EtherREGEN: Installation, Usage, Difficulty, Questions thread

[Superdad]

3 hours ago, LowMidHigh said:

Fair enough, Alex

 

But the operative word was planned.

I don't have that system in place yet, and your guidance would've helped with designing the topology.

 

Let me attack it from a different angle: Would going out from the 'A' side to the Mac Min potentially make any difference? Or that's an exercise in futility, and only crossing the moat can make a substantial difference?

 

Hi Guy:

I have moved your questions out of the Listening Impressions thread to this Installations and Usage thread.

 

I guess I really do not understand what you are proposing.  If your DAC-attached computer/streamer/renderer endpoint is your Mac mini, then you will want to put it alone on the 'B' side--across the moat.

Certainly you can could hook everything up to just the 'A' side--and the EtherREGEN will just perform as about the world's best standard Ethernet switch (lots of great power supply, clocking, and magnetics on the 'A' side). But if you want the 'magic' that everyone is raving about, you need to cross the ADIM (Active Differential Isolation Moat).

[jamesg11]

8 hours ago, stevebythebay said:

The interesting thing about the form factor for the ER: they don't like to stay put if any of the cables connecting are heavy/stiff, let alone the power brick is pulling the unit away.  Luckily I've got an extra VPI Brick to place on top of the ER so it stays in place on my rack.  Only real concern is ensuring I've enough surface area exposed to release heat from the ER.  Might need to use some "feet" to elevate them off the surface of the rack.

 

And thanks Puma Cat.  I wasn't aware of the sensitivity of such clocks.  Will have to monitor the temperature while trying to keep the ER stable. 

Yes, been on the Herbies Tenderfeet ‘micro’ vibration control (+ heat control + non-marks-on-surface control!) for some years - keeping things like regens & rendus in place require the Herbies Supersonic Stabiliser on top (handful allow a shuffle around, depending on items in use). Relatively inexpensive ...

[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.

[ogs]

Sorry if this Q has been raised before, I haven't read the whole thread...

There are now a few digital active speakers that sync L/R via ethernet (Devialet, Dutch&Dutch 8c when Roon Ready is finished). In this scenario one would have to use A ports on the ER (assuming devices need to sit on the same switch hardware group to sync) as there is only one B port. The B port would connect to the 'network'.

What would be the best power supply for the ER in this setting? Is the SMPS that comes with the ER good when A ports are used for the audio devices or should one use a 1.2 for this?
Maybe the two speakers should have one ER each and connect to the B port. The two ER's linked with a short copper cable (or even fiber) on the A side? Would that work?

 

[Indydan]

8 hours ago, Jud said:

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

Thanks Jud!

[Dutch]

1 hour ago, ogs said:

Maybe the two speakers should have one ER each and connect to the B port. The two ER's linked with a short copper cable (or even fiber) on the A side? Would that work?

I can’t answer your first question but the one above I can since we’re basically talking about ethernet. Yes, while not required, this will work as long as there’s also one ethernet cable connected to the rest of your network so some other switch.

 

What’ll also work is connecting both ER’s from the A-side to one central other switch in your network. That’s what I would do (if I’d choose to buy two ER’s) in this situation when it’s easy to wire up. One only has to be careful not to create loops so no dual connections from one switch to the other or full circles.

[dctom]

11 hours ago, lxgreen said:

I have the same problem as dctom  but can’t seem to fix it. I have router to EtherREGEN a side and Ethernet out of b side to an optical module to an optical Rendu. Roon can’t find the Rendu endpoint . If I move the cable from the b side to the a side it does work. I powered on and off several times and clock is internal position. Any thoughts for next steps? Thanks 

 

I have had a recurrence of the problem today. I went to play some music and both the server and endpoint had lost their network connection and hence ip address. I had not switched them off overnight. 

Repeated unpluging ethernet cables and turning the etherRegen on and off got the server back on line, took another 10mins to get the endpoint to show an ip.

Hope this is not an on going issue.

[ogs]

11 minutes ago, dctom said:

 

I have had a recurrence of the problem today. I went to play some music and both the server and endpoint had lost their network connection and hence ip address. I had not switched them off overnight. 

Repeated unpluging ethernet cables and turning the etherRegen on and off got the server back on line, took another 10mins to get the endpoint to show an ip.

Hope this is not an on going issue.

