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Anyone tried fiber into EtherRegen SFP?

Putting a 2nd-hand EtherRegen before my Innuos Zenith Mk3 has probably been the single best upgrade I've made.  Like most others' experiences, the shift away from a digital sound has been palpable.

I'm feeding the ER directly from my Netgear Orbi mesh satellite through a Wireworld Starlight ethernet cable.  I was wondering, however, if anyone has experienced significant gains from feeding the ER with fiber into its SFP port? 

I did assume initially that as the ER is a regenerator the quality of the input shouldn't matter that much.  But as I saw another jump when upgrading the ER's input cable it's set me to wondering about optical.

 

lollipopguild
lollipopguild's avatar
lollipopguild OP
136 posts
 

Thanks @antigrunge2 

First suggestion already done. Russ Andrews router connected to metre long copper rod stuck in ground

Second, thanks for the advice

audiom3
156 posts
 

I have a full fiber ISP and LAN.  So my ER is used to convert light to copper right before my PS Audio Bridge II.  Works great as a higher-end FMC.

lollipopguild's avatar
lollipopguild OP
136 posts
 

Hi @antigrunge2 

Going back to your clock for EtherRegen advice, can I ask what you're using?

I don't want to spend silly money, and certainly not more than I spent on the ER.  I've noticed a Chinese clock, BG7TBL, seems to be a popular choice.  Do you know if square or sine-wave output is better?

Thanks

antigrunge2
1,477 posts
 

YI use an Antelope Audiophile 10m Rubidium clock, having had the one you mentioned before to try it out. Preferred for the Etherregen is square wave but inly if it not done by cheap conversion in the clock’s output. The advantage is noticeable with the one you mentioned. a bit further upmarjet you get much better quality from LHY or Afterdark

antigrunge2
1,477 posts
 

I have now installed a Gustard N18 in front of the 10M reclocked Etherregen, using the SFP and going into the Innuos streamer via RJ45. I also just saw that LHY Audio now offers an in box conversion to fibre and reconversion to ethernet. Crazy as all of this sounds it actually works. In my mind it proves that isolators or moats alone are insufficient to sift out the crud from ground level and RFI/EMI from the ethernet stream. What is particularly remarkable about this counter intuitive double conversion is the substantial increase in bass and soundstage precision resulting from it. I am using Finisar 1318 SFPs and 10G single mode fibre cable.

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