AfterDark. Project ClayX EdgeRouter ER4 x Giesemann OCXO x ME Collections

The story of development - ME Collections 

 

AfterDark. is coming up with the new ME Collections, the products which is discovered by two Audiophiles who is passion to optimise the audiophile system with their expertise with latest audio components and technologies. 

 

We believe product should be invented along with Audiophiles and this requires feedback and customer interaction, so the new product can be reflect there specific needs and sound quality. The ME Collections is coming from the initial of well known Audiophile from Mixx and Excxx. The aim of the ME Collections, is to provide a opensource platform for music lover, and audiophiles to explores and research some new solution to improve sounding. The final product will be made to order to specific Audiophiles.  

 

The product development of ME Collections, will be accelerated as we may have a groups of Audiophile to share their expertises and experience to improve sounding in real life testing. 

 

There will be more products to include on ME Collections, more exotic Black Modernize modification will be made to order for audiophiles. 

 

The version will be modified and design to improve sounding with the highly rated network router based on Ubiquiti EdgeRouter ER4. 

 

This "EdgeRouter ER4 ME Edition" will be the very first model in the world to build in Giesemann Clock Sync Module inside the router while audiophiles can optimised with 10M Reference Master Clock. 

 

 

 

      

 

 

The story behind the ME Edition

 

We received some special requirement from one high end Audiophile recently and looking for upgrade option on his router. He is currently owned a Mutec Ref10, 10M Master clock with multiple outputs of 10M signals. So, he would like to utlities his investment and looking for audiophile grade router with 10M Master Clock in. He has removed the switch power supply from the EdgeRouter and use Sean Jacobs DC4 for powering and this EdgeRouter is just sounds really nice and belieived that this router has potential to improve. He just want a extra modification with 10M Master Clock Input Module. Would it be possible? he asked. 

 

Customer: Do you offer a service to modifying existing devices to add clock inputs? The Ubiquiti EdgeRouter ER4 is great as is, would be even better with the clock input of the Mutec Ref10 he asked. 

Adrian : Yes, we are thinking of offering this modication service too. Sure we can modified the EdgeRouter for you. Let me have a look at the motherboard. 

 

Customer: If you remove the SMPS there is a lot of space. I have mine powered by an Sean Jacobs DC3. I powered it with a 12v rail, but it stock SMPS is output at 22V DC. 

Adrian :  Yes, we can modified and place the Giesemann Clock Sync Module inside, one single 12V DC 2A can power both the motherboards. The new BNC port can be installed at the back of EdgeRouter ER4 and connected to your Mutec Ref10. 

 

Customer: Let's give me some update when it is ready. External clock input, Floyt Bioploar Audio Capacitors, and EMI Karmet shiedling for the ER4. Thanks. 

Adrian : That would be great to have this product, since we have done this projects with Giesemann Clock Modules, using the best component and make sure it is small enough to be placed in same chassis. 

 

 

Draft version - Install a new BNC socket made with 2mm Carbon Fiber

 

AfterDark. Development ideas: 

• We have some ideas of the new board, a clock synethesis modules turns external 10M OCXO Clock signal into two 25Mhz Clock signal inside the EdgeRouter ER4, we shall make two outputs of 25Mhz, just to make sure it is future proof and provide more flexible to upgrades later on. 
• The DC power module requires to be redesigned for new clock synethesis modules. One 12V for inputs, requires to use arrays of 4 units of LT3045 and Floyt Audio Capacitor from Germany to smoother out the current and optimise the sounding.   
• The DC power modules for Giesemann Clock Sync Module (GCSM) will be physically isolated and provide the best isolation for clock module to operated at optimal perfomance with the lowest phase noise. 
• The placement of Giesemann Clock Sync Module will be re-designed and to be placed near the main board of CPU and Lan Chips. 
• The chassis require to modify and place extra DC port and BNC socket and accept external 10M Input 
• A minististic design, which optimised peformance with choices of Giesemann OCXO 10Mhz Reference Master Clock and Giesemann LPS. 
• Single DC 12V LPS is required for EdgeRouter ER4. 
• All internal wire will be using Duelund Audio Cable made from Holland. 
• EdgeRouter ER4 ME Trifecta Extreme Edition will accepting external 10M Reference Master Clock, This version will be place inside the Trifecta Chassis with the carbon fiber and re-designed with the new the carbon fiber input blackplate.  

 

Draft Version of EdgeRouter ER4 ME Trifecta Extreme Edition 

 

His impression on EdgeRouter ER4:

 

"The router has exceeded expectations. With a good clock and good power it is an astonishing improvment in sound quality." by Exoxxx. 

 

"Lower noise floor, plenty of detail. High precision imaging, while still very musical. I am hearing more spatial resolution. Soundstage is bigger too. Definitely wider and deeper." by Exoxxx

 

How we design a Trifecta Extreme Edition with Mixx?

1. Improve the outlook which make it more like a audiophile gear
2. We love the ideas of 10M Master Clock Input function of EdgeRouter ER4
3. The device should be powered externally with audiophile grade LPS
4. The power section should be enhanced with more exotic audio capacitors
5. The Giesemann Clock Sync 10M Intput Modules (GCSM) will perform synthesizers 25Mhz independently. this clock signal will be optimised to EdgeRouter ER4. 
6. The units will be powered by 12V LPS externally with DC Socket GX16 2 pins. 
7. The extra ground pole with Audio Note Silver banana connector to connect BLACKICE ground box. 
8. The new panel of LED will be installed at the top with new flat signal cable and all modules should be fit into one single box
9. The internal wire with optimised with Duelund Cable, and solder with Audio Note 
10. The front and backplate will be using Carbon Fiber, top layer with LED indication panel, the bottom later with Router motherboard, Lan port and SFP at very right corner.
11. The flat signal cable need to replaced with 25cm length version.  
12. All the Lan ports inside will be apply with KEMET Corp. EMI Shielding material for eliminate of EMI 
13. The use of SFP Single Mode Optical Fiber will give you another isolation to connect from EdgeRouter to other SFP Switch
14. External 10M Master Clock BNC socket to accept the extrnal 10M Master Clock signal for both Mutec Ref10 and Giesemann Clock accepting Sine and Square wave. 