 

This sounds like a handshake problem between the B side of the ER and the opticalModule. The B port on the ER is 100BaseT max and the copper port on the opticalModule is maybe attempting to negotiate Gigabit which the ER does not understand on the B side.

[dctom]

I should have explained further - my initial problem was not quite the same as lxgreen's, I am not using optical just copper to copper. However it does seem a bit like a handshake issue. I have set the endpoint to 100Mps.

[Superdad]

9 minutes ago, dctom said:

I should have explained further - my initial problem was not quite the same as lxgreen's, I am not using optical just copper to copper. However it does seem a bit like a handshake issue. I have set the endpoint to 100Mps.

 

I’d like to see a diagram of your whole network. Feel free to post it here or to e-mail me. Also indicate what operating systems and player s/w you are using.

[dctom]

Here is a diagram of my system.

Running AL on both machines 

I have been using Jriver media center mostly.

[Superdad]

1 hour ago, dctom said:

Here is a diagram of my system.

Running AL on both machines 

I have been using Jriver media center mostly.

 

Looks completely normal. But you say that your AL/NUC endpoint is not getting an IP address at all?  What LEDs do you see above the 'B'-side RJ45?

 

Let's test A>B data flow across your EtherREGEN by eliminating your NUC from the equation.  Please attach some other normal computer--a laptop perhaps--to the 'B' side.  Does it get assigned an IP address and can you access the internet with it?

[dctom]

Ok thanks Alex, will try that.

[flummoxe]

Good evening all.

 

I should have an EtherREGEN in the not to distant future and in the interim i'm looking for some advice please.

 

Currently my system is as follows - Innuos Zenith SE - isoREGEN - Chord M-Scaler - Chord TT2.

 

In the next week or so a dCS Network Bridge will be added in between the Zenith and M-Scaler, and this is where i need some advice. Should the ER feed the Zenith Ethernet port or sit between the Zenith Ethernet streamer port and M-Scaler?

 

Thanks in  advance.

[Puma Cat]

9 hours ago, jamesg11 said:

Yes, been on the Herbies Tenderfeet ‘micro’ vibration control (+ heat control + non-marks-on-surface control!) for some years - keeping things like regens & rendus in place require the Herbies Supersonic Stabiliser on top (handful allow a shuffle around, depending on items in use). Relatively inexpensive ...

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. 

[Superdad]

37 minutes ago, flummoxe said:

Currently my system is as follows - Innuos Zenith SE - isoREGEN - Chord M-Scaler - Chord TT2.

In the next week or so a dCS Network Bridge will be added in between the Zenith and M-Scaler, and this is where i need some advice. Should the ER feed the Zenith Ethernet port or sit between the Zenith Ethernet streamer port and M-Scaler?

 

No, you should have the 'B' port of the EtherREGEN feed your dCS Network Bridge--which I assume is what you will directly feed your M-Scaler.

 

Always put the EtherREGEN furthest downstream!

[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.

 

[flummoxe]

44 minutes ago, Superdad said:

 

No, you should have the 'B' port of the EtherREGEN feed your dCS Network Bridge--which I assume is what you will directly feed your M-Scaler.

 

Always put the EtherREGEN furthest downstream!

 

Thanks Superdad..............much appreciated.

[BahamaBob]

My configuration is simple: Modem, Synology NAS, Roon Server (sonic transport); connected to "A" side of ER. Streamer/DAC (Logitech Transporter) connected to "B" side. Everything was working well for first 24 hours, after that I started getting dropouts. The dropouts became more frequent. I removed the ethernet cable from the "B" side and inserted it into the last remaining port on the "A" side, the dropouts disappeared. I repeated switching the cable connection two additional times, same result, "B" side dropouts, "A" side no dropouts.

 

After approximately 28 hours of use it appeared that the "B" had quit working completely, I then tried a drastic maneuver , I unplugged the ER and powered it up again after a few seconds. It now works on the "B" side. Any ideas why this occurred?

 

[JohnSwenson]

2 hours ago, BahamaBob said:

My configuration is simple: Modem, Synology NAS, Roon Server (sonic transport); connected to "A" side of ER. Streamer/DAC (Logitech Transporter) connected to "B" side. Everything was working well for first 24 hours, after that I started getting dropouts. The dropouts became more frequent. I removed the ethernet cable from the "B" side and inserted it into the last remaining port on the "A" side, the dropouts disappeared. I repeated switching the cable connection two additional times, same result, "B" side dropouts, "A" side no dropouts.

