EtherREGEN: Installation, Usage, Difficulty, Questions thread

[dminches]

All things being equal, if I decide to use an LPS to power the ER, what would be preferable, a 7V DC which puts out 2A or 9V DC which puts out 1.5A?

 

[dminches]

Alex, did you guys do a good amount of testing to confirm that having multiple connections on the "A" side, including one to a wireless access point that I have in my room, should have no effect on the B-side?  I know there is a "moat" and that's one of, if not the, main attributes of the ER.  I just don't know how much these ethernet signals in a switch "contaminate" one another.

 

I will do some of my own testing but if the answer is yes I can pull one of the switches from my main room.

 

[dminches]

1 minute ago, Superdad said:

 

Yes, that's what the 12-core per port 'A'-side magnetics are about, and combined with the ultra-low-jitter high-speed isolators and flip-flops you can feel free to load up the 'A'-side ports. I'd be surprised if anyone can hear a difference between a fully-loaded 'A' side versus just one port in use.

 

Perfect.  I have been listening for a couple hours now with just one of the "A" ports populated.  Tomorrow I will load the rest and report back in the other thread.

 

[dminches]

28 minutes ago, Puma Cat said:

Yep, I need to get some of those stabilizers at some point. I fully agree that good mechanical grounding as well as vibration decoupling are key to obtaining maximal performance. 

 

As someone mentioned (I think), having feet underneath the ER should also help with air flow which may keep the unit slightly cooler.

 

[dminches]

Just another data point.

 

Here is my setup:

 

What I have been noticing is that I am periodically losing a connection on my IOS app with the Roon Server.  This isn't happening when music is playing, only when I have paused the music or when the playlist or album has ended.  The connection is eventually re-established within 10 seconds or so.

 

I am not saying this is due to the ER but I don't recall this happening before I added the ER.  

 

[dminches]

13 minutes ago, Nenon said:

 

Is it possible that your Roon server is going on standby/sleep when not playing, and it takes a few seconds after it gets a network signal to "wake up"? That is certainly how my Synology behaves. 

 

No. It wouldn't go to sleep a minute after finishing an album. Plus, then the DAC is off and it is no longer attached to the end point following the ER it does not occur.

 

As I mentioned, I don't recall it happening before inserting the ER.

 

[dminches]

12 hours ago, Nenon said:

 

@dminches - Since I did not have time today to complete your other request, can I help troubleshooting this? 

 

First, and most importantly, can you install an app called "Fing - Network scanner" on your IOS device? It would scan your network and find your Roon Server. Next time this happens, can you try to ping the Roon Server from Fing? Also, try to ping your ultraRendu at the same time.

 

Second, would it be possible to remove the Trendnet Switch and connect everything to the etherREGEN? Less things, easier to troubleshoot.

 

Third, some reports earlier pointed out to a power supply problems and/or network cable problems. Just to reduce the number of variables, can you confirm if the problem still happens with the stock power supply? And if you have any other ethernet cables to test would be nice. This may even sound like a stupid suggestion... it does not make any sense to me, but just to avoid some really really odd stupidly crazy scenario.

 

I think my initial issues were described well by John S.  When I hooked up the ultraRendu to the ER it was given a new IP address.  It tooks a little while for the Roon server to find it.

 

Now that my setup is stable so is my connection.

 

I am actually still using the stock PS.  The diagram shows a Channel Islands Audio PS which I ordered.  I was too lazy to put in the actual current configuration.

 

Thanks for your help with this.

 

[dminches]

Will turning EEE off on the computer feeding the EtherREGEN accomplish the same thing as your “fix.”

 

[dminches]

9 minutes ago, vortecjr said:

I'm sorry you are confused. I'm simply asking, because I'm curious. How does connecting a device with poor clocks and poor power regulation circuits to the output of an EtherREGEN preserve the significant reduction in phase-noise fingerprint? Put another way doesn't the dirty device inject its phase-noise fingerprint into the DAC anyway. When you say connecting anything to the output of the EtherREGEN is always desirable you are confusing me.     

 

I really can't believe you think it is appropriate for you to be carrying on in Alex's public folder.  This is why these sites have private messaging.

 

[dminches]

2 hours ago, BigAlMc said:

 

@Superdad I await the firmware with interest. But any thoughts on anything additional to check or test given that disabling EEE on the server hasn't completely stopped the dropouts? There is of course the chance that the last dropout had nothing to do with the ER. But given the last week you'll understand my suspicion.

 

 

 

John S mentioned in a post that disabling EEE may not fix the "issue" if there is a switch between the server and the ER.  I am not sure what your configuration looks like but my takeaway is that the ER firmware fix is more comprehensive.  We shall see.

 

[dminches]

1 hour ago, FrankMA said:

Glad for you Thotdoc.

I'm pretty frustrated. Wish I hadn't introduced another variable (Roon 1.7).  Had 4-5 occurrences this AM. Rebooted the entire network again and it is working now.  If it stops again (likely) I'll go back to the Cisco and see if I can isolate or eliminate the cause.

 

is this with Tidal/Qobuz only or your local files too?

[dminches]

24 minutes ago, FrankMA said:

Streaming (Tidal/Qobuz)

 

This seems to be an issue for Roon 1.7 users.

 

[dminches]

People, leave Alex alone so he can get us the new firmware and new customers their ERs.

 

[dminches]

On 11/20/2019 at 10:28 AM, octaviars said:

I have some measurments of how hot my etherRegen runs, between 47-48C and the cabinet is around 29C and stock PSU.

 

How did you measure the temperature?  Do you have a nifty gauge?

 

[dminches]

8 hours ago, octaviars said:

 

With a calibrated IR thermometer so I know it is right. I am not native English so the nifty gauge part what does that mean?

 

I was just asking what device you used.  You answered in your response "IR thermometer."

 

Thanks.

 

[dminches]

I received one of the ERs from the first batch and applied the firmware patch.  I am still having intermittent issues where the anything connected to the switch drops from my network.

 

My setup is very simple:  Verizon Fios modem/router > 24 port gigabit switch > Blue jeans Cable Cat 7 > EtherRegen “A” side.  The only other connection on the A side is a Cat 6 run to a Netgear switch in the same room.  On the “B” side I have an Sablon Audio Ethernet cable connected to my music server.

 

I am wondering is anyone else in the first group has experienced any dropped connections.

 

I am going to eliminate the other connection on the “A” side and see if that makes a difference.

 

[dminches]

I will give that a try but my cable isn’t stiff and the connection into the port is solid.

 

[dminches]

17 minutes ago, Superdad said:

 

Hi:

Sorry I am confused when you say that "anything connected to the switch drops from my network."  Connected to which switch?  Your 24-port unit, your Netgear switch, or the EtherREGEN?  

And no problems to you music server on the 'B' side?

 

Other than a cabling issue, the only thing I can think of is that perhaps you did not successfully update the firmware and that the EEE bug is still biting you. You could try reflashing your EtherREGEN.

 

Do post what you discover and if you continue to have trouble then please contact us for an exchange--as a way to be certain the issue is not with your unit. (Though hard to imagine; EtherREGENs--since the firmware updates--either just work or not; Intermittent things are most always traced to system/software connections.)

Thanks,

--Alex C.

 

 

Alex, just to clarify, anything connected to the EtherREGEN no longer has an internet connection.  The “B” side is no longer seen on my network.

 

I can try to reflash it but when I did it initially what I saw (the ER disappeared from Windows explorer) was exactly how you described it in the instructions.