UpTone JS-2 Power Supply Listening Impressions

[PYP]

2 hours ago, PYP said:

 

Beautiful!  And speaking of beautiful, have been enjoying Kari Bremnes via Qobuz/Roon.  

 

Never quoted myself before....    Wanted to add that I love Ane Brun's work too!

[Frojo]

On 5/13/2020 at 4:35 PM, TwinPeak said:

I received my Uptone Audio JS-2 LPS yesterday, late in the afternoon. Unpacked and connected it, but let it wait for an hour until it had room temperature before turning on power. In Norway we have 4 degrees celsius in mid May (!) - and the JS-2 being transported from eastern to western Norway the same day, it needed to warm up.

Connected JS-2 to my Mac Mini (2012 with MMK). Power on, sat in the chair - with great expectations. After an hour or so, playing some of my best recordings (24/96), I'm suddenly somewhere I've never been before: in the studio with the musicians. I don't really understand what's going on, but it's just getting better and better. Speakers, amplifiers and Mac Mini are gone! It's just me in the chair and the musicians in front of me. With a simple phrase: Presence! The music has come closer into my living room. Dynamic performance, distributed in a huge and deep soundstage, but with proper isolation and distance between instruments. No coloration, but some sonic modulation is going on. Even with a fairly “simple” set up like mine, it is still difficult to distinguish what component is doing what in the combined musical presentation.
I now have all the excellent UpTone Audio devices in my system: MMK (Mac Mini DC-Conversion Kit), ISO-REGEN w UltraCap LPS-1.2, EtherREGEN and now the legendary JS-2 LPS.
You know the differences immediately after you add a new component, but the next day the synergy between components makes the overall impression sound like a whole new system. To me, electrical energy converted to frequencies and decibels is still a mystery, but it is what digital audio is about. I’m leaving JS-2 powered overnight. But even in a relatively cold state JS-2 delivers something quite extraordinary to my modest system.
Tom (Bergen, Norway) 🙂

 

 

Hi Tom,

Great post/pictures- I am hoping to emulate your experience soon (JS2 heading my way)

Please could you confirm your set up i.e. which components are you powering with the JS2?

thanks.

[TwinPeak]

15 hours ago, PYP said:

 

Never quoted myself before....    Wanted to add that I love Ane Brun's work too!

Ane Brun: "It all Starts with One" and "Leave Me Breathless" are very well recorded 🙂 Actually most norwegian recordings hold very high standard...

[TwinPeak]

11 hours ago, Frojo said:

 

Hi Tom,

Great post/pictures- I am hoping to emulate your experience soon (JS2 heading my way)

Please could you confirm your set up i.e. which components are you powering with the JS2?

thanks.

Hi Frojo,
only Mac Mini with UpTone MMK is powered by JS-2. My Mini is stripped from hard drive/SSD and SATA-connector. I run a slimmed version of El Capitan on SD-card and upsample and play through Audirvana+ 3.2.6.
Attached is a diagram showing present state of my system 🙂

My SetUp 2020-v5.pdf

[Frojo]

9 minutes ago, TwinPeak said:

Hi Frojo,
only Mac Mini with UpTone MMK is powered by JS-2. My Mini is stripped from hard drive/SSD and SATA-connector. I run a slimmed version of El Capitan on SD-card and upsample and play through Audirvana+ 3.2.6.
Attached is a diagram showing present state of my system 🙂

My SetUp 2020-v5.pdf 158.97 kB · 2 downloads

 

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the system diagram- if i may ask, what is powering your etheregen?

My system mirrors yours but with an Ultrarendu in place of your direct usb connection.....

 

[TwinPeak]

5 hours ago, Frojo said:

 

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the system diagram- if i may ask, what is powering your etheregen?

My system mirrors yours but with an Ultrarendu in place of your direct usb connection.....

 

Hi Frojo, I had planned on powering EtherREGEN with second DC-output on JS-2, but was advised by Alex C not to do so, as it will compromise galvanic isolation on EtherREGENs B-side. So I use the SMPS that followed the ER.
Last year I also investigated in UltraRendu and a way to use it with Mac Mini, Audirvana and NAS (music storage), but found it too complicated. I would love to have the qualities that the UR adds to a system, but I can't figure out how to set it up...
Tom

[Frojo]

21 minutes ago, TwinPeak said:

Hi Frojo, I had planes of powering EtherREGEN with second DC-output on JS-2, but was advised by Alex C not to do so, as it will compromise galvanic isolation on EtherREGENs B-side. So I use the SMPS that followed the ER.
Last year I also investigated in UltraRendu and a way to use it with Mac Mini, Audirvana and NAS (music storage), but found it too complicated. I would love to have the qualities that the UR adds to a system, but I can't figure out how to set it up...
Tom

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your reply.

Rather than engage in 'off topic' chat, please private message me for any advice or help regarding the ultrarendu.

