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

[so-no-mah]

I very happily run my Nucleus+ with internal SSD at 12v via the JS-2...

[so-no-mah]

Hi Alex, as you know I am one of the 40 or so of us PS Audio Directstream DAC (DSD) owners with a Bridge II and an EtherREGEN. My streamer is a Roon Nuceus+. Regardless of how I connected things, the ER made a significant and positive difference in the sound of my system as I have reported elsewhere. (And I'm not at all surprised that John and Ted Smith got along like a house on fire. BTW, I can recommend the AudioStream podcast with Ted to be quite fascinating, at least to audio nerds like me.)

 

Initially I connected both my router and the Nucleus+ to the A side of the ER with the B side going to the Bridge II (Ethernet cables were all AQ Cinnamon). At the same time, I had the Nucleus+connected via the USB input by way of a Curious Link, an LPS 1.2 powered IsoREGEN and a Synergistic Atmosphere Reference USB. The Bridge II allowed me to do the final unfold of MQA streams which was desirable to me as a Tidal user. With MQA files the Bridge II was my preferred input (though not by much), but when it came to CD files ripped to an internal SSD in the Nucleus+, it was a very close call for me.

 

As you may know, many PS DSD owners have gotten good results using the Matrix Audio X-SPDIF 2 box which converts USB to I2S via HDMI among other things, and some DSD users believe I2S is the unit's best sounding input. This is what I found as well, to the point that I will be physically removing the Bridge II from the DSD.

 

Accordingly, I now have my router connected to the A side of the ER with the B side connected directly to my Nucleus+. From there it is Curious USB to IsoREGEN to Synergestic Reference to the X-SPDIF 2 then AQ Mocha HDMI to the DSD's I2S input. I personally found that this is the best way to go, even though I'm losing the 2nd MQA unfold from the Bridge II. 

 

To head off some questions, my Nucleus+ and the Matrix are powered by a JS-2 and my ER is powered by an HDPlex via a Ghent JSSG 360. The ER and most of the rest of the system are connected to a Synergistic Research Active Ground Block.

 

My takeaway is that switches do matter. A lot. If you don't have an EtherREGEN, try one. And when you do get one, experiment with your setup to determine what configuration you enjoy most.

 

Best to you and yours along with the AS community. 

 

Stay safe,

 

Andy

[so-no-mah]

On the weekend I replaced the HDPlex LPS powering my ER with an Sbooster 10 volt with a spare SR Blue fuse to very good effect in terms of detail, texture, sound stage, bass and imaging.

 

This afternoon I switched from wired Ethernet (AQ Cinnamon) to fiber with the 10Gtek converter to the ER's SFP on the A side. I believe I got a further uptick in sound quality. It seems to play to the ER's strengths in terms of intimacy, staging and that "in the room" feeling I so clearly noticed when I first installed the ER..For less that $100, it's definitely worth exploring....

[so-no-mah]

The Synergistic Orange fuses are really special, so by all means get them on special!

[so-no-mah]

I recently swapped a Sonore opticalModule for the 10Gtek fiber transceiver I was using between my router and the ER.

The 10GTek stuff powered by an HDPlex LPS with an Sbooster Ultra DC module was a definite improvement over an AQ Cinnamon Ethernet cable. Swapping our the 10GTek for the opticalModule and the associated System Optique SFPs and fiber link was a real ear opener.

 

After a bit of break-in with the oM in the chain I honestly feel like I have new speakers!

 

-Andy

 

Digital Chain is (very long!): Router > AQ Cinnamon Ethernet > oM (HDplex LPS) > 5m Fiber > ER (Sbooster LPS) > Synergistic Reference Ethernet > Roon Nucleus+ (JS-2) > Curious USB Link > ISO Regen (LPS 1.2) > VBUS Isolator > Synergistic Reference USB > Matrix X-SPDIF 2 (JS-2) > AQ Mocha HDMI > PS Audio DSD Sr. via I2S

[so-no-mah]

My JS-2 also responded quite well to first a Synergistic Blue and then the Orange fuse. I use them in anything with a fuse and I up-rate them to the next higher fuse value.

 

-Andy

[so-no-mah]

For what it's worth, my Audioquest Cinnamon Ethernet cable has metal connectors, but there is no continuity between the plug ends suggesting that the shield is floating and not tied...

[so-no-mah]

Added a second EtherREGEN powered by an LPS 1.2. So good...

[so-no-mah]

I'm going to try a set between my cable modem in the garage and my Nighthawk router (the latter powered by an Sbooster LPS). Unfortunately, when I built my house, I just ran low end Cat 5 between them, not thinking that I'd ever be playing music over that link!