A Very Useful New Discovery--EON Digital Filter from Network Acoustics


I've been on a year long quest to upgrade my stereo system, hopefully for the last time. As a senior "Luddite", I have been a late adopter of steaming capability. But now I'm converted. And just in time it apparently. In August 2020, DG released a new recording of all four Charles Ives Symphonies with the LA Phil and Dudemel conducting....with no CD format available!
Currently I'm listening to music through an Auralic G1 steamer/ Benchmark dac 3 DAC B into a newly built Audible Illusions Modulus 3B preamp and a Parasound A23+ power amp. CD's are played on an Audiolab 6000 transport into the Benchmark via Toslink. Speakers are Vanderstein Treo CT's. Oh there's still vinyl. I upgraded my trusty Well-Tempered TT with a Hana ML cartridge into a Sutherland Insight phono amp. Power supplies are a Furman PTS-8 with a Greenwave for devices switched on/off and an Audioquest 1200 for the devices left on, like the amp and the pre-amp. Everything is sounding really good (mostly acoustic jazz, Americana and Classical....lotsa acoustic piano).
I read on the 'Gon about a device from the U.K. called, EON from Network Acoustics. It is an EMI/RFI filtering device. We live on the Westside of LA. There's plenty of stray noise around. The one thing that worried me was the thirty foot run of contractor grade ethernet cable I was running from the office to the Auralic G1. I generally run mid-price cables, (Audioquest Carbon USB, Rocket 88 bi-wire speaker cables with DBS, Signal silver cables to the Sutherland, etc). Researching the EON, it seemed like this unit could be an asset, or at least save the money of 30 feet of Audioquest Cinnamon cable. And it was reasonably priced (under $500.00)!
I traded e-mails with Rich. He thought I would really like it but made two modest suggestions. He suggested that I add a D-Link DSG 1008G network switch (under $30.00)  and add a short link of good cable to the EON. (I ended up using the Audioquest Cinnamon ethernet). And he also suggested I pick up a IFI 5V power supply. ($50.00)
So.....what happened?
Suddenly the bass information, seemingly missing, was deep and powerful. I can actually feel the low bass strings on Christian McBride's acoustic bass pressing on my chest. And the percussive drive of Brian Blades drumming is being felt, not just implied. (Joshua Redman, Round Again, Nonesuch). The overall focus of everything is sharper. Like when you are tuning a guitar and the last little turn gets the top E string exactly right..... not just close. Brad Mehldau on, April 2020, sounds exactly like he is playing in my living room on a well cared for Steinway. Wow! Just Wow!!!!
I foolishly, but honestly, told my wife that I don't know to make this system sound any better.  I'm all done. Back to listening to music!
Important P.S The D-Link requires a male USB 2.0 Mini-B 5pin connector. Even though the IFI comes with many connector options, this isn't one of them. Nancy had one from an old I -Pad, keyboard connector.
mwgreene
Isn't it kind of funny that there's an understanding among the builders of digital file playback systems that there are differences in sound due to dithering techniques that would suit different listeners preferences, and, that they'd feel free to acknowledge that they measure the same?

They must feel comfortable in knowing that it's true and not go to great lengths to qualify each and everything they say just in case some HLOs would take exception to it. That manufacturers would go so far as to state it in their press releases so reviewers can use it in their reviews so readers can have a better understanding of it. 

If every review of any component were to go to such great lengths as you demand, reviews would be tomes in size and not just a few pages long.

Anyways, all I hear is should have, could have, maybe, etc., but no real explanation as to why.

All the best,
Nonoise
@nonoise,

I am beginning to believe that djones51 maybe suffering from Aphantasia. Let’s just excuse the man and ignore his usual rants :-)
The user can adjust settings for dither to minimize quantization errors, and also choose one of four settings for the Noise Shaper, which changes “linearity and noise characteristics in the audible range using digital feedback. The measurements are the same but the sound quality changes.”



Reviewer makes stuff up or just parrots manufacturers marketing sheet. Turn to page 34B for further details.

The measurements would absolutely not be the same.



Even using different types of dither and noise shaping it's hard to hear a difference unless they are using a lot of it to create a sound and as already said ^^^it is measurable.
Both of you should contact Marantz and maybe the reviewer, discuss it with them, dazzle them with your brilliance, and get back to us on how you told them and set the record straight.

All the best,
Nonoise