 

best regards 

[TwinPeak]

Great discovery!
Since I received my JS-2 some three weeks ago, I have experienced an annoying mechanical hum coming from JS-2. I thought it was normal and after reporting to Alex C, his reply indicated that hum shouldn't be a problem with JS-2 at all. So I conferred with forum member "Frojo" who asked for my setup and power connections. Well, I get power to my equipment from a duo wall outlet - one for equipment, and one for an iFi AC iPurifier. Frojo suggested to remove the iFi Purifier and connect JS-2 directly into the wall outlet. I did so yesterday - and swoosh - no hum at all!

 

Today I have listened for any differences in sound quality after removing the iFi Purifier, and oh YES, there are certainly differences. Better dynamics, better imaging and presentation of sound stage and also clearer and better pronounced voices - to mention a few.
My humble conclusion is that the iFi products are dedicated people who play MP3 etc on affordable equipment - not high end audio equipment. Please try for your self to play with and without your iFi products. I do not intent to start a debate on iFi products, but since a simple experiment could give such clear indications, there must be some secrets that are not openly stated...
Tom (Norway)

[R1200CL]

.....maybe something very bad with that iFi ?

[musicguy]

@TwinPeak

 

You might have dc on your power or some other thing happening. Dc cause hums.   I have 3 ifi ac purifiers on the same line and no hum.  Which also has my js-2/isoregen and lps1.2.   They do make my music sound alittle bit cleaner.    From the wall  i have two power strips,  with 1 ifi purifier in each.  With out them  the sound is little messy, is the best way to say it.   In this room i have a pc,  several smps fans and a dehumidifier  .  So the ifi ac purifiers help.   I also run them on my home theater system with a shynata venom also.   So  You might want to un plug everything that is on that line.  

 

I don't think its your ifi ac purifier.    Contact ifi maybe you got one that is defective.  

 

music guy  

 

 

[GryphonGuy]

4 hours ago, TwinPeak said:

Great discovery!
Since I received my JS-2 some three weeks ago, I have experienced an annoying mechanical hum coming from JS-2. I thought it was normal and after reporting to Alex C, his reply indicated that hum shouldn't be a problem with JS-2 at all. So I conferred with forum member "Frojo" who asked for my setup and power connections. Well, I get power to my equipment from a duo wall outlet - one for equipment, and one for an iFi AC iPurifier. Frojo suggested to remove the iFi Purifier and connect JS-2 directly into the wall outlet. I did so yesterday - and swoosh - no hum at all!

 

Today I have listened for any differences in sound quality after removing the iFi Purifier, and oh YES, there are certainly differences. Better dynamics, better imaging and presentation of sound stage and also clearer and better pronounced voices - to mention a few.
My humble conclusion is that the iFi products are dedicated people who play MP3 etc on affordable equipment - not high end audio equipment. Please try for your self to play with and without your iFi products. I do not intent to start a debate on iFi products, but since a simple experiment could give such clear indications, there must be some secrets that are not openly stated...
Tom (Norway)

 

iFi in Asia are only for entry level systems. The sales guy smiled at me when I asked if any of the products would benefit my DAVE. The comment came back that DAVE is in a higher market segment than iFi products so there are probably no products iFi could provide that would make DAVE any better.

 

Please don't shoot the messenger.

 

Regards

GG

[TwinPeak]

12 hours ago, musicguy said:

@TwinPeak

 

You might have dc on your power or some other thing happening. Dc cause hums.   I have 3 ifi ac purifiers on the same line and no hum.  Which also has my js-2/isoregen and lps1.2.   They do make my music sound alittle bit cleaner.    From the wall  i have two power strips,  with 1 ifi purifier in each.  With out them  the sound is little messy, is the best way to say it.   In this room i have a pc,  several smps fans and a dehumidifier  .  So the ifi ac purifiers help.   I also run them on my home theater system with a shynata venom also.   So  You might want to un plug everything that is on that line.  

 

I don't think its your ifi ac purifier.    Contact ifi maybe you got one that is defective.  

 

music guy  

 

 

I have two iFi AC iPurifires and I tested both this morning, and they produce same result when attached into the wall outlet: HUM from JS-2. Without iPurifiers and with JS-2 directly into wall - no HUM.
In my TV-surround (same room) I usually have one iPurifier attached, and I think I get better sound/picture...
Tom

[thotdoc]

Alex and John. I keep wanting to write and tell you about the true jump in 'this is real 'that the JS2 has created by driving my Sonic Transport...but I have a hard time not just listening to CDs I've been playing for years and am now hearing intention and emotionality in ways that are new and that create goose bumps.

 

I can never thank you enough for the pleasure your products have and are bringing me as I listen to my system.  

 

I get it that I owe a debt to Hegel and Atma-sphere and Sonore, Magnepan and Analysis-Plus and Small Green...but your products seem to be the magic sauce.

 

Please keep it up. I'm looking forward to your next product.

 

Stay safe and again, thank you. 

 

Gordon

[Superdad]

12 hours ago, thotdoc said:

Alex and John. I keep wanting to write and tell you about the true jump in 'this is real 'that the JS2 has created by driving my Sonic Transport...but I have a hard time not just listening to CDs I've been playing for years and am now hearing intention and emotionality in ways that are new and that create goose bumps.

