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CD Players, Digital Music & Servers Aurender, dCs, Esoteric, Lumin. |
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Uptone Audio's EtherREGEN released
Last week, Uptone Audio released their newest product, the EtherREGEN, a ground-up designed audiophile-grade Ethernet switch that has been in development for over 18 months.
When sales went live October 8th, the first 155 domestically avaiable units were sold in...3 minutes. The second run of ~200 sold out in less in another 45 minutes or so. Those that were able to get into the first group will receive their EtherREGENS around 10 November or so. From Uptone: Other “audiophile” Ethernet switches are mostly either just clock and power supply modifications of cheap off-the-shelf switches, or passive magnetics augmented with passive filter parts and a single fancy clock board. EtherREGEN is an all-new, from the ground-up design, built on a costly 6-layer circuit board, and its components and topology are unmatched by any other Ethernet switch. The heart of what makes our switch so unusual is the use of ACTIVE, HIGH-SPEED, LOW-JITTER DIFFERENTIAL DIGITAL ISOLATOR chips combined with ULTRA-LOW JITTER DIFFERENTIAL RE-CLOCKING FLIP-FLOPS. No other Ethernet switch on the market attempts this (doing this, and doing it correctly is neither easy nor cheap!). On the circuit board photos you can see the isolators set across the wide “moat.” More information: On the ‘A’-side, there are 4 Gigabit copper Ethernet ports, plus an SFP cage for a Gigabit LC optical module. A typical user will attach a cable from their main network router or switch, and if desired any NAS (network attached storage) or other devices. Across the “moat” at the other end of the EtherREGEN is a lone 100Mbps copper Ethernet port. This is referred to as the ‘B’-side port. It is to this port that the user will attach whatever is their one computer/streamer/bridge/renderer endpoint—the component that is directly connected to the DAC (this includes the increasing number of DACs which themselves have an Ethernet input). So why does this arrangement matter? From Uptone: There are two types of sound-degrading influences the EtherREGEN is designed to radically decrease: Leakage—both high-impedance and low-impedance—and clock phase-noise. The clock phase-noise travels on the Ethernet signal itself and travels on power and ground planes. [Every edge coming out of any digital device caries the jitter/phase-noise of the clock used to "clock out" that edge, this shows up on the ground-plane and affects the threshold of chips’ clock inputs. This is an oversimplification of a complex subject; we intend to publish a short white paper and measurements to demonstrate this.] The circuitry across the moat is designed to eliminate the signal-borne phase-noise from one side to the other. EtherREGEN is mostly symmetrical—there is no “dirty side” or “clean side.” While it works identically in both directions, it is best to have the DAC-attached Ethernet endpoint device (computer/streamer/etc.) alone on one side—typically the ‘B’ side. The circuitry between ports on the ‘A’ side decreases some phase-noise effects to some degree, but not nearly as much as crossing the ‘A’>’B’ moat. The COMBINATION of the differential isolators and the differential flip-flops is what delivers the unrivaled performance of the EtherREGEN. The differential isolators prevent the data-borne clock signature from getting onto the PCB ground-plane, while the differential flip-flops prevent the signature from getting into the flip-flop’s own internal ground network. It takes both to accomplish the great feats of the EtherREGEN. Some key technical features from Uptone's web page:
I ordered mine at 9:03 AM on Oct. 8, so I got into the 2nd group and will receive my EtherREGEN some time around Dec. 10th. Price is only $640, which is considerably less expensive than the AQVOX and SOtM Ethernet audiophile-grade Ethernet switches. If you use an Ethernet switch in your digital front-end, and are interested in getting an EtherREGEN, I recommend you place an order immediately. If you're lucky, you may get into the January 2020 production shipment. My expectation is EtherREGEN will be the best-sounding Ethernet switch on the market given its BOM and the technical & domain expertise that went into its design by John Swenson.
