AfterDark. Giesemann Reference SFP Optical Network Card PA6 - Network Sweeter

AfterDark. Giesemann Reference SFP Optical Network Card PA6 - Network Sweeter  

A SFP Optical Network Card produced by AfterDark. 

gives a significant improvement on sounding

designed based on Project ALPHA program 

with one well respected member in Audiophilestyle.

To honor that moment, we invite all 

Audiophiles to share the happyiness 

 with friends

The one-of-a-kind creation was designed especially for one serious audiophiles in audiophilestyle.com to connect the AfterDark. Trifecta Extreme Giesemann Clock on the audiophile system. The PA6 - Network Sweeter is made by the lastest network chips which supports the Audio/Video Bridging, IEEE 802.1 Audio Vido Bridging (AVB) specification. This feutures the best signal to signal transfer for Audiophiles. The main motherboard and Giesemann Clock Sync Module (GCSM) is build inside, were individually working and seperated in single layer on Carbon Fiber AudiophileMAT at 3mm thickness for best isolation. The CPU on the motherboard will be applied EMI shielding material in 1.2mm from KAMET Corp to lower the noise floor and make music more transparent. 

These existing arrangement are reconstituted as parts to bring the whole system to another levels. 

The Giesemann Clock Sync Module (GCSM) will either accepts external inputs of 10M Reference Master Clock Signal or works with internal OCXO. Two versions would be made to orders. 

The SFP Optical Network Card PA6 - Network Sweeter will re-clock by GCSM to provide the best signal from music server atand transfer via SFP optical fiber network switch or Network Music Endpoint. The SFP Optical Network Card PA6 - Network Sweeter not only changes in the overall sounding but brings all micro details and extracted them in precise timing with lowest possible jitter. The PA6 -  Network Sweeter will provide the highest resolution and micro textures of music, making music much refined and sweeter then ever before. 

Audio is very vulnerable to noise. There are many types of noise that can negatively affect audio quality, but the noise that has the biggest impact on computer streaming is EMI, RFI, and impulse noise .

The PA6 - Network Sweeter is equiped with Intel Chipset to support best signal and ultra low time latency with their Audio/Video Bridging Support:

• The network controller features an Intel chip known for its reliability and high-performance capabilities, offering ultra low-latency and low CPU utilization, ensuring smooth and efficient network data transfer, which is critical for audio playback. 

• It also features 9K jumbo frame support, reducing packet overhead for improved data transmission efficiency. VLAN tagging support allows for efficient network management and segmentation.

• The time SYNC (IEEE1588 and IEEE 802.1AS) will address the clock synchronization requirements of measurement and control system, make it ideal choice for Merging NADAC and Merging HAPI MKII or Merging ZMAN to have access of time stamp, with the operation of a PTP (Precision Time Protocol) and compliance with latest 1588 PTPv2 frame format. The PA6- Network Sweeter will always a Master references clock with the use of 10M Master Clock. 

• The PTP network protocol will apply hardware time-stamps to incoming and outgoing Ethernet frames to synchronize the Giesemann Clock Sync Module (GCSM) via the PTPv2 to performs clock lock via Merging ARS67 Audio Profile. 

• About PTP residency time stamping

  Precision Time Protocol (PTPv2, IEEE 1588) is a protocol that enables precise synchronization of clocks with a sub-microsecond accuracy across a packet-based network. PTPv2 lets network devices of different precision and resolution synchronize to a grandmaster clock through an exchange of packets across the network. The PA6 is supports a PTPv2 end-to-end transparent clock that is used in the PTPv2 residency time stamping feature.

The 802.1Qav provides a way to guarantee bounded latency and latency variation for time sensitive traffic as Audio. It specifies the priority usage and controlled bandwidth draining algorithms. 

One of the main role of Network Sweeter is to block EMI noise coming from Music Server to Network Music Streamer. RFI noise that enters beyond the sheath is a problem at the cable end, so it can be solved with a optical fiber cable. However, no matter how well shielded a lan cable is, it cannot completely block out RFI noise. 

The SFP Optical Network Card PA6 is a device that uses Optical Fiber with Giesemann OCXO precision clocking  technology to remove RFI noise and impulse noise coming in from cables, and revive or reclocking the LAN signal for Audiophiles system.

The advantage:

• The density in the sound image is increased, the color of the sound is revived, the sound of the singer's breathing, and the lingering sound that lasts until the end improves the sense of space and air, and the tone becomes more vivid and dense, allowing for musical nuances even in digital. Your sensibilities will be revived, and your music will start to sound more musical.

• The sound stage is much wider and opened up with 3D and improved focusing, quietness, clarity, purity, detail, and precision , while OCXO increase the precision and microdetail extraction with more refine backgrounds, the smoothness and microdynamics will be much better represented and created spatial region. 

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 Cable is used to connecting the DC power to Giesemann Clock Sync Module (GCSM)  
• DC Port at 2.1mm (Gold plated) 
• 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 Intel i210 SFP Ethernet Controller 
• Highest Industrial Grade with wide range of extreme operating temperature -40C to +85C.  
• All Windows editions, MacOS and All Linux OS Supports 
• All x1 - x16 lane PCIe 2.0 to 4.0 slots supported
• All modification hand made in Hong Kong by AfterDark.

For Audiophiles who like to optimise the sound on software levels, the Tips and Tweaks is attached for audiophilestyle's members