 

The Trifecta Extreme Edition can accept 10M Reference Master Clock signal.

 

The Floyt Audio Grade Biopolar Capacitor will be install on the power section of Giesemann Clock Modules and will be power filering on DC power section. It take quite a long time to burn in. After run-in for 7 days, the soundstage open up and so much airly, the sounding is just more relax and rich representation when we compared. 

 

Array of LT3035 power regulators x 4 units for smoother current for Giesemann Clock Sync Modules (GCSM) 

 

Finalizing the Trifecta Extreme Edition with Audiophile Mixx 

 

 

 

Why EdgeRouter needs OCXO optimised?

The OCXO brings a very good sounding EdgeRouter ER4 to other levels. 

 

"This clock simply adds something that is unreachable in normal switches. It is so calm, fluid and transparent that nothing compares to that. No wonder Jord is installing this clock in his best designs. In short it is my best router too and I can't imagine to listen without it." 

 

New Giesemann OCXO Module developed for EdgeRouter 

The new designed of Giesemann Clock OCXO 10Mhz Clock Modules can synthesizers with external 10M Master Clock Signal. For example, one EdgeRouter motherboard required to receive two 25Mhz from a Giesemann 10M Master Clock. The latest development version of Giesemann OCXO Modules shall accept external 10M Signal, and provide flexible upgrades vs performance. 

 

 

Why EdgeRouter ER4?

What is so special about this EdgeRouter ER4? This ER4 is very sensitive to high quality power supply and clock, which turns out to be very favouritable for us to tune the ER4 to sound much better then before.

 

• The advancement of CPU for this router make it sas top performance,  this router is extreme high performance on NAT, and VLan. The ER4 is running with modernate heat and very suitable to run 7 x 24 hours. 
• The SFP port on the router is very flexible for us to use optical isolation function to improve sounding when we connect to SFP network switch such as EtherREGEN. 

 

On Hardware Level: 

The EdgeRouter is using MIPS I6400 Multiprocessor Core. MIPS is a leading developer of highly scalable RISC processor IP for high-end computing and communications application. The core is RISC-V innovation for a new era of heterogeneous processing. 

 

"Separating the WiFi access point and router functions with VLAN isolation is the most important areas to improve soundings" suggested by Excxx. 

 

The smoothness and lush sounding is enhancd by the extra low phase noise optimised with Gieseman OCXO. 

 

 

The clock is placed near the CPU. The Giesemann Clock Input Module will be bypass the old clock with external Reference Clock 10M. 

 

The inside of EdgeRouter ER4

 

The first listening impression on EdgeRouter ER4:

• This EdgeRouter ER4 is the most natural sounding router, there is nothing more on the cleaning on signal, so there is warm, and rich representation. The bass is well controlled and extreme high quality. Music flow is smooth as silk, treble is lush and fill up the listening areas with a lot details and decay. 

 

We are using the EdgeRouter ER4 in our system after ME suggestion, this router is reference grade product, far exceed expectation and will be the best router we ever used. 

 

• When we compare to other WiFi router, EdgeRouter is the real performer, the music is real and right at the right places. 
• The Giesemann OCXO start to open up and perform after 3 hours and soundstage is much wider and mid range is so sweet, this may happened because the capacitor inside started to burn in. 
• After 24 hours powers on, playing music via ROON, my first impression is sounding become so fluid and transparent, the characteristics which other network router do not have. The noise floor is so low, so the micro details can fill the listening areas easily. In addition, we found  the bass is more authority, punchy and control. 
• The EdgeRouter ER4 can amplify the improvement with wider soundstage, this may due to re-clocking of the pure network router, which makes it happened. 

 

Guideline to setup a new router with EdgeRouter ER4?

Login to Admin page: TBC

 

Access to Admin Page:

eth0: WAN port (Connect to Internet Fiber Modem) / eth1: DHCP port (192.168.1.1/24) (Connect to network switch)

 

 

Using Setup Wizards to start using EdgeRouter:

 

 

Some reviews from audiophile: 

TBC

 

Specifications on EdgeRouter ER4:

Dimensions	229 x 136.5 x 31.1 mm (9.02 x 5.37 x 1.22")
Weight	795 g (1.75 lb)
Management Interface	(1) RJ45 Serial Port (4) Ethernet Ports (Default eth0)
Networking Interface	(3) 10/100/1000 RJ45 Ports (1) 1 Gbps SFP Port
Processor	4-Core 1 GHz MIPS64
System Memory	1 GB DDR3 RAM
On-Board Flash Storage	4 GB eMMC, 8 MB SPI NOR
Max. Power Consumption	13W
Power Method	Universal AC Power Cord (C13)
Power Supply	Internal AC/DC Power Adapter, 30W DC
Supported Voltage Range	100-240VAC, 50/60 Hz Universal Adapter
Button	Reset
LEDs Data Ports SFP Data Port	Speed/Link/Activity Link/Activity
ESD/EMP Protection	Air: ± 24 kV, Contact: ± 24 kV
Operating Temperature	-10 to 50° C (14 to 122° F)
Operating Humidity	10 - 90% Noncondensing
Certifications	CE, FCC, IC