UpTone Audio EtherREGEN Listening Impressions

[richard_crl032]

3 hours ago, Bernie said:

Thanks for the input, if the difference with a good LPS is as big as with the ER (or only half of it) I will definitly add one.

 

Hi Bernie 

 

Make sense to me also but I really doubt ever subjective "50% improvement" else uptone can offer and have new business case for "super ER" at usd1k instead .. at least the designer cum mfgr already declared upfront little if at all any positive impact above included smps.

 

Here 50% improvement, there 100% improvement ... and soon 1000% better system sounds illogical but this hobby is on whatever floats your rocks 😅

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

[richard_crl032]

Btw, my new Audible Illusion L3B tube preamp arrived yesterday to replace the previous L3A blackgate and sound quality improvement even without recommended 40 hrs is much more than all the lps psu, dedicated 20A/30A AC lines, zonotone shupreme powercords or ethernet/usb cabling that I had installed or upgraded in the last 6 months.

 

This affected not only streaming music but music files in ssd of Antipodes, cd via cdp and fm radio from tuner.

 

Looking forward to find out how pending ER in Feb 2021 will further improve the sound quality of my setup for streaming music as again like new equipment of L3B or in this case, previous untried equipment and also technology.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

[yyz]

Is the following scenario supported by the EtherREGEN?

 

1) 1 DAC with Ethernet input

2) 1 DAC with USB input connected by a microRendu powered by UltraCap LPS 1.2

3) Both DACs connected to a preamp

 

Is it possible for a single EtherREGEN to provide Ethernet input to both DACs? Is there some sort of splitter or some other means to connect both DACs with the EtherGEGEN's output?

[thyname]

13 minutes ago, yyz said:

Is the following scenario supported by the EtherREGEN?

 

1) 1 DAC with Ethernet input

2) 1 DAC with USB input connected by a microRendu powered by UltraCap LPS 1.2

3) Both DACs connected to a preamp

 

Is it possible for a single EtherREGEN to provide Ethernet input to both DACs? Is there some sort of splitter or some other means to connect both DACs with the EtherGEGEN's output?

Hi YZ in Santa Barbara. May I suggest you look at the pictures of the EtherRegen? It has one RJ45 outlet in one side, and four of them in the other side. So yes. With the caveat on potential grounding extra step you can read in the very short user manual: 

[yyz]

3 minutes ago, thyname said:

Hi YZ in Santa Barbara. May I suggest you look at the pictures of the EtherRegen? It has one RJ45 outlet in one side, and four of them in the other side. So yes. With the caveat on potential grounding extra step you can read in the very short user manual: 

Well I did see that and I also saw the statement by UpTone that A > B is preferred over B > A. Do you any knowledge on the product to clarify that statement regarding my use case? I was hoping to hear from someone from UpTone on this since they follow these threads.

[thyname]

1 minute ago, yyz said:

Well I did see that and I also saw the statement by UpTone that A > B is preferred over B > A. Do you any knowledge on the product to clarify that statement regarding my use case? I was hoping to hear from someone from UpTone on this since they follow these threads.

Yes, I own one since first batch November 2019. It will work fine in your case, although not optimal. My suggestion is to use the sole B outlet on most important gadget of your system. Basically crossing the moat on that, with no potential interference from other units.

 

And the EtherRegen is identical when crossing A to B compared to from B to A, provided nothing else is connected on A side. 
 

See page 3 of the user manual I linked above 

[JohnSwenson]

22 hours ago, yyz said:

Well I did see that and I also saw the statement by UpTone that A > B is preferred over B > A. Do you any knowledge on the product to clarify that statement regarding my use case? I was hoping to hear from someone from UpTone on this since they follow these threads.

Hi yyz,

The A side contains a switch chip which drives the 4 RJ45 ports and the SFP cage. The connection across the moat also goes to one of the ports on that switch chip.  The B side just has the one RJ45 port, no switch chip.

 

The isolation techniques are identical going from A to B and B to A. There is one difference, the clock circuitry is on the B side and has to travel through one of the isolation circuits to get to the A side. This isolator is VERY low jitter it adds a little extra jitter to the clock crossing the moat, but not very much. This is the difference in going from B to A rather than A to B, the clock is not quite as good as it is on the B side. This is not a very big difference but it is there.

 

So if you have two DACs that you want equally good connections, connect the B side jack to your network and connect both DACs to the A side. You COULD put the network on the A side and one DAC on the B and the other an the A. The DAC on B side would have a SLIGHTLY better signal than in the first scenario, but the DAC on the A side would be much worse since it does not cross the moat at all.

