Single Optical Unit (2 units = Optical Bridge)
There are many permutations of the Reiki Audio Optical Bridge. For your convenience, we’ve added pre-configured products to our store for what we expect to be our most popular configurations. However, here you can choose any individual optical unit, allowing you to personalise your Optical Bridge by selecting whatever combination of Servant, Master and power supplies meets your needs and your budget. You will of course need TWO optical units to form a single Optical Bridge, or you can use a single Optical Unit if your streamer has an SFP port.
We assemble by hand and try to maintain sufficient stock of most models for immediate despatch; if we do not have stock of your chosen model(s) we will let you know within 24 hours. Non-stock orders should be shipped within 3-4 weeks. Thanks for your understanding.
Choosing or configuring your Optical Bridge
The Reiki Audio Optical Bridge brings no-noise networking to those using ethernet wired connections. There is no need to lift carpets or floorboards to replace your existing ethernet cabling; a short optical connection will give just as much benefit as a longer one, as noise cannot cross an optical connection.
Designed to be installed just before your streamer to ensure that the latter receives the cleanest possible signal, each Optical Bridge consists of two Optical Units: one on the input side to convert the ethernet signal to optical and one on the output side to convert that optical signal back to ethernet. We made a deliberate design decision to maximise isolation by using two self-contained 5mm cases; this also makes the Optical Bridge incredibly flexible in its configuration as you can upgrade the input and output sides independently should you wish to do so.
Whatever level of power supply you choose for each of your Optical Units, the best performance for any given budget will most likely come from an Optical Bridge consisting of a Servant as input unit and a Master as output unit. We have included a number of popular Servant+Master Optical Bridge configurations in our shop but you can also design your own Optical Bridge to suit your specific needs and budget.
Every Optical Bridge must include:
One Input Unit
One Output Unit
and comes with
2 very low noise SFP modules, one for each Unit
0.5m Single Mode Optical Cable to provide the bridge between the Units
0.5m and 1m CAT6 ethernet cables to connect output unit to your streamer
Every Optical Unit includes:
5mm milled and anodised aluminium case
Audiophile quality circuitry: high quality components, well laid out including discrete Ethernet Port magnetics
Internal silver-plated OFC wiring with PTFE insulation
One ethernet port
One SFP port
One grounding post (optional use)
No LED’s, no pinholes
External low noise PSU
Weight-specific isolation feet
Master Optical Units have our unique dual shielding which adds copper lining to the class-leading 5mm milled aluminium case. We also apply additional copper shielding to the SFP port and make selective use of RFI/EMI absorption material to provide the best possible performance at this very last stage of the audio chain before your streamer.
Servant Optical Units enjoy the same 5mm milled aluminium case as our Master Optical Units but omit the copper lining and EMI absorption present in the Master. These additions have far more impact on audio quality at the output side of the Optical Bridge and this allows us to offer the Servant Optical Unit at a lower price than the Master.
Standard, Plus or PRO?
Our standard Master and Servant Optical Units are supplied with a low noise PSU.
We highly recommend the Master and Servant Plus models, each of which include an iFi iPower ultra low noise PSU for a modest price increase (and cheaper than buying one elsewhere at RRP).
Finally, the Master PRO and Servant PRO are our ultimate models; each comes with one of our custom-designed PRO linear PSUs.
Our shop includes the following pre-configured Optical Bridges:
· Optical Bridge Std/Std – Servant Optical Unit on the input side, Master Optical Unit on the output side, 2x standard PSU
· Optical Bridge Std/Plus – Servant Optical Unit on the input side, Master Optical Unit on the output side, 1x standard PSU, 1x Plus PSU (iFi iPower)
· Optical Bridge Plus/Plus – Servant Optical Unit on the input side, Master Optical Unit on the output side, 2x Plus PSU
· Optical Bridge Plus/PRO - Servant Optical Unit on the input side, Master Optical Unit on the output side, 1x Plus PSU, 1x PRO linear PSU
· Optical Bridge PRO/PRO Statement - Servant Optical Unit on the input side, Master Optical Unit on the output side, 2x PRO linear PSU’s
· Optical Bridge PRO/PRO Extreme – 2x Master Optical Unit, 2x PRO linear PSU
Each Optical Bridge comes with the required pair of SFP modules and a 50cm Single Mode optical cable.
Optical Master Unit: W120mm x D138mm x H33mm inc feet Weight 700g
Optical Servant Unit: W120mm x D138mm x H33mm inc feet Weight 675g
PRO PSU: W250mm x D138mm x H70mm Weight 2.75kg
A word on grounding
Many audiophiles swear by the importance of effective grounding of all their system components; our experience suggests the difference is system-dependent but we wanted to ensure that our Optical Bridge not only makes grounding easier for those committed to its use but also provides for future flexibility; you don’t have to use the grounding post at all but it’s there if you change your mind.
While the case of an AC-powered device grounds to earth as standard, via the earth wire in its AC mains cable, most DC-powered devices do not. The Optical Bridge grounding post makes it easy to ground its aluminium and copper chassis; you can use a turntable or other grounding wire to connect the unit to the grounding post on our PRO PSU (effectively making the Optical Bridge case an extension of the PRO PSU case), to a grounding box, or to a grounding plug (these are typically yellow plugs which fit into a wall socket and the only metal pin on them is the earth pin).