UpTone Audio EtherREGEN Listening Impressions

[Rsbrsvp]

Advice please...

If I were to chain sevreal er's together, but could only put oxco and better ps on one of them, would the last er  in the chain or first er in the chain be the better location for the upgrades?

[Rsbrsvp]

I received my second ER a few days ago.  Definite improvement.

 

What is interesting is that currently I prefer the OM out of the picture with two ER's in.

 

I find overall that I do not like the OM effect on tone even with one ER.   Things are brighter than without the OM.

 

I wonder if those SFP modules effect the tone and if there are SFP modules which are mellower?

 

Any advice would be appreciated...

[Rsbrsvp]

2 hours ago, LewinskiH01 said:

 

Thanks for reporting. I understand your eRs are connected through copper cable now. Have you tried using fiber between them? I also decided for a second eR instead of an OM, and interested in how material the link between both might be (fiber vs ethernet).

I did not eve think try fiber between the ER's.   I will hopefully try that today....

[Rsbrsvp]

I connected my two ER's by fiber to compare to copper several hours ago.

 

I must admit, it is smoother in a similar way to when I use the OM, but tonally it is darker than when using fiber from the OM.

 

The smoothness that fiber brings to the table- whether by OM or by connecting two ER's together is something I am not sure about and need time to adjust.  If find that straight copper without OM is digging out more microdetail; that's my initial impression.  I could understand that someone may say that copper is more harsh or clinical relative to the smoother presentation of fiber.  The copper connection also seems punchier and more dynamic, but again, less smooth; perhaps grittier would be the description..

 

I certainly would not call the smooth effect of fiber a coloration.  It is smoother without coloring, I just feel that I am loosing detail and punch.  Adding attenuators to the end of the fiber cable makes things closer to the copper direction- kind of grittier and less smooth than fiber cable without attenuation but not as gritty and punchy as direct copper.

 

I really need time to digest this all as I am not sure about any of this , especially in light of so so many people preferring fiber over copper.  This reality makes me ant to give fiber more time for my ears to adjust because it is hard to believe that 90% or more of audiophiles who prefer fiber are wrong and I am right.  

 

Therefore- I will wait and give more time to both OM and fiber in general.

[Rsbrsvp]

1 hour ago, Johnnydev said:

Try one of these between the EtherRegens:

 

I already have another highly recommended Finisar module.  I am skeptical to keep investing in these modules...  My thinking is that the differences will be subtle rather than significant.   Please correct me if this is inaccurate.  I have not experimented with other modules...

[Rsbrsvp]

2 hours ago, R1200CL said:

 

This should be discussed in other threads. If you use the search function, you should find good posts about SFP+ modules, brand, what laser may be preferred and why, and single mode vs multi mode. 

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/57686-the-etherregen-thread-for-various-network-cable-power-experiences-and-experiments/page/94/?tab=comments#comment-1137230

 

 

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/24002-optical-network-configurations/?tab=comments#comment-427434

 

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/62352-finisar-sfp-modules-for-audio-grade-network-switch-group-buy-for-audiophilestylecom/page/4/?tab=comments#comment-1132280

 

 

I already went through many of these threads and bought a highly recommended Finisar module.  I still really like my ER's without fiber and no OM, and I refuse to start testing all these modules.  Just to expensive and time consuming.

 

If to my ears fiber cannot beat copper with any Finisar module, than I am not going down this road.  Again, I know almost everyone out there prefers fiber over copper, but if my ears are not convinced of this in the next week, I will have to go with my ears. I would not have even given my OM so many chances if it were not for the overwhelming support of it by audiophiles.  But this almost universal support forces me to try..

[Rsbrsvp]

2 hours ago, R1200CL said:

Available in your country. https://www.ebay.com/itm/164891119541?epid=27013198216&hash=item266446cfb5:g:XywAAOSwlw5gtIno 😀

The best module available!

I saw this yesterday.

 

What makes it the best?  Will you guys buy it off of me if I don't like it?  I am afraid to invest $120...

[Rsbrsvp]

Is it true that Uptone recommends that when using an external PSU that 12V is best- or is this incorrect?

 

I'm not asking for listening impressions- but rather from a technical angle- is there a difference which voltage is used as long as it is between 7-12V?

[Rsbrsvp]

18 minutes ago, PYP said:

As per Alex:

"As indicated in the EtherREGEN User Guide—and on the back panel of the unit itself—any +DC voltage in the range of 7~12V is perfectly fine.

The EtherREGEN consumes the same wattage regardless of input voltage. 
The heat does not vary with input voltage.

And—assuming same performance of the power supply at different voltages—the sonic performance of EtherREGEN will be the same from 12V as from 7V."

Thank you.  Apparently I did need to be corrected....  There is an audiogon review of the ER which claims Alex told the reviewer that 12 V is best.  I will assume PYP has the correct info....

[Rsbrsvp]

So at 7V,- the minimum voltage, how many aps are needed from my PSU for optimal functioning?

 

I think my Teddy Pardo is 7V, 2A?

[Rsbrsvp]

Well, I don't totally trust my hearing anymore, but I tried 7V, 9V, and 12V on my ER and to my ears, the sound is a bit different.

 

Maybe I'm dreaming and need to try again, but the dream sounds real.

[Rsbrsvp]

In the last few days, I decided to to something I have NOT done since I got my first ER.

 

I disconnected both ER's and directly connected my ethernet cable from my router to my fanless PC.

 

Why?  I was double checking.  Are we all dreaming?  Is the ER a hoax;- snake oil that does nothing and we are all a bunch of fools?

 

I wanted to recheck and so I compared music with and without my two ER's.  (both ER's have a good PSU and superb OXCO).

 

Conclusion:  WE ARE NOT DREAMING.  WE ARE NOT FOOLS.  The difference is HUGE.  Absolutely HUGE!!!

 

I cannot wait for the next USB version which will employ these technologies because I understand that noise reduction effects are more substantial on the usb than on the network.