"Audiophile Grade" Ethernet Switches - The new generation

[audio_engr]

I've been closely following this thread but never participated ... my ER just arrived today .. its been running 5 hrs now & all I can say for now is that its playing w/o getting "Roon RAAT" issues that was occasionally occurring using a Netgear Gigabit switch.

Any kind of difference in sound so far?
It places between the router and the streamer, right?

A-side : Router (std CAT 6) & Roon Nucleus+ (AQ Vodka)   |   B-side : Devialet 440-Pro (AQ Diamond)

As for the sound, I observed things that has been said before by @David A and @Flashman like "better cohesiveness in the music presentation, instruments seem better defined on the sound stage and voices, in sounds richer" etc.  I also observed that music as whole flows much better, my mind is focussing on the whole performance instead of picking individual instrument lines/voices. I also noticed the background more blacker hence very low-level sound can be clearly heard without difficulty. And finally, it is a much more enjoyable & thrilling experience without a single hint of strain or the sorts. 

I'll let it run for more time & complete the 100 hrs and can only hope for it to get better. 

The ER running warm but nothing alarming in spite of ambient temperatures these days in my region (Northern Virginia, US) touching 100 F (38 deg C). My climate control at home is set at 72 F (22-23 deg C) and the warm chassis of the ER is not bothersome to me at all. 

[BoyScout]

A-side : Router (std CAT 6) & Roon Nucleus+ (AQ Vodka)   |   B-side : Devialet 440-Pro (AQ Diamond)

As for the sound, I observed things that has been said before by @David A and @Flashman like "better cohesiveness in the music presentation, instruments seem better defined on the sound stage and voices, in sounds richer" etc.  I also observed that music as whole flows much better, my mind is focussing on the whole performance instead of picking individual instrument lines/voices. I also noticed the background more blacker hence very low-level sound can be clearly heard without difficulty. And finally, it is a much more enjoyable & thrilling experience without a single hint of strain or the sorts. 

I'll let it run for more time & complete the 100 hrs and can only hope for it to get better. 

The ER running warm but nothing alarming in spite of ambient temperatures these days in my region (Northern Virginia, US) touching 100 F (38 deg C). My climate control at home is set at 72 F (22-23 deg C) and the warm chassis of the ER is not bothersome to me at all. 

Thanks,
It seems that deserves the investment, not a expensive device and, after all, the system needs a switch.
The problem now is to find a way to get one to test in this side of the Atlantic.

[Petter]

FIf I may ask, where did you source this bracket from?

I was thinking of designing one and having it 3D printed.

Thank you.

Cheers,
Bernard

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076HLKRCW/

just do a search for vertical lapptop stand

[David A]

I've been closely following this thread but never participated ... my ER just arrived today .. its been running 5 hrs now & all I can say for now is that its playing w/o getting "Roon RAAT" issues that was occasionally occurring using a Netgear Gigabit switch.

Any kind of difference in sound so far?
It places between the router and the streamer, right?

@audio_engr has answered your question on the difference in sound and referred to my experience. My setup, router and Nucleus+ connected the A side and Devialet to the B side, is the same as his.

You can set one up with an Innuos in the same way but you also have an alternative method available. Innuos servers have 2 rethernet ports, one for connection to the network and one for a direct connection to your endpoint which is the Devialet. If you set things up the way @audio_engr and I have, you will not be using the second ethernet port on your Innuos, the one for doirect connection to an end point, you're simply using standard network connections to both the Innuos and Devialet. Your alternative is to connect the Innuos directly to the network and to connect the  second ethernet port on the Innuos, the one for the direct connection to an end point, to the A side of the ETHERRegen and the Devialet to the B side. I don't know if that will make a difference in sound quality but it's relatively easy for you to try both ways and decide which you prefer.

[audio_engr]

@BoyScout   ... I wish to ADD 1 point. 

Earlier, I used to setup my streaming in a DIRECT hookup manner, i.e. ROUTER - - > NUCLEUS+ - - > DEVIALET. 

Although the Nucleus+ has only 1 Ethernet port, that port was dedicated to connect the Router. The Nucleus+ also has 2 x USB 3.0 ports. One of those ports was being used with a USB-to-Ethernet Adapter for connecting the Nucleus+ to Devialet. 

The Nucleus was setup in a manner that between the Server & Endpoint, it would use a "private IP address" with no Gateway or DNS. It was great and seldom gave issues incl RAAT issue esp. after selecting an USB-to-Ethernet adapter like the one from Apple that would limit it to 100M. But after the recent Roon 571 build update, it ran into severe problems so much so that I would lose streaming services (Tidal & Qobuz) almost after playing every single track. It would also get stuck halfway etc ... 

After having Roon Labs guys to intervene into my problems, they suggested that I hookup the system using a switch. I pulled out my trusted Netgear Gigabit switch, wired it up and once done, it was flawless. 

Now, ER has replaced that Netgear switch & taken me to pure nirvana !!

[BoyScout]

Thanks a lot, both of you.
Actually, i´ve a Cisco switch (Sg1100 05, pretty basic, i´m affraid...) connected to Innuos, router and Dev.
It isn´t necessary but after a tip from the Dev local dealer i noticed that the SQ increased in a very clear way with this switch, for my surprise.
The idea is to replace it and get some added quality. So simply as that.
I´m sure there´s a significant number of moves to do in order to "clean" my sound, even before the change of the ZenMini for something better.
By the way, i´m using just ethernet ports and cables, after a long period of testing, i concluded that i prefer this solution over USB.

