[peteAllen]

Whatever Rednet say, IMO there is a significant audible improvement when using the rednet pcie card over a normal nic. Also, the best sound possible is when the D16 has no secondary ethernet cable attached: only a single one to the PC with PCIE card. The tricky thing is that to connect/configure the Rednet network, you will need to connect the secondary to your router, but once any config changes are done, you can pull out that plug. I leave the d16 & pc on 24/7.

 

[Iving]

Whatever Rednet say, IMO there is a significant audible improvement when using the rednet pcie card over a normal nic. Also, the best sound possible is when the D16 has no secondary ethernet cable attached: only a single one to the PC with PCIE card. The tricky thing is that to connect/configure the Rednet network, you will need to connect the secondary to your router, but once any config changes are done, you can pull out that plug. I leave the d16 & pc on 24/7.

Hi Pete,
We've been waiting for a first hand account of the RedNet PCIe card! Please - can you describe the SQ difference, what NIC(s) you compared it with - and also confirm what latency improvements are achievable? Thank you

 

[peteAllen]

Hi Pete,
We've been waiting for a first hand account of the RedNet PCIe card! Please - can you describe the SQ difference, what NIC(s) you compared it with - and also confirm what latency improvements are achievable? Thank you

Apologies, I should have posted this back in June when I got it installed & working. Unfortunately I don't remember the exact differences now, but it was a much freer, alive sound. Adding an Audioquest Diamond ethernet cable was also significant. Previously I was using the normal, built in NIC, and I experimented with startech optical ethernet from a pcie card with native optical ethernet, as well as an el cheapo ethernet pcie card (so that I could use that to connect to the router while the built-in NIC connected directly to the d16).
It is possible that something like the jcat pcie card could accomplish the same sort of improvement, but the rednet card certainly has some unique Dante features wrt latency etc. I was trying to figure out how to power the rednet pcie card from an external LPS but Life intervened

 

[Iving]

Apologies, I should have posted this back in June when I got it installed & working. Unfortunately I don't remember the exact differences now, but it was a much freer, alive sound. Adding an Audioquest Diamond ethernet cable was also significant. Previously I was using the normal, built in NIC, and I experimented with startech optical ethernet from a pcie card with native optical ethernet, as well as an el cheapo ethernet pcie card (so that I could use that to connect to the router while the built-in NIC connected directly to the d16).
It is possible that something like the jcat pcie card could accomplish the same sort of improvement, but the rednet card certainly has some unique Dante features wrt latency etc. I was trying to figure out how to power the rednet pcie card from an external LPS but Life intervened

Thank you Pete
If you can remember or report the latency figures in Dante Controller - and/or any recommendations or tips regarding buying one (UK?) - much obliged again.

 

[jelt2359]

Thanks! I'll try that.

 

[peteAllen]

Thank you Pete
If you can remember or report the latency figures in Dante Controller - and/or any recommendations or tips regarding buying one (UK?) - much obliged again.

I'm getting an average of 20usec with peak 28usec on the 250usec setting (streaming 176/24). For some reason the 150usec latency option is not possible for me on the d16 - it is on the pcie device but I guess it falls back to 250. Comparing 5msec with 250usec, the latter is finer, with better imaging and a bit more holographic

 

[Iving]

I'm getting an average of 20usec with peak 28usec on the 250usec setting (streaming 176/24). For some reason the 150usec latency option is not possible for me on the d16 - it is on the pcie device but I guess it falls back to 250. Comparing 5msec with 250usec, the latter is finer, with better imaging and a bit more holographic

Thanks
That's a heck of an improvement on the lowest I have seen thru DVS - about 650-700us.
I thought the 150 us setting was available with the PCIe - so wonder about that then. You could call Focusrite. They are Ace at help. It could be it makes no difference anyway.
And music sounds more "alive" you say.
@mourip you hear that

 

[peteAllen]

Thanks
That's a heck of an improvement on the lowest I have seen thru DVS - about 650-700us.
I thought the 150 us setting was available with the PCIe - so wonder about that then. You could call Focusrite. They are Ace at help. It could be it makes no difference anyway.
And music sounds more "alive" you say.
@mourip you hear that

