EtherRegen vs EE?

Alrite- got the ER on order again. (2nd time).

Also got Shawline ethernet cables on order.

Will be fun to compare/contrast. Got a few different systems. Let’s see…
Will try to make sense of these switches + Vodka, cinnamon, shawline and C-Stream.

3 Likes

Anyone figure out which one is best yet?

…now, there’s a word for which I should like to find a real definition …

1 Like

The one that is better than any other, none better than it?

Best is a moving target…

Who gets to decide ? And does it have to be unanimous?

The EE looks more boutique…

2 Likes

The George variety of Best liked a drink.

1 Like

Interesting point made buy a Roon forum member :face_with_monocle:

–> https://community.roonlabs.com/t/uptone-etherregen-with-sonoreupnp-bridge/88247/42?u=thomas_serra

He does nothing to substantiate this claim. It’s typical of a set of acerbic pseudo experts who are vocal on the Roon forum.

3 Likes

He substantiated it with a photo of the PCB. Not sure of any better way. Of course he could be talking tosh - I don’t have the background to know.

Possibly. It seems indeed a bit far-stretched.

It would be interesting to know if the identified flaw is real.
Of course, there is a difference between a design flaw and an anticipated choice/compromise.

In fact, it is unlikely anyone could tell without exposing the complete design (all the PCB layers).

1 Like

If there was a design flaw re incorrect track lengths on the data transmission lines the Gigabit A ports wouldn’t work at the higher rates. Also the clocks wouldn’t be correct and the transmission of the data over the isolated ‘moat’ between the A side and the B side won’t be handled correctly.

I can conformed through actual operation of the unit since last November, that the A ports and the B port work correctly, in terms of the device’s operation as a switch, outside of any SQ improvements experienced through listening in my setup.

I offer experienced observation over opinionated speculation.

3 Likes

Just got my etherregen :smile:
What a lovely little black magic box… was cynical until I hooked it up
made a nice difference to streaming via my innuos zenith mk3 and more noticeable again when streaming quobuz

4 Likes

Keep oiling those snakes lads :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

1 Like

About a week in with an EtherRegen. All good, nothing but benefits compared to the standard Netgear switcher I was using. Quieter, more detailed. slightly bigger sound stage.
This may be heresy, but, in some ways, it’s made a bigger improvement than adding a HiCap DR (much to my chagrin given the cost differential). This is on a SN3 NDX2 system
It does get hot.

4 Likes

I’m also a week in with Uptone’s ‘little hot box’ – their description : )

Very happy with my purchase; definitely brings something to the party. A more natural sound overall. If my long-departed ‘Naimed’ LP12 remains my benchmark for a source’s ‘musicality’, then the ER nudges the N272 another step in the right direction.

Oh how innocent I was, buying my N272 back in 2017 as a plug-n-play streaming solution. Which it did fairly well, but I had no idea that my ‘pre-system’ (NAS + LPS, Cisco + ER) would eventually contain more boxes and dangling cables than my main setup (272/250/XPS). At least the pre-system clutter is tucked away in another room.

2 Likes

At the end on this interesting subject who won EE or ER ?

quite interesting review from Mango Monkey ---- the EE seems do to it’s job very well?

1 Like

Remember Jim, these two devices do two different things in the main part for your streamer, it is not a case of either or. The IGMP group filtering with the Catalyst, and the physical layer serial line clock sideband noise with the the ER. Unfortunately from a switch perspective the EE andER are only rudimentary devices, no doubt it was a cost thing and we may see a future enhancement here. So until then, I would use both switches for maximum effect if these issues are prevalent on your home network and streamer.
As always the exact benefit will vary on streamer and network conditions. The first gen streamers are certainly more sensitive to network physical conditions, but not entirely removed with the second gen streamers.

What I would say if you hear no difference between WAV or FLAC, you are unlikely to hear the benefit of groupmfiltering, assuming you’re home network has other group data.

I have to admit I am enjoying wifi now, and not using Ethernet at all… albeit not on my NDX2 whilst I wait for it to return… but my music replay is in a great place… in fact it’s never sounded so good… which is causing me to ask a few questions.
I use a dedicated music room access point with Ethernet uplink… that can steer to another access point if required.

2 Likes