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UpTone JS-2 Power Supply Listening Impressions


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Guess this means you're still happy. :-).

 

You bet! Sounds even better after a short burn in phase.

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Custom C.A.P.S. Reference Music Server with UpTone Audio JS-2 External Linear Power Supply > Bel Canto REFLink Asynchronous USB Converter > AT&T ST Optical Glass Fiber > Bel Canto DAC3.7 DAC > Pass Labs XP-20 Preamp > Pass Labs XA160.5 Class A Mono Blocks > Martin Logan Summit X Speakers

 

Powered By Balanced Power Technologies - UpTone Audio JS-2 Linear Power Supply - CyberPower Sinewave UPS

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  • 4 weeks later...
hi, I am new on this forum, please may you post the WEB site where place an order? I didn't found it.

Thank you

Paolo

 

Hello Paolo:

An official UpTone Audio web site will go live by this Sunday. I did receive your private e-mail this morning and will reply momentarily.

 

Let's see, I restarted the MusiCap business (after the close of Hovland Company, which I was a co-founder of) in April 2010. So it has only taken me 5 years to get a web site going! That either means I am really poor marketeer, or my products are so good they sell at a sustaining level just by word of mouth. The truth is both. ;)

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kicking in just to say that, after a month+ I had to revert my 2011 MacMini to its stock PS, a couple of days ago I managed to get a 2012 quad core i7 MacMini so I finally went back to using both the JS-2 and MMK :)

 

won't go into any more details than just... WOW!!!

:P

 

 

thank you once more John and Alex :)

Qnap HS-264 NAS (powered by an HD-Plex 100w LPS) > Cirrus7 Nimbini v2.5 Media Edition i7-8559U/32/512 running Roon ROCK (powered by a Keces P8 LPS) > Lumin U2  > Metrum Acoustics Adagio NOS digital preamplifier > First Watt SIT 3  power amplifier (or Don Garber Fi "Y" 6922 tube preamplifier + Don Garber Fi "X" 2A3 SET power amplifier, both powered from an Alpha-Core BP-30 Isolated Symmetrical Power Transformer) > Klipsch Cornwall III

 

headphones system:

Cirrus 7 > Lumin U2 > Metrum Acoustics Adagio > Pathos Aurium amplifier (powered by an UpTone Audio JS-2 LPS) > Focal Clear headphones

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Listening impressions of the Uptone MMK installed on my Mac Mini powered by the Uptone JS-2 Power Supply.

 

FIRST, KEEP IN MIND THAT MY SYSTEM IS VERY RESOLVING AND SHOWS ANY AND ALL POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES WHEN THINGS ARE CHANGED IN THE SYSTEM.

 

SO YMMV.

 

 

WOW, NO WAY, HOLY SH*T, DID I HEAR THAT, I NEVER HEARD THAT BEFORE, CAN'T BE, IT'S JUST THE POWER SUPPLY OF THE COMPUTER!!

 

The tone of the instruments are more life like. The cymbals, horns have that tone that gives each their specific, distinct quality. The same goes for a stand up bass. Even a tambourine sounds more like it should. And that is one of the hardest to sound like it should.

 

The attack and decay all have improved. You can hear the decay of notes that were obscured before.

 

Also the placement of instruments are more distinct overall.

 

Some the music/instruments sounds about the same in the same songs where I hear the above improvements. But what is 100% improved is the overall quality of the sound I hear.

 

Again, YMMV.

 

Next will be also powering my DAC, the exaSound e20 MK III .082 Clock, with the JS-2 Power Supply vs the Paul Hynes SR3-12 Power Supply that I use with my DAC.

 

I must say I do not expect to hear much of a difference between the two.

 

 

PS the quality of the build of the JS-2 and the cables are fantastic. And Alex has been very responsive.

