AfterDark. Constellation Giesemann Xe Extreme Dual 10G SFP+ Ultra Low Latency NIC

AfterDark. Constellation Giesemann Xe Extreme Dual 10G SFP+ Ultra Low Latency NIC

The very first Ulimate Audiophile network card which build in 10M Master Clock Sync Module for Audiophile.

We performed real listening test and music playback is approaching perfection, it is so much refine and organic with Xe and Giesemann EVA OCXO Reference Master Clock.  

The design is based on the unique material on shielding layer, selection on Carbon Fiber, the product research and development on Giesemann OCXO product since 2021. AfterDark. take a further step to design the world's first audiophile network card which can accepting 10M Master Clock input for Audiophiles who would like to paid extraordinary attention to the master clock arragements (as well as providing developed clocksync and external reference clock options for EtherREGEN) to minimize timing error to unprecedented levels. 

The NIC is based on the best NIC made by SolarFlare SFN8522. The version we used is PLUS version, which supports all the advanced hardware Offloads, Precision Time functions which ensure the Ultra-Low Latency for Audio application. 

The PLUS Version will enables the following licensed features: 

• Ultra-Low Latency x Latencies below 1µsec - The XtremeScale SFN8522-PLUS offers fast and efficient hardware that optimizes packet flow to and from the user application. The SFN8522-PLUS unlocks unrivaled submicrosecond latency both at Layer 2 and TCP and UDP via Onload.

• ONLOAD - Onload is Solarflare’s industry-leading fully RFC-compliant kernel-bypass user-space TCP/IP stack. Unrivaled application- to-application TCP and UDP latency is available with no modification to the applications being accelerated. Applications may communicate via Onload to any other RFC-compliant TCP/IP stack with seamless interoperability.

Merging HAPI MKII audiophile customer can make use of the PTPv2 protocol for enable the Precision Time on their audio signal. Since we bypass the internal clock of SolarFlare SFN8522 Plus with OCXO, the performance will be outperforms and exceed the expectation. 

• The Precision Time function will apply hardware time-stamps to incoming and outgoing Ethernet frames to synchronize its oscillator either via the PTPv2 protocol or a combination of PPS and NTP. Sfptpd also enables the Linux real-time clock to be synchronized to the external timing reference via the adapter clock. Any time-stamps obtained from either packet events or via the Linux time API may now be correlated directly with the external timing source. These features allow users to implement event traceability that exceeds the MIFID II requirements.

The quality of the Network Card is crucial to deliver the optimal sounding for Music Server, which ensure the intergrity of music data at the very first transfer via Network. The Constellation Giesemann is designed along with the mind that temperature perturbation, vibration shock, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) may cause some effect on high precision OCXO inside a Music Servers. The chassis inside the Music Server is heavily polluted by EMI noises from CPU, RAM, SSD. So the ultimate solution is to separate the OCXO physically in a separate chassis if possible. 

The Giesemann Clock Sync motherboard is located at the middle and mounted on Carbon Fiber audiophileMAT to maximise the performance for Giesemann Clock Sync Module (GCSM) for Constellation Giesemann Network Card. The grounding arrangement and 5V DC port slot is located on the bottom of the PCIe card to provide the best electronic contact for the clock module. 

The Constellation Giesemann Xe Network Card is smooth in sounding, huge soundstage. The mid-range is details and sweet and background is full of darkness with trace of micro details. The bass is deep and instrument opened up nicely on music. Overall Constellation Giesemann Network Card is unique to reproduce a very smooth and organic , airly sounding and provide the state of art resolution in music. Highly recommended. 

The switching performance is up to 40Gbps and using PCIe x8 to provides minimizing latency and maxmimizing bus throughput between the adapter and the host. 

What is special about Xe?

• ULTRA-LOW LATENCY - The XtremeScale SFN8522-PLUS offers fast and efficient hardware that optimizes packet flow to and from the user application. The SFN8522-PLUS unlocks unrivaled submicrosecond latency both at Layer 2 and TCP and UDP via Onload.

• PRECISION TIME - The SFN8522 is equipped with a Stratum 3 oscillator providing class-leading clock stability. The SFN8522-PLUS enables the use of sfptpd, Solarflare’s time synchronization daemon, which leverages the adapter’s ability to apply hardware time-stamps to incoming and outgoing Ethernet frames to synchronize its oscillator either via the PTPv2 protocol or a combination of PPS and NTP. Sfptpd also enables the Linux real-time clock to be synchronized to the external timing reference via the adapter clock. Any time-stamps obtained from either packet events or via the Linux time API may now be correlated directly with the external timing source. These features allow users to implement event traceability that exceeds the MIFID II requirements.

