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UptoneAudio EtherREGEN

Heckyman

Heckyman

pfm Member
This device provides isolation and reclocking of network audio, typically between your router and a streamer.

The EtherREGEN has brought a whole new level of clarity, spaciousness and ease to my system. I feel now streaming is finally on a par with an excellent CD transport.

In my system, this is a component level upgrade...I don’t understand how the EtherREGEN does what it does, but the impact is not subtle.
 
Heckyman said:
This device provides isolation and reclocking of network audio, typically between your router and a streamer.

The EtherREGEN has brought a whole new level of clarity, spaciousness and ease to my system. I feel now streaming is finally on a par with an excellent CD transport.

In my system, this is a component level upgrade...I don’t understand how the EtherREGEN does what it does, but the impact is not subtle.
Click to expand...

Very good results in mine too. A considerable step up from the Cisco 2960 it has replaced, not mention the Netgear GS105 that preceded it.
 
Ponkbutler said:
Very good results in mine too. A considerable step up from the Cisco 2960 it has replaced, not mention the Netgear GS105 that preceded it.
Click to expand...

Can you say how it was better please? (Note I am not looking to trip you up, just genuinely interested).
 
The SQ improvement in my system is in all aspects, but take just soundstage. With the ER in place, the soundstage extends several feet outside the speakers and way out into the room. Bypassing the ER results in the soundstage collapsing to a flat plane inside the speakers after several seconds as the buffer runs out and continues to play direct from the modem (same cables on each run).

I'm using my "spare" DAC at the moment so the effect is perhaps more pronounced than it otherwise might be.
 
Heckyman said:
This device provides isolation and reclocking of network audio, typically between your router and a streamer.

The EtherREGEN has brought a whole new level of clarity, spaciousness and ease to my system. I feel now streaming is finally on a par with an excellent CD transport.

In my system, this is a component level upgrade...I don’t understand how the EtherREGEN does what it does, but the impact is not subtle.
Click to expand...


I just swapped my veritable Cisco 2960 switch for an Etherregen.

Straight out of the box there was an improvement in the higher frequencies with more clarity, more reality, although loss in bass volume.

One week later the soundstage is wider and deeper and the bass register clearer. This is a significant upgrade on the Cisco

I found that the Etherregen with the standard switch power supply to be power sensitive – better on my BMU compared to the wall, and better still with a MCRU 75 power lead compared to a standard Naim powercord

I am very tempted therefore to either buy a linear supply from Farad or Paul Hynes, or a Teddy Pardo

To my mind, for those that use streaming, getting the switch right is a logical first step before thinking of a better dac/streamer.
 
I have a Farad and in my experience the PSU to the switch is at least as important as the switch itself. Paul Hynes should be a good choice too as the output voltage is adjustable.

That said, I eventually sold my EtherREGEN and I’ve given up on “audiophile switches”. I just use local files (no network connection at all), WiFi or stream from my phone via a Bluetooth receiver. In this case adding an extra switch has no effect.
 
I use English Electric 8Switch which replaced my Netgear GS105 + iFi PSU. Great results here also.

Most important thing is to add any switch between streamer and wall socket. Straight wire from wall to streamer was clearly the worst option when I experimented with different connections. Also, always use unshielded UTP cable or "floating shield" cable between wall socket and router/streamer to avoid ground loops.
 
Patu said:
Also, always use unshielded UTP cable or "floating shield" cable between wall socket and router/streamer to avoid ground loops.
Click to expand...

I've read that too, but I found Shielded Cat8 slightly better than unshielded Cat5e UTP cables, both used for all connections. Also solid core better than stranded. And no wires at all even better ;-)
 
You could have tried CAT5e STP instead, lower bandwidth and still shielded. Worth pointing out that all Gigabit ethernet switches ‘regenerate’ the signal and galvanic isolate the ports, they typically store and forward the ethernet packets, some low latency switches like those from Mellanox use cut through switching. Floating shields is a good idea otherwise you have to pay attention to ground loops with fully shielded cables and end points. Why didn’t anybody try a better psu with their Netgear/Cisco first?
 
Heckyman said:
I have a Farad and in my experience the PSU to the switch is at least as important as the switch itself. Paul Hynes should be a good choice too as the output voltage is adjustable.

That said, I eventually sold my EtherREGEN and I’ve given up on “audiophile switches”. I just use local files (no network connection at all), WiFi or stream from my phone via a Bluetooth receiver. In this case adding an extra switch has no effect.
Click to expand...

For many years I used Wifi to stream from my NAS to my NDS, but was surprised that a wired link sounded much better (even with a then Netgaer switch, which changed to a Cisco and now Etherregen)
I am not sure if this only a Naim issue only, but I think otherr manufacturers also still recommend wired ?
 
NRG said:
You could have tried CAT5e STP instead, lower bandwidth and still shielded. Worth pointing out that all Gigabit ethernet switches ‘regenerate’ the signal and galvanic isolate the ports, they typically store and forward the ethernet packets, some low latency switches like those from Mellanox use cut through switching. Floating shields is a good idea otherwise you have to pay attention to ground loops with fully shielded cables and end points. Why didn’t anybody try a better psu with their Netgear/Cisco first?
Click to expand...

I did try Cat 5/6 U/UTP, Cat 5e U/FTP, Cat 6 S/FTP and Cat8 S/FTP. The only cable I sensed any improvement with was the Cat 8.

Agree (in hindsight) that audiophile PSU with business grade switch is a better first try than audiophile switch with business/medical grade PSU.
 
andrews said:
For many years I used Wifi to stream from my NAS to my NDS, but was surprised that a wired link sounded much better (even with a then Netgaer switch, which changed to a Cisco and now Etherregen)
I am not sure if this only a Naim issue only, but I think otherr manufacturers also still recommend wired ?
Click to expand...

With iMac + Denafrips converter there's very little difference between WiFi and the full monty wired setup. No idea about Naim etc.
 
..I do use an Edgerouter X, wireless access point and subnet for audio, so not just the bog standard all-in-one ISP router with hundreds of household devices on it and a $2 SMPS. That said, I don't know if this makes an audible difference or not.
 
My experience - tried the ER and even gave it all the benefit of the doubt i.e. stories it needing very extended run in and all that. Sold it soon after. Some subtle changes may be (not even sure all beneficial) but very little for the hype and cost for sure, let alone expanding soundstages feet beyond and whole new levels? Poorly designed from a consumer perspective to start with, in my view.
 
The ER did have a positive effect at the time I wrote the OP. It was a little over exuberant but not wrong. It took a lot of experimentation to reach the point where I felt I didn’t need it anymore.
 
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