Ambassador for Sound Galleries Monaco and Taiko Audio The Netherlands 

Sound Test USA

[email protected]

 

Sound Galleries SGM 2015 Music Server>ROON-all rates up-sampled to DSD512 by HQ Player>Sablon Reserva 2017 USB>T+A DAC 8 DSD>Merrill Audio Veritas Ncore NC1200 Mono Amps>B&W 802D>High Fidelity Cables Interconnect, Speaker & Power Cords for Amps & SGM & T+A>Power Conditioning High Fidelity MC-6 Hemisphere>T+A & Hemisphere supported by Stillpoints Ultra Mini - B&W 802D & Veritas supported by Stillpoints Ultra SS>All sitting on IKEA Aptitlig bamboo butcher blocks - Taiko Audio Setchi active grounding on SGM & T+A

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Next will be also powering my DAC, the exaSound e20 MK III .082 Clock, with the JS-2 Power Supply vs the Paul Hynes SR3-12 Power Supply that I use with my DAC.

 

I must say I do not expect to hear much of a difference between the two.

 

 

Appreciate you posting your impressions.

 

Look forward to your thoughts for powering your exaSound DAC with the JS-2.

Speaker : iPhone 6S Plus > UpTone Audio USB Regen (x2) > Benchmark DAC1 Pre > Pass Labs INT-30A > Focal Micro Utopia BE

Headphone : Auralic Aries > Auralic Gemini 2000 > Audeze LCD-X

Power & Tweaks : Heaps of Balanced & Isolation Power supplies, Dedicated Line, Vinnie Rossi MINI PURE-DC-4EVR, HD-Plex LPSU, iFi Audio DC iPurifiers, DIY Resonance/Vibration platforms using Townshend Audio Seismic Isolation Pods

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Well I too am now a happy JS-2 owner, with 2012 mac mini (MMK fan kit) & an Exasound e28, both powered by it. Can't really do anything other than agree with what pl_svn, hifial (and others) have said about it and the combination. They are right. WOW seems to sum it up perfectly.

 

I used to have the DAC powered by a HDPlex power supply, but the JS-2 betters it, by quite a bit.

 

Going to stop worrying about digital front ends and DACs now. Had planned on starting to think about new speakers, but not so sure now. Might just continue to listen with that broad grin on my face and spend the money on something else. Been told every night this week (since I got it all set up) to "turn that f.... off and come to bed."

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I used to have the DAC powered by a HDPlex power supply, but the JS-2 betters it, by quite a bit.

 

 

wonder when was your hdplex purchased ?

control PC : NUC 5ppyh, LPS

Audio PC : 2 x PPA V3 USB audio PC, HDPLEX LPS

USB SPDIF : Singxer F1

DAC : MSB Analog (dedicated power supply) with Quad rate USB

Power amp : AudioGD C1

Speaker : Dynaudio C1

Subwoofer : REL Stratus II

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weedos123 Thank you for your post, I have the HDPlex powering my DAC/Headphone Amp (am very pleased with it), though have been wondering about the JS-2 as a potential upgrade over the HDPlex. So I appreciate your thoughts.

 

My Auralic Gemini DAC/AMP does not need much power, only 12W continuos at approx 0.6A, so the JS-2 would have plenty of power for the application that I am thinking of, though the voltage from the SMPS that Auralic supplies is 19V, so that may rule out the JS-2 for me.

 

Then again, nothing in the Auralic Gemini may actually need 19V, that is the components may be all 12V or less, so the JS-2 may work. I suppose I should ask Wang @ Auralic what is the lowest voltage that I can supply to the Gemini so I can determine if the JS-2 will work for my application.

Speaker : iPhone 6S Plus > UpTone Audio USB Regen (x2) > Benchmark DAC1 Pre > Pass Labs INT-30A > Focal Micro Utopia BE

Headphone : Auralic Aries > Auralic Gemini 2000 > Audeze LCD-X

Power & Tweaks : Heaps of Balanced & Isolation Power supplies, Dedicated Line, Vinnie Rossi MINI PURE-DC-4EVR, HD-Plex LPSU, iFi Audio DC iPurifiers, DIY Resonance/Vibration platforms using Townshend Audio Seismic Isolation Pods

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wonder when was your hdplex purchased ?