 

Either way works, if you want really good results from both DACs use the first approach, if one DAC you want the best possible and the other you don't really care that much how good it is, go with the second.

 

John S.

[yyz]

Thanks for your detailed replay. 

[xllms]

Hi everyone,

 

I am a newbie meddling with a network switch, let alone an audiophile network switch. After reading so much positive news regarding network switches bring to the respective systems, I have decided to join in the fun by acquiring a used Uptone Ether Regen (eR).
 

Upon installing the eR(generic PC & onto my system, I realised that I don’t seem to detect any audible difference. Is it me or is there anything wrong with my installation/settings?

 

Appreciate any forms of help and advice. Thank you.

 

symon L.

[MartinT]

I'm assuming the ER is placed before the computer and, since computers are a huge source of noise, this isn't going to do you any good. You need a dedicated low noise streamer (such as a microRendu or similar) on the clean side of the ER and use the computer only as a controller on the dirty side.

[R1200CL]

2 hours ago, xllms said:

LKS MH-D002

Is this a DAC with network interface ?

I can only find this one. https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/l-k-s-audio-mh-da004mini-es9038pro-flagship-dac-audio-decoder

 

Your Mac may be better with this one: https://uptoneaudio.com/products/mac-mini-dc-conversion-linear-fan-controller-kit-mmk

 

[MartinT]

The DAC is reviewed here in the forum:

Chinese Brand L.K.S. Audio MH-DA002 ESS9018 * 2 - DAC - Digital to Analog Conversion - Audiophile Style

[xllms]

5 hours ago, MartinT said:

The DAC is reviewed here in the forum:

Chinese Brand L.K.S. Audio MH-DA002 ESS9018 * 2 - DAC - Digital to Analog Conversion - Audiophile Style

@R1200CL: Yes, the DAC is MH-DA002, I made a typo error in my signature. As for the Mac mini LPS direction, it is in the pipeline. 

@MartinT: Thanks for pointing out the DAC. By the way, when you mentioned that I should have a streamer on the clean side of the eR, what if I am not planning to get any streamer and will a reclocker after the eR helps? Lastly, since you have both the Mutec MC-3+ and the affordable BG7TBL, may I know if you have tried replacing the MC-3+ with the BG7TBL, what are the sonic differences between the 2? 

[thyname]

34 minutes ago, xllms said:

I am not planning to get any streamer

So you are currently using a general purpose laptop / computer as a streamer? Computer—-> USB cable —-> DAC? If so, I am afraid the EtherRegen will not do much for you, if anything.

 

My suggestion is to get a dedicated streamer, then try EtherRegen in “supplying” Ethernet to it.

[R1200CL]

37 minutes ago, xllms said:

Yes, the DAC is MH-DA002,

If without a network interface, I can’t see the use of the EtherRegen. 
Add a streamer like ultraRendu, and the EtherRegen upfront will be good. 

[Superdad]

53 minutes ago, thyname said:

My suggestion is to get a dedicated streamer, then try EtherRegen in “supplying” Ethernet to it.

 

50 minutes ago, R1200CL said:

If without a network interface, I can’t see the use of the EtherRegen. 

 

Gents:

While I greatly appreciate your efforts in guiding @xllms, there are a great many EtherREGEN owners who are using Mac minis, a laptop, or other "general purpose" computers who would disagree with your assessment.  Certainly a more refined endpoint--or better still an Ethernet-input-equipped DAC--will experience greater benefit from what the EtherREGEN delivers, but such is not the only path.

[Frankly I am more concerned about the iFi iTube buffer in his chain and what that might be hiding.]

----------

 

Happy pending New Year to all. Hoping for brighter skies for our world in 2021.  

I am technically still on "vacation" until next Monday, but this week I am in the office a bit trying to catch up with 7 months of deferred accounting tasks. Making sincere effort to stay out of e-mail, so apologies to those waiting on a reply--though there is a bright red notice about the end-of-year closure on the Contact Us page of our web site.

[xllms]

@R1200CL @thyname thanks for sharing.

@Superdad thanks for sharing regarding your concern on the iTube. Greatly appreciate your input despite supposedly on “vacation”. 

 

This exploration is fun! 😁 Looks like my original plan of getting the Lumin U1 streamer cannot be shelved for too long!

[richard_crl032]

1 hour ago, xllms said:

@R1200CL @thyname thanks for sharing.

