EtherREGEN v2 connections/power

[treitz3]

Hey all. As we wait for the new ER to come out, I had a friend of mine inquire about something I hadn't thought about before.

Are the power requirements, barrel dimensions and connections going to remain the same on v2 as they are on v1?

 

Tom

[Superdad]

1 hour ago, treitz3 said:

Are the power requirements, barrel dimensions and connections going to remain the same on v2 as they are on v1

Yes. Input voltage range (7~12V) and DC barrel jack (5.5mm X 2.1mm) will remain the same for EtherREGEN Gen2 as for the original.  Exact wattage (current drawn at a input voltages across the range) is not yet known though we expect it to be about the same—9 watts.

[treitz3]

Thank you, sir. Much appreciated.

 

Tom

[treitz3]

@Superdad- I have a few friends inquiring about the main differences between the recently re-released Gen1 ER and the Gen2 ER that has apparently been pushed back to 2024.

If you can release that kind of information, would you be so kind as to do so, so that I can give them an update? They don't know at this point whether to wait or not.....and they have been waiting a while for the Gen2 to come out. I don't know what to tell them.

Please advise and thank you sir.

 

Tom

[Superdad]

8 minutes ago, treitz3 said:

@Superdad- I have a few friends inquiring about the main differences between the recently re-released Gen1 ER and the Gen2 ER that has apparently been pushed back to 2024.

If you can release that kind of information, would you be so kind as to do so, so that I can give them an update? They don't know at this point whether to wait or not.....and they have been waiting a while for the Gen2 to come out. I don't know what to tell them.

 

Hi Tom.

Thanks for your inquiry.  Here is exactly what we have been saying--and what is shown on the EtherREGEN's web page--about Gen2:

 

As you know, we have been working hard in development of EtherREGEN Gen2 for over 1 year—utilizing more readily available parts and incorporating a number of technical advancements. These include Gigabit capability on both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ sides of our unique active-differential-isolation moat, even lower jitter clock synthesizers, an exceptional new PHY chip, and the world’s best sine-to-square wave converter (benefiting those who chose to pair with an external 10MHz reference clock). The new version might even include a second SFP cage—on the ‘B’ side—to improve performance for users of optical endpoints.

 

Unfortunately, production quantity delivery of the brand new high-performance, low-jitter PHY chip that we have designed in looks like it will be delayed several more months.

Therefore we now expect first shipment of EtherREGEN Gen2 will not take place until early-2024.

 

The original, much loved EtherREGEN will begin shipping in limited quantity near the end of September and we are accepting orders for it.

https://uptoneaudio.com/products/etherregen

As the saying goes: "A bird in hand is worth two in the bush." So if someone wants to experience the benefits of the EtherREGEN in their music system soon, I suggest placing an order. 

[treitz3]

Thank you, sir!

 

Tom

[treitz3]

That sounds good enough for me to upgrade. Is there a list to sign up for - or just order when they are released?

Also, have you honed in on a price for this bad boy yet?

 

Tom

[Superdad]

On 9/1/2023 at 1:55 PM, treitz3 said:

That sounds good enough for me to upgrade. Is there a list to sign up for - or just order when they are released?

 

If you previously purchased any product directly from us at UpTone, then whatever e-mail address you used for your order is on our (extremely infrequently used) e-mail list. Assuming I can figure out the new bulk mailing software I bought (one of the very few that allows for importation of existing lists without getting active opt-in consent from every one or paying big $), then all 14,000 people on our list will be notified prior to launch--a couple of weeks before we open up for orders.

 

If you are not sure if you are on our mailing list, just go to the Contact Us page and drop us a one sentence note and we will add you to the list to be notified.

 

With regards to “pre-orders”:

We never accept any orders for products (new or back-ordered) until the circuit boards are in-process and we can quote clients an exact week for shipment.  

