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


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10 hours ago, stevebythebay said:

Just like to chime in on the JS-2 experiences.  The JS-2 is powering both my EtherREGEN as well as a Nucleus Roon server.  Both have benefited from this LPS.  System has settled in with it's presence and is oh so sweet!

I believe the Roon Nucleus (and Roon Nucleus Plus) both operate from a 19V power supply, so I'm curious to learn how you use the JS-2 to power a Nucleus since it appears to have a maximum voltage setting of 12V. TIA!

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2 hours ago, audio.bill said:

so I'm curious to learn how you use the JS-2 to power a Nucleus since it appears to have a maximum voltage setting of 12V.

 

Nucleus is based on a regular Intel NUC and they support 12-19V on the DC barrel so no problem driving a Nucleus on 12V.

 

I measured my NUC7i5BNH it has M.2 SSD for ROCK OS and second SSD for music.

 

This is with regular 44.1/16 no DSP

19Vdc average 0.57A (10.83W) and peak 1.5A
15Vdc average 0.69A (10.35W) and peak 2.1A
12Vdc average 0.81A (9.72W) and peak 2.8A

 

Average is during play to Roon endpoint. Peak was during start up (might be higher than this as my instrument might not be fast enough.

I have not measured amp usage during a scan for example but if all cores are being used during a library scan I suppose we can see constant use high as peak is in my test.

Main system
TAD D1000mk2, TAD M2500mk2, TAD CE-1, Ansuz Mainz 8 C2, Ansuz Darkz D-TC, 
Qobuz Studio -> Roon ROCK on NUC -> Uptone etherREGEN -> dCS Network Bridge -> AES/EBU -> DAC
HD Plex 200W PSU (4 rail for ISP fiber, router, etherREGEN and NUC)
 
Second system
Qobuz Studio -> Devialet Silver Phantom, Devialet Tree
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On 3/7/2020 at 2:08 PM, stevebythebay said:

Just like to chime in on the JS-2 experiences.  The JS-2 is powering both my EtherREGEN as well as a Nucleus Roon server.  Both have benefited from this LPS.  System has settled in with it's presence and is oh so sweet!

Anyone with thoughts / theories why the js-2 has superior sq to the lps1.2?

 

I’m assuming you shouldn’t use a js-2 to power to both the ER & then anything on the downstream side? ie I can’t power both my dac & ER with it.

What about if I use the js-2 to power a lps1.2 which then powers the ER, as well as my dac?

Leakage issues or ...?

 

macmini M1>ethernet / elgar iso tran(2.5kVa, .0005pfd)>consonance pw-3 boards>ghent ethernet(et linkway cat8 jssg360)>etherRegen(js-2)>ghent ethernet(et linkway cat8 jssg360) >ultraRendu (clones lpsu>lps1.2)>curious regen link>rme adi-2 dac(js-2)>cawsey cables>naquadria sp2 passive pre> 1.naquadria lucien mkII.5 power>elac fs249be + elac 4pi plus.2> 2.perreaux9000b(mods)>2x naquadria 12” passive subs.

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6 hours ago, jamesg11 said:

Anyone with thoughts / theories why the js-2 has superior sq to the lps1.2?

 

I’m assuming you shouldn’t use a js-2 to power to both the ER & then anything on the downstream side? ie I can’t power both my dac & ER with it.

What about if I use the js-2 to power a lps1.2 which then powers the ER, as well as my dac?

Leakage issues or ...?

 

Penultimate sentence should read -

 

What about if I use the js-2 to power a lps1.2 which then powers the ER, as well as the js-2 powering my dac with the other output?

 

macmini M1>ethernet / elgar iso tran(2.5kVa, .0005pfd)>consonance pw-3 boards>ghent ethernet(et linkway cat8 jssg360)>etherRegen(js-2)>ghent ethernet(et linkway cat8 jssg360) >ultraRendu (clones lpsu>lps1.2)>curious regen link>rme adi-2 dac(js-2)>cawsey cables>naquadria sp2 passive pre> 1.naquadria lucien mkII.5 power>elac fs249be + elac 4pi plus.2> 2.perreaux9000b(mods)>2x naquadria 12” passive subs.

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1 hour ago, jamesg11 said:

What about if I use the js-2 to power a lps1.2 which then powers the ER, as well as the js-2 powering my dac with the other output?

 

That will be fine and won’t defeat the EtherREGEN’s isolation “moat.”  Since the output of the UltraCap supply is its own “floated”/isolated domain, using it to power the ‘A’ side of the EtherREGEN (‘B’ side gets its power over an isolator) won’t have it be common with the DAC.

