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EtherREGEN: Installation, Usage, Difficulty, Questions thread


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Hmm, I might have an issue here.....

I updated the firmware last week Thursday I think it was, listened for an hour, worked great, didn't have time to do more listening until Friday, after half an hour, connection issues while streaming local files from my pc by network to my audionet DNP. Restarted the network unit in the Audionet DNP,v worked again for a few minutes. This went on two times, than I quit listening (tired).

 

Today I power the gear up, no connection, I reboot the ER, connection established. Listened four songs,.... Connection error, reboot ER, works again no for three songs so far.

 

I have listened for hours and hours with the ER with stock firmware without any issue, connection error or what so ever. Never had any issues before with the system network wise anyway. And no other changes were made except for swap a basic d-link switch for ER, and only after the firmware update trouble started..

So I'm a little bit concerned right know... 

 

Has anyone any idea what this van be??

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1 hour ago, stevebythebay said:

Have you tried restarting the network driver on the DNP?  I’m assuming the eR “B” port is wired to the DNP’s RJ45. I’m guessing you want to avoid resetting the network module to factory and starting over.  

Yep, that's exactly what I did the first time.

 

By now I'm starting to think it might be a temperature issue..., The ER is in a closed cabinet ( I know it shouldn't but that's where it is and must be,no other option).

 

I just realised, that before I had the door open while listening, now again and problem gone (it seems), so I ordered a heatsink 100x100x18mm to place on top of it, and moved it in the cabinet to the area where it has most air flowing possibility. We will see if it stays away this way, hopefully!

 

(On top of the Dnp is also a ultra silent fan (Can't even hear it with my ears next to it)  always on, on very low speed, just to keep air moving thrue the device since that one gets really hot as well.)

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12 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

Hi:

While I am not sure of the cause of the problem you are experiencing, I can say with certainty that it is NOT a temperature issue. We torture-tested EtherREGEN units for quite some time at very high heats.

I'd like to know a little more about your Audionet DNP and what Ethernet input card it uses (their own design or perhaps licensed from Conversdigital or the Swiss company that used to be known as ABCpcb).

Can you do a test with everything on the 'A' side jacks of the EtherREGEN? Do you still have connection issues then? And are you certain that the new firmware flashed correctly (virtual drive disappearing upon copy is the only confirmation)?

 

Please keep us posted. Thanks.

--Alex C

Hi Alex,

 

The reason I started to suspect thermal issue is because nothing else but the firmware update and me having the door closed of the cabinet where the ER is in,has changed. And because it worked fine before update, and till know after I opened the door.

 

I will look into which network controller is used by Audionet in the DNP, however this will be tomorrow or the day after, no time before than.

 

If the problem returns, I will try connect both cables on A side.

 

Concerning the firmware update, It worked like a charme and exactly as described, and yes the virtual drive disconnected and reconnected as should be, sonic improvement was also noticeable.

 

Overall I must say, it's the best investment in long time money wise, compared to what it has brought in improvement in SQ. (And again the ER worked from the start for three weeks now without any issue until last few days. Yesterday after my post here and after that I replaced it at a little cooler place, there weren't any errors anymore, that's why I started to think that heat is what caused it) 

 

As soon as I find out more, I'll let you know,

Thanks for your fast response!

Arjan

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  • 3 weeks later...
4 hours ago, Johnnydev said:

Is this Realy all necessary?

If i understand correctly, Alex has said that this heat is not a problem?

I think it depends on the situation.

 

A few weeks ago I had issues for about two days with my ER. Although it's is mentioned it could not be possible, I'm totally convinced the high temperature of the ER was my problem. 

( I promised to come back to it, forgot about it, till now) 

The ER was placed on top of a dvd player, within a closed cabinet, the problem ( interruption ) occurred after I kept the doors closed, and disappeared directly after I placed the ER on a free shelf with more breathing space around it ( a cooler place) no problems anymore since. 

So I ordered a cooling Brick ,however still waiting for the thermal tape.

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  • 1 month later...

Perhaps anyone tried this already.

Just recently I bought a Melco Nas, just to use it as Nas. 

 

But than, how to connect it? what I did now was hoomenetwork->Melco network port, Melco playerport-> ER ,a-side( nothing else on a-side), ER b-side-->streamer.

 

Another option would be home network--> ER a-side, ER b-side--> Melco network port, Melco playerport--> streamer.

 

Or , home network--> ER a-side, Melco network port--> ER a-side, ER b-side--> streamer ( and not use the dedicated Melco player port, which seems like the worsts option)

 

I will try all three in time to listen what's sounds best to me. Just curious how others fixed this.

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2 hours ago, skatbelt said:

 

I would try setup 1 and 3 and indeed, let your ears do the judging. Setup 2, I think, is far from optimal. You want to keep noisy computer hardware away from the clean side.

