Digital streaming optimisation with EtherRegen - ENO filter Vs Master clock Vs sonore optical module

[Billy_SP]

On 8/24/2021 at 2:51 PM, plissken said:

Stupidity is ignorance left willfully uncorrected.

I am normally a lurker but you are going too far trying to impose your opinion.

Opinions come from experiences, and as experiences are different, there are many different opinions.

Talking about stupidity because somebody has a different opinion is not only rude, but not smart.

 

You have some some knowledge and experience on your side, but you don't have ALL the knowledge and experience.  I am an electronic engineer arguing in a different language than my mother tongue, and I don't need measurements to tell me when something improves the sound of my system, because I know it intimately.  In the same way I don't need measurements to tell me if the sun is out, or my food salty.  Music is for the enjoyment of my senses, not a lab experiment (If you dig measurements, knock yourself out).

 

I have tried most of the upgrades mentioned. 1) I installed an EtherRegen and the noise floor went down.  Bass gained definition.  Hi frequency glare decreased.  Very noticeable.   2)  I then proceeded to replace the power supply and I could easily tell it improved the noise floor, i could also hear more detail.  3)  When I installed an external clock (AfetrDark) with a Farad Super 3 power supply. again everything got better, up another notch.  The music was more full bodied.  I continued experimenting with different ethernet cables, sometimes the sound was too bright, sometimes too dark.  4)  Then I tested the ENO Acoustic filter.  Noise floor went down even further.  This revealed more detail, but the high frequencies were more pleasant.  Not rolled off, just gentle highs, making it more engaging.  5) Then I  installed Finisair modules and brought fiber to the EtherRegen.  Now I gained a deeper soundstage, more separation between instruments.  Most holographic soundstage I ever had.  6)  When I thought I was done, and just for fun, I tested another switch, the SOtM SNH-10g, fully upgraded, with and external power supply SPS-1000 also upgraded.  Damn! it got a little better and I could hear even more details I never noticed before in the music I like.

 

Notice that to make the story short I did not mention all the times a change was for the worse, like using too many silver plated ethernet cables, inverting the order of the cascading switches, using cheap cables for power supplies and clocks, or using cheap power cables and power supplies, etc.

 

Good luck trying to deny my experience with your measurements and theories.  And don't come to me with BS about psychoacoustics and confirmation bias.  It took me a busy year of endlessly testing back and forth and bringing friends (experienced dealers and audiophile) to listen and criticize the sound to reach where I am now.  Visitors can hardly distinguish between the same recording in Tidal vs a local HD file in my NAS or a CD played in a high end player.  I will not deny your experiences, those are yours to learn.  And I welcome your sharing of your experiences and opinions, but don't deny the other's experiences just because they don't fit your understanding. Intelligent people are “willing to accept and consider other views with value and broad-mindedness” and that they are “open to alternative solutions.”

[Billy_SP]

Some other points I would like to clarify:

 

1) I am using the Fiber/EtherRegen/SOtM SNH-10G/ENO in cascade, one after the other, in that order.

2) In my system, EtherRegen -> SOtM sound better than the other way around.  More full bodied.

3) ETherRegen + Eno = Not so good.  But put the SOtM switch in the middle and everything improves.  Now the ENO at the end of the chain has a smaller effect, but still positive enough for me to want to keep it. There is a better synergy (in my system) between the SOtM and the ENO.

4) Others prefer the sound of one or two SOtM in cascade.

5) Others have reported that a different order of devices gave them better results, which leads me to believe each individual should test their own system and decide.

6) Monomode fiber sounds better than multimode.  There is a theory about the reflections inside the fiber that explains this.

[Billy_SP]

T

3 hours ago, plissken said:

I'll trust your ears as much as you trust yours when you do this blind.

 

That's fair, you should not trust my ears, trust yours, provided that your system is resolving enough to reproduce these nuances.  I base my choices on what I hear, not on what somebody else measures.  Same with cables. 

 

This is why I mostly buy used cables.  I have a dealer who is kind enough to allow me to take home several used cables and test them in my system.  Some make no difference, some do sound different (good or bad).  I've tested expensive cables that made no difference, cheap cables that were a pleasant surprise and expensive cables that made a significant positive difference.

[Billy_SP]

3 hours ago, davide256 said:

Without the server/endpoint system used

Mini Fanless PC with I9, 32 GB RAM, 4GB SDD (Running Windows Server & Roon Core);   NAS 4TB -> Router

->Fiber/Finisair -> EtherRegen (+LPSU+ AfterDard clock) -> SOtM SNh-10g (Fully upgraded + SPS1000 PS) -> ENO Filter ->  EMM Labs NS1 (Streamer) -> EBU cable (-> Meitner MA3 DAC -> ARC Ref 5SE -> ARC 160M monoblocks -> MBL 116F.   Alternatively I use an Innuos Zenith MK3, but I prefer the sound of the NS1.  Ethernet Cables from Nordost, Telegartner, ENO, Supra.  AES/EBU and XLR cables Odin Nordost.  Speaker Cables MIT EVO.  Power Cables:  Furutech, Synergistic Research, Siltech, etc.

[Billy_SP]

48 minutes ago, RikkiPoo said:

Adding an ENO Ag was the biggest bang for the buck.

 

Clocking the EtherRegen and SOtM switches gave the biggest benefit, hands down.

 

Jury is still out on the Finisar/Finisar between the ER and SOtM.  Someone needs to come out with a real audiophile SFP.

I got better result using the Finisars between the router and the SOtM switch (about 40m of fiber) then Sotm to EtherRegen with a good ethernet cable.

[Billy_SP]

On 11/15/2021 at 4:26 AM, Rasputin said:

Hi Billy, surprised to see you use NS1 into MA3, … I have both and tried that when ma3 was new.. yes it sounded better. When ma3  had  broken in, the difference was basically the sound signature of the aes cables, but with your system you just need da2 or dv2;)))) I have it and.. no surprise it is just so much better….:)

You are right, once the MA3 had enough hours the advantage of the NS1 decreased.  Was not able to get da2/dv2 in Brazil so I upgraded to a Verity Monsalvat Pre-2 and gave my pre, dac and streamer as part of the trade in.  Now streaming from an Innuous Zenith Mk3.