 

Hi Gordon:

Thanks for your kind words. I was wondering how you were enjoying your new JS-2 with your SonicTransporter. Now we know! 

All the best,

--Alex C.

[R1200CL]

13 hours ago, thotdoc said:

the JS2 has created by driving my Sonic Transport...

I’m curious as I happen to own a SonicTransporter myself:

Is yours placed away from your audiophile gear ? 

And if not, is anything else being fed from the JS-2 ?

[lxgreen]

I also use a sonictransporter and it is powered by the small green computer LPS. I also noticed a very noticeable increase in SQ. I was wondering what you used prior to installing theJS-2? Curious to see is the JS-2 improvements are better than the small green computer.

[Ultrarunner]

I originally powered my SonicTransporter i5 with an HDPlex unit, although not a current model. The JS-2 definitely improved the sound over the HDPlex. I just ordered an ST i9 and plan to continue to use JS-2, although I won’t power anything else with it, given the current demands of the i9. 

[thyname]

sonicTransporter is a great server (Roon Core) for its price. There is a sT i7 now for sale on US Audio Mart. Great value

[lxgreen]

The i9 requires 19 Volts. Can the JS-2 provide that much?

[Superdad]

2 hours ago, lxgreen said:

The i9 requires 19 Volts. Can the JS-2 provide that much?

 

For the SonicTransporter i9 It is less a matter of voltage than current.

 

The JS-2’s highest output setting is 12V (and can produce 7.4 amps continuous at that voltage).

As with Intel NUC and Roon Nucleus (which is based on Intel NUC boards), the Small Green Computer SonicTransporter i7 and i9 models are labeled for a 19V supply but runs great from 12V as well. Dozens of SonicTransporter i7 owner, Roon Nucleus+ owners and even more Intel NUC owners are powering from the JS-2 at 12V.

[Deep in the board specs for NUC logic boards it says 12-19V.  None of the chips inside use even those voltages—it’s all 3.3V, 1.2V, 1.1; lower voltages but higher current. They label it for 19V so they can use a lower current external PS brick.]

 

However, depending upon the configuration of the SonicTransporter i9 (the new ones are pretty loaded--including with an internal version of the Sonore opticalModule), the startup current demand at 12V may be more than what the JS-2 can readily deliver.  

Bottom line:

A for sure "yes" for JS-2 with sT i7 models; an "I'm not sure" with regards to the current i9 models.

 

[kurb1980]

Alex,

 

Do you make a DC power cord that can connect to newer macbook USB-C connectors?  Also if possible could I use the JS2 to power both my Macbook and ultrarendu or would that defeat the galvanic isolation?

[thotdoc]

9 hours ago, R1200CL said:

I’m curious as I happen to own a SonicTransporter myself:

Is yours placed away from your audiophile gear ? 

And if not, is anything else being fed from the JS-2 ?

The ST and the JS-2 are currently on the floor next to the other gear, which is in a rack.The JS-2 is only feeding the ST, at this time.

[thotdoc]

8 hours ago, lxgreen said:

I also use a sonictransporter and it is powered by the small green computer LPS. I also noticed a very noticeable increase in SQ. I was wondering what you used prior to installing theJS-2? Curious to see is the JS-2 improvements are better than the small green computer.

I was using the power supply that came with the ST. I could only guess that the JS-2 would be better... since as we upgrade power supplies we all seem to experience increased SQ. 

[André Gosselin]

Hi Alex,

As you know,I am currently using a JS-2 to power an iFi Pro iDSD on one rail set to 12V, with great results. The second rail is presently set at 7V and powers an ultrarendu. I now envision adding an iFI Pro iCAN to my system.

 

Both the Pro iDSD and the Pro iCAN are rated at 9V/6.7A -18V/3.35A, which if my math is correct translates to 12V/5A.

 

My question: would it be safe to power both the iDSD and the iCAN from the same JS-2 with both rails set to 12V, given that the JS-2 is topped at 7A for both rails combined. I am afraid the answer is no, but I would like your advice.

 

Regards

[Superdad]

25 minutes ago, André Gosselin said:

My question: would it be safe to power both the iDSD and the iCAN from the same JS-2 with both rails set to 12V, given that the JS-2 is topped at 7A for both rails combined.

 

Hi André:

I truly doubt that either of your iFi Pro units actually draw a continuous 5A at 12V.  That would be a LOT!  

That said, it is still not a give that the JS-2 will power both simultaneously. While we have lots of people posing both a DAC (Brooklyn, etc.) and a small computer with a single JS-2, or even a DAC and ADC, I suspect your Pro iCAN is fairly current hungry.

But it won't hurt at all to try.  Just watch the red LEDs on the back of the JS-2.  Some flickering is fine and normal, but steady on means that you are exceeding current limit and the JS-2 will fall out of regulation and the output voltage will drop.

 

Best,

--Alex C.