[bernardl]

FIf I may ask, where did you source this bracket from?

I was thinking of designing one and having it 3D printed.

Thank you.

Cheers,
Bernard

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076HLKRCW/

just do a search for vertical lapptop stand

Thanks Peter！

Cheers,
bernard

[daniel.avasilichioaei]

@BoyScout   ... I wish to ADD 1 point. 

Earlier, I used to setup my streaming in a DIRECT hookup manner, i.e. ROUTER - - > NUCLEUS+ - - > DEVIALET. 

Although the Nucleus+ has only 1 Ethernet port, that port was dedicated to connect the Router. The Nucleus+ also has 2 x USB 3.0 ports. One of those ports was being used with a USB-to-Ethernet Adapter for connecting the Nucleus+ to Devialet. 

The Nucleus was setup in a manner that between the Server & Endpoint, it would use a "private IP address" with no Gateway or DNS. It was great and seldom gave issues incl RAAT issue esp. after selecting an USB-to-Ethernet adapter like the one from Apple that would limit it to 100M. But after the recent Roon 571 build update, it ran into severe problems so much so that I would lose streaming services (Tidal & Qobuz) almost after playing every single track. It would also get stuck halfway etc ... 

After having Roon Labs guys to intervene into my problems, they suggested that I hookup the system using a switch. I pulled out my trusted Netgear Gigabit switch, wired it up and once done, it was flawless. 

Now, ER has replaced that Netgear switch & taken me to pure nirvana !!

How is the EtherREGEN sound quality versus direct network cable?

[audio_engr]

@BoyScout   ... I wish to ADD 1 point. 

Earlier, I used to setup my streaming in a DIRECT hookup manner, i.e. ROUTER - - > NUCLEUS+ - - > DEVIALET. 

Although the Nucleus+ has only 1 Ethernet port, that port was dedicated to connect the Router. The Nucleus+ also has 2 x USB 3.0 ports. One of those ports was being used with a USB-to-Ethernet Adapter for connecting the Nucleus+ to Devialet. 

The Nucleus was setup in a manner that between the Server & Endpoint, it would use a "private IP address" with no Gateway or DNS. It was great and seldom gave issues incl RAAT issue esp. after selecting an USB-to-Ethernet adapter like the one from Apple that would limit it to 100M. But after the recent Roon 571 build update, it ran into severe problems so much so that I would lose streaming services (Tidal & Qobuz) almost after playing every single track. It would also get stuck halfway etc ... 

After having Roon Labs guys to intervene into my problems, they suggested that I hookup the system using a switch. I pulled out my trusted Netgear Gigabit switch, wired it up and once done, it was flawless. 

Now, ER has replaced that Netgear switch & taken me to pure nirvana !!

How is the EtherREGEN sound quality versus direct network cable?

                  
I will try and explain briefly the differences between :

DIRECT hookup  vs.  Gigabit SWITCHED hookup  vs.  EtherREGEN hookup


Direct :  There is an increase in immediacy of the sound, you start to see the performers more distinctly, the harmonic separation is quite distinct, the soundstage is wide and expansive but not proportionally deep. Also, the texture of the sound is so clean and it sounds "a bit lean". The sound is still very engaging and you tend to feel you are seated just a few rows from the stage of the performance. 

Gigabit Switched :  All that discussed above stays the same EXCEPT 
( 1 ) that leaness is now gone and the sound texture becomes more wholesome, slightly rounded
( 2 ) you feel you are now seated mid hall and more depth of the soundstage re-appears

EtherREGEN Switched :  The texture of the sound is much more wholesome, instruments are more blended well with each other that makes the overall presentation extremely cohesive yet beautifully defined. The soundstage width, depth & height is very true to real life, never over exaggerated yet not shrunk either. There is warmth in the playback in a very nice way. You still continue to feel seated mid hall and the hall ambience is now into you. The soundstage is quite 3-dimensional. The overall playback is extremely relaxed with no sharp edges of any sort even at higher listening levels thus enjoyment grows on you. You can listen for hours without hints of any strain. 

P.S. : I've just had the ER for 2 days now, continuously running and yet to cross the 100 hours mark. I am also using the stock supplied power supply and not a LPS. The ER is connected to my PS Audio regenerator though. It is warm to touch but the chassis temperature is stable. Nothing alarming - its just like a Class-A power amp's heatsink temperature. 

[daniel.avasilichioaei]

Direct :  There is an increase in immediacy of the sound, you start to see the performers more distinctly, the harmonic separation is quite distinct, the soundstage is wide and expansive but not proportionally deep. Also, the texture of the sound is so clean and it sounds "a bit lean". The sound is still very engaging and you tend to feel you are seated just a few rows from the stage of the performance. 

Gigabit Switched :  All that discussed above stays the same EXCEPT 
( 1 ) that leaness is now gone and the sound texture becomes more wholesome, slightly rounded
( 2 ) you feel you are now seated mid hall and more depth of the soundstage re-appears

EtherREGEN Switched :  The texture of the sound is much more wholesome, instruments are more blended well with each other that makes the overall presentation extremely cohesive yet beautifully defined. The soundstage width, depth & height is very true to real life, never over exaggerated yet not shrunk either. There is warmth in the playback in a very nice way. You still continue to feel seated mid hall and the hall ambience is now into you. The soundstage is quite 3-dimensional. The overall playback is extremely relaxed with no sharp edges of any sort even at higher listening levels thus enjoyment grows on you. You can listen for hours without hints of any strain. 

Thank you for this beautiful and direct answer.