UpTone Audio EtherREGEN Listening Impressions

[soares]

Finally. Just the first 5 minutes. 
Literally jaw dropping...

cisco 2960 > (fiber) oM > (copper) uR

I am in heaven! 

Thank you Alex and John.

Will report after the weekend.

Cheers Jorge

[soares]

18 hours ago, soares said:

Finally. Just the first 5 minutes. 
Literally jaw dropping...

cisco 2960 > (fiber) oM > (copper) uR

I am in heaven! 

Thank you Alex and John.

Will report after the weekend.

Cheers Jorge

Opps, it was very late in the evening and I forgot to include the main actor. 😱
So, again:

cisco 2960 > (fiber) > oM > (copper) > eR > (copper) > uR

Sorry guys!!!

[soares]

1 hour ago, soares said:

I know from experience but no money. My ‘old’ LPS 1.2 is feeding my iR after the uR... 🙂

If I may add to my previous preliminary comments is that eR facilitates the evaluations of your tweets. What usually used to take hours or even days you feel immediately what sounds better. So what I can say now is that the SQ using a iR after the uR the later one fed by LPS 1.2 and the oM fed by a Jameco is better then the oM fed by a LPS 1.2 without the iR. I am using the same sbooster on the uR in both situations. So the iR is to keep. I tried also to connect by Ethernet to the oppo 205 with the eR but while I felt a SQ improvement, it is far better to use the usb input with oM, uR and iR.

[soares]

oM and eR between zen mk3 and uR. No issues after almost 3 weeks. Just pleasure! 🙂

[soares]

2 hours ago, BCRich said:

And we’re off to the races! Up and running....all ancillary devices are out of the loop.

ie: ISO Regen, Optical Module. Straight into to the “B” side from my Cisco Switch and SFP out to my Optical Rendu. 

If I may suggest, try it without the Cisco. 

[soares]

On 3/18/2020 at 5:08 PM, Superdad said:

 

 

 

This is all a bit off-topic for this thread, but I really can not let this stand.  Every Cybershaft clock system that I have seen comes with a measurement certification sheet tied to that particular unit/serial number.  The only "reclaimed"/used part it would make sense for them to use would be the 10MHz OCXO at the heart of the unit. It makes sense for their less expensive models, and here is why:

 

a) Cheap (new) OCXOs ($50~$250 wholesale) are rather worthless when it comes to building a reference clock for audio applications. They may have good stability (frequency drift) specs, but that is unimportant for audio purposes. What counts for audio--if trying to beat a really good XO such as the Crystek CCHD-575 used on our EtherREGEN and ISO REGEN--is ultra-low phase noise at very low offsets: 10Hz and even 1Hz and below. You can't get that for just a few hundred dollars. [An example is the Connor-Winfield OH4 OCXO we have seen promoted in some gear. -100 dbc/Hz at 10Hz is not very impressive when production Crystek 575s are coming out at -108 to -112.]

 

b) Truly low phase noise (at low offsets) can be ordered, but even in quantity a manufacturer could pay up to $800 for something with eye-popping specs such as -144dbc/Hz at 10Hz.  Yet there are very good -130 @10Hz OCXOs to be had for about $400.  But that is just for the clock module, and excludes the cost of quality power supply circuitry, other circuitry, case, and profit margin. This is why a product like the fine Mutec REF10 is $3,500 (a pretty good deal for the stellar performance actually).

 

c) However, there is a big market in surplus 10MHz OXCOs, from reputable firms like Morion and others. Here is an eBay example of a few 2007 Morions (though it's a 12V version):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2007-Years-Morion-Double-Oven-MV89A-10MHz-12V-Sine-Wave-OCXO-Crystal-Oscillator/333514733154  -130dBc @ 10Hz.  Sure, the frequency may have drifted a bit over the years, but that does not matter to us.

 

So if Cybershaft--who clearly is set up to measure and certify phase-noise for every unit they build--is willing to produce a sub-$1,000 reference clock for audiophiles by buying and screening surplus clocks, I think we ought to thank them. Unless someone produces some facts about the company to the contrary. 

 

So Alex and John, there seems to be an appetite for a clock from UpTone...🤪

[soares]

1 hour ago, stevebythebay said:

I'd be very surprised if any clock, that would make a substantial improvement to the existing performance of the eR, could be produced at a reasonable cost.  That is one for even 10x the price of the eR, with guaranteed performance spec.  Maybe a future eR Deluxe edition with even better internal clocking would make more sense, assuming there's enough of a market for such a unit.

Won’t comment. That’s above my paygrade...

Cheers. Stay safe. Jorge

[soares]

Not really here. Even with an oM and an eR, I prefer the sound of my uR than the usb output of my Zem MKIII.

[soares]

4 hours ago, punit said:

Has anyone with an Ultrarendu + ER moved to an Opticalrendu + ER ? Would be grateful for any feedback, if the move resulted in any sonic improvements ? Am contemplating the move but not sure if it will yield a noticeable improvement ?

 

Thanks

If I may add. oM + eR + uR. 
I have also been considering to move to eR + oR but I am not sure if it will improve the extraordinary SQ from this combination.

I also would appreciate any feedback.

Tks Jorge

[soares]

13 hours ago, sgb said:

I started with a ultraRendu and then changed to opticalModule and opticalRendu. It was a noticeable improvement in SQ. 

