The DXE-ISO-PLUS filter thread for various network, cable experiments

[PYP]

I'm using one pair as shown in my signature line below.  Would be interested to hear from others who try the filters with systems that do NOT utilize the etherREGEN.   Just curious about different experiments and impacts.  I agree that the filters and eR are highly complementary.   

 

Thanks @One and a half for recommending the DXE filters and adding this topic here.   

[PYP]

2 hours ago, Meridimac said:

I'm sorry to be a naysayer here, but my experience inserting DXEs after EtherRegen and a Cisco 2960 switch, and before a long run of CAT5e through the walls past all kinds of devices, and then the other piece installed before a second Cisco switch gave me reduced dynamics compared to no filters. Suggestions?

 

I will now try these on a different, long CAT5e run to an Allo USBridge for my Audeze headphones before I rule them out.

My DXEs are AFTER my modem/router/wifi unit and BEFORE the eR.  The theory being that the DXE in that configuration kills off some of the RF before the eR does its thing.    Also, the included pigtail DXE connectors didn't sound right to me and I don't use them.  I use short, inexpensive mono price slim line RJ45 and that works for me.  

 

An experiment with the copper ethernet cable after the eR (and directly to the DAC) suggested that in my system this last leg is critical (significantly upgrading the ethernet cable made a large positive difference in SQ).    If that can be generalized (perhaps not), then one needs to be careful about what follows the eR (meaning, don't muck it up).  Just one system and one data point.  

[PYP]

Just now, chauphuong said:

Can it work with Cat7 cables? Mine are all Viablue Cat7

yes.

[PYP]

1 hour ago, One and a half said:

Finally replaced the CAT7 pigtails supplied with the DXE with bog standard CAT5e cables a little shorter about 5cm (2") less. The original pigtails are a shielded design. Still getting used to the sound, but certainly is not worse.

 

Don't know why, but I find that it takes a new CAT cable time to settle in, even if it has been used but out of the system for a while.  Am curious about how your experiment turns out.  

[PYP]

45 minutes ago, One and a half said:

I really would like to invest in boutique cables, but the Wireworld, Nordost and some Audioquest are all shielded designs. Tried shielded even with a parallel ground wire and results are not good :(. Tried a few more sessions earlier on, promising!

doesn't Ghent audio utilize the design John suggested for copper ethernet?  My not be boutique, but always well built and uses quality materials.

[PYP]

7 hours ago, One and a half said:

Hmm, the Ethernet cables are also shielded from Ghent,  even the plugs are metal. 

My assumption was based upon this part of the Ghent description, with a link back to John's discussion about shielding, meant that Ghent had followed John's advice:   Linkway CAT8 S/FTP 40Gbps Ethernet Cable with JSSG360 Dual-shielding protection, designed for Audio quality

 

The JSSG360 link leads to a page on AS where John writes:  So some ramifications of this: The traditional "connect the shield to one end and let the other end float" is not good, it does not allow a loop so shielding does not happen very well. If you add the external wire connected to the shield at both ends, then you CAN connect one or both sides of the shield to the signal ground or some other ground, but you don't NEED to for effective shielding. You will find that in many cases leaving the shield completely disconnected from the rest of the circuit is the best way to go, you get the benefit of properly working shielding without any interaction of the shield with your system. You may wind wind up with static charges on the shielding so a resistance from the shield to ground may be useful in some cases in order to dissipate static charges.

[PYP]

1 hour ago, Meridimac said:

Mea Culpa. After replacing the supplied blue Ethernet pigtales with your recommended short & cheap monoprice UTP versions, and letting everything play for a day or two, l find that a pair of these DXEs do indeed provide a deeper background that reveals more detail. Quieter but tighter. Thanks.

 

I am also hearing more, bigger bass which is OK with me, but are we getting some kind of unnatural bottom end “bloom” with these cheap devices, or were the recordings originally made that way? OCD minds want to know…

When I add a component/device to reduce noise, the settling-in process proceeds from bass to the higher frequencies and it usually takes a few weeks to be able to determine if they are all in balance.  Perhaps it will take a bit longer for you to find out in your system.  That said, you use the ENO and eR, so you have quite a few devices already.  You may not need the DXE filter or it may not work well in that setup.  

[PYP]

14 minutes ago, Meridimac said:

I wish that someone would buy me another ENO. 

Why not ask the same guy/gal who bought the first one for you.  😉

[PYP]

2 hours ago, Michael Christ said:

Hi. Thx for your very helpfully explanations. May I ask whether you have two devices between router (router —> dx —> cat6 —> dx —> server, as described in the manual) and switch, or are you using only one

just one opinion:  I tried one after the router and didn't hear much of a difference, then added another one before the etherREGEN (following the manual) and the difference was significant.    A few other folks here also use the filters this way.  Of course, every system is different and experimenting with your own setup is the way to find out.   No harm done.  

 

After you insert the filters, you will want to wait a few days to hear the full effect (good, bad or no difference).  In my setup, the short cat cables that were included with the filters didn't sound very good and I use inexpensive mono price cables that have plastic connectors, not metal ones (which usually have the ground attached, I believe).   

[PYP]

4 minutes ago, Egill23 said:

I bought 4 DX's and didn't feel they made much difference in my system. I think their effectiveness depends on how polluted the signal is, maybe people with coaxial cabled internet benifits the most?

I use 2, which works well, and assume you are correct that they work best for polluted signals.  My setup has a long run of copper ethernet that is unshielded and goes through walls and above the ceiling, etc.  That is convenient, but increases the chances of crossing power lines, being near light fixtures, etc.   I assume for short-runs, especially shielded cable, they would make little or no difference.  But that is just an assumption.