Etheregen - doesn't seem right that it gets so hot, dangerous? Unpredictable?


This network device as glorious as it may be gets extremely hot, almost burning to the touch. Something doesn't seem right about that.

Is there a good alternative to using this thing, it was about $600 which isn't cheap. Optical connectivity which I like seems to be a good thing.

Frankly I'm not sure what the value is it with it vs something else that may be operationally more healthy to use.  So I disconnected it because the heat level seems kind of dangerous.  I have no confidence that it will Control itself and get absolutely and dangerously too hot in the future.

jumia

I was using fiber into the EtherRegen with an LPS 1.2 and was very happy with the results and I didn't have any issues with it,  but I ended up selling it for a much cheaper StarTech MCM1110MMLC Gigabit Ethernet Fiber converter along with a iFi Power supply.   The StarTech doesn't run hot and I didn't really notice a drop off in performance.

The EtherRegen does get very hot. It actually was extremely disappointing with my Krell K-300i integrated when used with the built-in RJ45 streaming. The KRELL has the very best ROON READY implementation I have ever used.

I was about to ditch the EtherRegen when I came across John Swenson’s posts or white paper on the best way to do streaming. I was under the impression fibre optical directly out of a network switch into my Sonore OpticalRendu was the best way. However, Swenson, who designed the EtherRegen and OpticalRendu recommended using a fibre conversion just before the OpticalRendu.

There are many devices that can do this such as the Sonore OpticalModule. However, since I had the EtherRegen handy I tried that, in reverse order B > A, and I noticed a slight improvement in sound, as predicted in Swensons writings. So, the EtherRegen has stuck around running hot. There are other cheaper ways to do this conversion.

I have heat issues with another LPS I bought used with my 3rd OpticalRendu. That thing runs like fire, and I no longer use it due to concerns about fire. The EtherRegen in comparison is like air conditioning.

 

 

 

 

On spec page at Uptone states runs at 118-126F, so seems normal for the device. I suspect it would run lower temp with 7v vs 12v.

Same with the Sonore opticalRendu (discontinued) that I own. Burning hot stock 7V supply (cheap Chinese power supply available on aliexpress for about 1/4 of what Sonore charges). I added big heat sinks that hardly helped. Finally added the linked fans; still hot but no longer dangerous.

Quiet Fans

 

So it runs very hot and we accept it as being OK because the specs say this.  Why does it run so hot and it's continuous. There must be a reason for this.

A person achieves a first-degree burn at 120° and a second-degree burn at 130° and somehow seeing spec detail showing 125° is somehow going to make it all better. This thing uses a ton of energy as an aside, grossly wasteful.

So I'm looking for a worthwhile optical conversion and a decent network switch that's unmanaged, and then I can move on.  Quoting “pretty girl“ - huge disappointment.
 

After listening to the System without this etheregen not hearing much of a problem and with a better network switch and optical conversion I'm sure it'll be just wonderful.