For new model launches we inform in advance (on public forum and to all on our e-mail list) of the upcoming “launch morning”--which is always a Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time—when the AddToCart button will appear on the product’s web page (a few weeks before that I’ll create a new page on our site for EtherREGEN Gen2). People around the world set their alarms for that day/time as historically we have had a stampede the moment we go live accepting orders.  The original EtherREGEN sold 250 units in the first 10 minutes, then another 175 over the course of that first day. Crazy! The first production run for EtherREGEN Gen2 will be just 250 units since of the part we have already procured, there are some items we have only enough for the first 250 at the moment (you can bet we are already pre-ordering more parts but the stakes of this give me a stomach ache and we can only extend so far until we are sure about progress).

 

 

On 9/1/2023 at 1:55 PM, treitz3 said:

Also, have you honed in on a price for this bad boy yet?

 

Not officially. But we are shooting for the mid-$700 range. Hopefully not more than $750. For the performance expected (and certainly considering the full board of expensive parts used) most other firms would charge a lot more.  But we run a lean ship--no group of Sales & Marketing staff and no advertising--and I'd rather sell a whole lot of units by "word-of-keyboard" referrals to put smiles on more faces. 

 

[treitz3]

Thank you so much for your detailed answer. It is much appreciated, sir. Have a great Labor Day weekend!

 

Tom

[mtseymour]

I'm disappointed that Gen 2 will be delayed to 2024.

However, I'm excited about the possibility of a 2nd SFP on the 'B' side.  The Gen 2 can be a "flagship" component with dual SFP ports and an internal power supply.  This will require a new chassis and higher price, but will reduce the clutter from using an external power supply.  The dual SFP ports will be handy for me because my audio, home theater, and NAS are far apart.  Single mode fiber optic cables are also much less costly than ethernet cables (and sound as good or better).

The basic Gen 2 (1 SFP with external PS) is still worth the long wait though.
 

 

[Superdad]

On 9/3/2023 at 12:13 PM, mtseymour said:

I'm disappointed that Gen 2 will be delayed to 2024.

Sorry about that. Can't be helped. As always, developing highly unique circuits with brand new chips takes a lot of time. We are getting there though.

 

On 9/3/2023 at 12:13 PM, mtseymour said:

However, I'm excited about the possibility of a 2nd SFP on the 'B' side.  The Gen 2 can be a "flagship" component with dual SFP ports and an internal power supply.  This will require a new chassis and higher price, but will reduce the clutter from using an external power supply.

 

There is risk that people reading your wishes will be confused into thinking that EtherREGEN Gen2 will have an internal AC>DC power supply.  It will not.

As you acknowledge--and as I have explained in-depth elsewhere--a full internal AC>DC supply would require a much larger case and higher price. And we would likely add other technical features and innovations at the same time.

But that is not the product we will be releasing in early-2024.  

 

It is important for us to:

a) Get the affordable and high performance high sales volume EtherREGEN back into steady production--with the Gen2 technical advancements already announced.

b) Quickly get back to finishing up the 2/3rds developed advanced new USB solution (which draws on a number of EtherREGEN techniques) which we had to put on hold during EtherREGEN Gen2 development.

c) Concurrent with EtherREGEN Gen2 release we want to get our new (and completed except for chassis CAD drawings and beta unit tour) JS-4 power supply into production.

 

Once all the above is accomplished (and assuming a steady supply of parts), then we might consider turning attention to a much more elaborate EtherREGEN (with internal dual-AC>DC LPS, fancier clock, other Ethernet special tech features, etc.--in a JS-2/JS-4 class chassis), but think $3,000 and 2025...

The nice thing is that the past year John has spent mastering/taming the new main Ethernet switch chip and PHY chips we are set to use in EtherREGEN Gen2 will greatly shorten development time of such a "Monster EtherREGEN" should we chose to go there.

 

 

On 9/3/2023 at 12:13 PM, mtseymour said:

The basic Gen 2 (1 SFP with external PS) is still worth the long wait though.

