EtherREGEN on the way!

Puma Cat said:

The GigaFoil is a fiber media isolator, Rex, the EtherREGEN is an Ethernet switch. They do different things.

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My take is V is trying to get the best sound possible with digital. Optical isolation is another good method to improve performance. So is better power supplies to the modem and router. I would give those methods a try.

Also, take a look at some of Ultrafast images of his racking. I doubt many people are using Taco platforms and stillfeet under their digital backbone gear. But what really is the difference between a server/DAC and a modem, router and switch. They are all computers.

I wish V would tell us what the performance difference is between a $700 etherregen and $6k Ansuz since he heard them both. I'm curious to know if its significant or subtle. It's nice to know the value pieces that get you 85% to 90% of the way there. Or the flip, who is using their name to charge more for something with little value.

Puma Cat said:

I would have recommended replacing the AQVOX switch only with the EtherREGEN, there's no need to run two switches in series. Did you try it that way? I don't understand why you put another switch in between an Ethernet switch and your Vivaldi.

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Ok i try now and let you know.

Will also say that better power supply's for the switch and even router does work , i have just tried the cheaper ones ( Ifi ) but for the money i am amazed.

I had a generic Ethernet cable from ER to my ACS10, the thought of cleaning up the digital and then sending through a generic cable had me wonder.

My friend whose system eclipses mine recommended a Bluejeans, they certify the cable with measurements. I replaced the generic with the 1 foot BJC and it made a huge improvement. I was expecting some improvement but not as big as it was. I would like to try another cable someday to see how this $13.75 cable measures up.

So I listened to maybe half of America's Sandman as my system was then replaced the cable and listned again. The overall sound improved but the background vocals on left and right were no longer sort of blurred together, they were more distinct. As I played more tracks the goodness of the ER shined through, better detail and refindment. The only thing I can figure is the generic cable didn't allow all improvements to be heard or somehow degraded what was performed by the ER. The bass response was cleaned even more. I thought for a moment the bass was less but the detail was better and thrust still there.

I'm not trying to sell a brand but to relay a better cable after the ER is definitely warranted. I am astonished.

I have Blue Jeans throughout my audio network. I taped the end to keep it clean and pulled it through walls.

After few days listening, i still prefer AQvox over ER, guys, more air, bigger sound stage, better musical.
The reason i bought ER was for testing “double switch” but end up ER alone or combining with AQvox in same chain does not improve anything. I dont want to promote AQvox or any brand. Just want to share and get any good advise for my stuffs.
Thanks

vutranchitam said:

After few days listening, i still prefer AQvox over ER, guys, more air, bigger sound stage, better musical.
The reason i bought ER was for testing “double switch” but end up ER alone or combining with AQvox in same chain does not improve anything. I dont want to promote AQvox or any brand. Just want to share and get any good advise for my stuffs.
Thanks

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Maybe its your systems synergy with the device. What is your system ? amp, source, speakers etc..

Avantgarde Mezzo XD, Misho Wooden Amp, Vivaldi One + Clock, Taralabs Grandmaster Evolution speaker cable.
My diagram is Router > AQvox > (Roon Nucleus+ & Vivaldi One) All using Nordost Heimdall Ethernet cable.

vutranchitam said:

Avantgarde Mezzo XD, Misho Wooden Amp, Vivaldi One + Clock, Taralabs Grandmaster Evolution speaker cable.
My diagram is Router > AQvox > (Roon Nucleus+ & Vivaldi One) All using Nordost Heimdall Ethernet cable.

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Nice, Thanks

I'm using a Ethernet bridege, the type that uses the AC lines. Any idea if I'd hear any difference if replacing the Ethernet between router and gizmo plugged into outlet or the Ethernet going from AC outlet gizmo to ER?

One thing about the BJC it's cheap enough to try and it wouldn't hurt anything. I was looking at a Wireworld Starlight 8 before hearing about the BJC.

Kingrex said:

I have Blue Jeans throughout my audio network. I taped the end to keep it clean and pulled it through walls.

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I would think a cable designed for the purpose would sound better than a hybrid designed for ease of use.

