rendu.
4. Go to Apps / DAC Diagnostics and confirm the DAC is present.
5. Go to Settings / Roon Ready and press Save.
6. Go to Roon / Settings / Audio and enable the Rendu.

 

Test and see what happens. I think 2 will clear it.

Will do and not ignoring this, just busy this week.  
 

I did fire up rig tues (while OR was on) for a bit and everything worked fine.  I should be able to get a bunch of time this wknd.

[Foggie]

1 hour ago, RichardK said:

I have a switch with SFP ports and I would like to connect the opticalRendu using either opticalModule or uptone EtherREGEN (RJ45 from switch to eR with high quality cable) and then fiber cable directly to the opticalRendy. Anyone has any experience comparing these two options and a preference?

I have a similar config and run a ~60ft optical cable directly from managed switch in util room to listening room direct to OR.  There is no go to answer unfortunately.  All the products you mentioned are of very high quality with great support. 

 

I think most would agree the components that make up your rig are usually very system dependent.  What I have found based on direct experience + usage is the difference between fiber and Ethernet are quite noticeable (IMHO, in my rig) and comes down to system and personal preference IMO.  Vocals + piano + acoustic guitar are usually easy to hear those differences and to categorize those in a general or descriptive sense, I sort of think of the Ethernet signature as softer vs the clarity / speed of optical.

 

The ER had a positive impact when using Ethernet only but that delta when running fiber only not as much IME (due to fiber inherent isolation).  That's not to say the ER in an all fiber connection scheme wouldn't provide its intended benefits, but that's really for the indiv to determine.

 

The one config I would still like to test, which I couldn't at the time, is an OM (connected with short eth cable at switch) directly to OR.  When I had an OM it didn't work in my system due to how the OM handled flow control.