UpTone Audio EtherREGEN Listening Impressions

[Superdad]

13 minutes ago, PYP said:

The ER might cause temporary racing pulse, drooling and involuntary spasms known as male dancing.  

 

LOL. If I want my wife and kids to leave the room, all I have to do is (attempt) one or two dance moves. 

[stevebythebay]

Thanks for pointing out the precision/control that results in the “precise start and stop of notes”. I’d also found this the case and I think it really covers the overall behavior of the ER and, on the flip side, allows for the room to reflect the sonic decay.  You really get lots more psycho acoustic info for our ear/brains to process. Makes the music more alive and, as others have said, you feel your in the presence of performers playing for you. 

[charlesphoto]

On 11/14/2019 at 8:27 AM, thotdoc said:

If you are on the fence about replacing the optical module, my experience so far is that it is worth it, no question.

 

Ugh, not what I wanted to hear...

[Superdad]

This thread is on its 7th page--with detailed and insightful first-hand reports from many people with extremely refined (and expensive systems (looking at you @stevebythebay). And there is also an active 7-page thread going on over at ASR where they can't figure out what this device could possibly do and are just bouncing around being dismissive and insulting.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/uptone-etherregen.9260/page-5#post-266563

Oh well. 

[kumakuma]

40 minutes ago, Superdad said:

 

LOL. If I want my wife and kids to leave the room, all I have to do is (attempt) one or two dance moves. 

 

My "singing" has the same effect...

[Dutch]

51 minutes ago, EVOLVIST said:

Perhaps I'm receiving a stronger signal with the ER in? Would that sound right?

The ‘music’ itself encoded in the ethernet stream is 100% identical (bit perfect, the etherREGEN is not a DSP or otherwise manipulating the data) and with the same Roon settings will have shown digital clipping before and after you using the etherREGEN. I would eat both of my shoes if it wasn’t and make Alex and John do the same! 

 

What could be happening is you listening with more focus, now noticing the clipping and/or the EtherREGEN giving you ‘a clearer window to look through’. 

[jamesg11]

41 minutes ago, Superdad said:

This thread is on its 7th page--with detailed and insightful first-hand reports from many people with extremely refined (and expensive systems (looking at you @stevebythebay). And there is also an active 7-page thread going on over at ASR where they can't figure out what this device could possibly do and are just bouncing around being dismissive and insulting.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/uptone-etherregen.9260/page-5#post-266563

Oh well. 

It’ll head in to full-on overdrive once they’ve ‘measured’ an ER ...

[charlesphoto]

51 minutes ago, Superdad said:

This thread is on its 7th page--with detailed and insightful first-hand reports from many people with extremely refined (and expensive systems (looking at you @stevebythebay). And there is also an active 7-page thread going on over at ASR where they can't figure out what this device could possibly do and are just bouncing around being dismissive and insulting.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/uptone-etherregen.9260/page-5#post-266563

Oh well. 

 

Gawd, what a bunch of losers. Heck, I just got a $30 Cisco 2960PD for the office setup that's powered via poE from my main 2960-PS and it's even better than a standard 2960, but of course according to them a cheap consumer TP-Link is all you need to feed their recommended $150 DACs. Well it probably is, since living in your parent's basement it's hard to turn the volume up too much.... 👵🗣️😢

 

Unfortunately can't afford an etherRegen myself after going all in on opticaModules. Someday maybe, but looking at an opticalRendu first. 

[Jud]

Back to the many-splendored pleasures of ER and music to enjoy them with, as I occasionally listen during shuffle play/burn-in:

 

I like Iron & Wine (the name Sam Beam records under) and his album Beast Epic. The last song on that album, Our Light Miles, I’ve always thought of as just a sort of little throwaway outro. Last night it was jaw-dropping - Sam Beam right there in the room, emotionally stunning. Please do check it out if you have a chance, particularly purchase or Qobuz.

 

Edit/P.S.: Because I’d paid relatively little attention to that song when listening to the album, I didn’t even recognize it. I knew it was Iron & Wine, but before I looked I was thinking “What is *that*?! What album is it on?”

[Superdad]

4 minutes ago, Jud said:

I like Iron & Wine (the name Sam Beam records under) and his album Beast Epic.

Oooh... I think I may have that CD somewhere (looks Iike I never ripped it). Will be squinting at my shelves for it this evening. (One of these days I'll have the time to alphabetize my CD collection. ) Thanks for the recommendation!

[PYP]

12 minutes ago, Jud said:

Back to the many-splendored pleasures of ER and music to enjoy them with, as I occasionally listen during shuffle play/burn-in:

 

I do the same thing and had a similar experience with Carlos Nakai's Carry the Gift.  This is always on my burn-in playlist (yes, I have one of those in Roon) because it is typically a nice, calm interlude and the flute just floats.  But the first song suddenly sounded different.  It starts with a feathery flute intro, then in the distant background a strumming guitar (hadn't heard it so early in the song previously).  Now, with the ER, it was clear as day that the guitar gets louder as the flute goes to the background.  The guitar plays faster and louder.  Then the flute comes in faintly at first, then the two instruments are equally loud.  So, what was a gentle song was now (for the genre) a barn burner!  Finally, I heard two excellent musicians making music.  

[jamesg11]

I particularly like that Jud & a few others reference outstanding albums/ tracks ... it’s a way into new musical paths, in addition to listening sonics for our tweaked gear.