How hard is it to get from place to place. Crawl spaces are great places to move stuff around. I'm happy to consult on how to get stuff from here to there. It's what I do and I'm pretty imaginative.

asindc said:

Hello All,

I’m considering re-configuring my streaming setup with the possible use of fiber optic cable. I just bought an Antipodes CX that I will receive next week. I had originally considered making a long run of FO cable to replace my current long run (about 20 ft.) of generic originally installed 16-yr-old CAT5 cable from switch near router to wall plate in listening room. Unfortunately, making that FO run is just simply not practical, if possible at all. Here is my current setup:

Verizon Fios router (also serves as wifi for iPad and iPhone)—CAT5—>Netgear switch GS-116 (all ethernet connected devices in home are plugged into this, including Mac Mini as Roon Server)—CAT5 to listening room—>Wall Plate—WW Starlight 8 Ethernet—>EtherRegen (stock)—>WW Plat. Starlight Ethernet—>Cary DMS-600 Streamer/DAC.


Since I cannot do the long run of FO to the listening room, I’m thinking of doing a short run from an FMC (placed directly after Fios router) to a dedicated switch placed directly after FMC. The switch would then convert the FO back to Ethernet for the long run to the listening room. It would look something like this (changes in bold):

Verizon Fios router (powered by iFi iPower LPS)—WW Ethernet—>FMC—>1m (or whatever length needed) FO Cable—>Buffalo BS-GS2008 switch (powered by Keces P3)—>WW Ethernet—>Buffalo BS-GS2008 switch (powered by Keces P3)—>CAT5 to listening room—>Wall Plate—WW Starlight 8 Ethernet—>EtherRegen (powered by Paul Hynes SR5T)—>WW Plat. Starlight Ethernet—>Antipodes CX (Roon Server)—WW Plat. Starlight Ethernet—->Cary DMS-600 Streamer/DAC. The non-audio ethernet devices would be served via a separate ethernet cable run from the Fios router to the Netgear switch. The Netgear switch and all other devices in house with SMPS will get Jemeco LPS.


So my question is: Would it be worthwhile to run an FMC—>1m (or however how long) FO cable from the router into a pair of switches (or just one switch) just to convert it back to ethernet for a 20ft+ run to the listening room? The idea would be to isolate the audio stream from the router and everything connected to the other ethernet run from the router, but I don’t know if this would do the trick. Any other constructive suggestions for the proposed setup are welcome as well.

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Acc. to Alex at Uptone, you really shouldn't require a run of fiber to get around the intrinsic problems from using copper Ethernet and consumer grade switches. You certainly can insert a run of FO, and what this will do is prevent the passage of leakge current from your iFI SMPS downstream (yes, the IFI passes leakage current, in fact, it passes quite a bit of this) to your network bridge and DAC. If you do, be sure to power the FMC with a good linear power supply, e.g. one of the Reliapro LPS from Jameco Electronics.

On another note, you can replace the iFi IPower completely with another $11 Reliapro LPS from Jameco, and this will bring an audible improvement to your system.

Puma Cat said:

Acc. to Alex at Uptone, you really shouldn't require a run of fiber to get around the intrinsic problems from using copper Ethernet and consumer grade switches. You certainly can insert a run of FO, and what this will do is prevent the passage of leakge current from your iFI SMPS downstream (yes, the IFI passes leakage current, in fact, it passes quite a bit of this) to your network bridge and DAC. If you do, be sure to power the FMC with a good linear power supply, e.g. one of the Reliapro LPS from Jameco Electronics.

On another note, you can replace the iFi IPower completely with another $11 Reliapro LPS from Jameco, and this will bring an audible improvement to your system.

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Thanks for the reply. Based on comments on other forums, I had understood that iFi iPower actually reduced the passage of noise. I’ll check out the Reliapro LPS.

asindc said:

Thanks for the reply. Based on comments on other forums, I had understood that iFi iPower actually reduced the passage of noise. I’ll check out the Reliapro LPS.

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Yeah, that's the message that iFi puts forward, but actually it's one of the worst power supplies for pushing out high-source impedance leakage current; however, they may not even know this as they likely don't know how to measure this.

If you want a link to Reliapro at Jameco, just let me know. Cheers.

asindc said:

Thanks for the reply. Based on comments on other forums, I had understood that iFi iPower actually reduced the passage of noise. I’ll check out the Reliapro LPS.

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Yes, please.

One of the bigger improvements I heard in my setup was replacing a 3 foot jumper of cat 5 with cat 6. It was a big enough improvement I went and stripped all the cat 6 out of my audio and replaced it with Blue Jeans Cat 6. Cable quality matters. Any way you can get rid of that run of 5.

Can you pull your baseboard off and slip the cable in a shallow trench behind it.