Ethernet isolator

I ditched the Aries after discovering limitations in its handling of playlists.
The Aries did not get good wifi reception at about 30 feet from my router, so I wound up running it with wire.
I presently use ethernet with a filter in front of the DSD Bridge.
Personally I can’t tell any obvious difference among the various types of connection, but I’m biased by my bits-are-bits belief system. 6ˆ)

Those Emosafe en-70e isolators work well. I have three of them and some of my audiophile friends have even more. Daisy chained from router to dac. So with 4 Emosafes you need 5 ethernet cables. The more you add them,the better it comes. And you can hear the improvement immediately as cleaner ,more transparent sound. Highly recommended tweak. If you run straight cat cable from switch or router to dac,you will be amazed when you install these.

I have a pair of TP Link MC100CM feeding my Bridge II. The MC100CM that connects to the Bridge via ethernet cable appears to be the most sensitive in the circuit.
Tried a number of external psu such as Teddy Pardo, Sbooster MKII and ended up staying with HDplex 100 watts 2016 model doing the 9vdc. This the most enjoyable music that has emitted from my system. I am so hooked that I have ordered the 200watts 2019 model to see if there might be a great difference.
Teddy Pardo and Sbooster are really good also but it comes down to which one is most enjoyable for me.
HDplex also feeds the Ted Smith pcb at 12vdc in my DSD dac and the original PS Audio psu feeds the other pcb.
My router/modem and NAS also get feed by separate Teddy Pardos.
The use of the red Wireworld Cat 8 and Tera Grand really also helps.
These external PSUs are the heartbeat in my system
If you are able please try larger external PSUs

Shunyata have new ethernet cable products about to hit the market.

Venom = $295
Alpha = $600
Sigma = $900

Might be worth a try for the ethernet cable tweakers out there.

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Not sure if I’ve posted this before, but recent fibre optic inclusion as shown. Digital signal path in yellow, power in red.

The Cisco switch, fibre connector, cable, TPLink and ifi low noise power supply cost a total of about £180, say $250. I’ve only ever bought one expensive ethernet cable, an AQ Cinnamon, and it sits between the Roon server and audio player. All the others are from Amazon.

The Shunyata Delta EF is a revelation. It is on loan, but I will be buying one. May get one for the Innuos and the UK6 block instead of the P3, not least because I can demo them first.

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@JeffofArabica, @Baldy, @cardri, and @qzfrj6. You have all purchased the GigaFoil Ethernet Filter and seem to be very happy with the purchase in its ability to clean up noise and make the SQ jump in your ethernet connection. GigaFOIL Ethernet Filter Has Launched. I have posted this request in the Ethernet Isolator post because I think there are other folks that would benefit from your comments in the Gigafoil Ethernet thread. I respect your opinions and wanted to get some more of them and ask a few questions. Also, anybody else that has opinions on isolating Ethernet noise chirp in. (@tedsmith always respect your thoughts)

I am currently using a Baetis Prodigy Server that has my Roon Core. (I am a Roon addict). The Prodigy Server currently is connected to the DS DAC via ethernet with a crapply router and crappy ethernet cables. (I can also connect the Prodigy via USB and BNC but my questions are related to maximizing the ethernet connections.) I am going to put the GIGAFoil filter right before the DS DAC wich feeds a BHK Pre; BHK 300’s, P20, feeding Maggie 20.7s and 2 REL Carbon Ltd Subs. I have nice interconnects, cabling, and power cables.

My thought is that if the GigaFoil does its job why would I care about the noise created by the crappy router and crapply cables prior to entering the GigaFoil? I am thinking of budgeting my dollars and focusing on reducing noise on everything that the GigaFoil ends up feeding. (e.g. good ethernet cable that would feed the Bridge II from the GigaFoil). I was also thinking of getting the Bridge II out of the DAC and replacing it with something that could accept ethernet and stream and feed the DS via optical or I2S without going through the Matrix shuffle to I2S.

Am I missing something by ignoring reducing the noise before the Gigafoil with better cables or a better router? Any comments greatly appreciated

@minnesotafats My system is probably not as audiophile pure as many but in my case I still have a standard netgear WAP/router and 8 port switch but I do use blue jeans CAT6 cables from the WAP/router to the TV, Denon AVR, Oppo 203, GIGA Foil isolator, and Nucleus + . I have the GIGA Foil routed to the network port on my Nuc+ as I send the music to the DS Jr via a Matrix and Pangea HDMI cable to the I2S port. I do have IFI LPS power supplies on everything including the WAP / router and netgear switch. In my case it did make enough of a difference to be worth the money spent. An AQVOX switch and high dollar HDMI cable may help but I think the BJC CAT6 cables really cant be beat. Others will argue but the science and quality speak for themselves.
@cardri can go into more detail on the GIGA Foil if needed as he has the GIGA Foil along with much higher quality connections and power supplies in his system.
Hope this helps

I’ve been following this with interest. I think in my next house, rather than running wired Ethernet through the place I will consider running MM fiber through the walls as the main transfer medium.

Thank you. Your thoughts do help. I am always interested in what people try and what they have learned from their experiences.

