UpTone Audio EtherREGEN Switch Review

[pozz]

Wow. From that same thread: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/...ved-here/page/5/?tab=comments#comment-1008692

It is very interesting in computer audio for example how there is a lot of code tinkering aka Jplay etc.... Windows registry tinkering etc... that has a strong impact on sound.

 

[March Audio]

yep. The other products were just as successful financially which I'm totally good with. No problem making money and a lot of it...that's the whole purpose IMO as a capitalist. However, the end operational result of the device isn't.

I'm totally a capitalist but I'm not OK with it if it's based on false claims and misleading people.

It's a con, pure and simple.

 

[jtwrace]

I'm totally a capitalist but I'm not OK with it if it's based on false claims and misleading people.

Right, that's what I attempted to say

 

[gvl]

Case temp is between 36 and 40 degrees C. I worry how hot the internal components are running and whether the junction max temp is too close for comfort.

AC Power measurements showed that the switch is consuming 7 watts. That may not sound like much but for everyday electronics, it is good bit of power. We will have to see in a few years whether these things fail or not. If my math is right, running EtherRegen will cost you $9/year at 15 cents a killowatt-hour electricity cost.

Line drivers are probably biased into class-A operation, clearly no corners are cut. But seriously, audiophile switch? WTF?

 

[TomJ]

The Matrix i noise floor and PS isolation are so impressive... thanks for showing

 

[KxDx]

Wow, this thing is cooking even more. Now the case is up to 41 degrees.

That gives the manufacturer an out... they will say you tested a defective unit which is why you saw no improvements. It's the Chewbacca Ciunas Defense!

 

[arboleda]

Wow I assumed this was a $100 device. Shocked when I saw the price.

 

[Jinjuku]

Wow I assumed this was a $100 device. Shocked when I saw the price.

No one would buy it at $100, but $640? Price = expectation.

 

[GaryS]

You have people using media converters.

Yes galvanic isolation from your music server.

 

[restorer-john]

@amirm Are there any situations involving significant other network traffic on all the ports where this product offers any improvements over a $15 switch?

Can you "load' the other ports with a ton of network traffic and measure the 'moated' port again? Just because there will be howls saying you didn't use it in a typical setup otherwise...

 

[gvl]

I can't wrap my mind of how such a product could be conceived. I just can't believe the intention was to so blatantly scam the customers, after there are no hot-glued batteries and rattling off-the-shelf PCBs inside. Looks like a lot of effort was spent on the design. I tend to think this was plain ignorance of how OS networking stack works.

 

[amirm]

I can't wrap my mind of how such a product could be conceived.

Two ways:

1. John Swenson's day job is designing logic circuits for a networking company. Naturally he knows how to build a switch.

2. As I noted in the review, He and Alex are good at conceiving problems and then jumping to solve them. Problem is, they don't verify that the problem is real and therefore can't test if they have fixed anything. The result is product after product that does nothing for sound coming out of a DAC. The technical stories and theories though make enough sense to audiophiles to believe and hence "hear" improvements.

 

[gvl]

So they conceive problems... That explains it.

 

[Jinjuku]

@amirm Are there any situations involving significant other network traffic on all the ports where this product offers any improvements over a $15 switch?

Can you "load' the other ports with a ton of network traffic and measure the 'moated' port again? Just because there will be howls saying you didn't use it in a typical setup otherwise...

To that I would say why isn't the serious audiophile placing their playback system on it's own VLAN and applying service priority to it?

Bottom line is greater than 99% of audiophiles have no real understanding of networking.

 

[Blumlein 88]

So they conceive problems... That explains it.

From the very first Uptone product that is all they've done. Conceive of a possible problem. Sow the idea over on the forums at CA. Then suggest John has ideas on how to fix the problem. Build up some demand so when they release it, they sell out a couple good batches. Profit, rinse, and repeat.

John is always about to figure what is really happening, but of course never does. And doesn't need to once his design makes so many customers satisfied they hear an improvement. Were it real imagine how much better a device you could design if you knew what you were changing. Only in this case the answer is nothing except people's conceptions.

 

[Jinjuku]

Here is what I want to know: If UpTone sells so much product why are they charging customer cards 6 to 8 weeks before they ship product? Are they that cash strapped that they have to do advanced funding? They really don't have the ability to bank roll component inventory?

 

[Thomas savage]

We are indeed lacking intellectual curiosity, how many of us spend our professional life's dreaming up ways to defraud audio enthusiasts..

Fortunately we do have some intellectual integrity.. still not as profitable as curiosity.

Kids can be curious though, " hey super dad what do you do for a living " ..

 

[Deleted member 2944]

Amir, I don't think testing tweako audiophile crap like this (or the jitterbug, or etc) is the best use of your time.

Dave.

 

[dincus]

Curious how so many people who bought this thing can be so wrong about what they hear. I mean I feel badly for all them thinking they hear things when the measurements tell them they can't be hearing what they think they hear. Did every single one of them fall for it? I can understand when you spend $$$ on a machine and your bias tells you it had better be better than the rest. But $640? Hardly seems worth falling for...

 

[headwhacker]

To that I would say why isn't the serious audiophile placing their playback system on it's own VLAN and applying service priority to it?

Bottom line is greater than 99% of audiophiles have no real understanding of networking.

About the same number has no real understanding of digital audio. So no surprise there.