@Superdad thanks for sharing regarding your concern on the iTube. Greatly appreciate your input despite supposedly on “vacation”. 

 

This exploration is fun! 😁 Looks like my original plan of getting the Lumin U1 streamer cannot be shelved for too long!

Hi xllms,

 

You can sell me your ER while I wait for late Jan 2021 shipment or you can take the Nuprime Omnia S1 media server off me listed at Carousell Singapore .. haha !

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

[xllms]

1 hour ago, richard_crl032 said:

Hi xllms,

 

You can sell me your ER while I wait for late Jan 2021 shipment or you can take the Nuprime Omnia S1 media server off me listed at Carousell Singapore .. haha !

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

Richard,

 

thanks for suggestion, I actually don’t mind this idea of selling you the eR, except that I am not in SG due to the current pandemic which makes traveling quite inconvenient. :P

 

symon L

[richard_crl032]

4 hours ago, xllms said:

Richard,

 

thanks for suggestion, I actually don’t mind this idea of selling you the eR, except that I am not in SG due to the current pandemic which makes traveling quite inconvenient. :P

 

symon L

Hi Symon,

 

Sorry for the bad jokes especially since no interest in my Nuprime Omnia S1 at almost 30% off but more seriously, you will have no trouble selling your previously used ER .. was looking for one in Singapore without success for quite many months before ordering new.

 

Cheers and hope you get to be back to our little but encompassing red dot of Singapore soon :)

 

Richard

[xllms]

1 hour ago, richard_crl032 said:

Hi Symon,

 

Sorry for the bad jokes especially since no interest in my Nuprime Omnia S1 at almost 30% off but more seriously, you will have no trouble selling your previously used ER .. was looking for one in Singapore without success for quite many months before ordering new.

 

Cheers and hope you get to be back to our little but encompassing red dot of Singapore soon :)

 

Richard

No worries, Richard. Indeed, am looking forward to return back to the tiny red dot for various reasons. For audio reasons, I would love to be back to get the Plixir BAC for my system and pay Vinshine Audio a visit to listen to the Denafrips T+ & Gaia with the Kinki Audio Amps. 

 

symon

 

[xllms]

Although I have yet to test out without the iTube, I have chanced upon a used Sonore Signature Rendu SE at a fairly good price which I am considering. If I am to use the Signature Rendu SE, where do I slot this in my chain? 

 

fibre optics cable (service provider) -> service provider dedicated router -> cat7 network cable -> eR -> cat7 network cable -> signature renduSE -> USB cable -> DAC -> int. amp -> speakers

 

Is the above correct? Where does the Mac mini source go to?

 

Thank you

 

symon

[MartinT]

43 minutes ago, xllms said:

fibre optics cable (service provider) -> service provider dedicated router -> cat7 network cable -> eR -> cat7 network cable -> signature renduSE -> USB cable -> DAC -> int. amp -> speakers

 

Is the above correct? Where does the Mac mini source go to?

 

Yes, that looks right.  The Mac can connect to either the service provider's router or the EtherREGEN 'A' side.  Preferably the former to keep it far away from the delicate audio electronics.

 

Being a user of an ultraRendu with supercap PSU, I know you're going to love the sound quality uplift!

[xllms]

13 hours ago, MartinT said:

 

Yes, that looks right.  The Mac can connect to either the service provider's router or the EtherREGEN 'A' side.  Preferably the former to keep it far away from the delicate audio electronics.

 

Being a user of an ultraRendu with supercap PSU, I know you're going to love the sound quality uplift!

Thank you @MartinT. 

 

Does anyone know if there will be any sonic difference between the signature rendu SE optical and non-optical version?

 

Happy New Year everyone! Wish everyone here a great year ahead and have plenty of fun exploring music, audio equipment and sharing of knowledge. 

 

symon

[Mike Rubin]

1 hour ago, xllms said:

Does anyone know if there will be any sonic difference between the signature rendu SE optical and non-optical version?

Sonore modified my non-optical to optical when they first offered an upgrade path.  The upgrade included other electronic modifications and shielding (creating what they then called Level 2), but the difference was substantial right out of the box.  I got deeper bass and greater low level resolution.  
 

What made the most difference, however, was changing from an IT-level FMC to an Optical Module and later replacing the OM with an EtherRegen.  

 

My current setup easily improves on the original, but the original is a terrific product in its own right.  I would pay a premium to get an optical version, but, had Inot upgraded, I would still be perfectly happy with the original product.