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Thanks Alex, what I wanted to hear ... /& extending these possible options - what about split power to 2x lps-1s powering ER & uRendu from the one js-2 output?

macmini M1>ethernet / elgar iso tran(2.5kVa, .0005pfd)>consonance pw-3 boards>ghent ethernet(et linkway cat8 jssg360)>etherRegen(js-2)>ghent ethernet(et linkway cat8 jssg360) >ultraRendu (clones lpsu>lps1.2)>curious regen link>rme adi-2 dac(js-2)>cawsey cables>naquadria sp2 passive pre> 1.naquadria lucien mkII.5 power>elac fs249be + elac 4pi plus.2> 2.perreaux9000b(mods)>2x naquadria 12” passive subs.

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8 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

That will be fine and won’t defeat the EtherREGEN’s isolation “moat.”  Since the output of the UltraCap supply is its own “floated”/isolated domain, using it to power the ‘A’ side of the EtherREGEN (‘B’ side gets its power over an isolator) won’t have it be common with the DAC.

 

Alex, similar question from me. I want to power both a NUC as Roon Server and EtherRegen from my JS-2. The NUC will be connected over copper Ethernet to the "A" side.

 

In that situation, might it pick up a ground loop? What should I do?

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12 hours ago, jamesg11 said:

Thanks Alex, what I wanted to hear ... /& extending these possible options - what about split power to 2x lps-1s powering ER & uRendu from the one js-2 output?

To clarify above - 2x lps1.2s ... powered from single js-2 output?

macmini M1>ethernet / elgar iso tran(2.5kVa, .0005pfd)>consonance pw-3 boards>ghent ethernet(et linkway cat8 jssg360)>etherRegen(js-2)>ghent ethernet(et linkway cat8 jssg360) >ultraRendu (clones lpsu>lps1.2)>curious regen link>rme adi-2 dac(js-2)>cawsey cables>naquadria sp2 passive pre> 1.naquadria lucien mkII.5 power>elac fs249be + elac 4pi plus.2> 2.perreaux9000b(mods)>2x naquadria 12” passive subs.

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I could be mistaken (and correct me if I am wrong), but the JS-2 seems to be emerging as one of the best (if not the best) power supply units to pair with the Etherregen, and that is making me want to invest in a JS-2.  I do have an LPS 1.2, that I originally meant to use with my Iso-Regen, but I have not gone that route yet.  On the other hand, although I am liberty to use it with my ER, I have decided not to use the LPS 1.2 with it (the Etherregen), because the reports I am reading here seem to suggest that the difference it makes, as compared to either the JS-2 or the stock ER SMPS, seems to be marginal at best (again correct me if I am wrong), although it generates a lot heat with the ER,  and that is what has made the JS-2 option more attractive, and the LPS 1.2 seem less ideal in my eyes.

 

Now if I am to invest in a JS-2, I would like to use it to power the ER and my DAC (possibly the Metrum Acoustics Onyx), if the JS-2 can indeed power that DAC too.  I have read about the JS-2 powering a Mytek Brooklyn DAC, which is what is suggesting to me the idea of powering my Onyx DAC with it.  However, from looking at the photos, I sse that the Mytek Brooklyn seems to have a 12 volt DC jack on it, which seems to make it immediately receptive to a JS-2 :

 

brooklyn_dac__rear_panel_2.jpg

 

Conversely, the Metrum Onyx DAC does not have any 12 volt DC jack, at least no DC Jack that I can see:

 

 

Onyx.jpeg

 

 

So my embarrassingly ignorant question is whether there is some kind of workaround that would enable me to use a JS-2 with  a Metrum Onyx, which has no DC jack? Is this a feasible idea at all, or is it best abandoned?

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I did an “unintended” upgrade upstream from the eR. I switched my ISP from a coax cable to DSL/fiber. They laid fiber to the end of our street (then about 1000’ of legacy twisted pair from there, with probably at least one amplifier) with plans to put fiber-to-home within 6 months, so they were offering a great promo during the transition. When I sat down to listen to some music that evening (my digital music is 100% streamed through Tidal, with Roon/HQP) I didn’t recall the album sounding that good, but I hadn’t listened to it in a while and had made other upgrades recently. A couple of days later I sat down to listen to some other albums and noticed improved sound again. So I listened to some of my reference tracks and confirmed improved sound. I was able to A/B  the 2 ISPs (because I hadn’t canceled the old one yet) and confirmed that the old coax one was harsher, less bass, more “compressed” sounding, etc. I used the Speedtest app on my Mac (my digital system is not on wifi except my iPad to control Roon) to confirm connectivity when swapping back and forth) and happened to notice latency was twice as much with coax, and generally 20-50 times the jitter!  Some of the DSL jitter measurements were as low as 0.050ms compared with typical coax jitter of 1-4ms. Sure, the Speedtest app probably isn’t very accurate, and maybe those numbers aren’t the reason for the improved SQ, but I’m happy. I also swapped out the modem’s SMPS with an ifi iPower and that improved a bit further. I added an ifi DC Purifier to that and it made further improvements. After reading austinpop’s review, I’m thinking an LPS for the modem is next on my list! 🤑

