Glad to hear it’s doing good things for you! So many variables at play from system to system and ear to ear.
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I agree with this idea, Ive actually had the Er on two separate occasions. One going to my MacMini>DSD via USB (no difference). Returned the eR. Later, once I was using the BridgeII alone, installing the eR made a HUGE difference vs USB. Now I am using the optical output to my Sonore Reference Optical and its fantastic (granted I have not tried non-optical on the Sonore since it only accepts optical in)
Interesting!
Today I swapped out the inexpensive 75 ohm clock cable and replaced it with a Shunyata Sigma clock cable. I get to watch the Masters so later on audio stuff.
Funny, the first song I listened to was a PJ Harvey demo that features nothing but distortion until she sings. I was all like “What??!!” Fun.
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That’s it, I quit!! I’m not adding another piece in my digital chain. There’s too much going on already. The sound is wonderful as it is. Please tell me you hear absolutely no difference with this Shunyata cable.
I’m back to listening to vinyl for now.
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I reported this once before - I heard no difference at all with the etherRegen. Others do. My guess is that @aangen has ears that are the equivalent of a Perfumer’s nose. Rare but celebrated.
For me this question lingers: Even though I can’t personally hear a tweak, and there are reports that many others do, am I emotionally experiencing it even though I don’t recognize that I am hearing a difference? If I leave a tweak in long enough, let’s say 60 days, would I somehow miss some emotive quality if I took it out? I don’t know how I could quantify this phenomenon. There are days that each of sit and listen to our rigs and think to ourselves “wow, this sounds awesome”. Would I experience less of those?
I love philosophy talk 
…is there a cat in that box?
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What a great line…!
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In my experience, the true test of whether and upgrade is an upgrade is extended listening (days, if not weeks) followed by 'backtracking", i.e., reversing the upgrade and returning the system to how it was before and listening. If things sound “worse” when you reverse the upgrade (truly worse to your ears as opposed to just different), then you know you were on to something.
It is not always practical to sufficiently emulate where you were before the “upgrade”, but this is often a good test approach.
FWIW.
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I think the best test is to remove it and see if you miss it.
Sadly, recently I did just that and fooled myself. So…
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How about the philosophy: if you spent a lot of money on something, it has got to sound better. That feeling will never leave you.
The problem is that this is true for many things, but not for everything.
Perhaps my and others philosophy is:
- prices of audio equipment are through the roof, how dare the industry to promote external improvement boxes while the streamers have power supplies and clocks built in and only a single Ethernet port to worry about
- all those boxes and extra wiring, while cables never improve SQ, on the contrary, audio cables are so expensive, because it seems to cost so much to prevent them to pick up noise like antennas or prevent them from filtering out sound signals
Don’t get me wrong, we will always need cables and there is a point in having good cables. But: the more cables, the more challenges. The more boxes, the more cables, the more challenges.
That’s exactly why I only buy these tweaks second hand and test them right away. After 30-60 days I decide to keep or sell. If I sell it I usually get close to my original purchase price.
Currently I have zero tweaks in my systems. I do have very good cabling, outlets, power mgmt, network and the gear itself. I have been considering a Sonore opticalModule Deluxe. Especially since I already have an extra fiber run to my cabinet and a good LPS with some excess capacity. But first I need a new TV.
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My rule used to be friends don’t let friends buy Sony. But my Sony OLED is untouchable except by a newer model.
I’d be jealous if someone bought one newer than my two year old one. Feed it with Wireworld Platinum HDMI cables and good power.
Al, I must say I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts. 99% of the time I find cable threads terminally boring but not so reading your posts. Quirky posts, self-deprecating humour - I find your posts to be amusingly entertaining. In my minds eye I see you festooned in cable looms, disconnected cables everywhere, a garland of wire like a modern day Medusa! Do you only buy the endless amounts of audio equipment in your quest to find ‘’thee cable’’… it’s all about “thee cable”. Who really needs the equipment. If you should ever find a sanctified, holy piece of wire from the ‘Consecrated Cable Company’ would you be at peace.? Of course you wouldn’t be, for there is always another cable on the horizon to audition, another cable’s delights to savour for a ‘day or two’… I do hope you keep searching so that I can continue to enjoy reading your witty, quirky posts. Al, keep searching for it… 
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I am thinking about focusing on feet for a while.
Cables are so last week.
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My dealer enabled me to try the cables and Silent Angel N8 and I did thoroughly enjoy trying and listening.
So I also like Al’s (@aangen) inputs.
I had to conclude that the offered tweaks were not for me right now.
Atlas Cable is a good brand, Kevin the manager knows what he and his team are doing. They and my dealer help with any issue I have. I enjoy all Atlas HDMI, balanced, single ended, USB, speaker and optical cables they sold me.
I must admit, the look and feel of the bunch and my engineering background tell me it’s the right way to go. When I bought those I did not even bother to listen.
So once I get my desired speakers for the living room and upgraded my turntable, and enough pocket money saved up again, I might just get those absolutely sound engineered power cables from Atlas, just for the above reasons.
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Well, be a “drag” without feet… 
I know you are not done with wire…
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@Dirk, if I understood right you have custom made power (filters) system. Would you mind sharing what you have / did, and your experiences. I am really interested in that subject.
I did buy a cable a week ago that I never even hooked up to anything and sold it for 2/3’s what I paid for it a day after I got it. It wasn’t because there was anything wrong with it I just have a short attention span. I am glad I finish sentences.
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The crazy thing is I believe you 
Oh it’s true. It went to Vee when he bought my Day DAC. The cable was made specifically for the DAC. Same Brand, Kitsune. I no longer Kitsune.
See, that even makes sense to YOU!
It’s a slippery slope.
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