Wel that's the point a bit why I'm confused, a Melco is not (noisy) "computer hardware" but a dedicated "Nas" ( it can also be used as a steamer itself) for audio purposes, with the player port, which only lets the audio data pass and 'filters' the network traffic in such a way. That it is re-clocked, isolated.

 

But option 2 seemed worst to me too, that's why a didn't try it so far.

 

Option 3 will probably Bypass the benefits of the Melco

 

But I will try all three ways and come back with a result. 

I would have expected more people in this group who use a Melco as a Nas and use a ER, so I was wondering what there  experience with this matter is so far.

 

Thanks for your answer!

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20 minutes ago, Superdad said:


Your third option above is the one we think will deliver the best and most reliable results.  You of course are free to experiment. :)

Thanks for the quick response.

 

I will try and come back with my opinion of what sounded best. See my last answer above, why I'm a bit confused on this situation.

 

The Melco player port filters the data, so only music relevant network traffic is passed through ( isolated and re-clocked), by not using it it seems like not using the benefits of the Melco over any other Nas.

 

So like I said, I will try, and listen.

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23 hours ago, nonesup said:

I have a Melco N1ZH60-2.  I currently have a USB DAC, so the only option is Router to ER (A) ——- ER (B) to Melco.
 Previously I had Lumin and AQVox and option 2 sounded better than 3 (I never tried 1), but with ER instead of AQVox I may change.

This is from the Melco website,

"Unlike PC based systems, Melco has a dedicated PLAYER port. This allows connection directly to the network Streamer or Player without any data switch in the signal path which would damage the music data.

This direct connection concept we call Direct Streaming Music – DSM – and it is unique to Melco as in conjunction with the Ethernet purifier between the LAN and PLAYER ports DSM ensures that the Player receives only clean and accurate data, all packets are timed with low-jitter precision and all unwanted traffic is blocked" 

 

Now I know ER is not "any Ethernet switch" so with and other switch I would stay with option 2.

Now I decided 1, because the possible benefits of the player port come before it enters the ER, I want ER b Side direct at my streamer.

Option 3 is worth trying 

For now I will listen for s few days to option 1, and than change.

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4 hours ago, skatbelt said:

 

I know Melco devices are especially designed for audio purposes but nonetheless, they have build in hdd/sdd's and al lot of other components that are (potential) noise-injectors. My approach is to keep the streamer hardware as minimalistic as possible. In my case a dCS Network Bridge but there are a lot of other options. I think it is more wise to invest in isolation and clocking instead of paying a lot of money for expensive servers that are so expensive because they have to fight the evil that is caused by themselves in the first place. Does this make sense?

It makes perfect sense!😃 couldn't agree more.

I just needed a Nas and wanted one that is silent  (physical). And fits next to the gear, so I have the possibilityto  just use it in a closed network setup in the future maybe even without www access, (I only use local file playback).

 

Coming back to my question, by now I tried all Three possibilities. 1 and 3, I couldn't  hear any difference, while option 2 as I expected was worse sound wise. Sloppy bass, blurred soundstage, hissy highs. ( All benefits of the ER  basically gone) .

 

I'm back to option one by now, as I started, perhaps be future I'll try again more extended listening between 1 and 3

 

Everybody thanks for the answers

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4 hours ago, octaviars said:

 

I use the same approach.

 

I used to have thoughts about Melco and Innuos but decided to go with a NUC with Roon ROCK in a Akasa case.

 

Today I run fiber (LX 1310 SM modules 10km and Corning ClearCurve fiber) to eR directly from Ubiquiti Router. NUC on A-side and my dCS Network bridge on the B-side. 

 

The latest HD Plex PSU with 4 seperate rails power ISP fiberconverter, router, eR and NUC. 

 

This setup I'm really happy with and streaming Qobuz sounds really good on my TAD system. 

 

 

 

 

I try to keep it basic as well.

 

Two things I don't use and have no intentions to. Roon, and Streaming services.

 

For me it's just a Melco as a Nas with my music files, ER,using only 1 a-side port and and the b-side to my streamer (audionet DNP). And of course an Amp and speakers with done cables to connect everything.

The music library is managed with a combination of minimserver on the melco and the audionet app on phone/tablet which also physically is a remote for the build in pre-amp.

That's it

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  • 1 year later...
On 11/30/2021 at 6:14 AM, Mihaylov said:

It's my EtherRegen:

 

84A757E6-EBEC-4F13-8A44-591488358823.thumb.jpeg.e7344d667dc22b2080b93989cd7f8680.jpeg

 

5A387DE5-248B-408D-A052-160A61114297.thumb.jpeg.fe074614ddec15518d05ce264350286a.jpeg

 

I like the fact that it's all in one box!

First I wondered how you would connect to the B-side, but I figured that's what the u-shaped cut-out is for.

 

Personally in my experience the external PSU was the greatest improvement. I still need time to disassemble the BLT clock and place the OCXO on an better board with proper sine wave output. As an experiment.

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