PCIE has 150usec option selected but the d16 can't go lower than 250usec because to be able to configure it I have to use the secondary ethernet and then of course there are technically more than one routers on the network because the rednet acts as a switch. The rednet pcie cannot be used as a normal ethernet card, it doesn't show up under network devices etc. Anyway, the improvement from 5msec to 250usec is good, although not as significant as it was to swap from a normal (realtek) nic to the rednet pcie. My guess is that the other factors (better quality nic, hardware vs software implementation, optimisations for dante only communication) are at play

 

[Golfnutz]

PCIE has 150usec option selected but the d16 can't go lower than 250usec because to be able to configure it I have to use the secondary ethernet and then of course there are technically more than one routers on the network because the rednet acts as a switch. The rednet pcie cannot be used as a normal ethernet card, it doesn't show up under network devices etc. Anyway, the improvement from 5msec to 250usec is good, although not as significant as it was to swap from a normal (realtek) nic to the rednet pcie. My guess is that the other factors (better quality nic, hardware vs software implementation, optimisations for dante only communication) are at play

I had nothing but problems with the realtek nic in my system. Never had a single issue with the intel nic in my other 2 systems. I'm not so sure the improvements your hearing are related to latency, as I would think it's more about NOT using the realtek nic anymore.

 

[peteAllen]

I had nothing but problems with the realtek nic in my system. Never had a single issue with the intel nic in my other 2 systems. I'm not so sure the improvements your hearing are related to latency, as I would think it's more about NOT using the realtek nic anymore.

From what I remember the other two nics I used (one by startech) didn't noticably change the sound for the better or worse compared to the realtek, with which I've had no problems. I'm confident the improvements are due to the rednet card, one way or the other, and the fact that I can switch between the 5ms and 250usec settings and hear a positive difference means that latency is a factor

 

[mourip]

I had nothing but problems with the realtek nic in my system. Never had a single issue with the intel nic in my other 2 systems. I'm not so sure the improvements your hearing are related to latency, as I would think it's more about NOT using the realtek nic anymore.

I use the builtin card for LAN activity and use fiber media adapters to help isolate that connection for ground noise. I use an Intel PCIe NIC for connection to the first ethernet port of my D16 and do not use the second D16 port. I certainly believe those who say that the Dante PCIe card makes an improvement but in terms of bang for the buck I am working on a few other things first.

Keep the posts flowing. It still stuns me that Rednet/AOIP has not been more popular.

 

[astrostar59]

Maybe it is your PC working overtime? Are you up sampling then sending?

 

[astrostar59]

As an aside, I just read an admission from Steve Nugent of Emperical Audio fame (OffRamp USB boxes) on the What's Best Forum ethernet thread . He is a genuine top guy in the world of best USB audio. His convertors were the top of the tree a few years back.

He said finally he has found Ethernet beats USB. Ha, nice. I tried to tell the guys over at Head-case way back but got slagged off.

 

[mhamel]

Not sure if anyone has seen these or not, but there are some new Dante "maker boards" available with several different I/O options - AES, SPDIF, headphone amp, 20w/ch power amp, analog XLR, and analog RCA.

http://www.micromedia.ch/?portfolio=dante-aoip-stereo-maker-boards

I've reached out to them and the bare DIO board (2ch AES in/out) is $295 and requires external 12v power, or $359 for a cased version that uses PoE. I'm awaiting a reply on how to order the bare board.

It uses the Ultimo X chip, max of 24/96, 2-channels.

I'll update when I get some additional info.

-Mike

 

[kazsud]

Not sure if anyone has seen these or not, but there are some new Dante "maker boards" available with several different I/O options - AES, SPDIF, headphone amp, 20w/ch power amp, analog XLR, and analog RCA.

http://www.micromedia.ch/?portfolio=dante-aoip-stereo-maker-boards

I've reached out to them and the bare DIO board (2ch AES in/out) is $295 and requires external 12v power, or $359 for a cased version that uses PoE. I'm awaiting a reply on how to order the bare board.

It uses the Ultimo X chip, max of 24/96, 2-channels.

I'll update when I get some additional info.

-Mike

$295 aoip