EtherREGEN: Installation, Usage, Difficulty, Questions thread

[Jud]

2 hours ago, Indydan said:

For Alex or any EtherRegen owners; does the ER have any feet? If so, what material?

Yep, 4 rubbery knobs on the bottom maybe around 1/4 or 3/8 inch high.

[Jud]

6 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

These $15 optical transceivers off Amazon work fine:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U77VPX2

They even are coded to work in most Cisco switches.

I was able to pick up a few on eBay for something like $5 a piece, also coded to work with Cisco. I think that was a sale price, it was a while ago.

[Jud]

I agree with @lmitche. @vortecjr, understood that @Superdad said something about use and placement of the EtherREGEN you disagree with. Think such disagreements and/or the parameters of fair comment would be better hashed out in PMs, not because I have a desire to curtail useful discussion, but because I'd like the discussion to remain useful rather than degenerate.

[Jud]

4 hours 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.     

In my case, since I have a microRendu (your very kind and generous gift), the ER, and a USB DAC, getting the ER as close as possible to the DAC means using it to feed the microRendu. I would imagine many people have similar setups.

 

That worked better for me than optical Ethernet through a Cisco into the ER, but the Cisco was powered by its internal SMPS. With an Optical Module and/or Optical Rendu and careful attention to power supplies, I imagine the story might be different.

[Jud]

That’s one thing that was somewhat mystifying to me. ER works fine with optical.

[Jud]

1 hour ago, Superdad said:

This has to stop now!  From all sides.

Thank you.

[Jud]

4 hours ago, Summit said:

I have read that Up Tone recommend the ER to be placed close to the endpoint. Have anyone tested to place the ER both close to the endpoint and further away and can tell me if there is any perceived degradation in SQ by move it like 10 meter?  

Close in terms of position in the signal chain, not in terms of physical distance.

[Jud]

9 minutes ago, Abolive said:

Hello,

I'm sorry for this simple/stupid question: I don't have enough ethernet ports on my ISP box for all my gear. Can I use the free ports on the A side to link different devices to my network (Philips Hue, Xbox for exemple)?

Yep. As long as you’re using the B side for your audio endpoint, that should work fine.

[Jud]

6 minutes ago, Summit said:

 

Thank you Jud, may I ask if you have test this yourself, because I have read several times that Up Tone recommend the ER to be placed close to the endpoint. It even says so in their set up guide. To be honest I never really understood why that would be better. 

Again, it seems to me they are speaking in terms of connections within the system and *not* physical proximity. My ER is directly connected to my endpoint, and I can’t really think of a possible change in my system that would connect it less directly in order to test. Regarding testing physical proximity, since I don’t think this is what they’re talking about, I don’t see a good reason to test it.

[Jud]

31 minutes ago, Summit said:

@SuperdadDoes it matter SQ vice how long the Ethernet cable is on the B (endpoint) side? If for example one Ethernet cable is 1 meter and the other one is 10 meter long.

Is it very inconvenient for you to have a 1 meter cable? (In other words, what would necessitate a 10 meter cable in your system?)

[Jud]

2 hours ago, Summit said:

 

Yes I would need to reorganize my audio system, because I don’t have any unused power outlets left on my power conditioner or on the mains wall outlet close to my audio system. I have lots of unused outlets on my other power conditioner used for my routers, switch etc.

 

I must say that I find the reaction to my question almost unfriendly. It is a thread for question and I have bought ER and read things like this below and was wondering if it was affecting SQ if using longer cables. I guess now I know better than to ask again here.

 

 The point being that what comes before the isolation--and final clocking "out" to the DAC-connected device--is what will matter much less.  But the cable from that--typically the lone 'B"-side port--will be the one that still matters.  Hence we suggest keeping the EtherREGEN close to the DAC-connected Ethernet renderer (or Ethernet DAC) and using a short, high-quality cable for that connection.

 

Sorry, I was unclear on your question previously - I thought I saw something about the "A" side, or perhaps I was mistaken.

 

I think the advice to not worry about this too much is good. But if you can manage to free up a receptacle temporarily on the closer power conditioner, do try it out for yourself (I do not have different lengths to experiment with - all of mine are 1m). If you hear a big difference in favor of the shorter cable, let us know, and also please provide details of your system configuration so we can perhaps try to help figure out a way to have the ER close by your system.

[Jud]

14 minutes ago, owldiscourse said:

This may be slightly controversial here - not sure but I was accidentally sent an Ethernet cable Friday that I couldn't resist to install in my system... I couldn't believe what I heard when I put it into the system (explosion in all the soundstage dimensions, layering, pace, another octave of subjective bass, crazy transparency and realism) since I had one from the same company only a couple levels down from it. Now I won't say I cannot live without it but right now with my Nighthawk switch I most certainly would say that I cannot live without it, at least until my EtherRegen arrives sometime next month (I hope). My question after researching this cable on the SR website is that it appears much of the design around it is about *surprise surprise* digital noise reduction. Now my longwinded question is - would keeping this cable be additive to what the EtherRegen will be doing or would it be obviated by the NR in the EtherRegen? Is this an example of a metal connector that you're not supposed to use with the EtherRegen?????? (see attached pic). TIA!!!

I would suggest that when the ER arrives, you try your system with and without the cable and see whether it makes a difference to you.