 

Well it was a while ago, it wasn't the first batch, probably the second, its the one with the 12V & 19.5V outputs an no hum.

 

I dare say if I hadn't purchased the JS-2 to feed the mac mini or it didnt have a spare 12V supply, it would still be powering the DAC and I'd only be slightly less happy than I am now. Would I take haven a punt on a JS-2 just to replace my HDplex for the DAC, probably not, but I wouldn't know what I was missing would I.

 

HTH

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Looking forward to my JS-2 next month.

 

Jason, I have mine inhouse right now (and using it for exaSound e12 review, up against the Hynes SR3-12) and it is a beauty. Nicely done, and sounds great so far. I have nothing else yet to say cuz I haven't seriously a/b'd yet.

 

Edit: I guess I could say this: first impressions are that it is at least the level of my Hynes, does double duty (two rails, adjustable), is available, and is therefore priced very reasonably.

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Jason, I have mine inhouse right now (and using it for exaSound e12 review, up against the Hynes SR3-12) and it is a beauty. Nicely done, and sounds great so far. I have nothing else yet to say cuz I haven't seriously a/b'd yet.

 

Yeah mine arrived while I was in Hawaii. Got back and was surprised just with the packaging. I've purchased items that were 5x the cost and weren't packed as nice. Well done for sure. The Hynes was good for me but I never thought it was that great when used previously compared to my diy effort. Throw in the INSANE time delays and quite frankly it's off the map imo. People waiting 1.5 yrs for a power supply is a joke.

 

I would imagine for your use (dac) the JS-2 should be stellar based on its topology.

W10 NUC i7 (Gen 10) > Roon (Audiolense FIR) > Motu UltraLite mk5 > (4) Hypex NCore NC502MP > JBL M2 Master Reference +4 subs

 

Watch my Podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXMw_bZWBMtRWNJQfTJ38kA/videos

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I added to my post before you posted. We are on same page. :) I will likely use second rail for 5V (JCAT USB power replace RWA Acopian, or SSD replace for SOtM battery).

 

haha. Awesome news Ted! I look forward to reading more about your experience.

W10 NUC i7 (Gen 10) > Roon (Audiolense FIR) > Motu UltraLite mk5 > (4) Hypex NCore NC502MP > JBL M2 Master Reference +4 subs

 

Watch my Podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXMw_bZWBMtRWNJQfTJ38kA/videos

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I purchased a JS-2 last month and it arrived in April. The whole ordering process with Alex is painless. His communication is second to none and guy just aims to please. In fact, sometimes I read his emails and just think "get to the point" but he really is detailed oriented in his replies and most importantly in his equipment too which looks stunning in person.

 

After an extended listening session I've come to a conclusion. The JS-2 works, and works well. The $925 question becomes is it worth it for you? Let me explain quickly.

 

I'm using the JS-2 to power my AURALiC ARIES. The stock LPS provides 16Vdc (1A) whereas the JS-2 is 12Vdc on this rail with a current rating of 5A. This is a massive linear power supply that can supply most audio demands. The packing of the unit is absolutely incredible. For an item to be $925 and packed this well shows the care and detail that are thought about which I commend Alex on. As I mentioned elsewhere, I've purchased much higher dollar items that didn't have this type of packing.

 

Sonically, the JS-2 is a winner to me. There is certainly more clarity. Now, before everyone rushes to judgement I want to make myself very clear. Well, as clear as I'm capable of. Is it OMG, WOW blah blah blah? No, but most things are not that way when one has what I think is a very neutral setup that has been setup properly in a dedicated space. I do believe that minor changes like this are more noticeable though. In closing, if you have $925 and everything else is to your satisfaction do I recommend that you try the UpTone Audio JS-2? Hell yeah! Nice job Alex and John Sweson. I look forward to trying more of your products soon; the REGEN being the next.