 

And maybe I should go out the junction boxes and upgrade the power supplies on the amplifiers too 🤣

 

I’m hoping when the fiber comes to the house that it makes a difference too. 

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For those of you who had been following my fiber adventures, I just posted thoughts on using the Sonore opticalModule upstream of the ER.  I believe I may have previously commented positively on this here but thought it might be helpful to close the loop.  
 

I think many of likely wondered early on how much the upstream will matter once the ER is in place.  Unfortunately the answer is that it still matters.  I wish it wouldn’t have been true that noise from an FMC could have be passed down a run of fiber - but I that’s exactly what I heard with the Startech FMC.  Crazy hobby, isn’t it?
 

 

Digital:  Sonore opticalModule > Uptone EtherRegen > Shunyata Sigma Ethernet > Antipodes K30 > Shunyata Omega USB > Gustard X26pro DAC < Mutec REF10 SE120

Amp & Speakers:  Spectral DMA-150mk2 > Aerial 10T

Foundation: Stillpoints Ultra, Shunyata Denali v1 and Typhon x1 power conditioners, Shunyata Delta v2 and QSA Lanedri Gamma Revelation and Infinity power cords, QSA Lanedri Gamma Revelation XLR interconnect, Shunyata Sigma Ethernet, MIT Matrix HD 60 speaker cables, GIK bass traps, ASC Isothermal tube traps, Stillpoints Aperture panels, Quadraspire SVT rack, PGGB 256

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2 hours ago, kennyb123 said:

For those of you who had been following my fiber adventures, I just posted thoughts on using the Sonore opticalModule upstream of the ER.  I believe I may have previously commented positively on this here but thought it might be helpful to close the loop.  
 

I think many of likely wondered early on how much the upstream will matter once the ER is in place.  Unfortunately the answer is that it still matters.  I wish it wouldn’t have been true that noise from an FMC could have be passed down a run of fiber - but I that’s exactly what I heard with the Startech FMC.  Crazy hobby, isn’t it?
 

 

 

Was it being passed down the run of fiber, or was it getting into the system from the Startech's power supply or its circuitry, I wonder?

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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16 hours ago, Jud said:

 

Was it being passed down the run of fiber, or was it getting into the system from the Startech's power supply or its circuitry, I wonder?


Maybe noise generated by Startech’s circuitry is causing “threshold jitter” as per John’s paper.  I’m sure Startech wouldn’t be able to say the following about their FMC:

 

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/55217-sonore-opticalrendu/?do=findComment&comment=910791

 

Quote: "The optical module is very simple, the incoming light from the fiber goes to a high speed photo diode, then to a simple amplifier. The output from the amplifier goes to my circuit. All the signal conditioning and clocking, protocol conversion etc is done in my circuit which uses very low phase noise clocks, extremely clean power etc."

Digital:  Sonore opticalModule > Uptone EtherRegen > Shunyata Sigma Ethernet > Antipodes K30 > Shunyata Omega USB > Gustard X26pro DAC < Mutec REF10 SE120

Amp & Speakers:  Spectral DMA-150mk2 > Aerial 10T

Foundation: Stillpoints Ultra, Shunyata Denali v1 and Typhon x1 power conditioners, Shunyata Delta v2 and QSA Lanedri Gamma Revelation and Infinity power cords, QSA Lanedri Gamma Revelation XLR interconnect, Shunyata Sigma Ethernet, MIT Matrix HD 60 speaker cables, GIK bass traps, ASC Isothermal tube traps, Stillpoints Aperture panels, Quadraspire SVT rack, PGGB 256

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On 3/15/2020 at 12:46 PM, PYP said:

 

@soares had mentioned that the oM increased SQ in his system.  Thanks, Jorge, for the recommendation.  You have spent my money well!  