[Jud]

24 minutes ago, owldiscourse said:

Jud - good advice but because it was sent to me accidentally I have to send it back before the EtherRegen comes in. 

Sorry to hear that. Wonder if The Cable Company has one available for loan?

[Jud]

4 minutes ago, thotdoc said:

Connections are correct.

I ran the optical module in place of the Ether Rendu and there were no dropouts..Trial period may have been too short. So that is questionable data. I can go back to that set-up if your current suggestions don't pan out.

 

Roon also wants me to run Roon core from computer other than current Roon core in Sonic transport. Again, I'll work with your suggestions 1st.

 

I removed the 2960 from the chain completely. I moved the sonic transport upstairs to a gigabit switch.

 

The etherRegen is being fed directly by a metal ethernet cable coming from the wall, no switch. I do not understand if that is the correct connection speed, but it is playing without any intermittent dropouts, we'll see as it plays out. I will reconnect with you if this 'get the Cisco out' suggestion does not work.

 

That said, the sonic transport is not in a place it can stay for the long haul. You said there was a gigabit connection on the CISCO...on the far right. Do you mean the far right socket marked 8x....or the far right socket next to the FPS cage, both being surrounded in yellow line?

 

Thank you for helping me.

 

G

 

 

 

 

The one next to the SFP cage.

[Jud]

2 minutes ago, thotdoc said:

So, I would use the one next to the SFP cage out and one of the 1x-8x in?

 

Thank you

 

G

Yes.

[Jud]

2 hours ago, JohnSwenson said:

I don't know if this will work, it is just one thing to try. The problem is that all the other ports re still 100Mbps, the throughput is still 100Mbps even if the Sonic Transporter is connected to the gigabit port.

 

John S.

 

Yes, my apologies to Gordon since I assumed the fact you couldn't get gigabit throughput was understood, and this is just to see if these two ports are "happier" being connected.

[Jud]

Though I don't want to be putting holes in the wall for brackets, or gluing Velcro strips, I wonder if 2 or 3 Command Strips might work.

[Jud]

16 minutes ago, Superdad said:

Don't think he was suggesting Command Strips as thermal interface pads.

--Alex C.

 

Next UpTone product! 😉

[Jud]

5 hours ago, rickca said:

According to the Cisco documentation, the SFP slot can be configured as a normal port (rather than an uplink).  I haven't bothered to read the manual to figure out exactly how to do this.

 

Plug in SFP modules and an optical cable that work with Cisco and each other. That's it.

[Jud]

1 hour ago, Superdad said:

 

Oh man, don't tempt me! We are down to just 2 rolls--with a household of 4 people--and there is none to be found anywhere in our town. Even told my assistant that we are now operating on a BYOTP basis. 

 

Don't know how close the nearest Costco is, but last time we went they were enforcing a one-pack-per-membership policy, and there was plenty. (We don't buy our TP there, but for anyone who does....)

[Jud]

1 hour ago, Horse Tea said:

Hi John,

 

my Cisco is a C2960-8TC-L. That the switch is booting VERY slowly, is correct. In my second attempt to run the system as desired I was exactly doing what you propose namely wait for minutes after switching each component on. Also, failure occurred after all was working correctly for some time. However, both switches are powered by the same power line as the rest of the audio equipment. It is very convenient to turn the whole system on at once. Maybe I should separate the switches which might be a little inconvenient. Do you recommend to leave the ER powered all the time? I am hesitant to do this because the ER gets rather hot.

 

Horst

 

A couple of thoughts:

 

I personally like the sound without Cisco switch better than the sound with it. So one thought is to leave the Cisco out entirely. 

 

Or if you need the extra connections, go through ER for the devices where sound quality is most critical and leave Cisco for the rest.

[Jud]

19 hours ago, lxgreen said:

I currently have this set up:

 

cable modem with one Ethernet output

ethernet from modem to Orbi router 

ethernet from Orbi router to Cisco switch 

ethernet from switch to EtherRegen A side

ethernet from EtherRegen B side to Dac

 

is there a benefit to, rather than feed The EtherRegen from the switch, to run another Ethernet cable from an open port on the Orbi router directly to EtherRegen?

 

 

Perhaps try it and see? I personally prefer having the extra switch (and in my case its SMPS power supply) out of the chain, but YMMV.

[Jud]

42 minutes ago, Superdad said:

5 hours ago, Discopants said:

 

Maybe your system is telling you to listen to more music and to watch less TV!  (Though I must say, I am looking forward to checking out that new Perry Mason series on HBO; I'm a big Mathew Rhys fan.

 

Apologies for the OT: Don't know if you've seen the trailer for the Apple TV+ series coming in 2021 based on Isaac Asimov's "Foundation" novels, but !!

[Jud]

Don’t know if anyone else has this situation, but something you may want to be aware of: Comcast in my area is using multi-mode fiber. Currently they haven’t brought fiber out to where I live, but to try to maintain compatibility for the future I put multi-mode fiber in the walls.

[Jud]

I have no idea if this is it, but different network analysis apps do have different behaviors in terms of the devices they show, how long after a device is “quiet” it will no longer be shown, etc.

 

My router app shows 30 devices, NetAnalyzer 28, Fing a couple fewer (not at home to check the exact number), other apps fewer still.

 

Have you tried to use the ER once Fing shows it dropping off the network and not been able to?