[Superdad]

7 minutes ago, PYP said:

I do the same thing and had a similar experience with Carlos Nakai's Carry the Gift.

Thanks for reminding me of that old favorite. Unfortunately I only have it on original vinyl.

[ogs]

1 hour ago, Superdad said:

This thread is on its 7th page--with detailed and insightful first-hand reports from many people with extremely refined (and expensive systems (looking at you @stevebythebay). And there is also an active 7-page thread going on over at ASR where they can't figure out what this device could possibly do and are just bouncing around being dismissive and insulting.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/uptone-etherregen.9260/page-5#post-266563

Oh well. 

Jason seems to have gone to the 'other side'. I remember him from the regen thread. I think he even made CAD drawings for 3d printing a cabinet for the green regen card after the amber came out

[Darryl R]

My new EtherREGEN sounds marvelous.  I had been running from bridged JCAT Net connections on my Linux server directly to the Ethernet Renderer module in the MSB Select II DAC.  Now I'm running out the EtherREGEN and I hear more detail.  I'll no longer need the bridge.

[PYP]

Hadn't listened to vocals.  The song Love is Blindness from Cassandra Wilson's New Moon Daughter.  I've listened to this one many times, but I literally stopped what I was doing and had to sit down to hear it all.  What a magnificent instrument the human voice can be.  And if you are familiar with her albums you know she works with wonderful musicians.  Now I have to look up the guitarist because he is making it all work.  

[Darryl R]

and out of respect for Alex's earlier comments, I won't even mention my Shunyata Ethernet cable

 

Seriously though, I can't get any work done.  It's almost as if I can hear the felt hammers on the piano strings.  Call me nuts, I don't care.

[Superdad]

37 minutes ago, Darryl R said:

My new EtherREGEN sounds marvelous.  I had been running from bridged JCAT Net connections on my Linux server directly to the Ethernet Renderer module in the MSB Select II DAC.  Now I'm running out the EtherREGEN and I hear more detail.  I'll no longer need the bridge.

 

Wow, we are getting into rarified territory here!  The MSB web page shows the Select DAC starting at about $84K, plus $20K+ of available power supplies and other upgrades, including the $2K Ethernet input module.  And our humble $640 EtherREGEN was immediately an improvement for you?  Nice!  

[Superdad]

1 minute ago, Darryl R said:

and out of respect for Alex's earlier comments, I won't even mention my Shunyata Ethernet cable

 

Clearly we should charge triple for people with high-zoot systems. 

Speaking of Shunyata, I noticed that Caelin of Shunyata bought and received an EtherREGEN last week. He runs a busy business so likely has not had a chance to listen yet. 

 

1 minute ago, Darryl R said:

Seriously though, I can get any work done.  It's almost as if I can hear the felt hammers on the piano strings.  Call me nuts, I don't care.

 

No worries. Obviously you are not alone here... 

 

[EVOLVIST]

1 hour ago, Dutch said:

The ‘music’ itself encoded in the ethernet stream is 100% identical (bit perfect, the etherREGEN is not a DSP or otherwise manipulating the data) and with the same Roon settings will have shown digital clipping before and after you using the etherREGEN. I would eat both of my shoes if it wasn’t and make Alex and John do the same! 

 

What could be happening is you listening with more focus, now noticing the clipping and/or the EtherREGEN giving you ‘a clearer window to look through’. 

 

Putting it that way, yeah, what I wrote sounds silly.  On the same token, though, I've had the clipping indicator for the last couple of years and never saw so much as a blip in the red. It's always in sight when I'm listening to music. Moreover, I'm not talking about brickwalled recordings either. We've got nice, easy wavs with peaks and valleys.

 

Anyway, it's probably a non-issue. There's nothing wrong with a little added headroom, anyway. My question was more like, "That can't be happening, can it!?" 😵

[Dutch]

@EVOLVIST, I understand!  But if you’d like to convince yourself or me/us a simple experiment could do that; just remove the etherregen for a while and go back to your previous setup and settings.

[Avalfa]

I just can't get that smile of my face, while listening😊😊 

[stevebythebay]

25 minutes ago, Jud said:

First album I ever listened to on Qobuz, and a real gem. Now I have to hear Come On In My Kitchen from Blue Light ‘til Dawn.🙂

 

Agree with you and PYP on vocals.  Been listening to arias from Pavarotti and Callas this afternoon.  Have always had trouble cranking up the volume on most opera singers.  The ER allows me to do so without sending me out of the room or lowering the volume and losing much of the orchestra.  Some vocalists can do this, as does Louis Armstrong when he gets going.

[FredM]

1 hour ago, Darryl R said:

  I had been running from bridged JCAT Net ... Now I'm running out the EtherREGEN ... I'll no longer need the bridge.

That’s very interesting! To understand you correctly, please elaborate on your finding:

a) is the EtherREGEN better than the JCAT Net? (A vs B comparison) or..

b) does the EtherREGEN make the JCAT Net redundant (no benefit from JCAT Net with the ER in the chain)

c) ..?

 

Case (b) would be a stunning result/achievement!

 

[EVOLVIST]

38 minutes ago, Dutch said:

@EVOLVIST, I understand!  But if you’d like to convince yourself or me/us a simple experiment could do that; just remove the etherregen for a while and go back to your previous setup and settings.

 

I may, when the ER finishes its burn in. After all, I would remiss if I didn't do a before and after comparison in my system.