@minnesotafats - Netgear AS4000 WAP/router to AQVOX-SE switch w/ 100ft CAT7, then AQVOX CAT7 (50cm) to Giga FOIL, then AQVOX CAT7 (25cm) to N+, J Maxwel “data only” USB (12in) cable to Matrix; Nordost HDMI (1m) to DSD. I use to run the Giga FOIL into the DSD BII and got rid of that end-point. I use a +5V Sbooster w/ Ultra to power AQVOX-SE; use +5V Sbooster w/ Ultra to power Giga FOIL; use +5V Sbooster w/ Ultra to power Matrix; use 18V Sbooster to power N+; have 18V FARAD coming to A/B against Sbooster for N+. Each step has been an evolution with benefit each time. I’m not really a group thinker so I try something and if it works, keep it and post results for the group thinkers to digest and debate. I find there is no better approach to getting your system better than just trying an idea. All systems are different; therefore, best to buy gear and try the gear. Giga FOIL filters are sold from southern CA with a 30 day return policy. Buy it, listen and return if it does not sound better. No science needed, no group think either, just your ears… and some leg work getting and returning products.

Recently I’ve separated the Ethernet/streamer power supply inputs from all my PSA gear (DMP, DSD, BHKPREE, BHK300). Running that to an EVO 3 Sirus then to the top plug of an SR BLUE wall duplex that contains a single run 20A 10ga from panel.

Hope this helps…

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Thank you. I agree with your empericist approach of trying things. What is your new endpoint?

@minnesotafats - Nucleus+ is my endpoint for the Ethernet after I got rid of the BII. I didn’t believe the Matrix approach until I tried it and OMG it is better. Removed the BII and sold the unit. I run the Matrix external PS voltage at 5.15V too, manual says 6V min… not a group thinker… I’ve been running it at that voltage for over a month with zero issues. I run all my supplies as low as they can be run, from what the PS experts say - it helps the noise spectrum. However, the Sbooster Ultra (active filter) has very tight regulation (<25mV) so that may help. The AQVOX-SE was added when I had the BII and have not A/Bed its affect since getting rid of the BII.

N+ - I have owned it for 8months and it has been flawless (zero issues). The SQ is amazing and software is flawless. My next step is PF 2.16 however, I didn’t think the N+ would be as amazing as it has been so that will be in a few years. FARAD is an spin-off of Pink Faun. Mattijs is a great resource, so is Wiebren (Sbooster). The FARAD LPS looks amazing and a few have said it is better than Sbooster w/ no Ultra… will be running that through the paces in a few weeks. They just shipped today.
Hope this helps…

This does help. I have been thinking of getting the N+ as I am a lifetime subsriber to Roon and love the interface. I did not think of using the N+ as the endoint becuase I had it in my head as just a server using ethernet to a renderer. Not a fan of USB but it sounds like the Matrix conversion two step wiht the NP is a good play. . Long term it looks like I will be getting the N+ when my Prodigy Server starts getting antiquated. (It is three years old and once my Roon Library gets pretty big I think I will need the N+).

I ordered the GigaFoil today and will place it right in front of the Bridge. When I inevitably get the N+ will put the GigaFoil in front of the N+. Thanks again for sharing all your ideas.

@minnesotafats - there are 5,000 ways to skin a cat and N+ is just one way… since I am a very stupid person, I decided to work the N+ as my 1st server… It took 5 min to set it up and each time I try something different… takes a minute to reconfigure… The surprise was the SQ, that’s what the surprise was. Also, you don’t really need the N+ if you are not doing a lot of filtering (convolution, parametric) and auto volume leveling. If I had it to do over I would have got a Nucleus… wait… take it back. Like when I showed up on the Chevy lot looking at the new 2019 Vette in JAN, 2019… saw the Z06 and went WTF is that Vette, looks like it belongs on a track, please sell me that car… :slight_smile:

Also, the Giga FOIL is easily returnable. If you don’t hear better, tell the group thinkers on the forum your results and return it to the manufacturer. Your uniqueness will be added to the collective…

I have a 5,000 album local library (4TB Samsung EVO SSD) inside the N+ and that is nothing for the N+ to handle. 350K tracks are no big deal according to some. I also have (2) Samsung T5 (2TB) USB SSDs, just in case things get a little crowded in the N+. One of the USB outputs is for the Matrix and the other is for future T5 USB SSD. There are a few camps on the USB cable length and also how you connect (USB) the server to the Matrix. I’m in the short as possible “data only” cable camp of the forum collective. In addition, I use the Sbooster w/ Ultra LPS for the Matrix external power (5.15V). Some use the server power and others use different external power for Matrix. All good, no science needed, you buy an LPS and try it and if it sux, ship it back and get a new idea from the collective.

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Can someone comment about GigaFOILv4-INLINE vs Pink Faun Isolator?
I’m looking for a solution for my DSJ.

The EtherREGEN pre-order launch will take place this coming Tuesday, October 8th at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time…

I’ve been using a Cisco Catalyst 2960 ($25 on eBay) based on Alex of Upton’s recommendation a few months back. It made a similar level of improvement as the Matrix did with my DS. He says the EtherRegen will enhance this improvement a number of times. I tend to believe him - he’s usually right.

I had a 2960 as well but it raised all sorts of problems connecting a new server. The solution was to get rid of it an get a dumb switch. I was stunned at the overall improvement was on getting rid of the 2960. Here I thought I was doing swell… Your situation may be very different than mine though.

Just had to wipe out the old config and set to auto 100mb full and all was well. Sonically it destroys any “dumb” switch" I’ve used with audio servers.

Nice pic of new EtherRegen: