The EtherREGEN thread for various network, cable, power experiences and experiments

[RickyV]

I already had the parts and with my new ER I got renewed inspiration to built a new Ethernet cable. My previous and the new cable both use Supra cat8 cable as a base. I have seen the ET^2 cable and I have the lush^2 so why not make my own.

So at the heart of the cable is the Supra cat8 and over that go two layers of braided tinned copper shields separated by electrical tape. Every shield has it own connecting wire ( white, yellow and red). White being the shield of the supra cable.

On one side, the ER side, I also made a black wire to possibly connect to the ER ground screw and is also connected to the metal connector. 

I have not experimented yet so it’s on A:wyr B:wyr.

 

Oh it took me about 5 hours make.

[RickyV]

18 hours ago, Bricki said:

 

Very nice work 👍

 

Are they the telegartner connectors? Are they an audible improvement over the standard Supra ones? I am thinking of trying the telegartner connectors on my jssg360 x 2 Supra cat 8 cable...

 

 

Once I get my ER I'm thinking of shortening this cable and putting the telegartner connectors on it....

 

I'll be interested to know how your new cable is sounding once it's settled in 👍

No they are not telegartner connectors, I used these https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/rj45-plugs/elbac-942545-s0-ethernet-rj45-cat6-connector-simplified-assembly-p-12107.html

I wouldn’t worry to much of SQ differences with connectors, i think the shield configuration is much more important. PeterSt uses plastic connectors because metal could have residual capacitance.

If you go one page back on the link you have al sorts of utp connectors.

[RickyV]

12 minutes ago, Jud said:

 

Two follow-up questions:

 

- Will the UpTone ground shunted SMPS power a device using a 12V 2.5A power supply, and what about a 12V 1.5A device?

 

- Would powering my modem and router with the UpTone SMPSs possibly help at all in my configuration (it would mean all Ethernet-connected devices would be using the ground-shunted power supplies)? Or still the same answer, try and see if it helps?

Hi Jud,

My systeem is as simple as yours, modem/router to ER to Server. A year ago or so when we also discussed shunting smps I bought a ifi iPower smps for my modem/router and shunted it to ground. This was the first time I had an noticeable uplift in SQ from a network tweak. Now I wouldn’t buy an ifi anymore and would use a lps.

[RickyV]

19 minutes ago, Nenon said:

Can you try a different weight (non copper) and check if it copper makes a big difference? 

Why non copper or do you mean non-ferro, iron. It is my understanding that we need to keep magnetic metals away from audio signals. Stainless is also non-ferro.

[RickyV]

1 hour ago, Nenon said:

Copper dissipates a lot of heat and acts like a heatsink. I was wondering if the improvement comes from simply the added vibration control or from the additional heatsink. Hence suggested to try with a different weight that would not act as a heatsink. That may tell us if the ER benefits from additional heatsinking to keep it cooler. Or the benefit is strictly from the better vibration control.

The components that generate heat in the ER have no contact with the case, via heat transfer pads or something. So between the heat generating components, and most of them have heatsinks on top of them, is air. Air does not conduct heat very well so if you cool the ER with heatsink imo you are just cooling the case, not the components on the pcb. 
If you want to cool the inside of the ER you have let out the “hot” air, so dril holes so cooler air can get in and hot air out. Or you can unscrew the front and screw it back with washers in between the front and the case. Both sides maybe.

 

But what is hot? My ER case is 40C. The oscillator inside the ER likes a “hot” stable temperature. Maybe the specs of the oscillator gives a ideal temperature.

[RickyV]

51 minutes ago, Dutch said:

It’s in the manual and it was repeated elsewhere as well.

 

The manual bit:

 

Locating the EtherREGEN:
During use, it is normal for the case of the EtherREGEN to become somewhat hot. 48~52C (118~126F), depending on room air temperature is to be expected. Do not be concerned about the heat. Even when hot, all parts are operating at less than half their thermal ratings. The case is the heat-sink. Please locate the EtherREGEN on a shelf where air can flow under and around it. If the heat of the case bothers you, standing it on edge will permit more airflow and will lower the case temperature by a few degrees. Do not stack other devices under or on top of the EtherREGEN.

Hi Dutch, you have opened up your ER for s.w. update right? Did you see any heat transferring pads between the casing and any components? It could be a soft silicone type of material.

 

[RickyV]

23 hours ago, kennyb123 said:

Last night’s late listening session confirmed for me that using attenuators as they are meant to be used - on Rx side only - made a positive difference.  Big thanks to @octaviars for helping me to get sorted out on that.  Playing the same tracks as the previous night, I heard improvements in clarity and openness.  
 

I now think the key is to find the minimum amount of attenuation that keeps oversaturation from having a detrimental impact to sound quality.  I’ve been using tracks that have a tendency to have a hot treble to assess this.  I’m not sure I’m there yet but I’m really close and also starting to burn out on assessing this.  It was well worth the effort though.

 

Lastly I should mention that I had been using the stock power supply with the Startech FMC. I wasn’t sure it would be a keeper so I didn’t purchase a better supply for it.  I also didn’t think I had on hand a supply that would offer an improvement.  Out of curiosity, I finally pulled the “el cheapo” out of the closet and then popped open the lid to set it for 5v.  To my surprise this seemed to help.

 

Next steps for me on this is to purchase an opticalModule once they are back in stock.  I’m eager to hear how this improves things over the Startech FMC.

I am sitting a bit on the sideline waiting how this optical feeding of the ER pans out but sound promising with these attenuators. I was wondering if the guys who play with the optical rendu know about this.

[RickyV]

5 hours ago, auricgoldfinger said:

DIY types may be interested in this cable:  https://viablue.de/com/cables_ep7_ethernet.php

 

They can also be purchased as finished cables.

Have you compared this one to the supra cat 8?