Afther that I got the ER and connected it to the opticalRendu. Connected B=>A optical on the ER to the OR. This was even a bigger improvement in SQ. My latest change was a Farad Super3 Power Supply for the ER. The SQ got better. 

Of couse I think the SQ is much better because I have paid more for the Power Supply than for the ER. I am even going to fool myself and change the SBooster powersupply that I have for the Or to a Farad Super3 Power Supply and let the placebo effect let me think I will have an even bettet SQ.

Tks for sharing. But have you ever compared my setup (oM + eR + uR) against the eR + oR? In what concerns LPS it’s understandable the they might improve SQ. I have ordered a Sbooster 12v + ultra and a Farad 3 7 v to feed my eR. Ideally they would have the same voltage to have a fair comparison but I need the Sbooster 12v for my Bufallo 2016 modded. In any case I am curious about the results. 

[soares]

2 hours ago, sgb said:

Sorry, no I didn't have the uR with the eR. I had oM + uR which didn´t work with HQPlayer. The eR came after I changed the uR to oR.

Strange. It’s been a while since I last use HQP but I don’t recall any problems. Will try any time soon. Cheers Jorge

[soares]

41 minutes ago, sgb said:

It was the combination of the switch with SFP to oM to the uR and HQP that caused dropouts. It disappeared when I bought the oR and the eR.  

Tks🙏

[soares]

5 hours ago, JohnSwenson said:

HQP uses low level pause frames to implement flow control. The pause frames need a switch to see the pause frames and stop the stream for a period of time. The OM is not a switch so it doesn't know what to do with pause frames so over-runs can happen with HQP.

 

Other protocols deal with flow control differently so using the OM is only an issue with HQP and NAA.

 

The eR is a switch so it deals properly with pause frames so NAA and eR and oR works fine.

Thank for the explanation John!

[soares]

7 hours ago, vortecjr said:

The ultraRendu supports pause frames with most routers/switchs and the EtherREGEN. The opticalRendu does not need anything specific to support pause frames because it has a switch built in already. opticalRendu will work connected to a opticalModule, router/switch, and the EtherREGEN.

Tks Jesus!

[soares]

2 hours ago, Mikey26 said:

I have the Etherregen on order. I had some questions on trying to minimize system noise as much as possible. Since I have cable internet (Not DSL), is the actual Coaxial cable that comes out from the wall and goes into the cable modem  a source of noise itself? Are any filters Coaxial filters recommended by anyone to further lower incoming noise? Thank you 

Hi Mikey. I use a Jensen VRD- iFF . 
It improved things a little bit both sound an image. But this was a 3 years ago. Meanwhile I made lots of upgrades to my system. You can give it a try. I think I spent about 60$. 

[soares]

11 hours ago, scolley said:

If you add to that the comment from Hans Beekhuyzen that in his experience (as I recall) the up-tick in performance by upgrading the PSU on an ER was only marginal, I'm a bit skeptical about any claims of significant improvement. Though after my ears have become fully accustomed to this new sound, I will give it a shot. Nothing to lose. But my ears are going to have to acclimate to this new sonic goodness first.

I tried the Sbooster 12 v with the Sbooster  ultra and you could definitely hear a better SQ. Probably not enough to justify the price. They are feeding my Buffalo 2016 modded. I use a 10gtek fiber with it. It’s a notable improvement with the extraordinary eR. Tomorrow my Farad willl arrive and I am looking forward for a significant improvement. Let’s see... 😊

[soares]

On 10/5/2020 at 3:18 AM, Ricardo007 said:

@JohnSwenson

hello John,

do you think this isolator would work for cable modem (it is from Jensen a famous name in audio for transformers):

https://www.jensen-transformers.com/product/vrd-1ff/

it says has a bandwith of 2MHz to 1300Mhz

 

would it work also for a (magnum dynalab) tuner?

I am using it for already 3 years. From what I recall it made a subtle difference on sound and image. Meanwhile I did a couple of upgrades notably eR so I can not comment if with my actual quite tuned equipment it makes a difference. In any case it’s still there.

[soares]

14 hours ago, Bernie said:

Hi all,

I have moved from an Aqvox SE to the Etherregen which is a BIG step up in SQ. Another noticable update is using my REF10 as external clock reference. I'm also using a TP-Link optical transmission from my router to the Etherregen which is also sounding better than cable.

From the Etherregen B-Side I'm using an Aqvox Excel Ethernet cable (0.5m) to my Devialet amp.

Now I have replaced the original SMPS with an ifi iPower X 9V which is another small upgrade in SQ.

Now I have 3 places for a possible update: replace the TP-Link optical module with a Sonore optical module, replace the ifi iPower X with a Farad 3 or upgrade the Aqvox Ethernet cable with something else.

Has someone any experience what makes most sense here ? Maybe some of you have also tried and compared the ifi with the Farad.

 

thanks,

Bernd

 

Hi Bernd. Try first an opticalModule with a decent LPS first (please note that accordingly to my experience it sounds best with 7 V than 5 V). You will feel the difference. 

[soares]

On 2/8/2021 at 9:58 PM, Superdad said:

Our shop is getting crowded and expansion is planned for this year as we have several other new products to roll out in the coming months.

Hi Alex, 

Is it too much to tell us about the timeline? 
Can’t sleep! Too anxious. 
Pleaseeeeeee!

🤗😂🤗