 

After approximately 28 hours of use it appeared that the "B" had quit working completely, I then tried a drastic maneuver , I unplugged the ER and powered it up again after a few seconds. It now works on the "B" side. Any ideas why this occurred?

 

I presume you are using the Roon emulation of LMS, correct? I'm wondering if this has anything to do with it. I've been using LMS with an SBT for a couple months without any such issues, I don't have a Transporter to test with though.

 

Is it possible to try switching to real LMS on your Sonic Transporter and see if that has the same issues?

 

John S.

[LowMidHigh]

19 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

Hi Guy:

I have moved your questions out of the Listening Impressions thread to this Installations and Usage thread.

 

I guess I really do not understand what you are proposing.  If your DAC-attached computer/streamer/renderer endpoint is your Mac mini, then you will want to put it alone on the 'B' side--across the moat.

Certainly you can could hook everything up to just the 'A' side--and the EtherREGEN will just perform as about the world's best standard Ethernet switch (lots of great power supply, clocking, and magnetics on the 'A' side). But if you want the 'magic' that everyone is raving about, you need to cross the ADIM (Active Differential Isolation Moat).

 

Thanks.

I wont' trouble you with the details of my systems (plural), but you've shed enough light for me to proceed.

[JohnSwenson]

12 hours ago, BahamaBob said:

My configuration is simple: Modem, Synology NAS, Roon Server (sonic transport); connected to "A" side of ER. Streamer/DAC (Logitech Transporter) connected to "B" side. Everything was working well for first 24 hours, after that I started getting dropouts. The dropouts became more frequent. I removed the ethernet cable from the "B" side and inserted it into the last remaining port on the "A" side, the dropouts disappeared. I repeated switching the cable connection two additional times, same result, "B" side dropouts, "A" side no dropouts.

 

After approximately 28 hours of use it appeared that the "B" had quit working completely, I then tried a drastic maneuver , I unplugged the ER and powered it up again after a few seconds. It now works on the "B" side. Any ideas why this occurred?

 

One other bit of information:

when you are having dropouts are they randomly distributed or do they occur at a specific time? The first and last ten seconds of a track are the most likely to have dropouts. During the last ten seconds of a track the player starts filling the buffer for the next track which is much more intensive than "normal" Ethernet traffic which has significant space between packets.The first ten seconds is where things like metadata and cover art gets sent. Thus far more net activity happens at the end and beginning of a track.

 

Just general information: it is usually best to have the EtherREGEN powered up before other devices are turned on/plugged in. I HAVE seen a couple times that if the EtherREGEN is turned off and other devices connected/powered up, one of the devices can power down because it is not connected to anything. The are SUPPOSED to notice when the switch starts trying to connect and power up again, and most of the time it does, but I have seen a couple times out of thousands of connections the device doesn't connect when the EtherREGEN powers up. Trying again always fixes it, but if you want to make sure that doesn't happen, have the EtherREGEN on when connecting or powering up the other devices.

 

John S.

[BigAlMc]

Hi @Superdad,

 

Hope you're well Alex. It's been a while.

 

I'm also suffering dropouts since the insertion of the ER into a previously rock solid network.

 

Received my ER on Tuesday from the ever excellent Martin at Audiostore. Inserted it, listened to a couple tracks but then left it to burn in.

 

Couple times I've checked Roon on my phone it shows Searching For Core.....

 

Rebooting Router or power-cycling the ER brings it back up.

 

It's just done it again. First time I'm actually listening to music as I'm working from home today. Interestingly the music is still playing, just my phone cannot see the Roon core. Rebooting phone didn't fix. Rebooting ER did.

 

My system is similar to @dctom diagram above. Ethernet from Router into A side of ER, A side connected to NUC (Audiolinux) Roon Server, B side connected to NUC (Audiolinux) Roon Endpoint which then connects via USB to my DAC.

 

I'd configured the NUCs to use 100MB and they were bridged in Audiolinux. Not sure if that's a factor or not.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Many Thanks,

Alan

 

[BigAlMc]

Dropped out again within 10 minutes of restarting the ER 😞

[LowMidHigh]

2 minutes ago, BigAlMc said:

Dropped out again within 10 minutes of restarting the ER 😞

 

Maybe for starters have only one device connected to the A side? It will certainly help to pinpoint the issue.