This unit’s been out for over a week and there’s still no comments from new users on their forum. Not a lot of buzz for a $600 switch.
Cudfoo I think you might be looking in a different forum. There’s tons of comments from people like myself in the first shipment.
I had to update the firmware tonight to deal with a connectivity issue and now the sound is even better.
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I’ve read through much of the AS forum on the ER. I’m surprised at the number of reviews are from people that only listen to local tracks, not streaming. It seems network-based content would be most impacted/improved by reducing network noise.
I wonder how many of those that have or considered the ER loaded up a local playlist and disconnected their network connection to their server (only non-network connected DACs) to listen and see if they could hear a difference?
I’ve done this and can’t say I can detect any difference. Maybe my ears or system aren’t revealing enough, or my network isolation already in place is ‘enough’
I’m not knocking the ER or any other audiophile switch, I’ve not tried any of them, yet, just curious if any hear the difference without a network connection which I feel would be the ultimate isolation but oh so impractical.
Hmm, I just thought of this, I could load the playlist and shutdown the port that feeds my server via the switch interface…hmm.
I was one of the first recipients of the EtherRegen and thought I’d update this thread.
I originally had the idea to keep it right next to my house’s main switch, which is on a separate electrical circuit from my main system, and about 10 feet away from my streamer (through a wall). As others have mentioned above, it was better. The most immediate change was that bass was better defined and palpable. Soundstage width and depth increased and imaging was improved. I would rate these changes as equivalent to swapping out quality cables. Unfortunately, there was one downside - something was causing my ears to hurt a bit while listening. Weird.
After reading some posts on the UpTone forum suggesting that the ethernet cable to the streamer be kept short as possible, I moved the unit to the same circuit my stereo system is on (connected to a P20 regenerator) with a much shorter generic ethernet cable to the streamer. Well, you know those moments where you go “holy *hit?” Yes, it was one of those. The magnitude of the improvement will obviously be subjective from person to person, but those things I noted above were better, and noticeable within a few notes. I would say we are talking a component level upgrade equivalent. And that odd ear discomfort had disappeared.
Finally, I put the unit on a linear power supply (12v tap of an HDPLEX supply). Despite what the rumors are to the contrary, it was better - small changes, but I would not say hard to hear. I have never heard my system sound better.
Bottom line, given what some of us spend in this hobby (I have some cables that are orders of magnitude more expensive), I think the value of this thing is off the charts. Well worth a try.
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I likewise can’t recommend the EtherREGEN highly enough. It has transformed my system. It sounds so good I now exclusively use the Bridge II input on my DS Sr. Further, I can detect very little difference between local files and Tidal streams of the same album. Soundwise, it has made the USB output of my Roon Nuckeus+ pretty much obsolete (despite my using top tier USB cables and an Uptone USB REGEN powered by their Ultra Cap LPS 1.2).
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You’re correct - didn’t see that one - thanks
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I was in the 1st batch and there is a tremendous improvement in my system streaming Tidal/Qobuz. Prior to the ER local files were far superior. Now I would say it’s a dead heat. So I’m enjoying exploring.
I think the best way to describe the improvements I’m hearing is everything seems more relaxed/live. Quieter.
Great bang for the buck.
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Thanks. I’ve got one on order for Feb delivery. I’ve been reading the listening impressions thread on AS and believe I read yours regarding local vs. streaming improvement/parity.
In my system, I have parity between streaming and local content now. I’m most interested to trial the ER in my setup and find out if I realize additional improvement.
Hi Brett - You will definitely notice an very nice improvement with local files as well. Getting the endpoint/DAC on the B side across the moat isolates the playback from all that noise.
My system has never sounded better than it does right now. Pretty astounded by what I’m hearing on familiar content.
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My current setup, for the past year or so, is all streaming in that a Windows 10 PC hosts a CIFS share that my Pink Faun (AudioLinux) mounts; along with Tidal. Should be helpful agreed.
I have optical isolation from a Cisco 2960G (long since retired from a network I manage professionally) to my endpoint, then I2S into DS. It will be interesting to hear if the super hooty low-phase noise OCXO clocks in the Pink Faun and all of it’s power supply goodness will shine even more.
I plan to run the ER in ‘reverse’, B as copper input from Cisco and A to endpoint via existing fiber, nothing else in A. I’ll probably try the reverse as well but really don’t want to bother optimizing the on-motherboard Ethernet interface. Though it is a purported good one with multi-gig abilities. AQUANTIA® 5 Gigabit LAN
http://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/Fatal1ty%20X370%20Professional%20Gaming/
I do enjoy altering the sound by swapping out different isolation/damping materials I have…minor tweaks and my ears and system are revealing enough to detect so I believe the ER should be readily apparent if the upstream phase noise (mostly from Cisco smps) will be mitigated or dramatically reduced.