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. |
#2
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Additional engineering information from Uptone:
A note about our inclusion of an SFP cage: Use of optical into—or out of—EtherREGEN is not required to obtain best performance. The whole point of all the isolation and re-clocking techniques we are using (in dual domains) is to make most all of the upstream stuff not matter. Other than the complete galvanic isolation that optical offers going into the EtherREGEN (which we duplicate going across the moat), there is no advantage to running optical into it. If you happen to have a router with an optical port and have already run many feet of optical cable to your music system rack, then sure, use the optical port of the EtherREGEN. But don't go out of your way to run optical if you do not already have it. And of course for the few people who have an endpoint with optical input (the excellent Sonore opticalRendu comes to mind), one can “turn around” the EtherREGEN and feed that DAC-connected endpoint from the optical cage. Only Gigabit LC interface modules are compatible with the SFP cage of the EtherREGEN. They can be SX Multimode or LX Singlemode, as long as they match what is used at the other end of the optical cable. Extreme usage with an External Reference Clock: The Crystek CCHD-575 XO used in the EtherREGEN is about the lowest phase-noise production XO available. [Sorry, but the $50~$100 OCXOs we see tossed into stock switches do not outperform the Crystek at low-offsets where it counts; Manufacturers have to spend $500 and up to obtain OCXO clocks with significantly lower phase-noise than the Crystek we use.] Yet some audiophiles have discovered benefits using expensive ultra-low-jitter/low-phase-noise 10MHz reference clocks with their DACs or USB streamers and conditioners. A clock synthesizer (to generate the various frequencies) is always required for a device to accept an external reference clock. Since we already utilize a very advanced one to produce the 4 clock lines in the EtherREGEN, it was easy for us to include provision for connection of an external 10MHz clock. The BNC jack and termination resistor of the EtherREGEN are for a 75ohm clock line.
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. |
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Puma Cat ,
Thanks again for making this original post and then updating it. I'm placing one of these in my new system. Thanks again.
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Jazz Junkie Magico M3s; Vitus Masterpiece Components; TechDAS Air Force One; 2 x SME 3012-R; Airtight Opus 1 and MSL Platinum Signature; Taiko Audio Extreme + Switch; Albedo Metamorphosis Signature cables. |
#4
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Quote:
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#5
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Why the optical Jim? Stephen, I too am interested in this switch and look forward to the reviews from yourself and a bunch of guys in Hong Kong who are all over this technology.
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Main Equipment: Kharma Elegance dB11-S, JL Audio F113v2 X 2, Block Audio Line & Mono SE Amplification, Bricasti M21 DAC, Antipodes Kala K-50 Server Power: Shunyata Everest 8000, Sigma XC v2, Sigma NR v2, Block Audio PCs, Defender, ADDPowr Wizard Grounding: Shunyata Altaira CGS - 4 X Alpha CGS cables, Network : Supra Cat 8+, Twin (Nenon) Modified Buffalo GS2016 Switches, Keces P3 LPSU, Cables: Wireworld Platinum 8 USB, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse 8 Speaker cables, 6M & 1M Tubulus Concentus ICs, Other: Multiple GIK products, Stillpoint Apertures, Stillpoint Minis and Ultra SS, Three 20 Amp lines, Furutech GTX - Gold outlets, Adona Rack |
#6
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Quote:
I have no doubt that the etherRegen will function as designed and sound great but would feel better by using the SFP connection. |
#7
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Uptone Audio's EtherREGEN released
I have read about various options that in laymen’s speak, converts the copper Ethernet to SFP and back to a short high quality copper cable all to reduce the noise.
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Main Equipment: Kharma Elegance dB11-S, JL Audio F113v2 X 2, Block Audio Line & Mono SE Amplification, Bricasti M21 DAC, Antipodes Kala K-50 Server Power: Shunyata Everest 8000, Sigma XC v2, Sigma NR v2, Block Audio PCs, Defender, ADDPowr Wizard Grounding: Shunyata Altaira CGS - 4 X Alpha CGS cables, Network : Supra Cat 8+, Twin (Nenon) Modified Buffalo GS2016 Switches, Keces P3 LPSU, Cables: Wireworld Platinum 8 USB, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse 8 Speaker cables, 6M & 1M Tubulus Concentus ICs, Other: Multiple GIK products, Stillpoint Apertures, Stillpoint Minis and Ultra SS, Three 20 Amp lines, Furutech GTX - Gold outlets, Adona Rack |
#8
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Quote:
Quote:
Also, my hypothesis is that Crystek CCHD-575 XO clock in the EtherREGEN will be a (notably) better clock than the clock in the Sonore OpticalModule (OM) with respect to clock phase noise, and I'm absolutely certain the isolation transfomers on the RJ45 jacks of the EtherREGEN will be superior to the RJ45 jack on the OM. My plan is to move my OM from the Main Rack into the study where the Mac Mini is, connect to the OM via copper Shunyata Sigma Ethernet to it from either my Pace router or a switch, then run fiber out of the OM directly to the optical transceiver in the SFP cage on the A-side of EtherREGEN, and then Shunyata Sigma Ethernet from the B-side (on the other side of the "moat") to the SOtM UltraNeo network bridge.
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. Last edited by Puma Cat; 10-14-2019 at 06:12 PM. |
#9
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The Ethernet cable should be at least 1.5 meters in length. This is to minimize "reflections" within the cable of the analog square voltages that comprise the digital "signal".
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. |
#10
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There is no agreement by manufacturers as to a minimum length. The shortest possible after isolating with optical is often quoted.
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