We shall see. My concern is people buying a switch when they don’t currently use a switch. The best kind of switch is no switch.
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EtherREGEN on the way!
- Thread starter Puma Cat
- Start date
We shall see. My concern is people buying a switch when they don’t currently use a switch. The best kind of switch is no switch.
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Puma Cat
Well-known member
- Thread Author
- #22
Absolutely. In my case, though, I do need a switch, as I have to network my router, Mac Mini and SOtM all together via some form of Ethernet, either copper or optical, or a combination thereof.
Historically, I've been using the four RJ45 jacks in my router for these "switch" connections, but I could use ER for this, or ER in conjunction with an external switch.
So, at the end of the day, I still need some way to get a "hardwired" LAN connection from my bedroom/study down to my network bridge in the living room. I've been using optical with two FMCs (one a generic one, and the other, an Optical Module aka OM) for this since its considerably easier (and better, and quieter) than doing this with copper Ethernet. I could use another, second, Optical Module, so I had one at both ends, to do this, but this would also require yet another Uptone LPS-1.2 power supply for $435, so its cheaper to use ER than using a second OM. Moreover, ER is more flexible, as I can also experiment with using ER as an actual" switch if that config works better than using it as an FMC."
UltraFast69
New member
Something to think about is your Gigafoil. UpTone does not want to see this in between the etherREGEN and your DAC.
I am not sure what it will do before it, if even needed after this.
Your Keces can power it, but they said that it’s not needed.
I don’t know the voltage and amps but it is a 2.1 connector
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Kingrex
Active member
Ed, are you referring to Daryl having a gigafoil?
It will be interesting what you hear, or myself. I think my switch has the same clocks as the ER. As well as other updated parts and LPS. You have a pretty extensive array of audio quality ethernet gear. Anyhow, I was partly suspect of the gigafoil for the exact reason ER says there switch is great. What clocks and converter etc are in the gigafoil. I could understand the concept of isolation. What I did not see in the giafoil was premium ethernet clocking. I assume that and good isolation as well as correct grounding is the key to the Uptone ER.
FWIM. A lot of what Pumma notes I heard when I installed my Linear Solution switch. It was a large step over a regular netgear switch with a LPS feeding it. You heard the same with your Aqvox.
It will be interesting what you hear, or myself. I think my switch has the same clocks as the ER. As well as other updated parts and LPS. You have a pretty extensive array of audio quality ethernet gear. Anyhow, I was partly suspect of the gigafoil for the exact reason ER says there switch is great. What clocks and converter etc are in the gigafoil. I could understand the concept of isolation. What I did not see in the giafoil was premium ethernet clocking. I assume that and good isolation as well as correct grounding is the key to the Uptone ER.
FWIM. A lot of what Pumma notes I heard when I installed my Linear Solution switch. It was a large step over a regular netgear switch with a LPS feeding it. You heard the same with your Aqvox.
Darrel
Member
This stuff is like piecing together a puzzle. Everything has its place. I plan on holding off on any new additions until next year. Shipping any new units from ER won't be until then anyway. And I can use you a sounding board for system changes.
I thought I was getting the Symphony ADDPowR this past Saturday to go along with the ElectraClear module. The Cardas Clear Beyond 2.5m showed up instead. So, I have had a few days listening to the ElectraClear and power cord in my system. I really like what Cardas brings to my system. And with the ELectraClear adding more detailed energy I got to say I'm liking what I have even more. Yesterday was a holiday so I'm thinking the Symphony will show up today. I'm curious as to what if any improvements can come.
Darrel
Member
The term "module" is from the instructions on the ElectraClear. It states "Plug the module into any wall socket, or power strip." Sorry if I caused some confusion.
Kingrex
Active member
https://add-powr.com/products
Look here. I have a symphony and 2 electraclear. One of the best fairly inexpensive adds to my system.
mep
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2013
- Messages
- 5,106
Is this what you bought?
“It is an active line harmonizer that adds a program (algorithm) of a low fundamental frequency along with harmonic overtones directly onto the AC line. The system noise floor will drop as well as add energy to the audio and video reproduced signals.”
Darrel
Member
Mike, is it possible to have networking in your house without a switch? If you are connecting your DAC directly to your server I would think that having an ER feeding your server would be beneficial. For those of us with a configuration that includes a server and an endpoint this would feed the endpoint.
I have way too many devices to just use the router. Plus, the router is also a switch but I assume you were saying one should avoid “another” switch.
Puma Cat
Well-known member
- Thread Author
- #35
There are usually a number of problems going direct from consumer-grade routers:
1) the clocks are in generic consumer-grade routers are very cheap and induce clock phase noise, which is audible.
2) the flip-flops for these Ethernet switches are also very cheap, and contribute to the noise carried on top of the analog square waves that comprise digital bitstreams.
3) Most routers are powered by switch-mode power supplies, which are insidious with respect to producing low- and high-impedance AC leakage currents, which contribute significantly to clock phase noise and jitter. The impact of high-impedance leakage currents and their role in inducing clock phase noise and jitter is not well-known as this specific class of leakage currents were not even discovered until October, 2017.
4) The ports on routers typically have low-specification isolation tranformers and leakage currents can "jump" from port to port, contaminating more than one component in the chain.
5) There is no distinction between input and output ports on routers, which means that AC leakage currents can move from an "input" device e.g. a music server to an output device, e.g. a network bridge.
The EtherREGEN is a bespoke Ethernet switch product specifically developed for audio applications that mitigates and obviates these specific problems and source of noise as listed below:
1) the clocks in EtherREGEN are ultra-low-jitter/phase-noise Crystek CCHD-575 oscillators. Importantly, the clock distribution system (for the switch chip, the special Ethernet format conversion chips, and the high-speed flip-flops is run differentially throughout.
2) EtherREGEN has two isolated data/power/clock domains (the A side and the B side; separated by a "moat"). Each isolated domain is re-clocked using 10GHz-capable ultra-low-jitter (less than 0.8 picoseconds) differential flip-flops
3) The power supply for the EtherREGEN is specifically designed to prevent the passage of leakage currennts which induce clock phase noise.
4) the RJ45 module utilizes 12 transformer cores in each port (most Ethernet ports have 2~6 cores), and ground their center-taps through capacitors in a way that blocks port-to-port AC leakage currents.
5) ER uses an Active Differential Isolation Moat (“ADIM™”) that separates the A side (typically the input side)—to its ‘B’ side preventing leakage currents from being passed on to streamers, network bridges, and ultimately, DACs.
All of these specific features, functions and design embodiments are why ER provides notably superior audio quality for digital streaming than a generic, consumer-grade router.
Analogously, its no different than using a Shunyata Denali 6000/T V2 for distributing power vs. an el cheapo Monster power strip.
The Router is a very noisy device. In my case the addition of an Aqvox greatly improved the sound. I hope my next EtherRegen will do many more. I would never connect my server directly to a router.
Kingrex
Active member
Wow Puma, you sound like a dealer :celebrate008_2:
Puma Cat
Well-known member
- Thread Author
- #39
No...I'm a scientist. Just doing a lot of research in this area for the last 6 months. Scientists just want to...understand.
Also been doing a lot of research on the impact of "consciousness" on quantum physics, and how a conscious observer can collapse the wave function of light in the classic double-slit experiment with 5 Sigma statistical confidence (the same statistical confidence that was used to demonstrate the detection of the Higgs Boson, which resulted in a Nobel Prize).