Best,
Brett
I was part of the group that received the ER in November and I must say, prior to the ER I was under the impression that my system was quite and I had taken care of all the noise issues. But after the ER, I now know that wasn’t true. The reduction in noise has brought my system to a whole new level. Lesson learned…You never notice the noise until it is gone!
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I agree, I don’t notice the noise until it’s gone as well. Counter-intuitive.
Slightly off topic: Are you replacing the P20 you have up for sale? I have a P10 and believe it’s added significantly to my system overall quality. Dynamics being right up top but overall background noise reduction as well.
The P20 is phenomenal!
I’m just itching to try the Stromtank 2500 Battery Power Supply. I would keep both if I could afford it but I need to sell the P20 to purchase the Stromtank. It’s just an itch that I could ignore if I don’t sell the P20 at my price.
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Gorgeous device but I don’t see any impedance specs. Their use of LiFePO4 is a good move for safety and longevity. Let us know if you do make the switch, too bad you can’t have them both in house to trial.
Very interesting power unit however the review seemed to indicate that it was not appropriate for large amps.
There’s the cost as well. $25k - there’s a larger That might handle amps?
I personally like having my BHK300 amps plugged into a power conditioner, especially one that stores energy and allows momentary current peaks way more than the outlet can provide.
I thought about the power handling capabilities, but fortunately, i have the ASR Emitter II Amp-Preamp combo. It already uses a battery supply for it’s operation. I also doubt that i will play music loud enough to the point of a shutdown. If that happens, i will rethink my purchase.
Very skeptical about the etherREGEN but not enough to skip paying $640 for one. Just ordered. I’ve been laying off audio purchases, saving my pennies for the apocalypse, guns and ammo; but lost this battle with my willpower. The quest to hear my music better is a powerful drug. Anyway, hope I didn’t waste my money, the concept seems dubious at best.
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As far as I understood at the last high end show, their main focus are customers living in countries with longer power shortages, therefore the batteries.
I guess in an ordinary environment you pay half for something you don’t need, which might even limit dynamics more than a non battery regenerator.
You have a 30 day trial.
I just sent mine back… it degraded my SQ by a very large amount. I am curious to hear back if mine was defective, which is possible. Alex was quite nice about the return.
What is your current switch?
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Interesting …
I had the opposite experience than cxp.
My general inclination leans against the clutter of add-on widgits that require SMPS bricks and, worse, dedicated LPS that cost more than the widgit in the first place. So I’m always initially skeptical of the voo-doo magic promised by these devices.
That said, I’ve also found that anything I do to “clean-up” the digital front end is more cost effective than spending up for, say, a dCS stack (which I can’t afford, anyway).
So, I eventually bit on a Matrix to run between my Aurender N100h and DS Sr, to take advantage of the I2S input, as -right or wrong - I’d already convinced myself of the better SQ using this input based on comparative performance between streaming and the DMP transport. That made a distinct improvement even relying on the 5v power supplied by the Aurender.
Emboldened by that experience, I recently bit on the EtherREGEN (there’s always the option to return it), as I’ve been using the stock modem/router supplied by Comcast (XFinifty), of which I’m not fond.
Bottom line, I’ve been running the EtherREGENfor several days now, and have been pleasantly surprised by the improvement in SQ. It’s made a bigger difference than adding the Matrix.
I would characterize the improvement as being in terms of overall “articulation,” which manifests in different, but consistent, ways.
Bass: the lowest notes are not louder, but are more defined. For example, I’m more aware of the finger on the string of a bass guitar. In general, a run of very low frequency notes are heard more as separate tones than as a continuously varying low tone.
Vocals: I find it easier to understand the lyrics on some recordings where the vocals were too buried in the mix to be completely intelligible.
Mids: Instruments are slightly more separated in the soundstage, with each having more if it’s own “space” around it (depends on the quality of the recording, of course).
Highs: Higher frequency instruments or electronic synth notes seem to have more subtle undertones and are more complex in timbre than registering simply as a high-frequency pitch.
Soundstage: Instruments deep in the soundstage and/or playing softly (pppp) are more 3-dimesional with a greater sense of “space” around them.
So I would summarize what I think I’m hearing as a reduction in a smearing of the time alignment of the signal, if that makes any sense. In my untutored opinion, that would account for the effects I hear at different frequencies and loudness levels.
The improvement was similar to the trajectory that SQ improvements took in the operating system upgrades of the DS.
Is it “night and day?” I wouldn’t necessarily say that, but I will say I heard what it did immediately, and it is NOT going back.
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