Again, that could be mis-read.  EtherREGEN Gen2 may indeed have two SFP ports--one on 'A' side and one on 'B' side. [Assuming our next current draw tests support it on the 'B' side. In which case the enclosure will be the same shape/width as "Gen1" but 50mm longer to allow room for a 'B' side SFP cage and circuit parts rearrangements.]

 

[[email protected]]

I would be very keen on a Monster Etherregen :)

 

Had you considered bulk pricing on Etherregens? I would want 3 for my home systems. I am guessing the hassle is reduced by sending multiple units to a single address? thus perhaps a discount. I get that they sell themselves though and you appear to have no shortage of customers :)

 

I will wait for at least the Etherregen 2's for the improved external clock inputs.

 

I am borrowing a friends Etheregen one at present and I am very impressed. Congratualtions on a great product.

 

Regards Andrew

[Superdad]

5 hours ago, [email protected] said:

Had you considered bulk pricing on Etherregens? I would want 3 for my home systems. I am guessing the hassle is reduced by sending multiple units to a single address?

Well each unit costs us the same even if several are sent to the same address. 

But we would be happy to do something special on freight for 3 units. Just contact us directly. 

5 hours ago, [email protected] said:

I am borrowing a friends Etheregen one at present and I am very impressed. Congratualtions on a great product.

Thanks very much!

Even though Gen2 is coming (too slowly we know), the technology and techniques in the original still have not been copied or matched. We are still the only switch on the market putting Ethernet through active differential digital isolator chips an doing high-speed ultra low jitter differential flip-flop reclocking—on both sides of that dual-domain “moat.”

Not easy to do but worth it.  

[richard_crl032]

May we know what is the latest status of gen 2 and estimated availability date ?  Tks and cheers.

[GryphonGuy]

16 hours ago, richard_crl032 said:

May we know what is the latest status of gen 2 and estimated availability date ?  Tks and cheers.

 

If you can't wait, you can still purchase gen 1.

 

For gen 2, you can look at their website for latest prediction. But it is a moving feast ATM. It must be very frustrating for them.

 

https://uptoneaudio.com/products/etherregen

 

Regards

GG

[richard_crl032]

Tks ... I had 2 and sold 1 in anticipation of the gen 2 few months back and having the remaining one between my antipodes cx server and ex player.

 

Interested in how much improvement with gen 2 in place of sold gen 1 before the cx server from wireless Airties mesh point and hence query.

 

Cheers.

[GryphonGuy]

I'm not expecting any difference. If there is an uptick in Sound Quality that will be a bonus because Gen1 is already really great for my sound quality purposes.

 

However, my audio devices (rednet dante card, DAD AX32 dante card, Merging Anubis) all need 1gb/s speed available to them before they'll operate. The DAD AX32 does actually start and connect but just limits the number of channels available and so works directly plugged into an EtherRegen. Both the Rednet dante card and the Merging Anubis both refuse to start if they are not connected to at least a 1gb/s ethernet link. So I currently have an intermediate and superfluous switch to fool both devices into thinking they are on a 1gb/s network. I need to remove that superfluous switch to reduce the number of hops the music is going through.

 

Oh I forgot to mention that I use the fibre port on the "A" side to connect back to my switch so that only leaves the "B" side 100M/bs port for the magic to happen. That's why I am waiting for the 1gb/s "B" port.

[richard_crl032]

Nice setup and do also expect significant SQ improvement without redundant switch ! 

 

I dun 1GMbs throughout I think and past experience tells me 100Mbs is plenty even for 4k video handling and many dsd audio files in my cx server.

 

For me, I vaguely remember that gen 2 will have some improvement when used with external clock which I am having the Afterdark oxco double crown version that was expensive to me w.r.t. more vfm etheregen but felt worthwhile for noted SQ improvement.

 

Cheers.

[Schafheide]

14k Gen 1's - most to be replaced by Gen 2!

Congratulations on a great product.

I guess then, that some time late 2024 I will have my Gen 2.

I must be very patient!