• The Netword Card is tailor made to use 10M Master Clock to optimise sounding.  Audiophile can make use of their 10M Master Clock to provide the master sync for the audiophile system. Using the single Master Clocking system can achieve the best possible sound quality for both Roon Server on NIC and Switches and Network Player. Improves music playback from Roon (Tidal, Qobuz) and files on local network. 

• 10M Master Clock Signal can be either Square Wave or Sine Wave
  • Full supports for all AfterDark. Giesemann Master Clock, Mutec Master Clock and Cybershaft Master Clock 
  • 50 ohms or 75 ohms input version can be choose when order.  

• The Standard Version of BNC port is used to input external 10M Master Clock. This arrangement and design would ensure Audiophile can use their very best exotic BNC Clock cable without any BNC to SMA adaptor which may caused loss of information in clock signals. Incredible sound quality improvements for any music server.  

• The Enterprise level high quality Solarflare's XtremeScale Controller is used. The chipset is one of the best generations of XtremeScale. The hardware of Xilinx is well known to provide much better stability and this can provide the best support for operating system: Windows (all editions and Linux of UBuntu, Snakeoil). Plug and Play of any PC with PCIe slot. 

• Audio Grade Electrolytic, aluminum electrolytic is used for sound tuning 

• The power section of Gisemann Clock Sync Module (GCSM) is separated power by external LPS at 5V 2A. It eliminates computer as source of powers. For lowest noise and best sounding using Farad Super 3 power supplies. 

• Two audiophile grade SFP network ports support 1G SFP & 10G SFP+ connection speed.  Audiophile can make use of software network bridge function to connect one port for incoming data from router and other port to connect the music streamer directly. The noise floor will be much quieter and details on background will improves. 

Why use OCXO Master Clock? 

You will get an improvement in dynamic's, a lower noise floor and more natural flow in the sound.

• For us a OCXO Master Clock is one of the most important factor's in ensuring the best possible sonic platform for any hifi system!

• The Giesemann Master Clock is designed for high precision audio equipment to enhance the integrity of the signal, the top of the line Giesemann OCXO ensure the accuracy of the master clock prodvide a time domain reference for reading data, its transfer and decoding. As a result, the Master Clock could minimize jitter and ensure the improvement on sounding.

• The Giesemann EVA OCXO Master Clock is designed to generate a very accurate, ultra low phase noise 10M Master Clock signal that delivers more accurate transfer and conversion of digital signals.

• The addition of the external 10M Master Clock can improve the soundstage and details of the Music Server, the extraction of details from the background is just amazing and help to achieve optimal music playback with enhanced timbre, full tone, and escpecially pace, rhythm and timing. 

Technical Specification:

• Ultra - Low Noise Linear LT3042 Regulators and filters eliminate the noise interferences from a PC
• Duelund Silver Cable is used to connecting the DC power to Giesemann Clock Sync Module (GCSM)  
• DC Port at 2.1mm (Germany Made) 
• Required to power with external LPS rated at 5V 2A
• Audio Grade Electrolytic, aluminum electrolytic is used for sound tuning 
• 10M Master Clock input of BNC is required to connect to the board for full operation. 
• Master Clock accepts either Square Wave or Sine Wave 
• Choice of impedance of 75 ohms or 50 ohms to choose for 10M input 
• Superior OCXO signal isolation, industrial grade IPEX cable for signal transmittion to motherboard. 1st Layer of aluminum foils for High Frequency (HF) Effective shielding. SFS-PE (Foam-Skin Polyethylene) insulated and 2nd layer of copper wire braiding. This will prevent external noise from getting to the signal conductors, shields the shield of the cable to further prevent the ingress of noise (RFI, etc.) into the signal wires.
• Layer of Carbon Fiber Shielding (CFS) for EMI shielding, Carbon Fiber protection provide the highest standard of shielding material which mainly used for industrial and most demanding engineer on special project.  
• “Extra Arrangement on Grounding Wire” the grounding braid outside of the 10M cable was connected by IPEX connector for best connectivity on clock signal witin industrial standard. 
• Industrial Version of Solarflare's XtremeScale Ethernet Controller 
• Highest Industrial Grade with wide range of extreme operating temperature -40C to +85C.  
• Gold Plated high performance EMI Shielded RJ-45 connectors.
• All Windows editions and Linux OS Supports 
• All x4 - x16 lane PCIe 2.0 to 4.0 slots supported
• All modification hand made in Hong Kong by AfterDark.