 

DISCLAIMER

I suck at this stuff and never claimed to be a reviewer. Further, I'm all about being objective so please excuse me while I was totally subjective. :-)

W10 NUC i7 (Gen 10) > Roon (Audiolense FIR) > Motu UltraLite mk5 > (4) Hypex NCore NC502MP > JBL M2 Master Reference +4 subs

 

Watch my Podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXMw_bZWBMtRWNJQfTJ38kA/videos

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Jason,

 

Sounds like you concur with my findings when I started this thread last summer upon installation of the JS-2 in my setup. And I agree completely that dealing with Alex is a treat!

 

I can't wait for my Regen to arrive; I expect that John & Alex will have produced another gem!

 

Randy

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I just realized that I did not post on this thread about my experience with the JS-2 powering Geoffrey Armstrong's E22

 

The sonic changes that we can describe are more color and even better dynamics. We have the unit running for a lot of hours now and have grown pretty attached to the way it makes the E22 sound. The JS-2 has definitely earned a place on the audio rack at Munich High End. It's the Audiopax / Sound Galeries demonstration room D33 in Halle 4. The demo room will also have some other SOTA DSD capable DAC's

Sound Test, Monaco

Consultant to Sound Galleries Monaco, and Taiko Audio Holland

e-mail [email protected]

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The JS-2 has definitely earned a place on the audio rack at Munich High End. It's the Audiopax / Sound Galeries demonstration room D33 in Halle 4.

 

That's so awesome Ed. Thanks ever so much. Your soon you will have a USB REGEN for possible use there too. (BTW, I saw you sent payment for a REGEN too. Your were not supposed to do that since providing one for the show is the least I could do. We'll work it all out later.)

 

 

The whole ordering process with Alex is painless. His communication is second to none and guy just aims to please. In fact, sometimes I read his emails and just think "get to the point" but he really is detailed oriented in his replies and most importantly in his equipment too which looks stunning in person.

 

Maybe it is just because I am a bit exhausted from the adrenaline from the website/REGEN launch weekend, but reading your above brought a little tear to my eye. I really dig this hobby, business, the music, and the people in it, and to have that acknowledged and appreciated means the world to me. So thanks again for your enthusiasm and consideration Jason.

 

 

Goodnight,

Alex. C.

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Maybe it is just because I am a bit exhausted from the adrenaline from the website/REGEN launch weekend, but reading your above brought a little tear to my eye.

 

Goodnight,

Alex. C.

 

I think it must have been the part where he said "...sometimes I read his emails and just think 'get to the point'." ;)

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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I think it must have been the part where he said "...sometimes I read his emails and just think 'get to the point'." ;)

 

LOL

 

totally agree with jtwrace on how pleasing dealing with Alex is, just... enough crying and start sending out those g'dm Regens *now*! :P

 

;)

Qnap HS-264 NAS (powered by an HD-Plex 100w LPS) > Cirrus7 Nimbini v2.5 Media Edition i7-8559U/32/512 running Roon ROCK (powered by a Keces P8 LPS) > Lumin U2  > Metrum Acoustics Adagio NOS digital preamplifier > First Watt SIT 3  power amplifier (or Don Garber Fi "Y" 6922 tube preamplifier + Don Garber Fi "X" 2A3 SET power amplifier, both powered from an Alpha-Core BP-30 Isolated Symmetrical Power Transformer) > Klipsch Cornwall III

 

headphones system:

Cirrus 7 > Lumin U2 > Metrum Acoustics Adagio > Pathos Aurium amplifier (powered by an UpTone Audio JS-2 LPS) > Focal Clear headphones

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waiting for my JS-2 and MMK will arrive, I have a question.

I have already replaced the internal MINI's PS with Clones Audio mPSU kit.

Assuming which DC female connector will be conform to the Uptone DC cable plug, I'd like try to test the new JS-2 before installing the MMK kit.

Please, is there any fellow who has already experienced this setting?

Paolo

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