Happy that you are experiencing the same results there! 😊

Cheers Jorge

Jensen VRD-iFF>Router>Rj45>opticalModule>
SFP>Buffalo2016>SFP>opticalModule >Rj45>

IZen Mk3>Rj45> Delock62619>Rj45>
etherRegen (Master Clock+ Mini-Circuits BLP)>SFP>opticalRendu>USB>IsoRegen>

USB>Phoenix>USB>OPPO 205 (Modded)>HMS “the Perfect Match”>Proac Tablette Reference 8 Signature.
 

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On 3/15/2020 at 12:46 PM, PYP said:

Added an opticalModule about one week ago.   The path is now:  Copper ethernet > oM > fiber > eR > copper ethernet > DAC (Roon endpoint).  A JS-2 powers both the oM and eR (7v and 12v respectively).

 

As Rajiv mentioned in his excellent review of the eR, the oM adds density.  He heard a smaller soundstage, but I hear the opposite in mine.  The oM seems to get the last bit of all that is good about the eR.  Others had mentioned that the upstream still matters and that is verified in my system.  Unlike Rajiv's optimized system, the upstream in my system isn't:  ISP-provided modem/router/wifi > in-wall cat 5e > then to the setup shown above.  

 

@soares had mentioned that the oM increased SQ in his system.  Thanks, Jorge, for the recommendation.  You have spent my money well!   

 

Probably going to stop now (insert photo of wife's knowing look here), until UpTone sells a reasonably priced external clock in a JS-2 case so that I can have matching gear (I know, not going to happen).  

 

On 3/16/2020 at 8:12 PM, soares said:

Happy that you are experiencing the same results there! 😊

Cheers Jorge

 

So @PYP and @soares :  I just added the Optical module to my audio chain, locating it right before the Etherregen and connecting it to the A-side of the ER with an optical fibre cable, while the B side of the ER is connected to my Metrum Ambre Roon endpoint iwith the usual RJ45 copper cable. I seem to have noticed a certain difference in the sound with the introduction of the OM, perhaps taking the form of a little more clarity, depth of the sound field, and separation of instruments, but I do not want to rush too quickly into evaluations yet as I think it might be too premature,  

 

What I want to know is whether the OM too is subject to "burn-in" changes, when added to the chain in this way, and if so, what kind? Prior to adding it to this chain, the OM had seen very little action, maybe not even a full hour of play time, since it arrived,  because I originally intended to use it in another chain with either my old ultrarendu or a new opticalrendu,  But that that alternative plan has been temporarily placed on ice, because I have tended to listen to my Metrum Ambre chain more, especially, since I added the ER to it.  That is why the OM has seen very little action so far, prior to my adding it to the ER/metrum ambre chain today.  I am asking about "burn-in" because I wonder whether there might be some benefit to having some music play through the OM continuously for some days, as I did for the ER when it first arrived.

 

Your input would be welcome. Thanks, 

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9 minutes ago, PYP said:

I know this kind of stuff makes some heads hurt, but this is to my ears, in my system, with my own set of preferences and prejudices.  Your mileage will vary, but hopefully it will settle in and work well for you.  Since you already own it, just sit back and hear for yourself.  Enjoy!

 

Yeah. You're not alone. Most of the burn-in was done by day 10 in my system but there were still small improvements afterwards

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2 hours ago, PYP said:

 

My experience:  There was a variation in SQ for the first week or so.  During that time, I had music playing during the day.  After one week, I could hear most of the benefit.  With a few more days beyond the week, it seems even better.  

 

I know this kind of stuff makes some heads hurt, but this is to my ears, in my system, with my own set of preferences and prejudices.  Your mileage will vary, but hopefully it will settle in and work well for you.  Since you already own it, just sit back and hear for yourself.  Enjoy!

 

+1

 

Not atypical as far as products with better clocks needing some time to fully settle in.

Digital:  Sonore opticalModule > Uptone EtherRegen > Shunyata Sigma Ethernet > Antipodes K30 > Shunyata Omega USB > Gustard X26pro DAC < Mutec REF10 SE120

Amp & Speakers:  Spectral DMA-150mk2 > Aerial 10T

Foundation: Stillpoints Ultra, Shunyata Denali v1 and Typhon x1 power conditioners, Shunyata Delta v2 and QSA Lanedri Gamma Revelation and Infinity power cords, QSA Lanedri Gamma Revelation XLR interconnect, Shunyata Sigma Ethernet, MIT Matrix HD 60 speaker cables, GIK bass traps, ASC Isothermal tube traps, Stillpoints Aperture panels, Quadraspire SVT rack, PGGB 256

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